Bio | I am currently a PhD candidate in the school of History and Humanities at Trinity College Dublin, having previously earned my B.A. in History and French language here as well. My research interests include early Irish kingship, succession practices, and dynastic politics. My doctoral research examines the phenomenon of alternate succession in Irish kingship before the 11th Century. In addition to my doctoral research, I also take an interest and have experience in genealogy, palaeography, education and public outreach. |
Areas of expertise | My primary area of expertise is pre-Norman Irish kingship. I am particularly experienced with early medieval Irish succession practices, the laws relating to such practices, and dynastic politics in all regions of early Christian Ireland. My research has also brought me into contact with early medieval Scotland, England and Wales. I am familiar with the corpus of Irish annals, saga materials, and genealogical material. Outside of this specific area, I also take an interest in early Irish saints, particularly St Brigid, St Columba, and St Patrick. Through my work with the Clans of Ireland, and as a research assistant in Trinity College Dublin, I am also experienced in palaeography and manuscript transcription. I have worked with early Irish and Old English manuscripts, as well as early modern (18th Century) Irish and English manuscripts. |
Keywords | {medieval};{medieval Ireland};{Irish kingship};{medieval kingship};{Ireland};{dynastic politics};{power dynamics};{early Christian Ireland} |
Nickname | Hannah Mac Auliffe |
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Education | 2015-2019: BA Joint Honours in History and French Language, Trinity College Dublin 2019-Present: PhD, Trinity College Dublin |
Employment | 2022: Research Assistant for Dr Mark Faulkner, ‘TOXIIC (Trinity Old English from the XIIth Century) Project’, Trinity College Dublin 2020-21: Tour Guide, GPO Witness History Museum, Dublin 2019-21: Chief Examinations Invigilator, Trinity College Dublin 2019-20: Student Recruitment Ambassador, Trinity College Dublin |
Consultancy work | I am currently working with the Donegal GAP Heritage and History Group to support the archaeological work being carried out by the group on Doon Fort in county Donegal. This work includes historical research into CenĂ©l Conaill, the Breslin family, and the O’Boyle family. I am a member of the external review team for the Past Tense journal, reviewing articles on the subjects of British and Irish History, History of State, Politics, and Law, and Medieval History. |
Teaching | 2021-Present, Teaching Assistant at Trinity College Dublin:
2019-2023, Medieval Studies Tutor with the Scholars Ireland Programme in:
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Outreach activities | November 2022: I was invited to speak at the Dingle Literary Festival as part of a workshop about research integrity and historical accuracy in historical fiction. Since May 2023, I have been a postgraduate contributor to RTÉ’s Brainstorm project. April 2022: I was invited to attend and speak at the Annual General Meeting and Cultural Summit of the Clans of Ireland organisation about medieval and early modern Irish genealogical manuscripts.
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Committees & Associations | Member of the Society of Scottish Medievalists Member of the Forum for Medieval and Renaissance Studies in Ireland
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Awards | 2023: Awarded the Fitzpatrick Scholarship by the international Fitzpatrick-Mac Giolla Phádraig society. 2022: Awarded the highly competitive 1252 Scholarship by Trinity College Dublin |
Other activities | I have, since 2021, been working with the Clans of Ireland and their Vice-Chair Luke McInerney, to transcribe, edit and publish an edition of the early 18th-Century genealogical manuscript, Linea Antiqua. This work is still in progress, and I successfully presented the project’s case for funding to the 2022 AGM of the Clans of Ireland. I have also spoken at a wide range of Irish conferences and seminars, including the Irish Conference of Medievalists (2022), the James Lydon Seminar series at Trinity College Dublin (2022), and the Celtic students Conference (2021). A paper was read on my behalf at the 2022 DIAS SCS TionĂłl, and I presented a paper at the 2023 TionĂłl. I spoke at the 2024 Conference of Scottish Medievalists on the topic of the kingship of the Dál Riata. |
Other Journals | ‘A Clash of Kings: a survey of conflict and alliances in the early medieval kingdom of DĂ©isi Muman’, Decies: Journal of the Waterford Archaeological and Historical Society, no. 77 (2021), pp 1-17.
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Other | ”Great was the darkness’: Spooky stories from medieval Ireland’, RTÉ Brainstorm, October 2023. ‘How medieval politics are replicated in modern day Leinster House’, RTÉ Brainstorm, May 2023. ‘The Significance of Linea Antiqua as an 18th-century Genealogical Manuscript’, Irish Lives Remembered: Ireland’s Premier Genealogy Magazine, issue 57 (2022), pp 48-54. |
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