[1][4] Eileen and her twin sister Sally were born in Labre Park, a halting site located in Ballyfermot in Dublin.

However, Flynn credits her teachers for not giving up on her, and despite her problems both she and her twin became the first members of the Labre Park community to reach third level education in 2008.

Pavee Point, the Traveller Advocacy organisation, hailed her ascension to the Seanad as "historic",[7] as did the National Women's Council of Ireland.

[9] Flynn stated her objectives in the Seanad will be "mental health services, unemployment among Travellers, opportunities for minority groups and getting hate-crime legislation enacted".

[10][11] In November 2020, Flynn was elected as chairperson of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community.