The Pharmaceutical Society NI celebrated its centenary on Tuesday 18 November 2025 at Society House in Belfast.
The occasion was marked with a gathering of practising and retired pharmacists, along with other special guests.
Among those attending were past Presidents, current and retired Fellows, serving and retired Chief Pharmaceutical Officers, and Gold Medal winners spanning the decades from 1950 to 2025.
Before being served afternoon tea the attendees heard keynote speeches from current President of the Council of the Society, Dr Geraldine O’Hare; Department of Health Chief Pharmaceutical Officer, Professor Cathy Harrison; and a video message from Health Minister, Mr Mike Nesbitt.
Clockwise from left: Dr Geraldine O’Hare, President of the Council of the Society; DoH Professor Cathy Harrison, Chief Pharmaceutical Officer; Mr Mike Nesbitt, Minister of Health
In her speech Dr O’Hare made special mention of her predecessors in the room: Tom Eakin (President from 1975-6); Dorothy Kelly (1996-8); Terry Maguire (1998-99); Brendan Kerr (2005-6); Raymond Anderson (2006-9); and Jim Livingstone (2014-22). She also welcomed the family of past President Tom Hunter (who served twice from 1971-2 and again from 1988-9). Mr Hunter passed away in the summer of 2025.
From LtoR: Mr Brendan Kerr; Ms Dorothy Kelly; Mr Raymond Anderson; Dr Geraldine O’Hare; Dr Terry Maguire
Dr O’Hare also acknowledged the current and retired Fellows in attendance, as well as the fact that Professor Harrison was joined by two of her predecessors: Dr Mark Timoney and Dr Norman Morrow.
From LtoR: Dr Terry Maguire; Professor Mike Mawhinney; Dr Anne Friel; Mr Sheelin McKeagney; Dr Norman Morrow; Mr Brendan Kerr; Ms Loretto McManus; Dr Tracey Boyce; Professor Roisin O’Hare; Dr Brenda Bradley; Mr Raymond Anderson; Mr Gerard Greene
From LtoR: Dr Mark Timoney; Dr Geraldine O’Hare; Dr Norman Morrow; Professor Cathy Harrison
Special mentions were given to Mrs Muriel Anderson, who won her Gold Medal for Overall Distinction in Pharmacy in 1950, and Dr Aidan McMichael, whose family ran a community pharmacy in Ballycastle from 1910 until the 1980s, and who lent the Society part of his extensive collection of artefacts and documents for an exhibition as part of the event.
Afternoon tea was served after the speeches, and then Chair of the Management Board of Pharmacy Forum NI, Mr Sheelin McKeagney, addressed the room.
As part of Mr McKeagney’s address he presented Gold Medals to this year’s top scoring MPharm graduates from Ulster and Queen’s universities. However, he was surprised by Dr O’Hare, who brought his attention to a recently discovered photograph of Sheelin’s father, James, receiving his Gold Medal in 1958.
This year’s Gold Medal winners – Fionnuala McGrory of Ulster University and Maeve Harkin of Queen’s University Belfast – were then presented with their awards.
From LtoR: Dr Geraldine O’Hare; Ms Fionnuala McGrory; Mrs Muriel Anderson; Ms Maeve Harkin; Mr Raymond Anderson; Mr Sheelin McKeagney
The final segment of the event was given over to a reflection on the history of pharmacy and the Society.
Professor Roisin O’Hare and Professor Mike Mawhinney delivered the presentation, with help from Fionnuala McGrory and Maeve Harkin.
Attendees were taken on a journey of innovation and professionalisation, hearing how modern pharmacy grew as a separate discipline from medicine over the 19th century, and how the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland was founded on 23 November 1925.
From LtoR: Professor Roisin O’Hare; Professor Mike Mawhinney
The audience enjoyed the opportunity to compare the photograph of the first ever Council with one taken of Council in 2025.
Back Row (LtoR): Mr Lee Wilson; Ms Chanel Jones; Ms Anne Henderson; Ms Alison Ragg; Ms Siobhán Caislin; Mr Barry Mimnagh
Front Row (LtoR): Mr Gary McMurray; Mr Mark McCrudden; Dr Geraldine O’Hare; Mr Brendan Gardland; Mr Scott Gill
Absent on day of photograph: Mr Philip Knox
The Society’s official anniversary will take place on Sunday 23 November 2025.
Please see below for more images from the event.
