Dr Michael Ryan

Nominated by: Royal Irish Academy

Dr. Michael Ryan joined the Medical Council in 2011 on the nomination of the Royal Irish Academy. He was assigned to the Fitness to Practise Committee and has taken training and chaired a number of enquiries.

Trained as an archaeologist, he has taught in UCD, NUI Galway (UCG), Trinity College, Dublin and has been a Visiting Professor at the University of Toronto on several occasions. He is the author and editor of a number of books and has published over one hundred and twenty scholarly papers. He is research-active in the fields of landscape archaeology and early-medieval Christian art. He served as Keeper of Irish Antiquities in the National Museum and as Director of the Chester Beatty Library for which he created and drove a new strategy and development programme bringing about a complete reinvention of the institution and the award of European Museum of the Year in 2002. He led the first modern strategic review of the Royal Irish Academy and had the task of implementing it on becoming President in 2002. He has served on a number of statutory boards in both the Republic and Northern Ireland. He has considerable experience on the boards of international voluntary organisations and has worked extensively in Asia, the United States, Australia and Western Europe. He has undertaken research in several European countries. His work has been recognised by a number of honorary fellowships and awards. In 2008 he was appointed Officier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the Government of France.