Neil Mackillop was born of Scottish parents in Karachi in 1920. He was educated at Glasgow High School and the University of Glasgow where he captained the university rugby team. After qualifying in 1943 and one year in resident appointments he joined the Royal Navy for three years and returned to the United Kingdom in 1947. Following surgical training posts he passed the FRCS in 1950 and was appointed senior registrar in general surgery at Salisbury, but then moved to a medical appointment with an oil company in the Lebanon, followed by a spell in general practice in Leicester. In 1956 he moved to County Cork and worked in Bandon before being appointed surgeon to the Victoria Hospital, Cork. From 1966 he also worked at St Finbarr's Hospital and Mallow County Hospital. In 1969 he was a member of the Victoria Hospital council and later chairman of the consultant staff committee. He also served on the University College of Cork Medical Advisory Committee and the Cork Voluntary Hospitals Board. Neil was a man of robust personality, versatile, confident and widely experienced. He was an able teacher and a fine general surgeon who maintained a keen interest in his work to which he was deeply committed. He died suddenly on 23 January 1980, and was survived by his wife, Barbara, a son Archie who is a doctor, and three daughters, Fiona, Jennie and Alex.