She had unsuccessfully attempted to break windows at the Bow Street Police Court on 27 November 1911.

Bourke-Dowling along with a small number of others, including Hanna Sheehy-Skeffington, were presented with a medal from the League engraved with "From Prison to Citizenship".

Her refusal to sign a declaration of fidelity to the Irish Free State government resulted in her losing her job as a writing assistant in the civil service in August 1922.

[5] In February 1923, Bourke-Dowling was arrested and imprisoned in Kilmainham Gaol and North Dublin Union for 6 months.

On 26 April 1933, she married William H. Lewers, leading to her leaving her job owing to the marriage bar on female civil servants.