RCSI Heritage Collections

Ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes in RCSI Library's Heritage Collections? Preservation and conservation are key tasks that the team carries out on works housed within our collections, and on new items donated. Here, Sarah Timmins of the Heritage Team shares an insider view of that process to mark Archives Week 2019. The gloves are off. Or are they on? If you’ve ever visited a reading room to consult archives or heritage collections, you will be familiar with some handling guidelines - no pens, no drinks, clean hands, no flash photography... These kinds of common-sense rules for readers extend from the duty of Collection Care which is undertaken by the RCSI Library Heritage Team. The long-term preservation of our collections takes on a varied approach. At the heart of it is prolonging the usable life of records and items. The principle concept is minimal intervention but, as long as interventions are carried out properly, every little effort counts towards this preserv...

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...

A few years ago a group of primary school children were asked what they thought of when they heard the word 'archivist'. After the initial 'an archi-what?' was answered, the children set about compiling a list of what the characteristics of an archivist are..... They don't know how right they got it those child geniuses!!  But if you ask people, young or old, 'what does an archivist do?' majority of the time you will get either a furrowed brow as the inner depths of the brain search for an answer other than 'archive stuff' or a completely blank look of terror. Fear no more! The article below answers that universal question...  What do archivists do all day?  - Researched and written by Meadhbh Murphy

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...