St. Finan's Hospital

St. Finan's Hospital (Irish: Ospidéal Naomh Fionnáin) is a psychiatric hospital in Killarney, County Kerry, Ireland.

St. Finan's Hospital
St. Finan's Hospital
Shown in Ireland
Geography
LocationKillarney, County Kerry, Ireland
Coordinates52.06727°N 9.51103°W / 52.06727; -9.51103
Organisation
TypeSpecialist
Services
SpecialityPsychiatric hospital
History
Opened1852
Closed2012

History

The hospital, which was designed by Thomas Deane, opened as the Killarney Asylum in 1852.[1] After it became Killarney Mental Hospital in the 1920s, the head psychiatrist, Dr Eamon O’Sullivan, encouraged and trained patients to take part in local sporting activities.[2] He initiated the competition for the Corn Uí Mhuirí, which is the top level Gaelic football championship for secondary schools in Munster, in 1927,[3] and the Dr Eamon O'Sullivan Cup, which is the All Ireland C Football Competition, is named after him.[4]

The facility went on to become St. Finan's Hospital in the 1950s.[1] After the introduction of deinstitutionalisation in the late 1980s the hospital went into a period of decline[5][6] and, following the publication of a highly critical report in 2003,[2] closed in September 2012.[7] Deer Lodge, a modern 40-bed mental health unit, opened in the grounds of the old hospital in July 2017.[8]

References
  1. "Saint Finian's Hospital, Rock Road (off), Killarney, County Kerry". National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Retrieved 31 May 2019.
  2. "End of an era for psychiatric facility". Irish Examiner. 26 September 2012. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
  3. "Corn Ui Mhuiri - Under 19 A Football". Munster Post Primary Schools. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
  4. "Academy side comes to final full of fresh fight". The Corkman. 30 March 2019. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
  5. "After the Asylum". Irish Times. 13 July 2013. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
  6. Cotter, Noelle (2009). "Transfer of Care? A Critical Analysis of Post-Release Psychiatric Care for Prisoners in the Cork Region" (PDF). University College Cork. p. 5. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
  7. "Closure of Killarney unit raises fears for mental healthcare". Irish Times. 26 September 2012. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
  8. "New mental health unit completed two years ago to open its doors in Killarney today". Radio Kerry. 11 July 2017. Retrieved 29 May 2019.

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