The Story of the Mater: A Belfast Teaching Hospital EHOD 2026

The Mater Infirmorum Hospital, whose Latin name directly translates as 'mother of the sick', first opened its doors in 1883.

This talk by retired physician Mark Gormley will first outline the ravages of illness and disease in nineteenth century Belfast and the development of Belfast's numerous early charitable hospitals.

It was from that background that the Mater was founded by the Sisters of Mercy order. Drawing on the rich archival holdings of the hospital, the talk will follow the development of the Mater complex over more than 140 years, and the people who were behind it.

About the speaker: Mark Gormley trained in Medicine at Queens University and in Belfast's hospitals, and worked as a consultant physician in the Mater hospital from 1985 until retirement in 2014. He gained access to a large collection of historical material relating to the hospital which had been collected by his father Peter Gormley , lately a consultant ophthalmologist in the hospital, which enabled the publication of a history of the hospital in 2015.

This event is part of a series organised by Belfast Health and Social Care Trust for EHOD 2026.

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