This plaque marks the original site of the Rotunda Hospital, founded in South Great George’s Street, then called ‘George’s Lane’, in 1745 by Bartholomew Mosse.
The site is now 60 South Great George’s Street and is occupied by Decwell’s hardware.
The ‘Rotunda’, Ireland’s first dedicated maternity hospital, or ‘lying-in hospital’, remained on the site until 1757, when it relocated to Rutland [now Parnell] Square.
Bartholomew Mosse established the original hospital on South Great George’s Street in response to high maternal and infant mortality rates in the 18th century. Driven by a vision to create a safe space where women of all backgrounds could access childbirth services, Mosse’s ‘lying-in hospital’ became a pioneering haven of care.
In 1757, the hospital moved to a larger, purpose-built facility on Parnell Square, where it continues to serve Dublin’s families and stands as a beacon of progress in maternal health.
The plaque was unveiled by the Lord Mayor, and the Master of the Rotunda, on 1 November 2024.