RCSI Heritage Collections

RCSI’s Charter Day Meeting marks the Annual Commemoration of the granting of our Royal Charter by King George III in 1784. An important event in the College calendar, Charter Day Meeting sees a range of events, lectures and talks culminating in the annual Charter Day Dinner held in College Hall. A facsimile of the document is on permanent display in the main entrance way of 123 St. Stephen’s Green, and gives people a chance to see the wonderful details of this extremely unique and important document. The RCSI Royal Charter of 1784 Studying the document as a physical object allows us to expand on the history surrounding the Charter. First of all, you will see that it is made of two full parchment skins. While this is a typical format for charters in Europe since medieval times, such documents vary structurally in small ways and the RCSI Charter has some notable features. At a glance, you will notice how the Charter is physically put together. The first (rearmost) skin is turned o...

Detail of wax seal from RCSI 1784 Charter with George III depicted on horseback RCSI was founded in 1784 by a royal charter being granted by King George III. The recently conserved charter can be seen here with it's large wax seal intact. These wax seals were very important as they authenticated the document they were attached to. A seal was a device which made an impression in wax, clay, paper. The seal with a unique and specific design was pressed into the wax, clay or embossed on to paper by the author 'sealing' their name, rank, power, honour to the document. Most seals have always given a single impression on an essentially flat surface. But in medieval Europe two-sided seals with two matrices were often used by institutions or rulers (eg. towns, bishops, aristocracy, royalty) to make two-sided or fully three dimensional impressions in wax, with a 'tag' (a piece of ribbon running through them attaching them to the document). These 'pendant' sea...

If you are one for a little light reading, why not visit the RCSI Heritage Collections webpage where you can now find a transcription of the entire charter granted to the College by George III in 1784. In 1765   Sylvester O'Halloran , a surgeon from   Limerick , had proposed a College of Surgeons in Ireland along the lines of the College de St. Cosme in Paris, which had been regulating French surgery since its creation by royal charter by   Louis IX   in 1255. The Dublin Society of Surgeons was founded in 1780 at The Elephant public house on Essex Street (now Parliament Street).  Surgery in Ireland was without regulation. Top page of the RCSI Charter The main goals of the society were to separate from the barbers and provide surgical education in Ireland. They lobbied for a royal charter in 1781 and presented the   Lord Lieutenant  with their  petition. Finally a   charter   was granted by  King George III   on 11 Febr...