About

Our History

The origins of Ayrfield Medical Practice go back to 1952 when Dr Ailish Forristal commenced practice as the first female GP in Kilkenny City at 43 Parliament St. She was significantly ahead of her time in recognizing and providing for womens’ health needs in the locality. In the late 50s Dr John Hindle started as a GP in High Street while also working as a highly skilled orthopaedic surgeon at Kilcreene. By 1974, Dr Hindle amalgamated his practice with Dr Forristal in Parliament St.

Throughout this time the Parliament Street practice expanded and flourished to the point that it was joined by Drs John and Bill Cuddihy in the early 80s. Dr Gobnait Kearney was an ideal successor to Dr Forristal upon her retirement in 1987. By this time the need for space demanded a move to Friarsbridge. In 1997 Dr Tadhg Crowley succeeded Dr Hindle.

Over the following years with an increasing demand on GPs, the practice further expanded with the arrival of Drs Seathrun O’ Casaide, Claire Cusack and Frank Chambers. By this time the practice underwent a further move in 2004 across Dean Street to the present Affidea building.

The final move to the Granges Rd location occurred in 2011 due to the ever-increasing demands and complexities in GP healthcare. Apart from providing a direct service to its patients, the Ayrfield practice has ongoing academic commitments to GP training, medical student attachments from UCD and UL, a medical service to the Defence Forces, Ardu Drug Treatment Services and several other local bodies. Since 2018 Ayrfield has provided a satellite GP service to Gortnahoe in Co Tipperary.

In recent years, upon the retirements of Dr Kearney and Drs John and Bill Cuddihy, the practice has been joined by Drs Marian Walsh, Conall MacConmara and Joanne Cuddihy.