examinationhall

Flickr is sometimes amazing! In 2009 via Patrick Theiner

The 'virtual tour' is fun to fiddle with; scroll down page - www.visittrinity.ie/venue/examination-hall/

Reverse view, same day (the organ looks wonky!) - catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000328266 Mr French returned on a later (?) day. Spot the differences - catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000323617 catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000323618 (reverse with still wonky organ)

“Made from carved Portland stone and granite and designed by King George III’s architect Sir William Chambers, the Examination Hall was completed in 1786 and mirrored the Chapel, which stands opposite it on Front Square.” www.visittrinity.ie/venue/examination-hall/

All the excitement in the Examination Hall seems to have taken place in the 1830s: Saunders's News-Letter - Thursday 29 November 1832:

On Tuesday, as the Vice-Provost of Trinity College was leaving the Examination Hall of Trinity College, his gold watch was stolen from his person by some well dressed delinquent, who escaped undiscovered.

What a cad to be well dressed, and not like a scrofulous tatterdemalion from Oliver Twist. Dublin Evening Post - Saturday 21 September 1833:

COLLEGE-STREET POLICE OFFlCE — Thursday. ■ Nagle v. Connolly. Mr. M'Dermott as counsel for the plaintiff in this case, stated that on Tuesday evening a porter fell from scaffold at the top of the Examination Hall in Trinity College, Mr. Nagle came to his assistance very humanely. He was engaged in this duty when Surgeon Connolly came in; observed Dr. Nagle putting the patient’s broken hand down. He put his hand over Surgeon Connolly, who pushed it aside, and asked sent for him ? After some little time Surgeon Connolly committed slight assault ; for this summons had had been issued. After the case had been gone into, Mr. Gabbett recommended an amicable arrangement between the parties. This was not acceded to, and another witness was examined as to the facts connected with the assault. Mr. Gabbett again recommended conciliating Doctor Nagle. Mr. Gabbett said, if Doctor Nagle persisted in asking for his information being taken, the case should sent for trial, which was acquiesced in.

The Dublin Observer went into a bit more detail

Surgeon Connolly turned round and smote him across the face sans ceremonie. Nagle remarked "that’s very ungentlemanlike conduct on your part Mr. Connolly towards me,” when Connolly turned away and said "you know where to find me". Several students went after him and demanded what his reason was for so acting, when my client interfered and told them not to mind him as he was too contemptible to be taken any notice of

And finally the Dublin Morning Register - Tuesday 11 August 1835. Not quite as exciting as two distinguished medics having a scrap over a patient, but it made the papers.

We regret to state that Sir Charles Morgan was obliged to leave the Examination Hall of Trinity College, yesterday, in consequence of a sudden and severe bout of illness.

"A severe bout of illness", no less. Poor Sir Charles. PS SIr Charles Morgan died of apoplexy in 1843.

The Examination Hall appears to have been demolished in recent years: maps.osi.ie/publicviewer/#V2,609797,603942,11,9 It is visible on the 25" map to the left of the building marked 'School' and is also visible on the aerial image from 1995, but it isn't there on the 2000 and 2005 images.

DIA is super-helpful today: Name: BEARY, MICHAEL Building: CO. WATERFORD, MOUNT MELLERAY ABBEY (CAPPOQUIN) Date: ? Nature: MB designed buildings there which were demolished 1997. Refs: Information from from typescript note on Michael Beary written for the IAA by his great niece, Nellie Beary O'Cleirigh, 38 Templemore Avenue, Rathgar, Dublin 6, 10 Dec 1998.

From his bio there: he designed some buildings at Mount Melleray Abbey, which were demolished in 1997. He presented the monks with a stone carving of the Virgin which surmounted these buildings and which has been retained. So may be unrelated.

The church shown is also gone: replaced by a big Gothic church built from the stone from Mitchelstown Castle of recent memory:

Two of the NIAH pieces on Mount Melleray mention slate re-roofing and works in 1910 - from this and the Beary reference, I'll guess this is 1910-15. [Edit - nope!]