Prof J. Stephen Doyle, one of the Republic's leading gastroenterologists, was a former professor of medicine at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. And when medical director of the Ibn Al Bitar Hospital in Baghdad, in the late 1980s, he treated a close relative of Saddam Hussein, earning the latter's deep gratitude.
He worked as consultant physician and gastroenterologist first at St Lawrence's Hospital (the Richmond) and then at Beaumont Hospital after the amalgamation of the Richmond and Jervis Street hospitals. He was an excellent diagnostician who treated public and private patients with equal respect.
Born in Dublin in 1929, Stephen Doyle was the son of Prof Joe Doyle, a professor of botany in University College Dublin. Educated at Belvedere College, he played rugby, tennis and cricket.
Following his Leaving Cert he spent a year in the insurance business before entering UCD in 1949. He qualified in medicine in 1955, having also earned a hockey pink.
A tall, blond and dignified individual, he was affectionately called "the Vicar" by his fellow medical students. This followed an incident when Doyle exhorted his classmates in his deep, sonorous voice, to hurry on lest they be late for lectures. "Sit down, you're like an old vicar," one responded, earning him the sobriquet for the rest of his life.
He did his internship in St Vincent's Hospital under Prof D.K. O'Donovan and Mr T.C. O'Connell. Following senior house officer posts at the Coombe Hospital and St Michael's Hospital, Dún Laoghaire, he moved to Liverpool, where he worked in junior hospital doctor posts at Alder Hey Children's Hospital and Fazakerly Hospital.
He returned to become medical tutor at UCD and St Vincent's Hospital in 1960 and then senior registrar in medicine at the old St Lawrence's Hospital. He thenspent two years in the United States, first as a fellow in internal medicine at the Lahey Clinic in Boston, and then as clinical assistant and research fellow at the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond. Just before emigrating, he married his wife Catherine, a UCD science graduate.
He was appointed consultant physician and gastroenterologist at the Richmond in 1965 and continued in this post when St Lawrence's moved to Beaumont. He also practised in the Bons Secours, Glasnevin.
Doyle was one of the pioneers of modern day endoscopy (the use of fibre-optic telescopes to examine the stomach and intestine) in the Republic. His particular research interest was in oesophageal (gullet) motility. The endoscopy suite in Beaumont Hospital was named "the Stephen Doyle Endoscopy Unit" in his honour.
During a sabbatical period when he worked as medical director of the Ibn Al Bitar Hospital in Baghdad, he introduced endoscopy to the flagship Iraqi hospital.
He was professor of medicine at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland from 1975 until his retirement in 1993. He is remembered as a kindly man, who discreetly helped those who were experiencing difficult times. Renowned for his integrity and honesty, he was president of the Royal College of Physicians from 1991 to 1994. Presidency of the Medical Council followed until 1996, when he was forced to relinquish the post due to ill-health. He also served on Comhairle na nOspidéal and the Eastern Health Board.
A lifelong interest in horses and country life led to the purchase after his retirement of a small farm in Coolgraney, Co Wexford. From 1996, he and his wife lived there permanently where they took up hunter breeding. He hunted with the Shillelagh and acted as medical adviser to horse shows in the area. He was a regular at the Dublin Horse Show. A natural leader and excellent organiser, his aesthetic demeanour disguised a man who enjoyed life and a bit of "craic".
His is survived by his wife Catherine, daughters, Louise and Juliana, and son Mark.
J. Stephen Doyle: born December 22nd, 1929; died August 18th, 2004.