It is National Infertility Awareness week - a week to acknowledge the impact of infertility on millions of people around the world. An appropriate time to share the programme for the Locating Loss conference, which will take place @unioflimerick.bsky.social on 27 May

This afternoon Melissa Baird and Michael Kennedy will be talking about the fallout from the failed Sunningdale peace deal in NI in 1974-5

Irish Culture and Partition, 1920-1955 (Stephen O'Neill Book Launch) Join Stephen O'Neill in conversation with Eamonn Hughes.

Belfast launch of Irish Culture and Partition 1920-1955 will be at the Seamus Heaney Centre on May 1, from 5.30pm to 7pm. Bígí Linn

150th Anniversary of the Catalpa Fenian Rescue Mission On the 18th and 19th of April, the National Museum of Ireland will host a limited time exhibition at Collins Barracks to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Catalpa rescue mission. The mission involved the rescue of six Irish Fenians from a British penal colony in western Australia in April 1876 by a US whaling ship. After their rescue, the Fenians, who had been transported to Australia on the last convict ship, were brought safely to New York, much to the annoyance of the British who tried to intercept them as they sailed away. To discuss this and the exhibition, Seán is joined by Brenda Malone, Curator of Military History at the National Museum of Ireland. Image: National Museum of Ireland

Curator @brendamalone.bsky.social spoke to @seanmoncrieff.bsky.social about the Catalpa escape.
18–19 April 2026 marks 150 years since the dramatic rescue,
The flag will be on display at the National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks, for 2 days only
🎧https://link.goloudplayer.com/s/pGo4FzZmg4du

Emma standing outside a shop called Emma

When in the Hague 💁‍♀️

We’re not asking men like Malachi to feel shame over violence against women but we need change Malachi O’Doherty’s recent article in the Belfast Telegraph, written in response to the murder of Natalie McNally, is an unnecessary intervention.

When a male journalist decides to cover a femicide on the line of "why should I feel ashamed for what others have done". I've had it too. @ivehaditpodcast.bsky.social www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/comment/were...

‘Such a mix of people’: Ireland of 1926 was not monocultural, release of census shows Archive is freely available online from 18 April, revealing the lives, occupations and secrets of 2.9m people

“Immigrants could be found in every corner of the Irish Free State at that time.”

Excited for this release - and grateful it’s not paywalled, unlike its UK counterpart

www.theguardian.com/world/2026/a...

Seeing as we are all sharing our 1916 work, here's my own from ten years ago, about ruin souvenirs and compensation claims www.rte.ie/centuryirela...

Material Dissonances in the Post-Conflict City: Re-Presencing Social Injustice in Belfast, Northern Ireland - Historical Archaeology The city of Belfast in Northern Ireland has been made and remade through cycles of violence during its 400-year “history.” The most recent manifestation of violent conflict associated with the city wa...

As requested: if anyone can’t access and would like a copy of this paper just email me at ucc and i’ll send it on. Essentially it’s a material memory study of McGurks pub bombing through the lens of structural (as well as physical) violence #speirgorm link.springer.com/article/10.1...

book cover: a black background that says, in pale letters, 'Supernatural bodies: stigmata in modern Britain and Ireland' above a painting; at the bottom it says 'Kristof Smeyers'

It's Good Friday which seems as good a day as any to remind you that I wrote a book about stigmata and am still, *still* happy to come talk to you about it

Gotta be led into temptation this week 😅

😂💀 its so good

Ffs 🫩

Cover of the new publication ‘Essays on Competing Churches and Chapels, 1828-1939’

First page and title of my essay on Competition and Cooperation - Catholic expansion and challenges to the established Church of Ireland in the aftermath of Emancipation

New publication post this morning! Delighted to have an essay in this volume - this essay begins w the town of Emly in Tipperary & the controversial request by the Catholics to buy Church of Ireland cathedral building there. Drop me a DM if you would like to read but can’t get hold of a hard copy.

@irishstudiesqub.bsky.social @ulstermuseum.org @qubhistory.bsky.social

Happy St Patrick's Day! - you can find out more about 'The Shrine of St Patrick's Hand' displayed for most of the year in the Ulster Museum in my open access chapter in Bloomsbury Collections-Venerating Musealized Religious Objects: St. Patrick’s Hand between Di share.google/0wBglS4juqV6...

St Patrick’s Day Protests

#StPatricksDay is a global celebration of Irish culture, but in the US its parades have always been political.

🔓 Melissa Baird’s new Behind the Times is free for 7 days

www.historytoday.com/archive/behi...

Irish book-keeper wins £23,000 after boss repeatedly shouted ‘potato’ at her Bernadette Hayes described suffering ‘a death by 1,000 cuts’ during time at UK engineering company

A case of anti-Irish racism articulated as old stereotypes of inferiority. I’ve strong memories of studying in Eng & the pervading undercurrent of anti-Irishness. Constant ‘jokes’ about stupidity or drunkness happened so frequently it became almost unremarkable www.irishtimes.com/world/uk/202...

We discussed topics such as the nuances of Irish Identity, co-curation with community groups and reflected on what the future may be for curating stories in national museums.

It was wonderful to reconnect with my brilliant former colleague Órlaith Styles to chat 'Curating New Realities' at the @irishmuseums.bsky.social conference this year. Órlaith and I spoke about our work curating the new 'Changing Ireland' exhibition @nmireland.bsky.social .

Looks like a fascinating conference!

Good morning, Monaghan!

Looking forward to presenting with Órlaith Styles at the @irishmuseums.bsky.social conference on Friday. Be great to connect with other delegates 😊

We put together a report summarising the project here, in case anyone is interested! religiousspacesintransition.home.blog/wp-content/u...

Thanks so much / go raibh maith agat @secondhandsacred.bsky.social

It gave me an opportunity to critically examine my research and my curatorial practice. The students asked thought provoking questions, particularly concerning the current political situations in USA and Ireland and exhibiting potentially sensitive histories in National museums.

Delighted to have been invited to lead a workshop on @secondhandsacred.bsky.social 'Exhibiting Religion' course at Northwestern University. I described the curatorial work at @nmireland.bsky.social in creating 'Changing Ireland' and reflected on my academic expertise in religion in museums.

My new book, exploring folk tales in Lincolnshire, is now available for pre-order! Publication: April 2026.

fiveleaves.co.uk/product/devi...

CfP📢Hagiographic Identities: Catholic Communities and Their Saints in Early Modern Times
📅15–17 October 2026 |🌍Vilnius University
⏰31 January 2026
🔗https://www.hsozkult.de/event/id/event-158057

#CFP #EarlyModerns #Hagiography #CatholicSaints

I need at least 3 more folk to sign up for my Edinburgh Adult Education Programme archaeology classes at Craigentinny, or the course will be cancelled. If you know anyone who might be interested, please let them know. Thank you!

adulteducationedinburgh.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spyd...