Professor Denis P Fitzgerald BA MB BCh BAO
Denis Patrick Fitzgerald was born in Cork in 1871. He was educated in Cork and obtained degree of BA RUI in 1890 and entered Queen’s College Cork in 1891 as a medical student, here he secured scholarships exhibitions and prizes and qualified MB BCh BAO in 1896. The following year 1897 he became Demonstrator in Anatomy (continuing in this post for ten years) and also House Surgeon to the Cork Eye Ear and Throat Hospital (for two years). In 1907 Professor Windle, the then Professor of Anatomy, appointed Dr Fitzgerald his deputy, making him Lecturer in the Anatomy Department.
In 1909 Windle resigned from the Chair of Anatomy and Dr Fitzgerald was appointed Professor of Anatomy, a post he held for nearly 33 years. At this time Professor Fitzgerald was also Lecturer in Anatomy to the Cork Municipal School of Art, Dean of the Medical Faculty (1940-41), member of the Governing Body UCC, examiner in Anatomy to Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. In 1940 was awarded degree of MD NUI. Professor Fitzgerald was skilful dissector with a particular interest in osteology. He published in the Journal of Anatomy and the British Medical Journal. He also wrote extensively on the history of Old Cork, and also published a booklet on the Medical Profession in Ireland. Professor Fitzgerald died in Cork on 2 January 1948 1.