The Alumni, Fellows and Members team are delighted to announce that registration is open for our first lunchtime talk of 2026 with Dr Susan Mullaney, which will take place on Thursday, 12 March in the Albert Lecture Theatre, RCSI Dublin.

We are looking forward to welcoming Dr Susan Mullaney (Medicine, Class of 1984) to present a talk entitled ‘The Mother and Child Health Service controversy of 1950s Ireland – A New Perspective’.

Having graduated in medicine from RCSI, specialising in ophthalmology, Susan pursued a Master’s in History of Medicine at the Wellcome Trust Centre for the History of Medicine at University College London.

She went on to study for a doctorate at University College Cork, with the title of 'The Evolution of the Medical Professions in 18th-century Dublin'. Dr Mullaney teaches the history of medicine and the history of epidemics and infectious diseases at Trinity College Dublin.

More information

In the immediate aftermath of World War II, a number of European countries became aware of the need to improve and expand their state welfare provisions. In both Britain and Ireland in the late 1940s, attempts were made to establish state health service that would be free for all, but with very different results.

In Britain, barely three years after the end of World War II, on 5 July 1948, the new National Health Service commenced, and despite many adjustments, it has stood the test of time.

Ireland had similar aspirations, and the initial phase of this proposal became known as ‘the Mother and Child Scheme’, but having faced concerted opposition on a number of fronts, only a very limited version was introduced in 1953.This talk with analyse this episode from a new perspective.

The talk will begin at 12:30pm, with tea and coffee to follow.