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THE remarkable women medics who emerged from the national struggle for independence were "wonderfully romantic at times and quite irresponsible." These were the words of James Deeny, former chief medical adviser to the Department of Health, writes Anne Mac Lellan

However, they do less than justice to three doughty doctors who made substantial contributions to the health of an often less-than-grateful Irish State.

Dr Kathleen Lynn (1874-1955) co-founded St Ultan's, the first Irish hospital dedicated to infants, and the first run entirely by women. Dr Dorothy Stopford Price (1890-1954) became an internationally renowned expert on childhood tuberculosis, introducing the anti-tuberculosis vaccine, BCG, into Ireland in 1937. Dr Brigid Lyons Thornton (1896-1987) specialised in public health medicine.