DIAS Headquarters, 10 Burlington Road - D04C932 contact@dias.ie 00353 (0) 16140100

Stop 5: 64-65 Merrion Square -Schrödinger’s Office/Original Location of DIAS

During the time that Schrödinger was the Institute, it was housed in 64-65 Merrion Square. The Institute was founded in 1940, shortly after becoming Taoiseach in December 1937, Eamon de Valera already started exploring the possibility of setting up an institute of advanced studies modelled on the Princeton Institute of Advanced Study founded by Abraham Flexner in 1933.

Being a mathematician himself he was aware of the deterioration of the Dunsink Observatory, where the famous Professor Hamilton had been Astronomer Royal, and he thought it might be possible to revive astronomical activity there. He consulted with Professor Whittaker, Hamilton’s successor at the time, and it was decided to search for high-profile candidates to head a school of science.

The Princeton institute then had 3 schools: Mathematics, Humanistic Studies, and Economics and Politics. The first professor of the School of Mathematics was Albert Einstein. De Valera’s initial idea was to have schools of mathematics, medical research and Irish learning. When it transpired that Schrödinger might be interested in a position heading a science school, he asked Whittaker to make initial contact with him, as De Valera’s main interest was in mathematics.

In March 1938, Schrödinger made it known that he would like to accept an invitation from the Taoiseach to come to Dublin. De Valera then formulated a plan to constitute a School of Theoretical Physics instead of mathematics, where Conway, Whittaker and Schrödinger would be the professors.

On 16 September 1938, Schrödinger accepted a provisional offer of a professorship in the Institute, yet to be established. He had moved back to Graz in Austria from Oxford in 1936, but was forced to relinquish this position late September 1938 despite reluctantly signing a declaration of acceptance of the German Anschluss of Austria. He fled Austria in a hurry with his wife and mistress and arrived in Belgium via Italy and Geneva. In this hazardous journey he was assisted by Enrico Fermi, who organized a short stay at the Vatican, and by De Valera, who had considerable international standing at the time, being chairman of the League of Nations.

Schrödinger first visited Dublin in November 1938. But because the Institute had not yet been established he accepted a temporary professorship in Belgium. The official establishment of the Institute, consisting initially of two Schools, one of Theoretical Physics and one of Celtic Studies, took a lot of convincing in the Dáil. There was lively discussion and considerable opposition to a school of theoretical physics in particular, but De Valera eventually carried the day, and the Institute was established on 19 June 1940.

During this time of deliberation, Schrödinger gave lectures on Quantum Mechanics at UCD and was offered a temporary professorship at the Royal Irish Academy. Initially, the School had only one professor as Conway and Whittaker declined. In 1945 Heitler joined the School to become the second professor. The Governing Board first convened on 21 November 1940. This meeting took place in the Minister’s room on 1 Hume Street rather than in Merrion Square.

* Please note: These buildings are not open to the public *

Theoretical Physics Colloquium 1942 with An Taoiseach Eamon de Valera