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Mercy University Hospital - History

The oldest part of Mercy University Hospital was once the Mansion House built for the Mayor of Cork between 1764 and 1767. The architect was an Italian by the name of the Davis Ducart.

Many of the original features are still evident in the Hospital today, for example the female medical ward was originally a reception room and the current Physiotherapy Unit was once the Mayoral Ballroom. The Minstrels Gallery is still in place high up on the wall over the doorway to this unit.

In 1842, the Corporation decided that the Mansion House was too expensive to maintain and they leased it to a priest anxious to set up a second level educational establishment. It then became known as St. Vincent 's Seminary. In 1857, St. Vincent 's Seminary moved to St. Patrick's Place and the Administration of Saints Peter and Paul requested the Vincentians to transfer the lease of the premises to them to provide a Hospital for the sick and poor of the city. The cost of conversion from school to hospital was £3,793. Thus, on 17th March 1857 , the story of the Mercy University Hospital began. A yearly rent was paid to the Corporation until 1927 when the Mercy Sisters bought the property.

When Mercy University Hospital first opened its doors, there were 40 beds in the Hospital and 4 Sisters worked here. Eight admissions were recorded on the first day. In 1907 the bed complement increased to 45.

In 1965, a new wing was built on to the Hospital and this comprised of a Chapel, Convent, St Anthony's Ward, Private Corridor 1 and an Operating Theatre. Between 1979 and 1980 there was further development which added an X ray dept., ICU, St Oliver's (Day) Ward and a School of Nursing to the existing Hospital.

In 1998, the Grenville Place Development opened comprising of: 124 Public Beds (Medical & Surgical) 50 bed acute Psychiatric Unit, (under the management of the Health Services Executive) Modern Pathology Dept, Clinical Pharmacology Dept.

In 2001, the Minister for Health and Children opened St. Therese's which is a dedicated 15-bed Oncology Unit. A new Geriatric Unit (St. Mary's Geriatric Unit) opened in February 2002 and is a 15-bed acute assessment unit. The hospital offers inpatient, outpatient and day patient services in a wide variety of areas including:

• Accident and Emergency
• Anaesthetics
• Biochemistry
• Clinical Pharmacology
• Dental and Oral Surgery
• Ear, Nose and Throat Surgery
• General Medicine
• Cardiology
• Diabetology
• Gastroenterology
• Gerontology
• Haematology
• Hepatology
• Infectious Diseases
• Neurology
• Oncology
• Respiratory Medicine
• Gynaecology
• Haematology
• Microbiology
• Ophthalmology
• Paediatrics
• Palliative Care and the relief of chronic pain
• Pathology
• Psychiatry
• Radiology and Imaging
• Surgery:
• General Surgery
• Colo-Rectal Surgery
• Dental and Oral Surgery
• Ear, Nose and Throat Surgery
• Oesophageal Surgery
• Vascular Surgery
• Genito-Urinary Surgery / Andrology
• Dental and Oral Surgery
• Ear, Nose and Throat Surgery
• Oesophageal Surgery
• Vascular Surgery
• Genito-Urinary Surgery / Andrology

Allied Health Services in the Mercy University Hospital

• Biochemistry
• Clinical Neurophysiology Service
• Clinical Nutrition
• Echocardiography and Holter Monitoring
• Endoscopy
• Haematology
• Histopathology
• Microbiology
• Pastoral Care and Chaplaincy
• Pharmacy
• Phlebotomy
• Physiotherapy
• Pulmonary Function Unit
• Social Work Service
• Speech & Language Therapy
• X-ray/Radiology Service

The Hospital participates in Nursing and Medical undergraduate training programme which runs in association with the National University of Ireland

Future Development:
Plans for the further expansion of hospital services have been prepared and submitted to the Department of Health & Children. These plans provide for both the expansion of existing services and the development of new services