Dr Caoilfhionn Connolly

Consultant Rheumatologist

About Dr Connolly

Dr Caoilfhionn Connolly is a Consultant Rheumatologist committed to delivering exceptional care while empowering her patients through education.

She graduated from the National University of Ireland, Galway, before completing a Master’s in Clinical Research.

During her student years, she balanced her studies with playing Gaelic football, proudly representing club, college, and county.

Following her time in Galway, Dr Connolly moved to the United States to complete her internal medicine residency at the prestigious Osler Residency Program at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. There, her dedication to patient care was recognised with the Frank L. Coulson Award for Clinical Excellence, one of the highest honours awarded to trainees at the hospital.

She went on to complete advanced specialist training in rheumatology at Johns Hopkins, including a dedicated fellowship in myositis—a rare and complex group of autoimmune muscle diseases.

During this time, she worked alongside world-leading experts, caring for patients with a wide range of common and rare rheumatic conditions. These experiences shaped her commitment to providing thoughtful, compassionate, and expert care to every patient she meets.

Throughout her training, Dr Connolly received multiple awards, including becoming the first Irish recipient of the American College of Rheumatology Distinguished Fellow Award.

Her research on vaccine responses in immunosuppressed patients and on myositis has been published in several leading medical journals, including The New England Journal of Medicine, Annals of Internal Medicine, and The Lancet Rheumatology.

Now back working closer to home, Dr Connolly remains driven by her passion for clinical excellence, research, and patient education.

Her ultimate goal is to help people living with rheumatic diseases better understand their conditions, take control of their health, and live fuller, healthier lives.