AUTHOR’S PROOF Columns The College

the college columns Results for the election First stage Third stage of the Dean 2008 Dr Nick Brown 638 Dr Nick Brown 898 Prof. Robert Howard 843 Prof. Robert Howard 1072 Prof. V. M. Mathew 232 Prof. V. M. Mathew - The results of the ballot for the office of Prof. Gregory O’Brien 416 Prof. Gregory O’Brien - Dean were as follows: Number of ballot papers Prof. Robert Howard was therefore distributed 11651 Second stage elected Dean to take office from 2 July Number of ballot papers returned 2132 2008. Number of invalid ballot papers Dr Nick Brown 702 (blank/spoilt) 3 Prof. Robert Howard 908 Number of valid papers Prof. V. M. Mathew - to be counted 2129 Prof. Gregory O’Brien 475 doi: 10.1192/pb.bp.108.021592

obituary

He took early retirement in 1988. Soon James Bernard Walsh afterwards, he resumed his passion for travel and took up an appointment at Formerly Consultant Ponoka , Alberta, Canada, Psychiatrist, Craigavon returning to Armagh a couple of years later. He subsequently held quite a Area Hospital & St Lukes number of locum posts as Consultant Hospital, Armagh, Psychiatrist in Northern Ireland, Canada and Jersey - the last being in early 2006. Northern Ireland Jim had a wide variety of interests both outside his professional career and James (Jim) Walsh was born on 25 August complementary to it. Some years ago he 1932 at Belleek on the Fermanagh- had been a medical officer with the Donegal border. He showed early venerable Order of St. John of Jerusalem. academic promise by winning a scholar- He was a Knight of the Sovereign Order ship at St Columb’s College, Derry, where of Malta and the holder of the Cross Pro he had commenced studies in 1945. By Merito Nelitensi. He was Chief Medical 1950 he had begun to study medicine at Officer of the Ambulance Corps of that the Queen’s University of , gradu- Order at the time of his death. This was ating in 1956, and completing his intern caring clinician and had also obtained the reflected in their representation at his year at the Mater Infirmorum Hospital in MRCPI by examination. Then followed his funeral in St Patrick’s Cathedral on 20 July Belfast. 2-year placement as Senior Tutor/Senior 2007, 2 days after he died. Then, after a spell as Senior House Registrar at Windsor House - the Queen’s Soon after moving to Co. Armagh, he Officer (SHO) in Chest Medicine at University of Belfast’s Department of became active in the Armagh Diocesan Musgrave Park Hospital Belfast and some Mental Health at . His Historical Society meetings of which he general practitioner locums, he left for a research interests then, and subsequently, chaired for many years including one just 2-year posting in a rural 72-bed mission have been wide ranging. weeks before his death. Another instance hospital in Nigeria in which he had only In the autumn of 1967, he was of his versatility was his regular involve- nursing and paramedical support. appointed Consultant in General ment in recent years with the Cathedral Back in Belfast in 1960, Jim was choir. This also reflected the religious appointed SHO in Psychiatry at Holywell Psychiatry at the Tyrone and Fermanagh commitment of one whose idealism was Hospital Antrim and completed his DPM in Hospital, Omagh, where he is still well- generally unobtrusive and certainly in 1962. remembered for successfully initiating a parallel with his deserved reputation as a However, his fascination with Africa comprehensive rehabilitation programme comparable with that of Don Early in caring clinician. unabated, he began that summer a year Jim is survived by two step-daughters Bristol some years previously. as a volunteer medical officer with the and his wife Rosaleen who was of Never averse to change, Jim moved in United Nations Peacekeeping Forces in inestimable support to him during the 18 1972 to a similar appointment at Crai- the former Belgian Congo. months between the diagnosis of cancer gavon Area Hospital, Co. Armagh, based Quite soon after his return to Belfast, in and his death. He will be missed by at the first psychiatric unit in a general 1963, he resumed training in Psychiatry, many. and within 2 years as Registrar at Purdys- hospital in Northern Ireland outside burn and Clifton Street Day . He Belfast where he was held in the highest Sean Egan had gained an impressive reputation as a esteem by all his colleagues and patients. doi: 10.1192/pb.bp.108.021097

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