Mary Bernadette Synnott was born in 1951 in County Limerick, Ireland. She attended high school at Presentation Convent in Limerick City. She completed her bachelor's degree at University College Dublin. During her postgraduate training she moved to the UK where she trained in microbiology and public health in the West Midlands. She held the role of Clinical Lead for Northwoldshire Disease Control, covering areas such as maternal and child health, national screening programmes, medical applications for housing, immunization campaigns and communicable disease control. She promoted measures related to inequalities and the health of the population. She was a proud Irishwoman who regularly drove home to see family and friends and was well travelled.