ADDRESS BY PRESIDENT MARY McALEESE ON THE OCCASION OF HER ADMISSION AS AN HONORARY FELLOW
ADDRESS BY PRESIDENT MARY McALEESE ON THE OCCASION OF HER ADMISSION AS AN HONORARY FELLOW OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS IN IR
I would like to say how grateful I am to the Council of the College - for conferring on me this morning - the distinction of Honorary Fellowship – and, of course, to say how delighted I am to accept. Indeed, I am privileged today to be joining such a distinguished and renowned group of professionals in this honorary capacity. It is a day that I will remember with fondness. In saying that, I am very conscious of the ethos of the College – an ethos centred on the premium that it places on quality - and on the responsibilities of its graduates - in giving the highest standards of medical care and attention.
I am very appreciative of this privilege that you have given me - not least because the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland occupies a special place in the heart of this city - and of this country. Indeed, this splendid building is itself one of the outstanding architectural landmarks of Dublin - and one that has featured strongly in the varied history of this city – being as it is so inextricably linked with the life of the oldest parts of Dublin.
In 1446, the historical predecessors of the College of Surgeons - the Guild of Barbers - was the first body of medical practitioners to be incorporated by Royal Charter – and interestingly, membership of the Guild of Barbers was open to women as well as men! After a period during which the Guild - and later, the College - met in a variety of locations – including, worryingly, several taverns in the city! - it settled initially in Mercer Street, just around the corner - and later on the present site – where the RDCI building was erected in 1810. So the people of this particular area of the city have had a long and special relationship with the College.
The history of the Royal College of Surgeons is a remarkable story of tradition and continuity – and at the same time one of adaptability to change. The thread that links today’s institution to that Guild of Barbers in the 15th century - mirrors in so many ways the history of Ireland through the same period. Only yesterday I spoke to students at one of Ireland’s newest third level educational establishments – the Institute of Technology in Tallaght – and I made the point that if you were only to look at the histories of schools and colleges down through the ages – you would get a good picture of the changes in society that have taken place.
Since King George III founded the College in 1784 - “to establish a liberal and extensive system of surgical education” – the College has changed over the centuries to reflect the increasing complexity, sophistication and interconnectedness of medical fields – with the merging of the training of physicians and surgeons in 1886 – when the College started to train doctors in its Medical School. In this century – a century that has seen profound changes in society – and tremendous advances in all branches of the sciences including the medical sciences - the Post-Graduate Faculties of Anesthetists was established in 1959 – Radiologists in 1961 –Dentistry in 1962 – and Nursing in 1974. In 1977 the Medical School was recognised as a College of the NUI – and joined the CAO system in the 1997/98 academic year.
The College has also been linked with the political life of the country as far back as 1798 - with several members being involved with the United Irishmen. Again in this century - the College Buildings were occupied in 1916 by a group of insurgents led by James Mallin and Countess Markievicz – while at about the same time - many former students of the College were fighting in the First World War – where over 1,500 of them were to lose their lives. Then during the Civil War - the College reached out the hand of friendship to the legal profession - by allowing the Incorporated Law Society to hold lectures and examinations here - after the destruction of the Four Courts. Clearly the College occupies a very special place in Ireland and its history.
The year that the Guild of Barbers got its Royal Charter – also saw the first known use of the term ‘Pale’ to denote the area of Ireland that was in the focus of Dublin. Today, however, Dublin – and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland in particular – has its focus very much on the whole world. The College is widely known and respected outside Ireland - with members of the medical profession in many countries throughout the world having been educated and trained at the College. In that respect, the College has been the role model for many other Irish educational institutions - in opening its doors to overseas students – with over 50 countries being represented in the student population. In fact, many years before it became common practice to attract foreign students - the large number of Scandinavian, African and Asian students attending the College brought a cosmopolitan air to this part of Dublin. Happily, the College continues to train a significant number of overseas students – and the rich cultural diversity that marks life in the College - owes much to the presence of students from such a wide variety of backgrounds.
And the College has moved on with the times - showing its initiative and acumen in exporting its services internationally – by conducting examinations and awarding degrees at centres in the Middle East and the Far East – and providing medical staff for a major hospital in Saudi Arabia. All of these activities continue the great tradition of the College - and indeed of Irish health professions generally - in helping other countries to develop their health services - and to provide the highest standards of care for patients.
The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland has a high reputation throughout the world today – a reputation that reflects the professionalism with which it conducts its business – the education and training of practitioners to the highest standard and of the highest quality. I am proud to be associated with such a renowned institution – and I would like once again to record my appreciation of the honour that you have conferred on me. In accepting - I would like to take the opportunity to wish the College and its staff every success - in a world that brings many exciting developments and challenges - which will continue to impact on the valuable work that you do here.