Quite apart from being the world’s first air-conditioned public building, Belfast’s oldest hospital has been providing expert medical care and treatment for over two hundred years.

The Royal Victoria Hospital began life as the Belfast Dispensary in Clifton Street in 1792. In 1797 the Belfast Fever Hospital opened just off Royal Avenue. Care in both clinics was limited, provided voluntarily by physicians and surgeons, and was largely funded by donations from charities and private benefactors. 

In the early part of the 19th century, the Dispensary and Fever Hospital both moved into a 100-bed hospital in Frederick Street, specifically designed to accept medical and surgical patients, as well victims of fevers and epidemics. 

In 1875 the hospital was granted a royal charter and it became the Belfast Royal Hospital. Demand for services continued to grow however and with no room for further expansion, Frederick Street was clearly not fit for purpose and a new site was required. 

Funds were raised and a location was identified on the grounds of the old Belfast Lunatic Asylum on the Grosvenor Road. The new Royal Victoria Hospital was opened in 1903 by King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra. It was the world’s first air-conditioned public building, with a system created and installed by Belfast Sirocco Works. 

Today, the hospital known throughout the city as simply “The Royal” is managed by the Belfast Health & Social Care Trust and treats over 80,000 inpatients and 350,000 outpatients every year. The hospital is a recognised leader in critical care and cardiac surgery as well as being designated as the adult Major Trauma Centre in Northern Ireland.

Ní hamháin go raibh an otharlann is sine i mBéal Feirste ar an chéad fhoirgneamh poiblí aerchóirithe ar domhan, tá sainchúram leighis á chur ar fáil ó le breis agus dhá chéad bhliain.

Thosaigh Otharlann Ríoga Victoria amach mar Belfast Dispensary ar Bhóthar Clifton in 1792. Sa bhliain 1797, osclaíodh Belfast Fever Hospital giota ó Ascaill Ríoga. Bhí an cúram sa dá chlinic teoranta, chuir lianna agus máinlianna an ar fáil go deonach é, agus bhí sé cistithe den chuid is mó ag síntiúis ó charthanais agus deontóirí príobháideacha. 

Go luath sa 19ú haois, bogadh Belfast Dispensary agus Belfast Fever Hospital isteach go hotharlann 100 leaba ar Shráid Frederick, a bhí deartha go sainiúil le glacadh le hothair leighis agus máinliachta, chomh maith le daoine a raibh fiabhras agus eipidéimí orthu. 

Fuair an otharlann cairt ríoga in 1875, agus tugadh Belfast Royal Hospital uirthi ansin. Bhí an t-éileamh ar sheirbhísí go fóill ag dul i méid, áfach, agus gan spás ar bith le fás a thuilleadh, ba léir nach raibh Sráid Frederick fóirsteanach don fheidhm agus bhí suíomh nua de dhíth nua. 

Bailíodh airgead agus aithníodh suíomh ar thalamh sheanteach na ngealt i mBéal Feirste ar Bhóthar Grosvenor. D’oscail Rí Edward VII agus Banríon Alexandra Otharlann Ríoga Bhéal Feirste in 1903. Ba é an chéad fhoirgneamh poiblí aerchóirithe ar domhan é, agus rinne Belfast Sirocco Works an córas a chruthú agus a shuiteáil.

Sa lá atá inniu ann, tá an t-ospidéal ar a dtugtar “The Royal” go bunúsach, á bhainistiú ag Iontaobhas Sláinte & Cúraim Shóisialaigh Bhéal Feirste agus cuirtear cóir leighis ar níos mó ná 80,000 othar cónaitheach agus 350,000 othar seachtrach achan bhliain. Tá aitheantas ag an otharlann mar eiseamláir sa chúram chriticiúil agus i máinliacht chairdiach chomh maith le bheith ainmnithe mar an Lárionad Mórthráma do Dhaoine Fásta i dTuaisceart Éireann.