Kevin O`Doherty & Eva O`Doherty Print Page

The monument erected over the grave commemorates Irish nationalist and medical practitioner, Kevin Izod O`Doherty, and Mrs O`Doherty as "Eva of the Nation." 

In May 1848 O`Doherty became involved with the Young Ireland movement and as co-editor of the nationalist Tribune was sentenced to transportation for treason-felony at Dublin in August. He sailed in the Mount Stewart Elphinstone to Sydney and thence in the Emma to Hobart Town. He received an unconditional pardon in 1856. He settled at Brisbane in 1865 where he became a leading physician. He was one of the first presidents of the Queensland Medical Society and carried out extensive honorary work at Catholic hospitals. A member for Brisbane in the Legislative Assembly in 1867-73, he had wide interests. In 1872 he was responsible for the first Health Act in Queensland and in 1875-77 gave evidence to many commissions on medical matters.

In the brilliant sunshine of Sunday afternoon, around the resting place of Kevin Izod O'Doherty and his beloved wife in the Catholic portion of the Toowong (Q.) cemetery, a large crowd of admirers gathered to do honour by their presence at the ceremony of the unveiling of the monument erected over the grave to commemorate the history of those whose mortal remains lie beneath it. Mr. T. J. O'Shea said that when the committee first met in connection with the work that would be concluded that day, it had been decided that a fund should be raised, first of all to provide for the widow, who was then living, and whose memory would ever be green in the minds of Irish people. (Applause.) Provision was therefore assured for all that the widow's small needs demanded, and a moderate sum left for the security of her dutiful daughter's future in the event of her ever requiring aid. 

Mr Shea said that Dr. O'Doherty was one of the most conspicuous figures in Irish history of the year 1848. In the accomplishment of Home Rule the press was a necessary factor to the accomplishment of that object, and one of the leading papers, ''The United Irishman," had been suppressed. O'Doherty had all this vigour and enthusiasm, and dauntless energy, necessary to start a paper to replace the suppressed one, and got under way "The Irish Tribune." He had written vigorously for it, and his run in the literary world seemed unlimited, but when only five issues had appeared he was arrested and after the jury had disagreed twice at his trial, he was approached and urged to plead guilty and promised a pardon but was sentenced to transportation or a term of ten years. 

The monument was then unveiled. It was found to be an obelisk of Aberdeen granite, based with Victorian granite, and surmounted by a well-executed Celtic cross, bearing the words, "Thy Will Be Done." The cost of erection was £130. 
Freeman's Journal (Sydney, NSW),  1 February 1912.

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