When Emily married in 1905 she gave up nursing as a career, although she still nursed her husband, Captain Edward Weddall, through bouts of an illness he picked up on his travels. When he died in 1908, she did not return to her career, but focused her time and energies on the Irish language revival and Gaelic League.

When there was an outbreak of typhus in 1913 Emily did not waste a minute but rushed to Connemara to lend her nursing services the victims, especially those from Gaelteacht, who only spoke Irish. Emily’s heroic action was reported on by the Irish Independent;

Mrs. Emily M. Weddall,Widow of the late Captain Weddall of Burnby,Yorkshire, and Rockfield House, Keel, Achill, who has hastened to Connemara to nurse the fever-stricken victims there

The site where the fever hospital in Oughterard one stood

. Founder of the Achill Irish Summer School, who is best known in Gaelic circles as Bean Ui Uadal, and it is for the sake of this last remnant of the Irish-speaking nation she is making such a heroic sacrifice.

When Emily arrived on in Connemara (Oughterard) she was appalled at the authorities neglect of the area. He strong social conscience, compelled her to write and highlight the problem. She put pen to paper and composed the following letter to the Cliadheamh Soulis.

I came away last week to help look after the poor typhus patients here. I found all the typhus cases in Oughterard Fever Hospital, and only a few typhoid patients (who can’t be moved) in their own homes. I was going to write to you to ask you to insist on the establishment of a temporary hospital into which fresh cases (which are sure to occur) could be moved, but today the government representatives have at last arrived on the scene, Mr Birrrell, Sir Acheson McCullagh (Local Government Board), John Fitzgibbon, M.P., C.D.B., and Mr. O’Malley M.P. for the district. The doctor tells me that they have provided the hospital, and it is about time! The people have been treated worse than beasts should be treated, and they are almost all that remains to us of the unsullied ancient Irish race. I am glad the Gaelic League was first on the scene, but we ought to do something efficient to preserve these people and to enable them to find a livelihood in their own country…

The letter shows the beginning of Emily more involved in politics, and it would be because of that, that Emily would be back using her nursing skill again.

Sources

Irish Independent 1905-2011 Date:May 21, 1913;Section:None;Page Number:3

An Claidheamh Soluis May 1913. p 8