Full list of names considered for National Children's Hospital comes to light
The full list of all 18 names considered for the new National Children's Hospital before settling on 'National Children's Hospital Ireland' has finally been released.
Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill confirmed last week that the name of the beleaguered hospital, built on the grounds of St James' Hospital in Dublin, had been chosen for its simplicity.
As reported by the Irish Mirror, the cost involved with the naming process was €4,500 and was decided "with the support of a specialist branding agency".
Following several queries to the Department of Health, it has now released the full list of considered names to the Irish Mirror.
Despite initially stating that 17 names were on the shortlist, it has now transpired that there were 18, including versions of the final name.
All of the names considered include the words "Children's Hospital Ireland".
The Department of Health stated that the list was "produced" and "reflected the purpose, place, physical structure/design, and connectivity to the social environment".
The Kernal Children's Hospital Ireland
The Acorn Children's Hospital Ireland
Silverbridge Children's Hospital Ireland
The Dolphin Children's Hospital Ireland
The Wellspring Children's Hospital Ireland
Farelight Children's Hospital Ireland
The Pearl Children's Hospital Ireland
The Grove / Bower Children's Hospital Ireland
Rainbow Children's Hospital Ireland
Rialto Children's Hospital Ireland
Lumina Children's Hospital Ireland
Solas Children's Hospital Ireland
Summit Children's Hospital Ireland
National Children's Hospital / Ireland National Children's Hospital
The Central Children's Hospital
Leanaí Linn Ireland's National Children's Hospital
Senior Government sources told the Irish Mirror that they wanted to ensure that the word "Ireland" was in the name so that it would be clear where doctors were working when they were representing the hospital abroad.
They further wanted to "capture" that it was a "Children's hospital in the name" as "international patients and doctors need to differentiate".
There had been calls for the hospital to be named after Irish patriot and medic Dr Kathleen Lynn.
The Irish Mirror understands that "Leanaí Linn" was the name considered to honour the 1916 Rising stalwart.
She co-founded a children's hospital in Dublin in 1919. Saint Ultan's Children's Hospital closed in the 1980s when it merged with the National Children's Hospital on Harcourt Street. This was later relocated to Tallaght.
The government did not oppose a Seanad motion, brought forward by Fianna Fáil's Mary Fitzpatrick in May 2023, to name the hospital after her.
Sinn Féin TD Aengus Ó Snodaigh then submitted a Bill to the Dáil in April 2025 to name the hospital after Dr Lynn.
The Bill was not opposed by the Government, but it has not yet progressed through the legislative process.
Senator Fitzpatrick took aim at Minister Carroll MacNeill for "wasting public funds" and "ignoring political consensus" over the name.
However, the Irish Mirror understands the process took place in 2024 when Ms Fitzpatrick's Fianna Fáil colleague Stephen Donnelly was still in office.
The Department of Health confirmed that the methodology for coming up with names focused on "engagement and inclusivity, being mindful of the history and lessons learnt and 'time and cost-effectiveness".
They added: "The naming process centred on stakeholder interviews, lessons-learned analysis, and rigorous assessments of the extensive information captured through the previous naming project to reflect CHI's values, vision, mission, the hospital's international and national context, and what the new children's hospital means to its many stakeholders."
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