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...