I am project historian researching and writing the history of the Adult and Continuing Education (ACE) Department at UCC. ACE played an essential role in democratising education and bringing non-traditional learners in Munster into a university environment, forging strong links with urban trade unions and rural organisations in the twentieth century and beyond. This social history examines ACE’s reach and impact from 1946-2021.
Keywords
The Irish Revolution, 1910-1923; Media History; 19th and 20th century Irish History; Home Rule; First World War; Easter Rising; War of Independence; Civil War; History of Education; Sport History; Labour History; Social History; Southern Loyalism.
Member Details
Nickname
Alan McCarthy
Membership Type
Professional Historian
Publications
Books
Newspapers and Journalism in Cork, 1910-23: Press, Politics and Revolution, Four Courts Press, Dublin, 2020
Book Chapters
‘Cork newspapermen during the Irish revolutionary period, 1914–22,’ in Ian Kenneally and James T. O’Donnell, (eds.), The Irish Regional Press, 1892–2018: Revival, Revolution and Republic, Four Courts Press, Dublin, 2018.
Henry Lawrence Tivy: The Rise and Fall of a Cork Loyalist,’ in Brian Hughes and Conor Morrissey, (eds.), Southern Irish Loyalism and its Discontents, 1912-1945, Liverpool University Press, Liverpool, 2020.
[In Preparation] ‘Muzzling from the Munster Republic: Press Control in the six counties of Munster, 1922-23,’ in Richard Allen, Oliver O’Hanlon and Aoife Whelan, (eds.), Freedom of Speech in Time of War in Ireland, France and Germany, Peter Lang, Bern.
‘The censorship and suppression of Cork’s nationalist and loyalist newspapers during the Irish Revolution, 1916-1923,’ The Boolean, Vol. 5, November 2015.
Other Journals
‘Phoenix from the Flames: The Re-Building of Cork City, 1920-1936,’ The Holly Bough, 2020.
‘A Tale of Two Editors: The Lives and Words of James Burke and Patrick Sheehy,’ Skibbereen & District Historical Society Journal, Vol. 16, 2020.
‘Cork in 1920,’ The Holly Bough, 2019.
‘Members of the First Dáil,’ The Holly Bough, 2018.
‘ “Attacking Britain through Ireland”: German intelligence agents and the IRA during the Emergency,’ The Revolution Papers, No. 83, 2017.
‘The curious incident of the rod in the night-time: Edward Gillman, Patrick O’Driscoll and the West Cork People/News & Co. libel case of 1907,’ Skibbereen and District Historical Society Annual Journal, Vol. 12, 2016.
‘The censorship and suppression of Cork’s nationalist and loyalist newspapers during the Irish Revolution, 1916-1923,’ The Boolean, Vol. 5, November 2015.
‘The Southern Star and Skibbereen Eagle, 1918-1922,’ Skibbereen & District Historical Society Journal, Vol.11, 2015.
Electronic Publications
‘War of Independence West Cork Trail,’ Pamphlet and App of revolutionary sites in West Cork produced by Cork County Council. Co-authored with Cal McCarthy, Cyril Roycroft, Fachtna O’Donovan, Kieran Doyle and Philip O’Regan.
‘Cork’s Historic Newspapers,’ feature on theirishrevolution.ie
‘Newspaper Reactions in Cork to the Easter Rising,’ Feature on theirishrevolution.ie
‘Newspaper Reactions to the Rising: A National Sample,’ feature on theirishrevolution.ie
‘The Aftermath of the Rising: A Turning Tide,’ feature on theirishrevolution.ie
‘Irish Internees at Frongoch Internment Camp, Wales, 1916,’ feature on theirishrevolution.ie
Reviews
‘Sam Maguire: The Man and the Cup by Kieran Connolly,’ Cork Historical and Archaeological Society, Vol. 123, 2018.
Other
Conferences:
‘Newspapers and the Irish Revolution,’ University College Cork College of Arts Celtic Studies and Social Sciences Postgraduate Research Conference, 5 December 2014.
‘In the Thick of It: Cork’s nationalist and loyalist newspapers, 1919-1923,’ Irish Regional Press: Past & Present Conference, Dublin City University, 12 December 2014.
‘University of the World Revolution? Frongoch and Socialist Republicanism,’ Postgraduate History Forum, Mary Immaculate College, 26 March 2015.
‘They Have Lost All: The censorship and suppression of Cork’s loyalist newspapers, 1917-1922, and the quest for compensation,’ Reporting Revolutions: What the Papers Said, University College Dublin, 13 & 14 November 2015.
‘Ernest Blythe, 1889-1975: The Rise and Fall of a Gael,’ UCC CACSSS Postgraduate Conference, 4 December 2015.
‘The role of Lord Decies, Press Censor for the British Administration in Ireland, 1916-19, or how I learned to stop worrying and love the Censor,’ Irish History Students’ Association Annual Conference, National University of Ireland Galway, 20 February 2016.
[Invited Paper] ‘The Middlemen: The Popular Press in Cork before and after the 1916 Rising,’ Cork in 1916: A Revolutionary Society, Conference Organised by the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society, St. Peter’s Church, 2 July 2016.
‘Civil War Press Control in Cork and Limerick during the summer of 1922,’ Freedom of Speech in France, Germany and Ireland in Times of Conflict, Newspaper and Periodical History Forum of Ireland Annual Conference, National Library of Ireland, 25 & 26 November 2016.
‘Malleable Mick: Popular and Academic Representations of Michael Collins,’ Irish History Students’ Association Annual Conference, Trinity College Dublin, 25 February 2017.
Public Talks & Lectures :
‘Thomas Kent: His Life and Legacy,’ Event Organised by the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society, Bride’s Bridge, Co. Cork, 11 September 2016.
‘Michael Collins: The Final Journey,’ Michael Collins House Talks, 22 August 2017.
‘Michael Collins: Fact Versus Fiction,’ Michael Collins House Talks, 24 August 2018.
‘The First Dáil,’ Event Organised by Cork City Libraries, Cork Central Library, Grand Parade, 21 January 2019.
Media:
Contributor – The Story of Custume Barracks,a radio documentary in which I discussed Custume Barracks in Athlone being used as an internment camp for German Prisoners of War interned in Ireland during the Second World War.
Contributor – Solving the Riddle of Erskine Childers, a radio documentary where I elaborated on Childers’ work as propagandist during the Irish War of Independence and Civil War.
Contributor – The Brigade,a TV documentary screened by RTÉ in which I discuss the Dillons Cross Ambush and the infamous Burning of Cork City in December 1920.
Researcher – The Young Fella, a documentary produced by Michael Collins House Museum and Cork County Council which explores Michael Collins’ youth.
Awards:
·Cork City Council Publication Grant, 2020.
·Diarmuid Whelan Memorial Scholarship, University College Cork, 2017-18.
·Eoin O’Mahoney Research Bursary Winner, Royal Irish Academy, 2017.
·Awarded several competitively sought travel grants from the UCC School of History, 2015-16.
·Recipient of a UCC CACSSS Taught Masters Scholarship and CACSSS PhD (Excellence) Scholarship.
·Recipient of a UCC School of History MA Bursary.
·Jointly-awarded the James and Mary Hogan Prize for best dissertation by a UCC Final-Year History student.
·Awarded the J.J. Lee Prize by UCC for academic achievement by a student specialising in Irish History.
·Awarded the Leonora Hanrahan Prize for best examination results by a UCC First-Year History student, 2010-11.
