The Dictionary of Australasian Biography/O'Doherty, Kevin Izod
O'Doherty, Kevin Izod, F.R.C.S., was born in Dublin in June 1824, and educated for the medical profession. Whilst still a student he entered heartily into the "Young Ireland" movement, and joined with R. D. Williams ("Shamrock," of the Nation), in founding the Irish Tribune, the first number of which was published in Dublin on June 10th, 1848. At the fifth number, issued on July 10th, the new journal was suppressed by the Castle authorities, and Mr. O'Doherty was lodged in gaol on a charge of treason-felony. In the following month he was placed on his trial, but the jury disagreed, and the same fate awaited a second experiment. Arraigned a third time, he was found guilty, and sentenced to ten years' transportation. Van Diemen's Land (now Tasmania) was his destined location, for which he sailed in company with John Martin, arriving in Nov. 1849. He was at once released on parole, and his professional services were utilised at St. Mary's Hospital, Hobart. Five years later Mr. O'Doherty received a pardon, conditional on his residing anywhere out of the United Kingdom. Of this he availed himself to settle in Paris, where be resumed his medical studies, making a secret excursion to Dublin in order to marry Miss Kelly ("Eva," of the Nation), to whom he had been affianced at the time of his trial, and who had promised to wait for him when their prospects of reunion seemed blackest. In 1856 Mr. O'Doherty received an unconditional pardon, and in the following year he returned to Dublin, where he was admitted F.R.C.S. in 1857, and L.M. and L.R.Q.C.P. in 1859. After practising in Dublin for some time with much success, Mr. O'Doherty emigrated to Brisbane, where he took a leading position in his profession, and was for six years one of the members for the capital in the Legislative Assembly of Queensland. In 1877 he was nominated a member of the Legislative Council, and retained his seat till 1886, when he resigned, with the view of settling in Europe. He was received with great cordiality on his return to Ireland, and was at once nominated and returned to the House of Commons for Meath in the Parnellite interest. After a few months, however, he resigned his seat in Parliament, and returned to Queensland, where he still resides. Mr. O'Doherty was for some time president of the Irish National League of Australia, and was chairman of the Irish Australian Convention, held in Melbourne in 1883.