Clodagh Finn: A Mayo nurse’s role in the discovery of penicillin
Thanks to the Kilfian Development Association, we know how crucial Sarah McElroy born in its parish was to her husband Sir Alexander Fleming's research, writes Clodagh Finn
Sarah McIlroy who, thanks to her homeplace, Kilfian, in north Mayo, more people know about.
Clodagh Finn is a journalist, writer and collector of stories. Her recent book, The Irish in the Resistance, co-authored with John Morgan, shines a light on the forgotten contributions of the Irish who resisted Hitler during WW2.
Mention penicillin and the name Sir Alexander Fleming, who discovered it, quickly trips off the tongue. Less well-known is his wife, Sarah McElroy, a nurse from Co Mayo who sold her nursing home in London to support his research.
McElroy said she knew Fleming had genius and wanted him to make the most of it: “Alec is a great man, but nobody knows it,” she said.
This is exclusive subscriber content. Already a subscriber? Sign in
