Tony O’Doherty (b. 1941), former lecturer, Department of Physics

Tony O’Doherty is a native of County Clare and following his schooling he studied at UCG, from where he graduated in 1964 with a degree in physics. His research was in atmospheric physics and his lecturer and mentor was Dr Tom O’Connor. He remained as a member of the teaching staff at UCG until 1968, when he moved to Dublin as an assistant engineer with the Department of Posts and Telegraphs while simultaneously doing part-time work at Kevin Street college. He then took up an appointment to teach in the Crawford in 1970 and recalls that at that time there existed well established departments for Marine Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Chemistry, but not for Physics. Tony O’Doherty taught on the first teacher training course for Rural Sciences. He fondly recalls a great colleague, Dr Aherne, head of the Chemistry Department. He goes on to discuss the move to Bishopstown, and the logistics of setting up there, including adapting courses and equipment to the developments in technology which were occurring at that time. He had to write new syllabi, adapting the presentation of the subject for the range of courses to accommodate changes and advances in the subject. He worked closely with the pharmaceutical industry in securing positions for graduates, and he gives a brief account of the emergence of the Department of Applied Physics and Instrumentation.