PhD student Kevin Finnan’s research recognised with RCPI Kirkpatrick History of Medicine Award 2025

The School of History and Geography is pleased to highlight a recent achievement featured by the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (RCPI) Heritage Centre. Their latest blog showcases the work of Kevin Finnan, a PhD student in the School of History & Geography, whose research on medical care during the Irish War of Independence has received the Kirkpatrick History of Medicine Award 2025.

Kevin’s PhD research, “‘The response of the Irish Medical profession to the War of independence”, draws together evidence from the Military Service Pension Collection and RCPI records to reconstruct the often-overlooked role of doctors who provided treatment to volunteers. The blog outlines how his work is attempting to bring new clarity to the medical networks that operated during the conflict and the personal risks undertaken by practitioners.

Congratulations Kevin on this well-deserved acknowledgement. You can explore the full RCPI feature here for further insight into his findings.