The “Duchess of Spring Hill” who turned antiques, style and community spirit into Brisbane’s most successful charity fair

Cecilia McNally, affectionately known as the Duchess of Spring Hill, was once one of Brisbane’s most prominent personalities. Born Elizabeth Cecilia McNally in Bellingen, New South Wales, in 1909, she was the daughter of John Patrick McNally and Mary Behan, both of Irish heritage. The sixth of eight children, she grew up in a Catholic household that valued hard work and community, traditions carried from her Irish pioneer forebears.

Arriving in Brisbane as a young woman, McNally quickly became immersed in the city’s cultural and charitable life. Known for her flair with antiques and her lively personality, she opened her Spring Hill home to countless gatherings, earning her enduring nickname. But her greatest impact was through philanthropy. For twenty-two years she organised the Spring Hill Fair, transforming it into Queensland’s most successful charity event. The Mater Children’s Hospital was among the many beneficiaries of her tireless efforts, which raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for those in need.

McNally’s Irish Catholic background deeply informed her generosity and sense of duty, and she became widely respected across Brisbane not just as a connoisseur of fine things, but as a woman who gave tirelessly of herself. She passed away in 1996, leaving behind a legacy of community spirit, cultural enthusiasm, and a vivid reminder of the Irish contribution to the city’s social fabric.

Returning to state politics after his Senate defeat, Mullan served as Attorney-General from 1920 to 1929 and again from 1932 to 1940, guiding major reforms in workers’ compensation, juries and tenancy law. Known affectionately as “Johnny” Mullan, he combined genial charm with a fierce democratic spirit, helping shape Queensland’s modern Labor identity.

When he died in 1941, he was accorded a state funeral at St Stephen’s Cathedral and buried in Toowong Cemetery — an Irish immigrant who rose from humble beginnings to become one of Queensland’s most trusted public men and a loyal champion of the working class.