ADDRESS BY THE PRESIDENT, MARY ROBINSON, ON HER ADMISSION AS AN HONORARY FELLOW OF THE R.C.S.I.
ADDRESS BY THE PRESIDENT, MARY ROBINSON, ON HER ADMISSION AS AN HONORARY FELLOW OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS IN IRELAND
- I would like to express my thanks to the Council of the College for conferring the distinction of Honorary Fellowship on me this evening and to tell you how pleased I am to accept. To join such a renowned group of dedicated professions in an honorary capacity is indeed a privilege and I am very conscious of the ethos of the College and the premium that it places on quality and on the responsibilities of its graduates in providing the highest standards of medical care
- I appreciate the honour that you have conferred on me, not least because the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland occupies a special place in the heart of this city and indeed of this country. This splendid building is one of the outstanding architectural landmarks of the city. Moreover, the College as an institution is inextricably linked with the life and history of the oldest parts of Dublin.
- 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 in the mid-fifteenth century. I was pleased to note that membership of the Guild of Barbers was open to women as well as men. After an initial period when the Guild and later, the College, met in a variety of locations, including several taverns, it settled in this part of the city, initially in Mercer Street and later on the present site. So the people of this area of the city have had a long and special relationship with the College.
- The Royal College of Surgeons is a remarkable example of tradition and continuity as well as of adaption. The thread that links the College of today to the Guild of Barbers in the 15th century resembles in so many ways the history of Ireland through the same period. Several members of the College were involved with the United Irishmen and did not appear to have suffered for what must have been an unfashionable sympathy at that time. In 1916, the College Buildings were occupied by a group of insurgents led by James Mallin and Countess Markievicz. (I gather that an estimate of the damage caused amounted to the princely sum of £764). At about the same time, many former students of the College were fighting in the First World War and over 1,500 of them were to lose their lives in that conflict. 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.
- I refer to these events to show that the College occupies a very special place in Ireland. However, it is also widely known and respected outside Ireland. I have met members of the medical profession in many countries throughout the world who had been educated and trained at the College and who retain very fond memories of their time here. The Royal College of Surgeons led the way for many other Irish educational institutions by opening its doors to overseas students. The large number of Scandinavian, African and Asian students brought a cosmopolitan air to this part of Dublin. I am glad to see that the College still continues to train a significant number of overseas students. The rich cultural diversity that marks life in the College owes much to the presence of students from such a wide variety of backgrounds.
- I am also pleased to note that the College has not been content to rest on its laurels and reputation and wait for the world to come to Dublin. It has shown initiative and acumen in exporting its services internationally, conducting examinations and awarding degrees at centres in the Middle East and the Far East. The College has been involved in providing medical staff for a major hospital in Saudia 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.
- In conclusion, I would like once again to record my appreciation of the great honour which you have conferred on me. It gives me great pleasure to be associated with such a renowned institution and I would like to take this opportunity to wish the College and its staff every success in its future endeavours in so many fields.