Ida Mary O'Malley was born in
Dublin, the eldest of 13 children, seven boys and six girls. Her father, Dr. David O'Malley, was a very popular medical officer from
Glenamaddy, County Galway. The O'Malley's were
Redmondite Nationalists and at least four of her brothers joined the
British Army during
World War I, two of them being killed. She was educated at the Dominican School in Eccles Street, Dublin, and spent the academic year 1907–1908 studying in
Amiens,
France on an early exchange programme. After taking a degree at
University College Dublin, she later taught at her alma mater in Eccles Street. She met
John A. Costello at a dance in the
Gresham Hotel in 1912, when he was still a law student. A relationship developed over the next seven years and they were married on 31 July 1919 at the
Catholic University Church in
St. Stephen's Green. The Costello's spent the first four years of their marriage living in a flat at 22 Ely Place. They were living there when their first child, Wilfrid, was born in 1921. He suffered a cerebral haemorrhage during his birth which left him with a mild mental disability. He later developed epilepsy as a teenager. The Costellos eldest daughter, Grace, was born in 1922. She followed her father into law and married the solicitor and economist
Alexis FitzGerald. In August 1923, the growing family moved to Herbert Park. A second son,
Declan, was born in 1926. As well as following his father into law, he also served as a
Teachta Dála (TD) before being made President of the
High Court. Eavan Costello, the couples' second and youngest daughter, was born in 1927. She completed a history degree before moving to
Cork. The youngest of the family, John, was born in 1931. He later became an architect. John A. Costello was elected as a TD for
Dublin County in
1933. He was elected
Taoiseach in 1948, as head of the first inter-party government in Ireland. He served as head of government until 1951, however, he was re-elected for a second term in 1954. During her time as wife to the Taoiseach she kept a low profile and enjoyed a background role in her husbands' political career. She was at her husband's side in
Canada in 1948, when he announced that the
Irish Free State would be leaving the
British Commonwealth and declaring itself a republic. Ida Costello suffered from high blood pressure later in her adult life and in 1956 was diagnosed with chronic bacterial endocarditis, an inflammation of the lining of the heart. She was admitted to St. Vincent's Private Nursing Home in
Leeson Street, but died from
heart failure on 20 April 1956, at the age of 64. == References ==