You are here Community > Trinity Remembers

Dr George Henry, MAO, MD, FRCOG

(1938 -2021)

Obituary

L-R: Dr George Henry pictured with the DUFC rugby team. Dr Henry with Dr Brian Fisher at the Trinity Ball in 1959. Dr Henry with the former President of Ireland, Éamon de Valera and former Provost Albert Joseph McConnell on Trinity Wednesday in 1960. Dr Henry, Hilary Barton, Professor Hartford, Mrs Hartford, Dr Brian Fisher in the Dining Hall.

Trinity so fondly remembers Dr George Henry, who passed away peacefully on Friday 30 July 2021.

Dr George Henry was born in 1938. He entered Trinity in 1955 as a medical student and graduated with a master’s in medicine in 1962 and a master’s in obstetrics in 1968. George became a Fellow of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (FRCOG) later in his career. George’s father, Jack Henry, Professor of Surgery, lectured in Trinity during George’s undergraduate years.

During his time at Trinity, George embraced every aspect of College life. He was a member of many student societies and clubs including DUFC, Hockey and Sailing. Dr George Henry was part of the organising committee who brought the first ever Trinity Ball to campus in 1959.

Dr Brian Fisher recounts his memories of organising the Trinity Ball with Dr George Henry: “In 1958 there was an idea that Trinity Week Ball should be held in College. I was to be the Trinity Week Secretary for the following year and George Henry the Ball Secretary, Chairman of Trinity Week was Professor Hartford and Chairman of D.U.C.A.C. was Professor J.V. Luce, with their help we approached the Board. In 1960 George Henry and I reversed roles so that we could try and sort some of the problems experienced in the first year.”

Dr George Henry met his beloved wife, Hilary Henry (neé Barton), a bachelor of arts student at Trinity. George and Hilary have two children, Jonathan and Rachel. Jonathan graduated from Trinity with a degree in Natural Sciences in 1988, and Rachel had her DIT degree conferred at Trinity.

Dr Henry began his medical career in the Rotunda as a medical student, before travelling to UK to further his studies, where he worked in Royal Preston Hospital. He returned to Ireland to take up a post as a Registrar in the Rotunda in 1965. Dr Henry was elected Master of the Rotunda in 1981.

He is remembered by the Rotunda hospital for greatly “improving conditions in the labour ward, operating theatre, outpatient clinics and post-natal accommodation”. The vision of Dr Bartholomew Mosse, founder of the Rotunda, to develop the Pillar Room as a source of funds for the hospital was reinvigorated by Dr Henry who led the fundraising campaign and oversaw the opening of the new facility by the Minister for Health in 1985. He was the last Master to live on site and retired in February 2003.

Dr Henry is survived by his dear wife Hilary, two children, Rachel and Jonathan, five grandchildren, Natasha, Sam, Molly, Emily and Jack, and children-in-law, Andrew and Lucy.