Museums and exhibitions are usually experienced as places of truth, places we visit to gain knowledge about the past or to come to terms with difficult heritage. But how are sensitive materials, such as hospital archives, patients’ belongings, or medical instruments, selected and displayed tactfully? What decisions lie behind the choice of objects that make an exhibition, the language used to present them or the space in which they are displayed? How can we show sensitive materials in a way that is constructive rather than upsetting? Join us on 10 October for an informative and engaging discussion with professionals and researchers in the field of museum ethics and design, as part of the Dublin Festival of History.

The seminar took place on Tuesday, 10 October 2023 to coincide with World Mental Health Day.

Article image credit: Alé Mercado

Museums and exhibitions are usually experienced as places of truth, places we visit to gain knowledge about the past or to come to terms with difficult heritage. But how are sensitive materials, such as hospital archives, patients’ belongings, or medical instruments, selected and displayed tactfully? What decisions lie behind the choice of objects that make an exhibition, the language used to present them or the space in which they are displayed? How can we show sensitive materials in a way that is constructive rather than upsetting? Join us on 10 October for an informative and engaging discussion with professionals and researchers in the field of museum ethics and design, as part of the Dublin Festival of History.

The seminar took place on Tuesday, 10 October 2023 to coincide with World Mental Health Day.

Article image credit: Alé Mercado

Our Speakers

Brendan Kelly

Brendan Kelly MRIA is Professor of Psychiatry at Trinity College Dublin, Consultant Psychiatrist at Tallaght University Hospital, Dublin, and UCD Visiting Full Clinical Professor at UCD School of Medicine, University College Dublin. In addition to his medical degree (MB BCh BAO), he holds masters degrees in epidemiology (MSc), healthcare management (MA), and Buddhist studies (MA), and an MA (jure officii) from Trinity College Dublin; doctorates in medicine (MD), history (PhD), governance (DGov), and law (PhD); and a higher doctorate in history (DLitt).

He has authored and co-authored over 300 publications in peer-reviewed journals, over 600 non-peer-reviewed publications, 21 book chapters and book contributions, and 17 books (11 as sole author). His recent books include Asylum: Inside Grangegorman (2023). He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, and Trinity College Dublin. In 2018, he became Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Law and Psychiatry and in 2020 was elected as Dun’s Librarian at the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland. He was elected as a Member of the Royal Irish Academy in 2024.

Catriona Crowe

Catriona Crowe MRIA is former Head of Special Projects at the National Archives of Ireland. She was Manager of the Census Online Project, which placed the Irish 1901 and 1911 censuses online free to access. She was editor of Dublin 1911, published by the Royal Irish Academy in late 2011. She presented the RTE documentaries, Ireland before the Rising, shown in February 2016, and Life After the Rising, shown in January 2019.

She is a former President of the Women’s History Association of Ireland, and an Honorary Vice-President of the Irish Labour History Society. She is curator of the First Thought Talks strand of the Galway International Arts Festival, and chairperson of the SAOL Project, an advocacy, education and rehabilitation centre for women with addiction issues in Dublin’s North Inner City. She was elected as a Member of the Royal Irish Academy in 2011.

Royal Irish Academy Discourse Series

Our discourses are the oldest and most renowned series of talks in Ireland. The first discourses were presented in 1786. Historically, Academy discourses were the occasion reserved for the most distinguished academics to first reveal and discuss their research in public. Continuing in this tradition, the Discourse Series brings international experts to the Academy to discuss important contemporary issues in front of a live audience.

Discourse Series

Abstract illustration of the letters D and S in white, intertwined on a purple background

The Market was a significant element of the area in the hinterland of Grangegorman from 1863, when it opened first. to 1973, when it was closed down. This talk includes extracts from oral history interviews with a range of people who shared their memories of working in the Market, as well as information about the local and national importance of this very rural enterprise in its busy urban setting. Representing different facets of the life of the Market, the contributors came from various parts of the city and country and shed a fascinating light on what was once such an important workplace.

Grangegorman Histories(link is external) is a public history programme of research and shared discovery of the Grangegorman site and surrounding communities. Founding partners: Dublin City Council, Grangegorman Development Agency, HSE, Local Communities, National Archives, Royal Irish Academy and TU Dublin.

The project has been operating since 2019 and we highlight some of the events delivered, the impact of the project to date and the ambitions for the project programme 2022-25. The Royal Irish Academy ran its first Research Open Day on 4 October. The aim was to showcase the work of our projects, library and publications through a rich programme of lectures and demonstrations

About the podcast

For Dublin Festival of History 2022 and to mark World Mental Health Day, 10 October, Grangegorman Histories has launched ‘Instituting Grangegorman’ the second in the Grangegorman Histories podcast series exploring the histories of the Grangegorman area of north, inner-city Dublin. This podcast explores the history of the Richmond Lunatic Asylum, now the recently restored TU Dublin Lower House.

Join architectural historian, Patrick Quinlan, as he explores the chequered career of this landmark building: a story of optimistic conception and utilitarian service, of neglect, decline and demise, culminating in the latest chapter of rebirth as a valued architectural and historical landmark.

About the podcaster

Patrick Quinlan, B.Arch, ARB, MUBC

Patrick holds a Masters in Urban and Building Conservation from UCD and is a practicing architect with professional experience spanning from modern healthcare to the conservation and reuse of a range of historic structures. His recently published Walls of Containment, the Architecture and Landscapes of Lunacy(link is external) explores the history of Ireland’s legacy asylum sites through the lens of architectural history. Patrick is a past recipient of the RIBA Dissertation Commendation and is currently undertaking a PhD at Birkbeck, University of London.

Grangegorman Histories is a public history project of Dublin City Council, Grangegorman Development Agency, HSE, Local Communities, National Archives, Royal Irish Academy and TU Dublin.

Grangegorman Histories would like to thank Marisa Brown and Conor Reid at Headstuff Productions and all the contributors to this podcast:

  • Roisin Bowden, Voice Actor;
  • John Dobbin, Voice Actor;
  • Brian Donnelly, Senior Archivist, National Archives for sourcing and sharing the patient records included
  • Mark Geraghty, TU Dublin Estates;
  • Brian O’Connell, Healthcare Architect;
  • Una Sugrue, Conservation Archaeologist and Project Coordinator with the Grangegorman Development Agency,2011 to 2021;
  • Katya Quinlan, Pianist and
  • Paddy Quinlan, Architectural Historian.

Image courtesy of David Killeen

Before you listen to the podcast, please note that some of the language that will be used in describing these histories is contemporaneous language of that historical period. This terminology is no longer acceptable. However, to give truth to these difficult histories, it is important to use the terminology of that time. It’s use is applied strictly within context.

The histories explored in this podcast involve histories of confinement and mental illness and there will be reference to the historical treatment of people with mental illness and people with intellectual disabilities. The contact details for appropriate support organisations for anyone who may be affected by that content can be accessed here

This podcast is launched as part of Dublin Festival of History 2022.

Dublin Festival of History is brought to you by Dublin City Council and organised by Dublin City Libraries, in partnership with Dublin City Council Culture Company.

 

This event examined how archivists, historians and others working to preserve and share these important histories navigate this historical language in the contemporary context. The discussion also explored the impact of language, particularly in terms of challenging stigma and supporting equality in our society.

About the panel:

Catriona Crowe MRIA is the former head of special projects with the National Archives of Ireland, a leading historian and member of the Grangegorman Histories Working Group. Catriona will chair the discussion.

Brendan Kelly, is Professor of Psychiatry at Trinity College Dublin, Consultant Psychiatrist at Tallaght University Hospital, Dublin, and UCD Visiting Full Clinical Professor at University College Dublin School of Medicine and Medical Sciences. Professor Kelly has researched and published a series of books articles on the history of psychiatry and mental illness in Ireland including: ‘Hearing Voices: The History of Psychiatry in Ireland’ (2016), ‘Mental Illness, Human Rights and the Law’ (2016) and ‘The Doctor Who Sat for A Year’ (2019). He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, and Trinity College Dublin. In 2017, he became Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Law and Psychiatry.

Alan Phelan has worked as both visual artist and archivist for over 25 years. While both jobs inhabit different professional spheres, both influence each other greatly in his practice. He approaches historical references from a counterfactual perspective, often placing things out of context and time to explore underlying cultural, social and political issues. Recent work includes the award winning 2016 film on Roger Casement “Our Kind” for the Hugh Lane Gallery and more recently a sculpture in front of City Hall commissioned by DCC and Sculpture Dublin launched in early October. His work with GDA in 2015 explored the language used in the former asylum registers and was rendered as an outdoor projection on Culture Night.

Rick Rossiter is from Newfoundland, Canada, living in Ireland since 1997. Through his lived experience of Bipolar and Borderline Personality Disorders he is a Mental Health Advocate & Consultant, writer and Blogger and has worked with See Change, Shine, Headline, AWARE, eHealth Ireland, First Fortnight, ReachOut and Mental Health Reform. He is an ambassador for both See Change and Aware and is also a Committee Member for REFOCUS through The College of Psychiatrists which is composed of carers, service users and psychiatrists working to develop new approaches in Psychiatric Training.

Grangegorman Histories celebrated Culture Night 2021 with the launch of ‘Timepiece’, a podcast exploring the history of the turret clock in Grangegorman.

This podcast explores the extraordinary history of the unique turret clock in the Clocktower Building at Grangegorman. The James Waugh turret clock was installed in 1818 and it is the oldest known flatbed clock in the world. Historian of design and interior architecture, Megan Brien, is joined by celebrated horologists David Boles and Julian Cosby to explore the history of this clock, Julian’s restoration work on it in the 1980s and its link to ‘Big Ben’ in London.

About the Podcaster

Megan Brien is a historian of design and interior architecture, currently undertaking a PhD at Trinity College Dublin in the Department of History of Art and Architecture. A Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholar, with a particular interest in the interiors of Irish healthcare facilities. Megan’s research utilises disability and feminist theory in design, visual and material culture, to analyse policy provision in twentieth century interior architecture. Megan’s current research concerns the history of interiors in healthcare facilities for autism, in Ireland from 1969 to present day. Megan presents the monthly architecture and design history podcast ‘Running Room’ with her fellow PhD Researcher Yagmur Burhan.

Grangegorman Histories is a public history project of Dublin City Council, Grangegorman Development Agency, HSE, Local Communities, National Archives, Royal Irish Academy and TU Dublin. To learn more see www.grangegormanhistories.ie

 

This June 2021 interview with Ivor Browne was originally screened as part of a special online screening of ‘Meetings with Ivor’ – Alan Gilsenan’s 2017 documentary, produced by Tomás Hardiman – on the life and work of psychiatrist, Dr Ivor Browne, Chief Medical Superintendent at St Brendan’s Hospital, Grangegorman for three decades from 1966. This special screening of the film and interview were presented at the 2021 Virtual Stoneybatter Festival.

This interview by Alan Gilsenan with Ivor Browne captures some of his memories of life at St Brendan’s hospital, Grangegorman during the 30 years that he spent working there.

The interview was recorded for Grangegorman Histories by Madhouse Films with special thanks to Ivor Browne, Alan Gilsenan and the Stoneybatter Festival.

Grangegorman Histories is a public history project of Dublin City Council, Grangegorman Development Agency, HSE, Local Communities, National Archives, Royal Irish Academy and TU Dublin. Grangegorman Histories provides a series of opportunities to contribute to the important work of uncovering, cataloguing and commemorating the eventful history of Grangegorman and the surrounding area and the project stimulates awareness of the multi-faceted histories of the area. Further details about Grangegorman Histories is available on our website

Please note that this interview does contain some strong language.

On 15 January 2021, Grangegorman Histories presented a webinar with Laura Drysdale, Director, Restoration Trust and Project Manager for Change Minds, Gary Tuson, Norfolk County Archivist and Change Minds Partner, and Richard Johnson, Research Coordinator and Change Minds member, chaired by Ruth Hegarty, Managing Editor, Royal Irish Academy and member of the Grangegorman Histories Working Group. They introduced this transformative programme, and described their current Change Minds project, Dr Hills’ Casebook. The discussion explored the impact, legacy and transformative potential of the project for people living with mental health conditions. Grangegorman Histories wishes to deliver a similar project in Dublin, accessing the records recovered from Grangegorman in the years before the hospital closure. This complete record, running continuously from 1814, is now restored and housed at our National Archives in Dublin.