Mary Byrne (1917–2004) was the Mayor of Galway from 1975 to 1976 and again from 1984 to 1985. One of two children of Michael Byrne of Newry, County Down, and Brigid Kelly of Garafine, Ballymacward, County Galway, she trained as a nurse in the city's old Central Hospital and later worked as a staff-nurse at Galway Regional Hospital. She eventually became a Sister and worked in the Casualty Department for twenty-two years. She was a member of the Western Health Board from 1970 to 1988 representing General Nurses. She served as Chairperson of the Galway Branch of the Irish Nurses Organisation as well as being a member of its National Executive for many years.