The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland is an important school of medicine, of which all citizens should be proud. It has a distinguished history and position in this city occupying one of the most beautiful education buildings. Since the late 17th century it has produced many fine physicians and surgeons throughout Ireland and the world. It is important to state also it has a particular role to play because of the large number of non-nationals who have attended the college during the years. It has made a unique contribution to medical education in that a significant proportion of graduates come from non-Irish backgrounds. It is important to recognise this, particularly in the current climate to which we all have attempted to adapt in recent years. We are learning a great deal from the college, not only in terms of its expertise in the area of medical education but also in terms of what it has done to educate people from other countries and ensure its profession is of the highest possible standard.