Milestones - in the beginning… Print this article

A series of articles will appear in both the online and print editions of the Journal to mark the 175th anniversary of Engineers Ireland. In this brief introduction, the origins of the organisation that ultimately became Engineers Ireland, the motivations of its founders and the tensions surrounding its first decade of existence, are outlined. This text is based on an extract from Dr Ron Cox’s definitive history of the engineering profession in Ireland, Engineering Ireland (2006)

On Thursday, August 6, 1835, a meeting of 20 civil engineers was held at the office of the Board of Public Works (Ireland), then located in the Custom House, Dublin, presided over by Colonel (later Field Marshal Sir) John Fox Burgoyne (1782-1871), chairman of the Board. It appears that the meeting was a sequel to a preliminary meeting at which a further 16 engineers were in attendance and signified their support for the formation of a society for their own improvement. The number of founder members thus totalled 36, composed mainly of engineers working for the Board.

Low ebb
Burgoyne pointed out that the profession of civil engineering had been at a low ebb in Ireland and that persons without education or skill had frequently been employed in operations of importance, resulting in bad or injudicious works, wasteful or fruitless expenditure and a certain degree of discredit to the country.

He explained that they were now adopting the measure best calculated to prevent the recurrence of these evils, by organising a society, which it was hoped might be the means of adding respectability to the profession of civil engineers in Ireland and rendering some service to the country. Burgoyne added: ‘We are now, whether Englishmen or Irishmen, engaged in the service of Ireland, and it is our duty as well as our interest to promote its prosperity to the utmost'.

He went on to state that ‘information in civil engineering could be acquired by practical experience, by study and by personal intercourse and mutual communication between members of the same profession.’

Each was not sufficient in itself, but all these three could be combined and utilised through facilities to be provided by the proposed society. Thus came into being The Civil Engineers Society of Ireland - a name, however, that was soon to be changed. The society had for its object 'the promotion of science in general, but more particularly as connected with the profession of Civil Engineers'.

Growing pains
Although new members were elected over the next year or two and papers read, but not published, the society would appear to have then become relatively inactive. The Trustees, Sir John Fox Burgoyne and John Radcliffe, found it necessary to call a meeting ‘to consider whether the Society should be continued in its present shape or what steps should be taken with regard to the disposal of funds now vested in our names in Public Securities’.

A general meeting of the society was held subsequently on Friday, 17 August 1844 in the Custom House with Burgoyne as chairman and Robert Mallet (1810-1881) acting as secretary, when it was resolved that ‘The Institution of Civil Engineers of Ireland be formed for the promotion of mechanical science and more particularly for the acquisition of that species of knowledge which constitutes the profession of a Civil Engineer’.

The re-organisation of this body of engineers under the title The Institution of Civil Engineers of Ireland (ICEI), a title that it was to retain for the next 125 years, appears to have been carried out in a very thorough and expeditious manner. Burgoyne remained on as President and three Vice-Presidents and ten other members constituted the Council.

Thomas Oldham, Curator of the Geological Society of Ireland and afterwords Professor of Geology, at Trinity College Dublin, was appointed Secretary at a salary of £25 per annum. He also undertook the duties of Treasurer. However, it is believed that most of the credit for the rejuvenation of the ‘Institution’ was due to Mallet, whose bicentenary is being celebrated this year.

It was mainly on his advice that the suggested dissolution of the Society and the refund of the assets did not take place and it was he who prepared the Code of By-Laws that placed the ICEI on a firm footing, and the introduction of published Transactions.

Panel:
Remembering Mallet
A number of events are planned this year to commemorate the bicentenary of Robert Mallet’s birth:

Dr Ron Cox is scheduled to give the Mallet lecture on April 26 in Clyde Road in association with the Royal Dublin Society;
There is a panel exhibition in preparation to be launched around the time of the Dublin Horse Show; and,
A new plaque will be unveiled at Killiney beach to mark Mallet's seismological experiments.