Catalogues and collections
Heritage Collections holds the records of RCSI – from its foundation to the present day, and continues to acquire records generated by the University.
Current holdings include minute books, correspondence, registers and student records.
RCSI Library invites students, faculty, staff, alums and other members of our community to document their personal experiences during the coronavirus outbreak and contribute them to the RCSI Heritage Collections.
participate now participate nowManuscript, archive and artefact collections
Our private collections include the papers and artefacts of prominent medical figures associated with RCSI and Ireland’s medical history.
This material is in a variety of formats such as casebooks, diaries, medical instruments, photographs, illustrations, and pamphlets.
Explore our collections
Digital Heritage Collections allows you to access, browse, and explore our collection of digitised material and online resources.
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Antiquarian printed collections
Our antiquarian book collection is a valuable source of information on surgery, medicine and allied topics.
Works by Irish surgeons and doctors, particularly those associated with RCSI, form the basis of the collection, which dates from the 1700s to the present day.
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Collection highlights
Watch 'Before anaesthesia: What was it like to be a patient in the 19th Century'
Medical instruments
RCSI houses an extensive collection of medical instruments from Ireland and abroad. The collection includes instruments used in historical battlefields including the Battle of Vitoria (1813) and the Crimean War (1853-1856).
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Medical certificates, personal items, correspondence, photographs and lecture notes related to Abraham Colles' life and medical career.
A series of portraits recognising the pioneering achievements of eight extraordinary women and enhancing the visibility of historical female leaders in healthcare.
Patient catalogues, patient illustrations and published material related to Wallace's medical career and specifically his study of skin diseases.