Ringland, John (1816–76), obstetrician, was born 21 May 1816 in Dublin, son of Arthur Hill Ringland, commissariat officer. His mother's maiden name was Gelston. He was educated at the Rev. J. P. Huddart's school before entering TCD and graduating BA (1839), MB (1839), and MD (1864) from Dublin University. He studied in Sir Patrick Dun's, the Meath, and the Rotunda hospitals, and was admitted licentiate in midwifery (1841). He established a large practice, became one of Dublin's leading obstetricians, and delivered George Bernard Shaw (qv) on 26 July 1856 at 27 Synge St., Dublin.
Appointed joint master of the Coombe Lying-in Hospital in 1841, he was appointed master for life (1864); a tireless worker in the interests of the hospital, he presided over major developments which contributed to its high reputation. He was influential in acquiring (1867) a royal charter for the Coombe recognizing it as a teaching hospital, and also in the rebuilding of the hospital. Initiated in 1864 (and bedevilled by difficulties and delay) the ‘Guinness Dispensary in Connection with the Coombe Lying-in Hospital’ was opened in 1872, and the reconstruction of the main hospital was completed in 1877. In 1876 it accommodated 600 maternity patients and treated 1,200 extern and 80 gynaecological patients. Treasurer for many years, Ringland often advanced his own money to pay the bills. The hospital was given an annual grant by parliament (1854), and the high standards of its clinical work and teaching attracted many gifts and legacies. Its patrons included Queen Victoria and the princess of Wales (who both made contributions), and members of the nobility and of the Guinness family. Distinguished visitors included Joseph Lister (1827–1912) and Charles Dickens (1812–70). Ringland kept a diary, ‘The Ringland chronicle’, of hospital activities (1841–76); beautifully bound, it contained the names and addresses of all the doctors, nurses, and students who had trained at the Coombe since 1841. It was continued by his successor George Hugh Kidd (qv) until 1883 but was destroyed by fire in the 1940s. Professor in midwifery at the Dublin School of Medicine (1851–7) and the Ledwich School of Medicine (1857–76), Ringland published Annals of midwifery in Ireland (1870) and contributed papers to medical journals.
Fellow (1850), censor, and examiner in midwifery and in arts at (R)K&QCPI, he was vice-president of the Association of Fellows and Licentiates of the K&QCPI, and president of the college's Medical Society and of the Obstetrical Society of Dublin (1868), of which, as a student, he had been a founding member (1838). Consultant physician to several Dublin institutions, he was an hon. member of the Surgical Society of Ireland and member of the British Medical Association, the RIA (1855), and the RDS.
Suffering from ill health, Ringland took leave of absence (July 1875) to recuperate in Italy; on returning to Ireland (April 1876) he resigned. Ireland's Eye (10 Apr. 1875) depicted him in a cartoon portrait captioned ‘A ladies' man’; and lady friends, in sympathy during his long illness, presented him with silver plate (May 1876). He died 7 July 1876 at his home, 14 Harcourt St., Dublin, and was buried in Mount Jerome cemetery, Dublin. He married first Mary Anne Cross; they had two sons and three daughters. One son, Arthur Hill Ringland, was demonstrator in anatomy at the Ledwich School and appointed assistant master of the Coombe (1871); jointly with his father he published Two cases of transfusion in post-partum haemorrhage (1872). Ringland married secondly Sydney Maria Andrews (née Swettenham).