One of the country's leading oncologists, Professor Donal Hollywood, has died from cancer at the age of 53.
Prof Hollywood died at St Lukes's hospital in Dublin yesterday. It is understood he was only recently diagnosed with the illness.
He was the Marie Curie Professor of Clinical Oncology at Trinity College, Dublin and head of the academic unit of Clinical and Molecular Oncology at the college.
His clinical practice was in St Luke's and St James's hospitals in Dublin.
Prof Hollywood became a household name over a decade ago for the role he played in devising a plan for the roll-out of radiotheraphy services across the State. He chaired the National Expert Group on Radiation Oncology, which published its report in 2003.
It recommended radiotherapy services be sited at four centres; two in the east which were established in Dublin, as well as two others in Cork and Galway.
More recently, he was appointed president-elect of the European Society of Radiotherapy and Oncology.
A native of Warrenpoint, Co Down, he graduated from University College Dublin in 1983.
Following initial medical training in Dublin, he completed his formal tuition in clinical and molecular oncology at the Hammersmith Hospital in London.
He is survived by his wife Bríd and his three children, Aoife, Niamh and Patrick.
Prof Hollywood's funeral Mass will take on Monday in the Church of The Three Patrons in Rathgar at 11am.
