[1] Young was born in Galgorm Castle, Ballymena, County Antrim, daughter and seventh of twelve children born to Grace Charlotte Savage, and John Young who was a prosperous unionist and high sheriff.

Young also attended Gaelic League classes in 1903 in London while visiting her sister who was living in the city at the time.

Young also stayed in Dublin and became friends with members of the Gaelic League and met Margaret Dobbs.

Young worked with Dobbs on the Feis na nGleann (The Glens Festival), a gathering dedicated to the Irish language.

Young was not involved in nationalism though she was strongly supportive of creating and maintaining a sense of "Irishness" through language and culture.