Alford Dornan was born in Belfast in 1907, one of seven children - six of whom became medically qualified. He was educated at the Royal Belfast Academical Institution and Queen's University, Belfast. He began his career in Sheffield, and was appointed Sheffield's first orthopaedic surgeon in 1943, with 24 hour responsibility for the casualty department. A highly skilled surgeon, he always opted for conservative management by choice - one of his favourite aphorisms was 'the best operations are the ones you don't do'. A respected teacher with a mischievous sense of humour, he was always took the time to put his patients at their ease. Dornan enjoyed a very happy family life, and spent much time indulging his interest in horticulture and reading. He remained a committed Christian throughout his life, and developed a great fondness for his adopted city. He died on 31 December 1994 following a stroke, survived by his wife Phyllis and five children.