Dr Conor McNamara: Galway County Council Historian-in-Residence for 2021
Galway County Council Appoints Historian-in-Residence for 2021
As part of its commitment to the current programme of commemorative events connected with the ongoing Decade of Commemorations 2013–2023, Galway County Council is delighted to announce that Dr Conor McNamara has been appointed to the position of Historian-in-Residence for 2021.
The decade 1913-1923 was one of the most momentous in modern Irish history and Galway County Council has been to the fore with a comprehensive commemorative programme that has enhanced our understanding of local events during the Independence Struggle that profoundly impacted communities across the County.
One of Ireland’s best known historians, Dr McNamara has previously worked at the National University of Ireland, Galway; the University of Notre Dame, Keogh-Naughton Centre for Irish Studies; the National Library of Ireland and the University of Minnesota, Ireland Programme.
A native of Athenry, Dr McNamara has been to the fore in exploring the history and heritage of County Galway and has published five books on modern Irish history. His study of the independence struggle in Galway, ‘War and Revolution in the West of Ireland: Galway 1913-21’, was published by Irish Academic Press in 2017.
The Galway County Council Centenary Commemorative Programme encourages Galway people at home and abroad to explore our shared local history and to reflect on the tumultuous events which shaped us a community. Of particular focus for the coming year will be the publication of a series of local studies of the period focusing on seminal events that occurred across the County; the publication of a landmark research guide to the period in Galway that will empower schools and heritage groups expand their knowledge of the period and a series of online lectures. Galway County Council are particularly keen to record the history of Galway families whose relatives played a role during the independence struggle and create an archive of oral history that will preserve and enhance our understanding of our shared heritage. Galway County Council’s commemorative programme places a strong emphasis on encouraging and enabling active community participation and engagement throughout the Decade of Commemorations. Dr McNamara would like to hear from any individuals, community groups or families with a connection to the period and will be a resource to everyone with an interest in exploring our Galway heritage.
This project is an action of the Commemorative Strategy for the County of Galway 2013-2023 and Galway County Heritage and Biodiversity Plan 2017-2023 and is co-funded by the Commemorations Unit, Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media under the Community Strand of the Decade of Centenaries programme and Galway County Council.
Dr McNamara can be contacted by email at [email protected]