Harriet Wheelock / Wednesday 9 June 2010 What’s in the Corrigan Papers? This week I have finished cataloguing the papers of Sir Dominic Corrigan, and the collection is ready for use. As the online catalogue is not yet available, the list can at present only be accessed in the reading room. In cataloguing the papers I have divided them into seven sections based on record type – Personal and family papers; Medical Career; Medical Legislation; Reform of education in Ireland; Other correspondence; Published works and Caricature. Within these sections the material is further sub-divided and arranged chronologically. Personal and family papers contains a number of Corrigan's diaries, including one recording a visit to the Continent. The section also contains material relating to, or created by, other member of the Corrigan family. This includes a book of poetry collected by Corrigan's wife Lady Joanna Corrigan, including a poem written by Corrigan to her shortly before their marriage, and biographical material on Corrigan collected by his daughter Lady Mary Martin. This section also contains papers relating to Corrigan's grant of arms and baronetcy. Medical Career covers Corrigan's education, see earlier post, as well as letters of application for hospital positions. This section contains Corrigan's fee book and three case books, covering Corrigan's private practice and his work in the Hardwick Fever Hospital. These case books record the name, age, address and profession of the patient, as well as details of their medical history and current illness, with later details of the outcome of the case. The section also contains items relating to Corrigan's lecturing career, mainly the scripts of lectures he gave to medical students. Material under Medical Legislation covers three pieces of legislation; the Pharmacy Act (Ireland) 1875, the proposed Medical Charities Ireland Bill (1842), and the Medical Act (1858) and subsequent amendment acts. The papers in this section clearly demonstrate Corrigan's strong views on the legislation, especailly in realtion to medical education, as well as the considerable influence he had with leading politicians. Corrigan was a strong proponent of reform of education in Ireland, advocating a secular education system which would allow equal opportunity to all religions. This position brought him into conflict with the leaders of his own church, as the Catholic Clergy, led by Cardinal Cullen, wanted state funding for Catholic controlled education at all levels. This section contains correspondence and papers relating to the question of educational reforms and the pamphlet Corrigan published on the subject in 1865. It also includes correspondence with W E Gladstone over his ill fated University Education (Ireland) Act. Other correspondence contains individual or small collections of letters, not relating to the previous three sections. The topics are diverse, ranging from a letter from the Quaker MP John Bright on the Irish Land Question to a letter from Sir James Clark, Physician-in-Ordinary to the Queen detailing the last illness and death of Prince Albert. The sixth section contains some of Corrigan's published works, including newspaper articles, pamphlets and books. Corrigan was a prolific writer and this is not a complete collection of his published works, a much more extensive collection can be viewed in the Dun's Library. The final item in the collection is a caricature of Corrigan published in Ireland's Eye in 1874. The caricature shows Corrigan in Grecian robes with the rod of Asclepius, associated with medicine and healing. Under the title, The Physic-all Baronet, are two lines from Shakespeare's A Winter's Tale. The Corrigan papers are a very important collection, tracing the career of one of the leading Irish physicians of his day, and they shed important light on the history of medicine in Ireland during the middle of the nineteenth century. Corrigan's case and fee books give an insight into his professional career, and the lives of some of his patients. As well as their importance to the history of medicine, the papers are also relevant to the study of wider political and social changes. Corrigan was MP for Dublin for 4 years; he campaigned for reform to education in Ireland, the early release of Fenian prisoners and was an active supporter of the temperance movement, all of which topics are covered in the collection. He was also the first catholic to hold some of the most important positions open to members of the medical profession in Ireland. Finally the papers give a brief glimpse into Corrigan's personal life through his travel diary, the poem he wrote to his wife, and in the writings of his daughter. For an excellent account of Corrigan's life see Eoin O'Brien's 1983 biography Conscience and conflict. A Biography of Sir Dominic Corrigan 1802-1880. To make an appointment to view the Corrigan, or any other, collection please contact me. List of Illustrations 'To Miss Joanna Woodlock', a poem by Dominic Corrigan, c.1829 (DC/1/2/2) Pages 118-9 May 1841, from Hardwick Hospital Fever Case Book, 1840-1846 (DC/2/4/2) Letter from W E Gladstone to Sir Dominic Corrigan on reforms to University education in Ireland, 24 October 1873 (DC/4/4/4) Letter from Sir James Clarke to Dr Corrigan on the illness and death of Prince Albert, 2 February 1862 (DC/5/7) Caricature of Sir Dominic Corrigan, drawn by Spex and published in Ireland's Eye, 1874 (DC/7)