RCSI Heritage Collections

This week has seen the Explore Your Archive Week 2017 campaign in full swing, with some wonderful archives being discovered, explored & showcased in really original and imaginative ways.  The Archives Week campaign is designed for archives of all kinds throughout Ireland and the UK, with its main aim being to increase public awareness of the essential role of archives in our society, to celebrate our network of collections and emphasise the skills and professionalism of the sector. RCSI Heritage Collections see this campaign as a brilliant opportunity to not only showcase our own historical treasures but also to open them up to new & diverse audiences, those that wouldn't necessarily have regular contact with archives or are new to the use of primary historical sources. With this in mind we decided to organise a hands-on, Archive focused workshop with a group of transition year students from CBS Secondary School, Westland Row, Dublin 2. The event was a collaboration wit...

In this modern world of technology and advanced learning, it is easy for people to believe that the history taught in schools, universities and online is a pretty accurate decisive history. But a new book entitled The History Thieves by Ian Cobain has shown that there are cracks forming in the historical foundation of the British Empire. The British Empire at it's peak in the 1920s had a population of over 500 million people and could lay claim to 24% of the Earth's total land area. The empire was so large that the sun was always shining on a part of it; 'the empire on which the sun never sets'. Included in those parts were Canada, Bermuda, Egypt, Burma, South Africa, India and Ireland. The British Empire in 1921 Cobain's book looks at all the records meticulously kept by the British while ruling their colonies and how, despite popular belief, large amounts of these records weren't destroyed once the country received it's independence. Instead these...

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