Delia Moclair facts for kids

Delia Moclair (born January 8, 1895 – died November 23, 1971) was an important Irish doctor. She was an obstetrician, which means she specialized in helping mothers and babies during childbirth. Delia Moclair was also the first woman to become an assistant master at the National Maternity Hospital, Dublin. This was a very big achievement for a woman at that time.

Delia Moclair's Early Life

Delia Moclair was born Bridget Angela Moclair on January 8, 1895. Her family lived in John Street, Cashel, County Tipperary, Ireland. She was the youngest of seven children born to Patrick and Margaret Moclair.

Delia's father was involved in a movement called the Plan of Campaign. This was a time when people in Ireland were fighting for their rights regarding land. Her father faced some difficulties because of his actions, but his family's farm was eventually returned to them.

Delia went to school at the Presentation convent in Cashel. Later, she studied at the Ursuline convent in Waterford. She then decided to study medicine at University College Dublin. She earned her medical degrees in 1921 and a special degree in public health in 1922.

Besides her studies, Delia was also very talented. She could speak Irish very well. She was also a gifted singer, known as a mezzo-soprano. This means she had a beautiful singing voice. She even won a special medal at the 1921 Feis Ceoil, which is a big music festival in Ireland. She often performed at concerts and events.

Delia Moclair's Medical Career

In 1922, Delia Moclair made history. She was chosen to be the first woman assistant master at the National Maternity Hospital, Dublin. Everyone agreed she was the right person for the job, even though some people were a bit old-fashioned about women in such important roles.

She worked in this role for three years, from 1922 to 1925. For two of those years, she worked alongside another doctor named Andrew Horne Jr. After their time at the hospital, Delia and Andrew Horne Jr. even studied in Vienna for a while. When they came back to Dublin, they started their own private medical practice together.

Delia Moclair was known for being very caring towards mothers and their new babies. She believed that midwives, who help women during childbirth, knew a lot. She worked to help new mothers feel more confident.

She also started an important course to help young women and mothers. This course taught them about health and hygiene. It was a pioneering idea at the time, helping many people learn how to stay healthy.

From the 1920s, Delia was the president of the Women's National Health Association. This group worked hard to fight diseases like tuberculosis and to make children healthier. Delia was also a devoted Catholic. She was part of many volunteer groups, like the Linen Guild, which helped babies born at the National Maternity Hospital. She also helped the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul and other Catholic charities.

From 1963 to 1966, Delia Moclair was the president of Peamount Hospital in County Dublin. She also helped examine students who wanted to become midwives for the Central Midwives Board of Ireland.

Family and Later Life

Delia Moclair married Andrew Horne Jr. on November 23, 1971, at a church in Dublin. They had one son and twin daughters named Margaret and Patricia.

At first, Delia and Andrew lived and worked in Merrion Square in Dublin. Later, they moved to a different area called Cowper Drive in Rathmines.

Delia Moclair passed away at Dr Steevens' Hospital in Dublin on November 23, 1971. She was a truly remarkable woman who helped many mothers and babies throughout her life.