The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland was established by
the Charter granted by King George III on 11 February 1784. This date is the
highlight of the College year and its celebration has a long tradition.This years annual RCSI Charter Day Dinner is taking place in the College this Saturday 8th of February.
Shortly after their incorporation in 1784 the members
of the College revived the practice of dining together, which had been
instituted by the Society of Surgeons. The Society of Surgeons was a
fore-runner of RCSI and had petitioned for this very charter. Over the centuries
various events in RCSI were celebrated with dinners and banquets, but in 1901
the meeting of the College to dine together was formalised by a Council
resolution that an annual College dinner be held. By 1910 it was decided that
the annual dinner be known as the ‘Charter Day Dinner’, and that it be held on
February 11, or as near that date as possible.
To have been granted a royal charter made all the difference to the College of Surgeons in Ireland. And so each anniversary is an occasion of ceremony and celebration. Distinguished guest, national and international, were invited and every detail was attended to with great élan: those to be honoured by Fellowship, the guest-list, the invitations, the menu, the toasts and the flowers and silverware.
To this day the mementoes from Charter Day Dinners of the past are to be found in the College Heritage Collections. Menus signed by those at table together, press coverage of the event, the caterers’ accounts, the Roll of Honorary Fellows are such exciting pieces.
The photo below shows the College Hall with tables set and ready for the Charter Day Dinner in 1912.
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| RCSI Charter Day Dinner 1912 |
The menu from the dinner in 1912 gives an insight into food fashions and tastes at the time.
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| RCSI Charter Day Dinner 1912 menu |
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RCSI Charter Day
Dinner 1912 menu |
In 1948 the menu had changed slightly but as you can see from below some dishes were still in fashion.
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| RCSI Charter Day Dinner menu 1948 |
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| RCSI Charter Day Dinner menu 1948 |
Women were invited to the Charter Day Dinner and sat in the Minstrel Gallery at the end of the College Hall overlooking the whole event. Photographs of those present and of the Dining Hall
capture the ambience and elegance of the College dining together celebrating
its foundation. This elegance is captured in the photograph below which shows a number of ladies enjoying the Charter Day Dinner in 1958.
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| Ladies enjoying Charter Day Dinner in 1958 |
The RCSI Heritage Collections wishes everyone involved an enjoyable and entertaining 2014 Charter Day Dinner.
- Researched and written by Meadhbh Murphy
