Royal Cork Institution
Encyclopedia
Royal Cork Institution was an Irish
cultural institution in the city of Cork
from 1803-1885. It consisted of a library of scientific works, a museum with old Irish manuscripts and stones with ogham inscriptions, and lecture and reading rooms. A lack of funds resulted in its closure in 1885.
, a minister of the Old Presbyterian Church on Princes Street in Cork
and was modelled on institutions such as the Royal Dublin Society
and the Royal Society of London. It was incorporated in 1807 and renamed the Royal Cork Institution (RCI). It operated from premises on the South Mall opposite the current Imperial hotel and was a British
government supported educational centre for 70 years. Its early patrons included businesses and landed people including William Beamish (1760-1828), William Crawford
, Cooper Penrose (1736-1815) and James Roche (1770-1853). It offered courses, public lectures on science and scientific principles in agricullture and industry. The RCI had a collection of scientific instruments and library of over 5,000 volumes with a private and a public patents collection - a copy of this is in the Boole Library of University College Cork.
in Cork. It published the first volume of the Munster Farmer's Magazine in 1812. It also established the Crawford College of Art and Design, now part of the Cork Institute of Technology
(CIT
). It was connected with medical schools and gave lectures on anatomy. Lack of funds necessitated the RCI becoming a private society in 1850 and its closure in 1885. Among those associated with the RCI were Richard Caulfield
(at one time its secretary and librarian), Robert Day and Abraham Abell
. The RCI had an influential role in the intellectual life of Cork until the Cork Cuvierian Society
. This in turn was supplanted with the establishment of Queen's College, Cork, in 1849.
, who were given them by the Prince Regent
later George IV. He had received them from Pope Pius VII who had commissioned Antonio Canova
to make a set of plasters from statues in the Vatican
. The statues are currently in the Crawford Municipal Art Gallery
.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
cultural institution in the city of Cork
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
from 1803-1885. It consisted of a library of scientific works, a museum with old Irish manuscripts and stones with ogham inscriptions, and lecture and reading rooms. A lack of funds resulted in its closure in 1885.
Origins
The Royal Cork Institution (RCI) was founded by Rev. Thomas Dix HincksThomas Dix Hincks
Thomas Dix Hincks was an Irish orientalist and naturalist.Hincks was educated at Trinity College, Dublin. He was ordained a Presbysterian minister and worked at the Old Presbyterian Church on Princes Street in Cork. After teaching in the Cork Institution, which he founded, he taught in Fermoy,...
, a minister of the Old Presbyterian Church on Princes Street in Cork
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
and was modelled on institutions such as the Royal Dublin Society
Royal Dublin Society
The Royal Dublin Society was founded on 25 June 1731 to "to promote and develop agriculture, arts, industry, and science in Ireland". The RDS is synonymous with its main premises in Ballsbridge in Dublin, Ireland...
and the Royal Society of London. It was incorporated in 1807 and renamed the Royal Cork Institution (RCI). It operated from premises on the South Mall opposite the current Imperial hotel and was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
government supported educational centre for 70 years. Its early patrons included businesses and landed people including William Beamish (1760-1828), William Crawford
William Crawford
William Crawford is the name of:* William Crawford , Scottish painter* William Crawford , Member of Parliament for Mid Durham, 1885–1890...
, Cooper Penrose (1736-1815) and James Roche (1770-1853). It offered courses, public lectures on science and scientific principles in agricullture and industry. The RCI had a collection of scientific instruments and library of over 5,000 volumes with a private and a public patents collection - a copy of this is in the Boole Library of University College Cork.
Activities
The RCI established the Cork Botanic Gardens in 1806. A shortage of funds in 1828 forced the withdrawal of the RCI, and the property was later to become a cemetery. The RCI was influential in the Government decision to establish the Queen's CollegeUniversity College Cork - National University of Ireland, Cork
University College Cork is a constituent university of the National University of Ireland. The university is located in Cork....
in Cork. It published the first volume of the Munster Farmer's Magazine in 1812. It also established the Crawford College of Art and Design, now part of the Cork Institute of Technology
Cork Institute of Technology
Cork Institute of Technology , formerly the Regional Technical College, Cork, is an Institute of Technology in Ireland, located in Cork, Ireland opened in 1973. The institute has 17,000 students in art, business, engineering, music and science disciplines...
(CIT
CIT
-Educational institutions:*California Institute of Technology *Canberra Institute of Technology*Carnegie Institute of Technology, the College of Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University...
). It was connected with medical schools and gave lectures on anatomy. Lack of funds necessitated the RCI becoming a private society in 1850 and its closure in 1885. Among those associated with the RCI were Richard Caulfield
Richard Caulfield
Richard Caulfield was secretary, librarian and custodian of the Royal Cork Institution and librarian for Queen's College, Cork.Caulfield was born in Cork on 23 April 1823, a grandson of Henry Gosnell, physician at the Lying-In Hospital and first resident surgeon at the Cork North Infirmary...
(at one time its secretary and librarian), Robert Day and Abraham Abell
Abraham Abell
-Early career:Abell was born in Cork, Ireland, into a Quaker family of eleven children. His family had long standing in business. He also was successful in business and noted for his charity. He served as treasurer of the Cork Dispensary and Humane Society....
. The RCI had an influential role in the intellectual life of Cork until the Cork Cuvierian Society
Cuvierian Society
The Cuvierian Society of Cork was founded as a committee of the Royal Cork Institution in October 1835. The meetings were held on the first Wednesday of the Autumn and Winter months in the Library of the Royal Cork Institution. The Society was named after the noted French naturalist and...
. This in turn was supplanted with the establishment of Queen's College, Cork, in 1849.
Canova casts
The RCI acquired these from the Society of Fine Arts in CorkCork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
, who were given them by the Prince Regent
Prince Regent
A prince regent is a prince who rules a monarchy as regent instead of a monarch, e.g., due to the Sovereign's incapacity or absence ....
later George IV. He had received them from Pope Pius VII who had commissioned Antonio Canova
Antonio Canova
Antonio Canova was an Italian sculptor from the Republic of Venice who became famous for his marble sculptures that delicately rendered nude flesh...
to make a set of plasters from statues in the Vatican
Vatican City
Vatican City , or Vatican City State, in Italian officially Stato della Città del Vaticano , which translates literally as State of the City of the Vatican, is a landlocked sovereign city-state whose territory consists of a walled enclave within the city of Rome, Italy. It has an area of...
. The statues are currently in the Crawford Municipal Art Gallery
Crawford Municipal Art Gallery
The Crawford Municipal Art Gallery is a public art gallery in the city of Cork, Ireland.Since 1979 the Gallery has been located in the centre of Cork in what used to be the Cork Customs House, built in 1724...
.