Charles Byrne is a famous Irishman who has gained worldwide renown for his imposing height of 2.5 metres. Nicknamed “The Irish Giant”, it was the object of much fascination in the 18th century. There have been many events where he has unveiled himself to an audience impressed by his size. So much so, that his skeleton was exhibited in a London museum more than 200 years after his death!
Charles Byrne – Public domain
Charles Byrne was born in Littlebridge, Ireland, in 1761. His parents were poor farmers, raising 6 children. Not having the means to take care of them all, they decide to sell Charles to a wealthy family, even though he’s just an infant.
In this family, he received a good education, with a view to being taken on as a domestic servant.
But the latter soon grew to atypical dimensions. His head is enormous, his feet and hands seem disproportionate, and his strongly built body allows him to reach heights never seen before.
When fully grown, he measured 2.30 metres (some researchers at the time even claimed he was 2.54m tall!). A record, which the young man is particularly suffering from. The way others look at him hurts him, and his difference marginalizes him… creating a real sense of unease for the Irishman…
However, Charles Byrne is well aware of the interest he is arousing… After reading articles about monsters and oddities, Charles has the idea of showing himself off as a monster!
So in 1781, at the age of 20, he left home to become a travelling showman. He exhibited in various parts of England and Scotland, where he earned the nickname “Giant of Ireland”.
As well as being exhibited in freak shows, Charles is also invited to dine with dignitaries. He was even introduced to King George III and invited to perform at the monarch’s birthday celebrations.
Charles became a famous attraction throughout England and Scotland, often performing to large crowds and lecturing on his life.
Charles Byrne may have had a successful career, but he was nonetheless deeply unhappy. He was subjected to numerous acts of cruelty and violence. Its size both disturbs and fascinates, provoking unacceptable behavior.
Some call him a cannibal, some threaten him with blows… others call him a monster unworthy of living…
During this period, he was presented as a wild and mythical figure, attracting onlookers and the curious. Charles is often exhibited alongside wild and exotic animals… a deeply indignified context!
Charles has to perform dangerous stunts, breaking iron bars, lifting huge weights with his teeth, smashing iron objects with his sledgehammer… He was even once chained to a wild elephant and trampled.
Charles is also subjected to cruel treatment by the other showmen. He is forced to sleep on the floor, chained and bruised.
Charles faced many challenges throughout his life, but always maintained a cheerful, humorous demeanor.
Despite his difficulties, Charles became a successful showman and made money with his exhibitions and his astonishing sense of repartee. He also wrote two books about his life and was praised by many for his intelligence and wit.
Before his death in 1783 at the age of 22, Byrne would have given very clear instructions as to how he wished to be buried. The latter is said to have asked to be encased in a lead coffin and thrown into the sea, to prevent his body being used for scientific research.
A request that was unfortunately ignored…
The surgeon John Hunter, who had befriended Charles Byrne before his death, paid £500 to the Irishman’s friends to dispose of his body before it was placed in its lead coffin.
Three years later, the skeleton was exhibited in Leicester Square Museum, as part of an exhibition of anatomical specimens…
The skeleton was then purchased by the RCS in 1799, and the body remained on display at the Hunterian Museum for almost 200 years.
However, it was decided in 2023 that Byrne’s skeleton would no longer be on display…
The Trustees, with the approval of the Council of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, have agreed that Charles Byrne’s skeleton will not be displayed in the new Hunterian Museum.
For the museum, Charles Byrne’s skeleton would have been unjustly exhibited, without any ethical concern or respect for Byrne’s own wishes. A situation now deemed unacceptable, and which now allows the Irish giant’s skeleton to rest in peace…
Although Charles Byrne’s atypical height always raised questions, it was finally scientifically explained in 1909. After studying his body, the young Irishman was found to be suffering from a specific pathology: he had gigantism and acromegaly, syndromes caused by a benign tumor in his pituitary gland… which led to excessive secretion of growth hormone.
It was this hormone that literally transformed the young Irishman into an impressive giant… An anomaly observed by researchers in other Irish families who lived in the same region as Byrne… and who may have acquired this anomaly from a common ancestor born over 1,425 years ago!
