| Description | The Royal College of Physicians of Ireland was founded in 1654 as a 'Fraternity of Physicians' by John Stearne, a Professor at Trinity College Dublin and Oxford University, in response to his recognition of the need for an improvement in the medical services available to the people of Ireland. Stearne’s foundation was closely modelled on the Royal College of Physicians of London and was, initially, an ancillary of The University of Dublin (Trinity College Dublin).
Royal Charters were obtained in 1667, from King Charles II, and in 1692, from King William III and Queen Mary II. The College was granted the power to examine and license doctors as being fit to practice. The 1692 Charter, which is still in force today, established the College’s independence, severing the link with Trinity College Dublin.
After numerous changes of location, the College has occupied its present home on Dublin’s Kildare Street since 1864. The building was restored, renovated, refurbished and reopened in 2005. Today, having been instrumental in establishing renowned teaching hospitals, collaborating with medical schools and advancing medical science, the College is primarily concerned with postgraduate education and the maintenance of high standards in medicine.
[Source: Royal College of Physicians of Ireland website]
Contents: Facsimile plans of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, 1861 |