RCSI has unveiled a newly catalogued and digitised archive collection from one of Ireland’s most significant pharmacy chains, Hayes, Conyngham & Robinson, to mark Heritage Week 2025.

Founded in 1897, Hayes, Conyngham & Robinson began as a family-run business and grew to become one of the largest Irish-owned pharmacy chains in Ireland. Its final shop on Grafton Street, Dublin closed in 1998.

The Hayes, Conyngham & Robinson Pharmaceutical Chemists collection is a rich and valuable resource which provides a window into the evolution of pharmacy and medicine in Ireland from the mid-19th century up to the late 20th century.

The archive sheds light on the development and concerns of organisations such as the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland, the Dublin and Provincial Retail Drug Association and its successor, the Irish Pharmaceutical Union as well as institutions like the Ledwich School of Anatomy and Surgery.

It also offers rich insights into Irish social history, featuring personal papers, artefacts, photographs and memorabilia from those who worked in the Hayes, Conyngham & Robinson Medical Halls. Among the materials are unique accounts of events in modern Irish history, including the 1916 Easter Rising.

Irish life and culture

“This new acquisition to our Heritage Collections offers students, faculty and researchers an unparalleled opportunity to explore the history, development and impact of pharmaceutical practices over the decades,” said Professor Helena Kelly, Head of the School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences.

“These records don’t just chart scientific progress; they offer a rich and sometimes quirky glimpse into Irish life and culture through the lens of pharmacy. We’re delighted that this material will now be preserved and made accessible for future generations.”

Pharmaceutical practice and public health

The archive was generously donated by Michael and Christopher Shiell, great grandsons of company founder Mr Henry Conyngham. It includes company records, formula books, pharmacopoeias, reference texts, ephemera, photographs and personal papers from members of the Robinson family and those who worked for the pharmacy throughout its 100 years in business.

Hayes, Conyngham & Robinson played a vital role in the everyday health and well-being of communities across Ireland. Through the medicines they dispensed and the advice they offered, the pharmacy chain was a trusted point of care for generations, reflecting the close connection between pharmaceutical practice and public health.

The collection has now been fully appraised and catalogued with a curated selection available to explore online via the RCSI Heritage Digital Collections platform.