'Irish Giant', 7 Foot 7 Inch Tall Skeleton To Be Removed From London Museum Display

The seven foot seven inch tall skeleton of Charles Byrne, the 'Irish Giant' is to be removed from public display at the Hunterian Museum in London.

Originally from Derry, Ireland, Charles Byrne (real name being Charles O'Brien) travelled around the United Kingdom due to his gigantism.

Mr. Byrne lived with an undiagnosed benign tumor of his pituitary gland, and an adenoma which caused acromegaly and gigantism.

A distant relative of Mr.Bryne's, Brendan Holland agreed with the decision of the Museum.

Mr. Holland went on to say,

"We can’t do anything for dead people but we can help those who are alive and have this condition,"

"It’s particularly prevalent in the area I live in, in east Tyrone and south Derry."

In a statement from the Hunterian Museum it stated that Mr. Byrne's remains would not be returned to public display when the Museum reopens in March 2023.

But Mr. Byrne's remains would still be available for medical research.

The Musuem further said in the statement,

"During the period of closure of the Museum, the Board of Trustees of the Hunterian Collection discussed the sensitivities and the differing views surrounding the display and retention of Charles Byrne’s skeleton"

"The Trustees agreed that Charles Byrne’s skeleton will not be displayed in the redeveloped Hunterian Museum but will still be available for bona fide medical research into the condition of pituitary acromegaly and gigantism."

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