The new exhibition, Born in Dublin: 200 Years of The Coombe Hospital, will be officially launched by Lord Mayor of Dublin, Daryl Barron, at The Little Museum of Dublin on St Stephen’s Green on 22 October 2026.
It tells the story of one of Ireland’s oldest maternity hospitals and the generations of women, newborns, families and healthcare professionals who have shaped its history.
The exhibition is part of a series of events marking the bicentennial of the maternity hospital and explores some of the people, milestones and healthcare advances that have shaped The Coombe over 200 years, including:
- The hypodermic needle: Francis Rynd, who served as a consulting surgeon to The Coombe, is credited with performing the first recorded subcutaneous injection at Dublin’s Meath Hospital in 1844, using a hollow needle to administer medication beneath the skin.
- The Royal Charter: In 1867, Queen Victoria granted the Coombe Lying-in Hospital a royal charter, formally recognising its vital role in providing maternity care to poor women in Dublin. The charter continues to shape The Coombe’s identity and governance today.
- Advances in obstetric care: At The Coombe, Dr John Drumm, working with Dr Dermot FitzGerald, pioneered the use of Doppler ultrasound to assess blood flow in the umbilical cord. Their research, published in 1977, contributed to the development of techniques that help clinicians assess fetal wellbeing and identify risks in pregnancy.
- Development of professional nursing and midwifery: From its inception in 1826, and ratified by royal charter in 1867, The Coombe Hospital played a role in the development of formal training for nurses and midwives, as healthcare moved towards the professional, specialist care we recognise today.
- Family planning: The Coombe opened its Family Planning Clinic in the early 1970s, providing an important service for women and families, a notable and at the time controversial departure from the conservative social norms of the period.
- Two centuries of Irish history: From the Act of Union and the Great Famine to the Spanish Flu, two World Wars, Irish War of Independence and COVID-19, The Coombe has continued to provide care through periods of profound change in Ireland
And of course, there is lots more to enjoy in the Little Museum of Dublin. For information and tickets visit: www.littlemuseum.ie.
