A Little Bit About Me
Born and bred in Co. Sligo Ireland, history has always held a deep fascination for me, as I wished to know why things around me were the way they were, and how we had arrived at this point in human development. I found myself devouring books and journals on National and World History from a young age. In fact, my main areas of interest then have become my main areas of expertise now - Sligo town and county, local history studies, and military, economic, social and political history in the 18th, 19th, and 20th Centuries.
As my addiction to the subject grew, my overpowering curiosity led to me to studying the subject at third level. My first port of call was NUI Galway, where I was awarded a B.A and an M.A in Culture & Colonialism, as well as a Higher Diploma in Education, and a Fellowship in the National University of Ireland. I then decided to pursue a PhD, the subject of which was my first work on Sligo "The Protestant Community in Sligo 1914-49". This was carried out in NUI Maynooth under the supervision of Professor Emeritus RV Comerford, to whom I am eternally grateful. I have also since achieved a M.A in Military HIstory and a M.A in Education.
At the moment I am working as a Junior and Leaving Certificate History teacher and Lecturer in Diploma in Folklore & Heritage of the North West & MA Historical & Heritage Studies of the North West, St Angela’s College, Sligo. My current area of research is Sligo in the eighteenth century, and I am also investigating how local and county based studies can provide a much more complete picture of Irish history. I also spend my time contributing to a multitude of outreach activities and Journals. I am a Member of: Irish Association of Professional Historians, Sligo Field Club, Military History Society of Ireland, Eighteenth-Century Ireland Society, Connaught Rangers Association, Teaching Council of Ireland