Stalwart in defence of their ancient rights and native Gaelic culture, the O’Dwyers and their namesakes the Dwyers were for centuries at the forefront of some of the most dramatic episodes in Ireland’s frequently turbulent history.
This was often at great cost to themselves, but they managed to survive and thrive through a wide range of more peaceful pursuits and endeavours.
In medicine, Joseph O’Dwyer was the American physician who left an enduring legacy through his invention of the medical technique known as intubation, where a tube is used to open the larynx.
It was after graduating from the College of Physicians in New York in 1885 that he developed the pioneering technique in order to avoid death by suffocation of children struck with diphtheria and, still in use today, it is responsible for saving thousands of lives annually.
The dramatic and vibrant tale of the O’Dwyers is recounted here.
