Logo for the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland Women on Walls At RCSI

Mary Mitchell O’Connor TD, Minister of State for Higher Education, joins RCSI, Accenture and Business to Arts for Official Unveiling

6th March, 2019

Mary Mitchell O’Connor TD, Minister of State for Higher Education, joined the leadership of RCSI and Accenture Ireland for the momentous ribbon cutting ceremony to launch the #WomenonWalls portrait commission at RCSI in partnership with Accenture.

Preceding the ribbon cutting, the Minister addressed the audience and recognised RCSI for its legacy of leadership in gender equality dating back to 1885 with the addition of Article 14 of the College’s Second Supplemental Charter, granted by Queen Victoria. Article 14 states:

“And we do hereby, for us, our heirs and successors, grant, declare, and appoint that all provisions of the Charter, Bye-Laws, and Ordinances as to education, examination, and granting diplomas to Fellows or Licentiates shall extend to include women.”

One of the eight women recognised today is Dr Mary Josephine Hannan, the first woman to both study and obtain her medical license at RCSI in 1890.

The Minister also announced she had secured Cabinet approval to seek university status for RCSI.

 

*Pictured above, Minister Mary Mitchell O’Connor TD poses with family members of Dean Mary Frances Crowley (pictured in portraiture), the founder of the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery at RCSI.

Pictured (L – R) front row: Mr Kenneth Mealy, President, RCSI; Minister of State for Higher Education, Mary Mitchell O’Connor TD; Professor Hannah McGee, Dean of Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, RCSI; Dr Michelle D. Cullen, Managing Director and Head of Diversity & Inclusion, Accenture Ireland; (back row) Professor Cathal Kelly, Registrar & CEO, RCSI; Mr Andrew Hetherington, CEO, Business to Arts; Dr Avril Hutch, Associate Director – Head of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, RCSI; Mr Alastair Blair, Managing Director, Accenture Ireland.