[1] The hospital was established by Mother Mary Aikenhead, founder of the Catholic order Religious Sisters of Charity, at the Earl of Meath's former home at 56 St Stephen's Green, Dublin, in 1834.

"[12] On 8 May 2020, it was announced that the Religious Sisters of Charity would transfer ownership of St Vincent's Healthcare Group to the State.

[14] The hospital serves as a regional centre for emergency medicine and medical care at an inpatient and outpatient level.

Many patients from regional and tertiary hospitals are referred to St Vincent's for specialist care, and it is the national referral centre for liver transplantation and adult cystic fibrosis.

Tied closely to the university, it serves as a training ground for doctors, nurses, radiographers and physiotherapists, teaching students from UCD's undergraduate degree courses.