About

The history of 19th century Ireland was dominated by big events, big men and big problems. The Act of Union of 1800, the Great Famine, and the campaign for land rights and Home Rule are among the most prominent events that shaped the country, whilst Robert Emmet, Daniel O’Connell and Charles Stewart Parnell all loom large over popular understanding of the century.

Join historian Gillian O’Brien as she delves into the Virtual Record Treasury of Ireland in search of lesser-known men and women as she uncovers their unexpected stories to reveal new interpretations of Ireland’s recent past.

This talk showcases the Virtual Record Treasury of Ireland, an international digital humanities project that aims to reconstruct the lost state collection of Ireland following the destruction of the Public Record Office of Ireland in 1922.

Gillian O’Brien is Professor of Public History at Liverpool John Moores University. She is the author of The Darkness Echoing: Ireland’s Places of Famine Death and Rebellion and a former Fulbright Scholar.