George Francis FitzGerald, 1851 - 1901
The Millenium Trinity Monday Memorial Discourse by Professor J. M. D. Coey
Professor J. M. D. Coey gave the traditional Trinity Monday Memorial Discourse on 14th May 2000 at 11.30 in the Graduates' Memorial Building, on George Francis FitzGerald.
FitzGerald was a visionary physicist who predicted both the contraction of rapidly-moving bodies, a key element of Einstein's theory of relativity, and the generation of radio waves. In Trinity College, Dublin he is remembered for his pioneering attempts to fly in College Park in 1895 in a student-powered flying machine. He was the most accomplished Irish scientist of his generation, a combination of pure physicist, skilled mathematician and practical engineer. FitzGerald's passionate advocacy of practical education in science at all levels led to the establishment of the Dublin Institute of Technology. He foresaw the need for universities to embark on properly-funded research programmes in the sciences and engineering in order to promote industrial competitiveness and ensure the economic well-being of the country.
Photographs of FitzGerald | Symposium
Last updated: Oct 06 2006. | back to top