The Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (RCPI), () is an Irish professional body dedicated to improving the practice of general medicine and related medical specialities, chiefly through the accreditation of physicians by examination. History The "Royal" in the title comes from the Royal Charters that were granted in 1667, by King Charles II of England, and in 1692, by King William III and Queen Mary II of England. It was known as the King and Queen's College of Physicians in Ireland until 1890 when, under the charter of Queen Victoria, it adopted the present title. The College was founded in 1654 by John Stearne, a professor and registrar of Trinity College, Dublin, for the purpose of regulating the practice of medicine in Ireland. Originally, it was called "The Fraternity of Physicians of Trinity Hall", as its first home was in a building called Trinity Hall, given to the Physicians by Trinity College. The Royal Charter of 1692 made the Physicians independent of Trinity College but meant that they had to leave Trinity Hall. They then had no permanent home until the opening of Sir Patrick Dun's Hospital in 1812, when the College established its headquarters in some rooms in the hospital. In 1860, the College purchased the premises of the Kildare Street Club in Kildare Street. The building was destroyed in a fire in November 1860 and subsequently rebuilt by the College to its own design. It opened in 1864 and has remained the College's home ever since. The College Library dates its foundation to 1713 when Sir Patrick Dun bequeathed his personal, large library to the College. The Library has been known as "Dun's Library" ever since. Dun's Library forms part of the College's Heritage Centre, with the archive, heritage items, and genealogical research collections. The Heritage Centre holds one of the most important and extensive collections of printed, manuscript material and items relating to the history of medicine and medical education in Ireland. Presidents Among the famous past presidents of the College were William Fetherstone Montgomery, Sir Patrick Dun (1681–93), Bryan Robinson(1718, 1727, 1739), Henry Marsh (1841), Robert James Graves (1843), William Stokes (1849), and Sir Dominic Corrigan (1859–1863). James Little (1837–1916), who was president from 1886 to 1888, had worked as a ship's surgeon early in his career. He survived the shipwreck of the SS Ava in 1858, which is recorded in his diary, now held