On his centenary year, we take a look at the life of a man who was a key player in the development and progression of the Royal College Surgeons Ireland- Harry O’Flanagan, MD, FRCPI, FRSCI (Hon), FFCM, DPH and former Registrar of RCSI (1962-1980).
Born in Dublin in 1917, Dr Harry
O’Flanagan was the eldest son of Henry O’Flanagan, a well-known and successful
business merchant in Roscrea, Co Tipperary and Miriam (Chew), a theater sister
at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast.
Harry grew up and spent his early
childhood years in Roscrea, from where he went to school in Castleknock
College, Dublin. He entered the Royal College of Surgeons in 1934 and after qualifying
in 1939 he did his internship in the Richmond Hospital, Dublin.
Dr O’Flanagan went on to obtain a
Diploma in Health in 1941 and two years later he was appointed Assistant
Medical Officer of Health in the Rhondda Valley, Wales.
In 1944, he joined the Royal Air
Force and as acting Squadron Leader and Deputy Principal Medical Officer in
Cairo his duties involved inspection of RAF stations in the Middle East, North
and North-Eastern Africa.
Harry O'Flanagan c.1944
After active service, he was appointed Assistant Medical Officer of Health in Bournemouth in 1947. Two years later, he returned to Ireland, joined the Department of Health as Medical Inspector where he showed and developed great administrative skills. Here he was responsible for inspecting the dispensary and public health services in the south-west, for establishing a national rehabilitation service, and for investigating and controlling epidemics. In his latter capacity he supervised the epidemic of paratyphoid fever in South Tipperary in 1958, and the Cork poliomyelitis epidemic in 1956, after which he instigated and managed a national vaccination programme.
In 1962 he became Registrar of
the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland in which he went to great lengths to
improve the college financially, academically and administratively. He was
instrumental in acquiring charitable status for the college as well as carrying
out a massive, worldwide fund-raising campaign, in which over 15 years a sum of
over 2 million pounds was raised. This money was consequently used to build a
new college building to the rear of 123 St Stephens Green.
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| Construction underway for extension of RCSI, 1974 |
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| Signing of contract for new Medical Building by President RCSI S.T McCollum. Registrar Harry O'Flanagan back row, right. 1978 |
As well as reviving and extending the RCSI building, Harry O’Flanagan played a key role in re-vitalising the undergraduate school by recognising the urgent need for improved teaching facilities. In 1978, he was a key player in discussions with the Department of Education, Trinity College and the National University which culminated in the RCSI becoming a recognised college of the National University of Ireland. This meant that all graduates henceforth were conferred with a Bachelor of Medicine degree as well as with the traditional letters testimonials. A true testament to his commitment to raise the profile and professionalism of RCSI in every possible way.
During his career, Harry O’Flanagan involved himself
in the governance of the medical professions at many levels, serving as
registrar of the Royal College of Physicians; as a member of Comhairle na
nOspideal and as secretary of the Irish Higher Surgical Training.
Throughout his life other bodies
have acknowledged his great contribution to medical education. He was awarded Honorary
Fellowship from RCSI, conferred with the Knighthood first class of the Royal
Norwegian St Olav’s order and elected by the doctors of Ireland as their first
President of the Medical Council.
Today he is honoured and
remembered in the RCSI by a named annual lecture, as well as having one of the
major lecture theatres in the building he devoted so much time to creating,
named after him.
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| Brand new Harry O'Flanagan Lecture Theatre, RCSI |
Dr Harry O’Flanagan: b. 1917; d. August 2000