This was quite the year. I realised two long-held ambitions: to publish the book that started life as my PhD research over twenty years ago, and to work in the Royal Irish Academy again (I was formerly staff there 2003-10). In March I finally made it back to the RIA as an editor with the Dictionary of Irish Biography, and I can’t quite find the words to express how good it is to be back there.
The event of the year was the publication of my fourth book, Anarchy and Authority: Irish Encounters with Romanov Russia, with Lilliput Press. It’s my first sole-authored trade book, so it feels very different to my previous books. The launch in Dublin’s legendary Hodges Figgis was incredible, and I felt very supported by the massive crowd of friends, colleagues, and well-wishers who turned up. I’ve been very much enjoying doing bookstore signings and speaking with public audiences about the book since.
Two of my exhibitions opened in 2024: The Yeats Sisters & Irish Design (co-curated with Dr Angela Griffith) was launched in Trinity College Dublin in June. Ballyshannon Mall Through Time, a micro-history supported by Creative Ireland funding, opened in Ballyshannon as part of Heritage Week and reopened in the local library for the Allingham Festival. Meanwhile, Ireland and the Birth of Europe continued to tour Ireland and the wider world, and I spoke at openings of it in Bangor Carnegie Library, Co. Down, and Dalgan Park, Co. Meath.
It was another busy year for public talks. Venues included the Royal Irish Academy, the Mellon Centre for Migration Studies libraries in Co. Donegal and Dublin City Library. I delivered Heritage Week events in Meath and Donegal, and two events for Dublin Festival of History, and gave history workshops for kids through the Heritage Council and Wainfest (Donegal’s literary and book festival for children).
I submitted four funding applications in 2024, three of which were successful. I’m hugely grateful to the Royal Historical Society, Creative Ireland, and Marsh’s Library for supporting the work of this independent researcher – and helping to make sure I’ll have lots more to be getting on with in 2025.