Dr Don O'Leary retires from the Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience

21 Dec 2017

Congratulatons to Dr Don O'Leary on his retirement after 39 years service from the Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience.

Colleagues both past and present joined Don O'Leary and his wife Kate at a retirement lunch held yesterday by the department of Anatomy and Neuroscience.  Professor Cryan presented Don's wife Kate with a bouquet of flowers and presented Don with a glass vase on behalf of the University and some gifts from the department. Professor Cryan complemented Don on his 39 years service to UCC and thanked him for his work in the department and wished him well in his retirement. Don thanked Professor Cryan and the Department for the lunch and gathering, and his colleagues for their companionship and friendship over the years. The staff had a very enjoyable lunch and all wished Don a very happy and active retirement.

Don joined the Department of Anatomy in 1978 as a research technician working with Professor John Fraher. His work involved mainly electron microscopy and the associated techniques involved in the study of the ultrastructure of the developing nervous system. Don worked closely with Professor Fraher and a number of research students over the years providing technical assistance for many research projects and co-authoring several papers.

With the move of the Department of Anatomy research laboratories to the Bioscience Institute in 2002 and the changes in heads of department Don expanded his research skills. Under the direction of Professor John Cryan, Don embraced new techniques and managed the undergarduate Histology Laboratory practicals for many years. He continued his electron microscopy work in the Biosciences Imaging Centre, providing expertise in electron microscopy techniques to researchers, students and industry partners. 

A keen historian, Don completed a BA in history and geography in 1990 and subsequently graduated with a PhD in history in 1996, entitled The Origins, Development and Decline of Vocationalism in Twentieth-Century Ireland" (National University of Ireland). Don has published a number of historical papers and and is the author of three books; Vocationalism and Social Catholicism in Twentieth-Century Ireland (Dublin: Irish Academic Press, 2000), Roman Catholicism and Modern Science (New York: Continuum, 2006), and Irish Catholicism and Science (Cork: Cork University Press, 2012).

 Photo B.Riedewald