Since the Heritage Council funding announcement in April, 'Colles at 250' has meant a flurry of activity and events in RCSI.
If you haven't yet heard about 'Colles at 250', enjoy this short video and find out a little more...
The Recap...
A unique collaboration between RCSI Library and the Men's Shed Association resulted in two beautiful display cases for Heritage Collections pop-up exhibitions, as well as this wonderful short video on the project.
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| Pop-up exhibition on Abraham Colles |
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| Men's Shed team |
The 'Colles at 250' series of Heritage Week events in August paid tribute to the anatomist and surgeon Abraham Colles, a pivotal figure in the history of medicine and of RCSI. The series included discussions, tours and innovative online resources remembering a surgeon whose influence on the field of anatomy is still seen worldwide.
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| Free tours as part of the Heritage Week programme |
To launch the programme and virtual exhibition, RCSI held a fascinating panel discussion with faculty from the Department of Anatomy and Regenerative Medicine and RCSI Heritage Collections staff.
Professor Laura Viani, RCSI President, said “we are proud to celebrate the legacy of Abraham Colles this Heritage Week and we look forward to bringing his achievements to a broader audience through this programme of virtual and in-person events.
“RCSI has been based at 123 St Stephen’s Green since 1810. Since then, this building in the heart of Dublin city has played a central role in Irish history. This Heritage Week, we are delighted to welcome people to visit our College and learn more about our history and impact.”
On Culture Night (Friday 22nd of September, 2023), the doors of 123 St. Stephen's Green were opened to over 400 members of the public. All were welcomed to tour the building and view the exhibition cases of RCSI Heritage Collections along with art collections and rare glimpses into some historic rooms. The Heritage team again curated a pop-up exhibition in the bespoke cabinets and delivered a number of talks on the history of surgery and Abraham Colles over the course of the evening. The Heritage and Events teams welcomed all the questions and feedback from the public on what was a very enjoyable evening for all.
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| Culture Night talks in action |
But wait, there's more!
Digitised material from Colles' papers, funded by the Heritage Council, can be accessed online via the RCSI Digital Heritage Collections website. From the marginalia of his lecture notes to correspondence with family members, viewers are afforded a glimpse of the wisdom and wit of Colles in his own hand.