Faculty Research Interests

The School of History and Geography is home to a culture of research excellence which is expressed in the scholarship of individual faculty, in ambitious collaborative ventures, and the vibrancy of postgraduate research. The range of expertise within the School is considerable. The research interests of the faculty span the late medieval period to the twentieth century; incorporate Irish, European, and Middle Eastern history; and extends across the fields of political, social, and cultural history with particular strengths in urban history, Irish republicanism, art and architecture, local history, diplomatic relations, oral history, history of family, history of medicine, music histories, and history of universities.  Members of the School lead the Centre for Early Modern Studies and engage in interdisciplinary research on print and material culture, the history of ideas, and religious thought, besides a range of other specialist interests.   

Dr David Fleming: Early modern Ireland; history of localities; political, social and cultural history of eighteenth-century Ireland.

Dr Sara Hannafin: Irish migration and return, second-generation migrants, emotion for place and home, geography in education.

Dr Richard Kirwan: Early-modern Germany; history of universities; early-modern print culture; History of the Reformation.

Dr Alistair Malcolm: Spain in the golden age; diplomatic and court politics; cultural history; politics and artistic patronage.

Dr Karol Mullaney-Dignam: Modern and early modern periods, encompassing aspects of social and cultural history, musicology, and historiography.

Dr Breandan MacGabhann:  Interaction of the biosphere and environmental change; modern urban ecosystem services; GIS and remote sensing.

Dr Niamh NicGhabhann: Irish art and architectural histories; ecclesiastical architecture; antiquarianism; aspects of arts/heritage management and cultural policy.

Dr Ruán O'Donnell: Modern Irish, European and Australian history, The United Irishmen; imperialism; Irish revolutionary movements; commemoration.

Dr Catherine Porter: Human geography, digital and spatial humanities; geographic information systems; history of cartography, early modern Britain and Ireland.