RCSI Heritage Collections

Having entered the poignant week of the executions of the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising, RCSI Heritage Collections wanted to look at an item that illustrates the emotions of one rebel who had fought in the Rising. A colleague in Royal College of Physicians of Ireland contacted recently with the image below. This was found by a man in a corporation flat that was being emptied out. The author had given this, amongst other things to the owner who was now passing them on. Poem written by Little Tommy Keenan So who was Thomas P. Keenan, the 12 year old, who took part in the Rising and left such a beautiful poem encapsulating that historic week? There is reference to Tommy in Michael Foy and Brian Barton's book The Easter Rising and it is as follows Whilst 12-year-old Tommy Keenan fetched food and medicine for Mallin's garrison in the College of Surgeons, his tiny size deceiving British Soldiers who never suspected that the smiling schoolboy was wearing a green Fia...

If you strike us down now we shall rise again and renew the fight. You cannot conquer Ireland; you cannot extinguish the Irish passion for freedom. If our deed has not been sufficient to win freedom then our children will win it by a better deed.  - Pádraig Pearse This day 100 years ago men, women and children gathered at Liberty Hall to take part in the 1916 Easter Rising and the fight for Ireland to rule herself and be declared a Republic. Just after midday Pádraig Pearse stood outside the General Post Office (GPO), Sackville Street (now O'Connell Street) and read the Proclamation of the Irish Republic to a bewildered crowd.  Proclamation of the Irish Republic Courtesy of TCD Unaware of what has to take place surgical, medical and nursing staff treated those who had been brought back injured from the battlefields of World War I. Within hours soldiers, rebels and civilians wounded from the intense fighting on the streets of Dublin would begin to pass throu...

Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland c.1900 As this year draws to a close, Ireland is about to embark on a year of commemorations and celebrations in 2016 as it will be 100 years since the Easter Rising took place in Dublin and around the country. Every day, thousands of commuting Dubliners pass by RCSI's iconic building on the western side of St. Stephen's Green in the heart of the city, with its impressive 19th century stone-column façade. Even regular passers-by may not have noticed the subtle reminders of our history which are scattered across the columns - now gently smoothed by 100 years of weathering, are bullet holes from the 1916 Easter Rising. The centrepiece of RCSI's 2016 Commemorative Programme, which will coincide with the official state commemorations, is a special exhibition Surgeons and Insurgents - RCSI and the Easter Rising   and accompanying public lecture series.  The exhibition will tell the story of the events surrounding the bat...

Courtesy of David Carus It's tomorrow! RCSI will celebrate the culture of Dublin and Ireland as well as the cultures of a number of other countries. Culture Night will kick off with a series of special performances at the St Stephen's Green entrance to the College, where you can see a variety of musical and dancing performances that showcase the cultures of just some of the 60+ countries where our students come from. These will take place from 5.30pm until 6pm.  Inside the College, you can take a self-guided tour or talk to a member of the RCSI Culture Night team to learn about the rich heritage and history of RCSI and the part it has played in shaping both local and national history, including when the building was seized by rebels led by Michael Mallin and Countess Markievicz during the 1916 Easter Rising. We look forward to seeing you all tomorrow night. - Researched and written by Meadhbh Murphy

Photograph of Queen Victoria portrait slashed by rebels in 1916. During Heritage Week the College had large numbers of people walk through it's buildings hearing of the history contained within. A photograph featured in the Heritage Collections display caught the attention of Michael Parsons, author of the Fine Arts and Antiques column in the Irish Times. The photograph in question showed a life-size portrait of Queen Victoria after it had been slashed by the rebels to make puttees. The reason it caught Michael's eye was because a piece of this portrait was up for auction in Whyte's auctioneers on Saturday 14th September http://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/homes-and-property/fine-art-antiques/who-knifed-queen-victoria-s-portrait-in-dublin-in-1916-1.1518465 Countess Markievicz, Commander Mallin and over one hundred men, women and children took control of the College during the rising in Easter Week of 1916. One of these women was Margaret Skinnider a native of...

Heritage Week has just come to an end in the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. The College opened it's doors to the public on Tuesday 20th August with guided tours twice a day finishing late yesterday afternoon. Frank Donegan, Head Porter of the College, gave these guided tours which lasted up to one and half hours. The tours which originally were to accommodate 30 people took at least 60 each time as the demand was so great. Frank talked about the history of the College and it's unique place in the development of medicine in Ireland and Europe. But he also talked of the buildings and the numerous historic events they have been witness to, especially 123 Stephens Green. A small taster of the unique material the Heritage Collections holds was put out on display in the Board Room during Heritage Week. Here are some of the pieces featured. This first item belonged to none other than Abraham Colles, a medical man much revered and respected by his peers. Colles was President...