Charles Conor O'Malley, BSc, MB., DOMS, KM., was an Irish eye surgeon, writer, and

Chief of the Name The Chief of the Name, or in older English usage Captain of his Nation, is the recognised head of a family or clan (''fine'' in Irish and Scottish Gaelic). The term has sometimes been used as a title in Ireland and Scotland. In Ireland In Eli ...

, 1889–1982. O'Malley was born in Joyce County in

Connemara Connemara (; )( ga, Conamara ) is a region on the Atlantic coast of western County Galway, in the west of Ireland. The area has a strong association with traditional Irish culture and contains much of the Connacht Irish-speaking Gaeltacht, w ...

, in

County Galway "Righteousness and Justice" , anthem = () , image_map = Island of Ireland location map Galway.svg , map_caption = Location in Ireland , area_footnotes = , area_total_km2 = ...

, Ireland. He was a member of the Kilmilkin O'Malley family. He graduated in Medicine from

University College Galway The University of Galway ( ga, Ollscoil na Gaillimhe) is a public research university located in the city of Galway, Ireland. A tertiary education and research institution, the university was awarded the full five QS stars for excellence in 201 ...

(UCG) in 1917. His first appointment was Surgeon Lt. on

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, and later with the

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during

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. He undertook postgraduate training in

ophthalmology Ophthalmology ( ) is a surgical subspecialty within medicine that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of eye disorders. An ophthalmologist is a physician who undergoes subspecialty training in medical and surgical eye care. Following a med ...

Moorfields Hospital Moorfields Eye Hospital is a specialist NHS eye hospital in Finsbury in the London Borough of Islington in London, England run by Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. Together with the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, which is adjacent ...

, London. In the 1920s he began his civilian medical practice in

Gort Gort ( or ) is a town of around 3,000 inhabitants in County Galway in the west of Ireland. Located near the border with County Clare, the town lies between the Burren and the Slieve Aughty and is served by the R458 and R460 regional roads, ...

, County Galway. In 1927 he visited to India where he studied the then novel method of intra-capsular cataract extraction

cataracts A cataract is a cloudy area in the lens of the eye that leads to a decrease in vision. Cataracts often develop slowly and can affect one or both eyes. Symptoms may include faded colors, blurry or double vision, halos around light, trouble w ...

under Dr Mathra Das Pawha at Moga Clinic in the Punjab. Dr O'Malley provided a report of 220 intra-capsular cataract operations he undertook when in Moga. This clinical audit was published in the ''

British Journal of Ophthalmology The ''British Journal of Ophthalmology'' is a peer-reviewed medical journal covering all aspects of ophthalmology. The journal was established in 1917 by the amalgamation of the ''Royal London (Moorfields) Ophthalmic Hospital Reports'' with the ''O ...

'' in March 1931. In 1931 he was appointed Professor of Ophthalmology and

Otology Otology is a branch of medicine which studies normal and pathological anatomy and physiology of the ear (hearing and vestibular sensory systems and related structures and functions) as well as their diseases, diagnosis and treatment. Otologi ...

in UCG in Galway. His elder brother Michael O'Malley was Professor of Surgery there from 1924 to 1956. His wife Sarah Joyce O'Malley was Consultant

Anaesthetist Anesthesiology, anaesthesiology, or anaesthesia is the medical specialty concerned with the total perioperative care of patients before, during and after surgery. It encompasses anesthesia, intensive care medicine, critical emergency medici ...

in the hospital. He undertook clinical practice at the former Central Hospital, Galway (later termed the Regional Hospital Galway) and now known as University College Hospital Galway. The Sal and Conor O'Malley Prize is awarded annually to the undergraduate who attains the highest marks in ophthalmology at the summer MB Degree Examination at UCG. O'Malley's professional publications in ophthalmology were written while he was at UCG. He undertook private practice from his consulting rooms at No 6, The Crescent, Galway and St Bride's Nursing, Sea Road, Galway. O'Malley founded the first unit of the

Order of Malta Ambulance Corps The Order of Malta Ireland – Ambulance Corps is a voluntary ambulance and first aid organisation operating in Ireland in affiliation with the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, founded in 1938. Its purposes include teaching first aid, providi ...

in Ireland in 1938 and later became a member of the

Sovereign Military Order of Malta The Sovereign Military Order of Malta (SMOM), officially the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta ( it, Sovrano Militare Ordine Ospedaliero di San Giovanni di Gerusalemme, di Rodi e di Malta; ...

. Conor and Sal O'Malley had three daughters (Grace O' Hara, Joan Ringrose and Ann Kelly). His two sons, Patrick O'Malley and Conor C. O'Malley (1930-2012), graduated in Medicine from UCG. Both became leading ophthalmologists in the USA and contributed technical developments in retinal surgery (O'Malley Xenon Photocoagulator) and vitreous surgery (Ocutome Vitrector). A grandson, Simon P Kelly (born 1956), also graduated in Medicine from UCG and is an Ophthalmic Surgeon and Retinal Specialist at the Royal Bolton Hospital, England. A nephew, Ronal E. O'Malley, also graduated in Medicine from UCG and is an Ophthalmic Surgeon and Retinal Specialist in Houston, Texas in the United States. In his retirement, Conor O'Malley became absorbed in the history of the Ó Máille clan, and such of its figures as

Grace O'Malley Grace O'Malley ( – c. 1603), also known as Gráinne O'Malley ( ga, Gráinne Ní Mháille, ), was the head of the Ó Máille dynasty in the west of Ireland, and the daughter of Eóghan Dubhdara Ó Máille. In Irish folklore she is commonly k ...

(c. 1530 – c. 1603). He was elected Chief of the O'Malley's, and became a Guardian Chief, a lifetime honour. His daughter Ann later served as Guardian Chief of the Clan. O'Malley was a keen golfer and fresh water angler. In 1976 he published a book, ''With a Fishing Rod in Ireland''.

Select bibliography

* ''With a Fishing Rod in Ireland'', New York, 1975

References

* ''Bearna agus Na Forbacha:A Local History'', ed.

Tom Kenny Thomas James Kenny (born July 13, 1962) is an American actor and comedian. He is known for voicing the titular character in ''SpongeBob SquarePants'' and associated media. Kenny has voiced many other characters, including Heffer Wolfe in '' ...

, Shantalla, Galway, 1983 * ''O'Malley:People and Places'', Ballinakella Press, 1986.

External links

* https://web.archive.org/web/20110201185927/http://omalleyclanireland.com/ {{DEFAULTSORT:Omalley, Charles Conor People from County Galway

See also

Select bibliography

References

External links