RCSI Heritage Collections

This year is the year of celebrating the rebellion and what those few hoped to achieve. So with this theme of rebellion in mind, who should be found amongst the early giants of Irish surgery and the history of RCSI but a rebel so rebellious he is expelled! Enter the aptly named William Lawless There is a little confusion over the exact year that Lawless was born in Dublin, some sources say it was 1772 while others say it was a little earlier in 1764. Either way we know he had completed his surgical studies and received his Letters Testimonial from RCSI on 11th June 1788. How can we be so exact? It is written in the RCSI Roll of Licentiates from that time, see below William Lawless' name is the first listed above (RCSI/Lic/01/02) In 1790 Lawless was elected a Member of the College and on 1st September he was appointed Professor of Anatomy and Physiology. Lawless was an avowed nationalist and along with his fellow surgeon, William Dease, was an active member of the Unit...

RCSI British Isles Intervarsity Boxing Team This photo landed in the RCSI Heritage Collections last week and what an intriguing photo it is! Luckily there are some handwritten notes on the back that tell us the following 'British Isles intervaristy championships in London 10th January 1950. Centre - Tommy Burns Trainer (a Golden Gloves Champion) Professor A.K.Henry 5th Rt. Top Row (who started the Boxing Club)' Arnold Kirkpatrick Henry was an astonishing man with a varied and coloured medical career. He was born in 1886 and received his early eduction in Trent, England. He then came to study in Trinity College Dublin graduating in 1911 with a M.B, B.Ch, and B.A.O. He became a Fellow f RCSI in 1914 and soon afterwards went off to play his part in the First World War. Henry, with his surgeon wife acting as his assistant, served as a surgeon with the Serbian army. When Germany overran Serbia in 1916 the Henry's escaped and fled back to Britain. For his distinguish...