Mr Robert Hurley

Referrals to Mr Hurley can be sent via Healthlink, posted to the Bon Secours Hospital Galway or sent by secure email.

About

Mr Robert Hurley is a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon from Galway specialising in upper limb surgery, including shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand conditions. He joined Bon Secours Hospital Galway as a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon in 2025 and also works in public practice at Sligo University Hospital.

Education & Training

Mr Hurley began his academic journey with an entrance scholarship to study engineering at NUIG before transitioning to medicine. He graduated with honours from NUIG in 2012 and completed a Master of Surgery (MCh) in 2014. He was awarded Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (FRCSI) in Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery in 2021 and completed Higher Surgical Training in 2022. He is actively involved in undergraduate and postgraduate medical education and has designed and patented an orthopaedic device.

Fellowship Training

Mr Hurley has completed four subspecialty fellowships in upper limb surgery:

Aspire Fellowship, Dublin – Trained under Mr Kevin Cronin, with experience in nerve injuries, hand reconstruction, and paediatric upper limb conditions.

Brisbane Hand and Upper Limb Fellowship, Australia – Focused on upper limb trauma, shoulder arthroplasty, arthroscopy, and hand pathology.

North Shore Hand and Wrist Fellowship, Auckland -Further developed expertise in thumb joint replacement, wrist replacement, and other hand and wrist pathology management. 

Shoulder and Elbow Fellowship, Christchurch – Focused on arthroscopic techniques for management of rotator cuff injuries and shoulder instability. Also gained excellent exposure to shoulder arthroplasty. 

Clinical Expertise

Mr Hurley treats a wide range of upper limb pathologies, including:

Shoulder arthritis and replacement

Shoulder instability surgery

Rotator cuff surgery

Tendon injuries in the upper limb

Elbow arthritis and replacement

Elbow arthroscopy and instability surgery

Wrist arthritis and replacement

Wrist arthroscopy and instability surgery

Thumb and finger arthritis and replacement

Trapeziectomy and fusion

Nerve injuries and compression

Deformity correction in the upper limb

Top Three Specialities

Shoulder surgery

Wrist surgery

Hand surgery

Research and Contributions

Mr Hurley has authored publications in international journals and contributed a book chapter on shoulder arthroplasty. He is a founding member of the Western Shoulder Research Group and continues to be active in clinical research and academic collaboration.

Mr Hurley remains engaged in ongoing clinical research through the Western Shoulder Research Group and continues to contribute to academic literature in orthopaedics.