Annual Review 2019

annual review 2019

annual 2019 review

he Royal Irish Academy, founded in 1785, is Ireland’s leading body of experts supporting and promoting Tthe sciences and humanities. As an all-island independent forum of peer-elected experts we recognise world-class researchers and champion Irish academic research.

We make a significant contribution to public debate and policy formation on issues in science, technology and culture. We bring together academia, government and industry to address issues of mutual interest by providing an independent forum.

We lead important national research projects, particularly in areas relating to Ireland and its heritage.

We represent the world of Irish learning internationally, have a unique globally recognised library and are a leading academic publisher.

Cover illustrations by Joe McLaren taken from A history of Ireland in 100 words by Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh and Gregory Toner, MRIA

19 Dawson St, Dublin, D02 HH58 Tel: +353 1 676 2570. ria.ie / @RIAdawson Corporate friends Thanks to our Corporate Friends Programme which helps the Academy to fulfil its mission to foster and promote excellence in research in the sciences and the humanities.

Abbott Laboratories Ireland Limited Abbott is a diverse, global healthcare company which creates and distributes products that address the full range of healthcare needs – from disease prevention and diagnosis to treatment and cure. With nearly 125,000 employees worldwide and global sales of approximately $32 billion in 2019, Abbott serves people in more than 150 countries. The company is headquartered in the United States, in north suburban Chicago, Illinois. In Ireland, Abbott employs 4,000+ people across 11 sites and serves the Irish market with a diverse range of health care products including diagnostics, medical devices and nutritionals. Abbott has been operating in Ireland since 1946.

Xilinx Xilinx is the inventor of the FPGA, programmable SoCs, and now, the ACAP. Their highly flexible programmable silicon, enabled by a suite of advanced software and tools, drives rapid innovation across a wide span of industries and technologies - from consumer to cars to the cloud. Xilinx delivers the most dynamic processing technology in the industry, enabling rapid innovation with its adaptable, intelligent computing. Xilinx has a history of developing programmes for its employees and surrounding communities that provide a social impact through outreach, volunteerism, teambuilding and philanthropy. Areas of focus include education, health, arts and social services. A year in review January 1 15 January – Academy Discourse and Masterclass with Sir David Cannadine, President, British Academy: ‘The Irish dimension to British history: From the Act of Union to Brexit’

2 22 January – Plan S Open Access science publishing briefing session

3 29 January – Consultation forum on Heritage Ireland 2030

4 29 January – Masterclass with 2017 Gold Medal winner, Professor John Walsh, University College Dublin

1 4 February 1 7 February – McCrea Lecture and Masterclass with Rob Ivison, European Southern Observatory: ‘The European Southern Observatory in 2019, and the evolution of galaxies as probed by ALMA’ 1 2 8 February – Digital Repository of Ireland (DRI) and Digital reservation Coalition (DPC) student conference, ‘What I Wish I Knew Before I Started’

3 12 February – Royal Irish Academy Gold Medals awarded to Kathleen James- Chakraborty, MRIA and Stephen J. Smartt, MRIA

4 25 February - ‘Judging Redmond and Carson’: Alvin Jackson, MRIA, in conversation with Richard 3 English, MRIA, Queen’s University Belfast

5 26 February – DRI briefing on the European Commission’s report on FAIR data: ‘Turning FAIR into Reality’

6 28 February – Rural Conversation No. 2: ‘Enhancing social cohesion among communities in rural Ireland’, Dundalk Institute of Technology 1

March 1 4 March – Women in Leadership Masterclass with Michaela Blott, Xilinx 5 16 March – Stated General Meeting 4, 6 2 6 March – DRI members forum 6 27 March – Library ‘Sisters’ 3 7-8 March – Library lunchtime lecture by Dr manuscript conference – ‘“A Margaret Ward: ‘“A precious little remnant of the work of boon” in difficult times - Hanna the ancients” 23 N 10: the Book Sheehy Skeffington and her of Ballycummin’ sisters’

4 13 March – Library ‘Sisters’ 7 29 March – Discourse and lunchtime lecture by Dr Sonja Masterclass with Professor Tiernan: ‘“Two girls in silk Michele Nicoletti, University kimonos”: The Gore-Booth of Trento, Italy: ‘Democracy, sisters, childhood and political Truth and Trust in Europe’ development’

Illustration by Victor Brown, Cuala Press hand coloured print no. 84 – ‘Silver Apples’. Courtesy of Dublin City Library and Archive. 6

3 April 1 2 April – Women in Leadership Masterclass with Dr Rhona Mahony

2 3 April – Library ‘Sisters’ lunchtime lecture by Dr Lucy Collins: ‘“Who will ever say again that poetry does 6 not pay?”: The Yeats Sisters and the 9 Cuala Press’

3 4 April – Rural Conversation No. 7 15 April – President of Ireland 3: ‘Building vibrant and sustainable Michael D. Higgins received an communities in rural Ireland’, advance copy of Irish Historic Towns Waterford Institute of Technology Atlas no. 29 Drogheda/Droichead Átha from author Ned McHugh 4 10 April – Library ‘Sisters’ lunchtime lecture by Dr Gabrielle M. Ashford: 8 17 April – Library ‘Sisters’ lunchtime ‘Ties that endure – the lives and lecture by Mary O’Dowd, MRIA: correspondence of three eighteenth- ‘The Shackleton sisters: Irish Quaker century sisters – Katherine Conolly, women c. 1750–1850’ Jane Bonnell and Mary Jones’ 9 18 April – Taoiseach Leo Varadkar 5 11 April – Coiste Léann na Gaeilge TD, Judge Caroline Costello and Masterclass with Professor Máire Ní Peter Kennedy, PRIA. ‘Unexpectedly Annracháin a Republic’ - A panel discussion on the 70th anniversary of Ireland becoming 6 15 April – Discourse and Masterclass a republic, and launch of DIFP/ with Wayne Powell, Scotland’s Rural UCD online exhibition ‘Republic College – ‘Global food and nutrition to Republic: Ireland’s international security: the role of innovation’ sovereignty, 1919–1949’ 2

May

1 1 May – Panel discussion: ‘Social media 4 8 May – Launch event for Polish and democracy: How do we balance Embassy Exhibition – ‘A forgotten rights and responsibilities?’ Polish hero of the Great Irish Famine: Paul Strzelecki’s struggle to save 2 4 May - DIFP public outreach: thousands’ Michael Kennedy acted as historical consultant to Dalkey Tidy Towns as 5 14 May – Heritage Ireland 2030, they excavated a WW2 ‘Éire’ sign Library & Archives forum (Air Corps)

3 8 May –Members’ Seminar by Andrew Carpenter, MRIA: ‘Constructing and editing a literary anthology’

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6 14 May - Launch of Irish Historic Towns Atlas, no. 29, Drogheda/ Droichead Átha by Ned Mc Hugh in the Highlanes Gallery, Drogheda

7 16 May – Grangegorman histories 13 seminar: ‘Historical mental health records: the ethics of access and preservation policies’ 11 23 May – Standing Committee for International Affairs annual conference: 8 16 May – Virginia Teehan, Heritage ‘One hundred years of Irish foreign Council pictured at Irish Historic policy: looking back, looking forwards’, Towns Atlas (IHTA) 2019 Seminar: which was followed by the launch ‘Seascapes and Townscapes’ of volume 29 of Irish Studies in International Affairs at Iveagh House 9 16 May – IHTA public lecture by Colm Lennon, MRIA: ‘The shaping 12 24 May – Admittance Day for new of Dublin Port’, Dublin Port members Company HQ 13 27 May – Nicola Sturgeon, MP, First 10 17 May – Former Taoiseach Enda Minister of Scotland in conversation Kenny, TD pictured at American with Dearbhail McDonald Chamber of Commerce, Ireland annual dinner with the presentation 14 28 May – Women in Leadership of the US Ireland Innovation Masterclass with Jane Ohlmeyer, MRIA Awards 1

June 1 7 June – Dr Xinxin Xiao winner of Kathleen Lonsdale RIA Chemistry Prize

2 10 June – International Union of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics 2019 Symposium reception 8

3 11 June – Climate change and health workshop 6 18 June – Ireland in the European eye symposium and launch event in Berlin, 4 12 June – Library lunchtime lecture Germany by Professor Peter Gray, Queen’s University Belfast, and Assoc. 7 19 June – Conference: ‘Eighteenth- Professor Emily Mark-FitzGerald, century manuscript culture in the wider University College Dublin: ‘Count Paul Gaelic world: The manuscripts of Rev Strzelecki and the Great Famine’ James McLagan (1728–1805) in context’

5 18 June –Members’ Seminar by George 8 20 June – Siobhán Fitzpatrick, Librarian Sevastopulo, MRIA: ‘Investigations pictured with Stephen Walker, Tenor, at of the provenance of stone used in ‘Discovering Thomas Moore: Ireland in buildings and monuments in Ireland: a nineteenth-century Europe’ exhibition progress report’ launch at the Royal Irish Academy Library, in collaboration with Queen’s University Belfast 9 24 June – Open Science forum in collaboration with the Higher July Education Authority and the 1 3 July – Women in Leadership Department of Business Enterprise Masterclass with Mary Harney and Innovation 2 22 July – Climate Change and 10 25 June – Life members coffee Environmental Sciences workshop morning with Frank McGovern

11 26 June – Cultural heritage, 3 29 July –Welcome Reception for creativity and education workshop the 20th International Union for with Tania Banotti, Helen Quaternary Research (INQUA) O’Donoghue and Virgina Teehan Congress

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August 1 15–18 August – Renaissance Galway: 4 21 August – Visit of Government delineating the seventeenth-century city Chief Whip and Minister of State from the Irish Historic Towns Atlas, for the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht launched with an accompanying and the Islands, Seán Kyne TD, to exhibition and lecture, 2019 announce a commitment to fund the Milwaukee Irish Fest 5-year plan of the Foclóir Stairiúil na Gaeilge research project.

2 19 August – Heritage Week ‘Collecting history: A tour of Academy House and 5 22 August - Registry of Deeds Library’ ‘Eureka! Seminar’ IHTA seminar for Heritage Week 2019

3 21 August – Heritage Week lunchtime lecture by Professor Paul Rouse: ‘A 6 30 August – Launch of the Dictionary photographic history of hurling’ of Irish Language website 1

September 1 4 September – ‘Rural Conversations’ report launched by the Minister for Rural and Community Development, Michael Ring TD

2 17 September – Women in Leadership Masterclass with Barbara Harvey

3 17-20 September - The European Historic Towns Atlas project celebrated fifty years of publication at the annual conference of the International Commission for the History of Towns in Budapest 6

4 19 September – Representing Ireland lunchtime lecture by Dr John Gibney: ‘Sinn Féin ‘diplomats’ and the Irish revolution, 1919–23’

5 20 September – Culture Night

6 25 September – Lecture by Nobel Laureate Thomas Cech: ‘Building labs for interdisciplinary science: Janelia Farm and BioFrontiers’

7 26 September – Royal Irish Academy breakfast briefing: ‘Truth, Trust and Expertise’ 9

8 26 September – Representing Ireland lunchtime lecture by Dr Kate O’Malley: ‘Radicals to statesmen: relations between Ireland and India, 1919–64’

9 26 September – Jennifer McCarthy winner of the inaugural DRI Early Career Research Award with Natalie Harrower, DRI Director, pictured at the DRI National Archives lecture October 9 October – Library lunchtime lecture 1 1 October – Discourse and Masterclass 6 with Emma Teeling, MRIA: ‘How by Harry White, MRIA: ‘Re-imagining do we study bats and rats to find the Moore’ secret of everlasting youth?’ 7 10 October – Biennial Conference: ‘Revealing the past: archaeological 2 2 October – IHTA Workshop for Dublin Festival of History: ‘Behind excavation and research in Ireland’ the maps: navigating the Irish Historic Towns Atlas’ 8 10 October – author Paul Walsh at the IHTA ‘Renaissance Galway seminar’ in the Moore 3 3 October – Representing Ireland lunchtime lecture by Dr Michael Institute, National University of Kennedy: ‘Women in Irish diplomacy’ Ireland Galway

16 October – Hamilton Day 4 7 October – ‘Hamilton Did It’ poster 9 campaign on Luas stops prizewinners and launch of Emma Ray's commemorative artwork at Broombridge Luas 5 8 October –Members’ Seminar by Anngret Simms, MRIA: ‘The European Historic Towns Atlas and comparative urban history’

WILLIAM ROWAN HAMILTON 9 DID IT

Hamilton’s Quaternions revolutionised algebra and would later help to put a man on the moon and be used for CGI in movies.

Illustration and design: Lily Gaertner, Copy writing: Jake Skelly, TU Dublin School of Creative Arts

TU Dublin School of Creative Arts #WeAreTUDublin

www.ria.ie/hamilton-did-it #HamiltonDidIt

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10 17 October – ‘Writing the script: letters archaeologists from the Centre for and literacy in medieval Ireland’ – Experimental Archaeology and Material Workshops marking the publication of Culture, University College Dublin A history of Ireland in 100 words with the authors and calligrapher Timothy 12 17 October – ‘Diplomatic Dublin’, a O’Neill walking tour presented by Dr John Gibney 11 17 October – ‘Words, images, and everyday objects: connecting the 13 30 October – Library lunchtime lecture past’ workshop with the authors of by Dr Tríona O’Hanlon: ‘Thomas Moore A history of Ireland in 100 words and in Paris’ November 6 November – 1 4 November – 5 Members’ Seminar by Launch of the Irish Claudia Kinmonth, Humanities Alliance’s MRIA: ‘Irish Humanities Strategy, Country Furniture ‘By imagination we 4 1700–2000; revising live’, by Professor and recycling our Dame Marina past’ Warner

7 November – 2 5 November – 6 Discourse with Ireland in the Brigid Laffan, MRIA, European eye Irish European University launch at the Goethe- Institute ‘Ireland’s Institut Dublin decisive choice for Europe’ 7 8 November – Presentations and a panel discussion 3 6 November – Library lunchtime on ‘Irish-language lecture by Dr Daniel literature in Roberts: ‘Genius of Europe: a survey the East?: Moore’s of translations and orientalism’ reception patterns in 2 continental countries’ 4 6 November – John Bell Day 8 12 November – lecture in Queen’s Heritage Ireland 2030 Museums in 5 University Belfast (l to r) Professor Ireland: policies for Gerry McKenna, the future RIA; Professor Robert Bowman, 9 13 November – QUB; guest speaker Library lunchtime Professor Alain lecture by Dr Sarah Aspect, ForMemRS, McCleave: ‘Sentiment Université Paris- and song in Moore’s Saclay and Professor Irish melodies and Mauro Paternostro, Lalla Rookh’ QUB 10 13 November – cultural heritage Official launch professionals and A history of Ireland researchers’ event in in 100 words Trinity Long Room Hub 11 15 November – ‘French turkeys 16 22 November – 16 and roof-holes: A history of What words reveal Ireland in 100 – medieval Ireland words by Sharon and the outside Arbuthnot, Máire world’ workshop Ní Mhaonaigh with the authors of and Gregory A history of Ireland Toner (pictured) in 100 words shortlisted for the An Post Irish Book 12 15 November – Awards ‘Writing the script: Letters and literacy 17 27 November – in medieval Ireland’ Open Science event workshop 18 27 November – 13 18 November – Tánaiste Simon Launch of Coveney, TD 18 Oireachtas Science launches Ireland: Parliamentary a voice among the Pairing nations

14 20 November – 19 28 November – Library lunchtime Discourse with lecture by Professor Eleanor Maguire, Úna Hunt: ‘The Hon. MRIA, politicisation of University College the harp through London: ‘The Moore’s Irish Anatomy of melodies’ Memory’

15 21 November – 20 30 November – DRI ‘Engaging Stated General with Europeana for Meeting

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December 1 3 December – The family of Kevin Carroll, MRIA (1926–2016) presented the Academy with his signed first-edition copy of Finnegans wake

2 5 December – DPASSH 2019: Practical approaches to open research in Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences - a collaborative event between DRI and 4 Queen’s University Belfast

3 10 December – Dictionary of Irish Biography 10-year anniversary lecture with Fintan O’Toole, which was followed by a launch event for volumes 10 and 11

3 10 December – Inaugural winner of the RIA Michel Déon prize, Breandán MacSuibhne, at the Irish Embassy in Paris before delivering his Michel Déon lecture Peter Kennedy President

This year we launched our Strategic Plan Jane Conroy (Research). This reflects the 2019–2023, which sees the Academy re- importance that the president and council emphasising its all-island character, its have placed on these topics. independence and its focus on excellence, while continuing to grow, diversify and The Academy is about sharing expertise modernise. The three pillars of the and promoting scholarship. We are grateful strategy are: for the support of the HEA in sponsoring our Gold Medals, which the Minister • Serve Ireland and the public good for Education and Skills, Joe McHugh through the Academy’s research TD presented to Stephen J. Smartt, and scholarly resources and by MRIA, (Queen’s University Belfast) and drawing on the knowledge and Kathleen James-Chakraborty, MRIA, insight of its members (University College Dublin) in February. We also hosted a range of distinguished • Represent Ireland by engaging speakers during the year, including Nobel and leading in activities that Laureate Professor Thomas Cech who strengthen international recogni- spoke at the Academy in September. tion of the Academy’s scholarship Princeton Mathematician Professor Maria Chudnovsky delivered the 2019 Hamilton • Build a modern Academy by Lecture on 16 October. Earlier the same increasing diversity and providing day, a commemorative artwork by Emma new impetus to the life and work Ray was unveiled at the Broombridge of the Academy transport hub to recognise the invention of quaternions by former Academy President The implementation phase began follow- Sir William Rowan Hamilton. Our flagship ing the election of the new council in Discourse series attracted large audiences March. In order to deliver specific out- to hear experts in the sciences, humanities comes, the three vice-presidents have taken and social sciences talk on a range of ownership of key portfolios: Professor topics, including British-Irish history, Gerry McKenna (All-island), Professor global food security, Ireland’s choice for Anita Maguire (Diversity) and Professor Europe and memory failure. Serving Ireland is a central academic research; they pillar of our strategy. 2019 also provide a platform to marked the centenary of the educate the wider public first Dáil and the seventieth about our national heritage anniversary of the republic. through publications and The Academy partnered with exhibitions. The 2019 RIA the Houses of the Oireachtas publication A history of and the Department of Ireland in 100 words draws Foreign Affairs and Trade on the Academy’s Dictionary (DFAT) on a number of of the Irish Language to commemorative events tell a socio-economic story and publications, including of the country through Republic to Republic: Ireland’s the evolution of a hundred international sovereignty, medieval Irish words. In June 1919–1949 and Ireland: a the Library mounted a major voice among the nations. The six-month exhibition to mark ongoing collaborations with the 240th anniversary of the the Oireachtas, DFAT and poet, singer and songwriter other government depart- Thomas Moore’s birth. An ments are central to our exquisite and timely addition mission of serving Ireland. to the Academy’s collection for display as part of this We also partnered with the exhibition was Moore’s own Department of Rural and copy of his long poem ‘Lalla Community Development Rookh’, which was acquired in a project called ‘Rural with the assistance of a Conversations’, exploring generous financial gift. economic development, social cohesion and sustainable The Academy plays a key communities around the role as an independent forum country. We also embarked for dialogue and debate on a five-year collaboration on matters of concern in with the Department of the world of education Culture, Heritage and the and research. One such Gaeltacht to complete the issue, Open Science, has definitive Foclóir Stairiúil na the potential to transform Gaeilge. fundamentally the way in which research is performed The Academy’s collections and outputs are shared. The are important not just for Academy facilitated two Executive committee 2019 committee Executive important stakeholder fora during the stabilising the finances over the past two year to hear and address the concerns of years. We are grateful to members, friends funders, publishers and researchers in a and corporate partners who have made fast-changing landscape. generous financial donations to support As the world evolves, so must the Academy. the work of the Academy. In 2019 further progress was made in terms of the governance and administra- As I come to the end of my term as tion of the modern Academy. Four years president, I am proud of what has been ago, the Academy changed its voting proce- achieved over the past three years. I hope dures in an effort to increase the diversity we are a more efficient, more diverse, of its council membership. Following a more welcoming and more family-friendly 19 three-year review of the effectiveness of organisation, respected for our intellectual this strategy, which has seen nearly 50-50 rigour and integrity. I am grateful to have male-female participation in council, rich worked with some outstanding individuals. disciplinary, regional and institutional I want to acknowledge the extraordinary diversity, the membership decided to dedication shown by the Senior Vice- continue with the new voting procedures. President Dr Mary Canning, Secretary Dr Tony Gaynor joined as executive sec- Professor Pat Shannon, Treasurer retary in March and implemented a range Professor Stephen Gardiner and Executive of reforms which have resulted in more Secretary Dr Tony Gaynor during difficult effective business processes. Following an times. The president and council have been organisational review, we expect to see supported by the fine members of the further improvements in 2020. staff of the Academy, as well as members and other volunteers who work so hard 2019 has been challenging from a financial every day for the good of this great perspective. Funding cuts incurred during institution. the worst years of the financial crisis have depleted our reserves, leaving the Academy in a difficult financial position. The treasurer deserves great credit for Tony Gaynor, Executive Secretary

joined the Royal Irish Academy in of highly motivated professionals and March 2019. Prior to joining the engaging with our network of some 500 Academy I worked in the Department members who are experts in their respec- Iof Education and Skills, where I had tive research fields who give generously responsibility for the governance and of their time to the Academy in order to funding of the higher education sector. contribute to the public good. I had previously worked in various other areas across the spectrum of education, The Academy has experienced a number including teacher education, curriculum of challenges in recent years, particularly development and early years education. in terms of its finances, but it also faces I also enjoyed previous roles in the a range of opportunities. A key chal- Department of the Environment and lenge for me since joining the Academy 20 Local Government (as it was called when has been to work with colleagues and I joined it in 1999) and the Houses of the members to stabilise the financial position Oireachtas. of the organisation, to strengthen our governance framework, and to lay solid Given my responsibilities in relation to foundations for the delivery of the objec- the higher education sector, I was always tives in our new Strategic Plan 2019–2023. very interested in the Royal Irish Academy as it occupies a relatively unique position This is an exciting time for the Academy. in the education landscape. In addition, I The new Strategic Plan provides a clear had trained as a historian and completed vision for the future of the organisation, my PhD in history on ‘The politics of law through the identification of three stra- and order in Ireland in the 1790s’ with tegic goals and nine major objectives for Trinity College Dublin in 1999, so I was completion in the years ahead. We have familiar with a lot of the research work developed a Strategic Implementation Plan and publications of the Academy from that to translate these goals and objectives into perspective. The quality of the Academy’s measurable actions. research, projects, library, discourses and publications had always impressed me. Our plans include significant new initiatives such as the development of an Early The Academy is a really interesting place Career Researcher Academy (‘Young to work. I enjoy working with the teams Academy’) and an annual ‘Research day’, which will celebrate the quality of the work being produced by our research projects and assist in the dissemination of key findings.

A key focus for me is on ensuring that the Academy continues to be as relevant and impactful as possible. One element of this is trying to cluster Academy activities around key themes or issues to maximise our impact. I would also like the Academy to work more closely with government departments and state agencies to ensure that the valuable policy work we are undertaking can inform public policy making to the greatest extent possible.

Strengthening our impact and relevance will also involve examining how we communicate our activities. The intention is to ensure that the Academy’s contribution to public discourse in Ireland (and further afield) is effectively communicated to as wide an audience as possible.

As we move into the implementation phase of the Strategic Plan it is crucial that the Academy can deliver on its commitments. To this end we have commissioned an organisational review that will provide a valuable external perspective on areas where we may need to adapt as an organisation in order to deliver on our strategic goals as efficiently and effectively as possible.

I look forward to working with Academy colleagues, our members and a range of external stakeholders to ensure that we deliver on all of our commitments in our Strategic Plan in the years ahead. Strategic 2019– Plan 2023

22 Patrick M. Shannon, MRIA, Secretary

n May 2019 the Academy launched its fourth Strategic Plan (2019–2023). This underpins the Academy’s values of independence, excellence, scholarship and collaboration and its all-island and international character. It provides a roadmap to guide the Academy in its future Igrowth, diversification and modernisation. The planning and preparation of the new Strategic Plan involved a detailed review and analysis of the previous five- year plan in order to assess its successes and challenges, and also to act as a pointer for activities and actions for the new plan. This was followed by an intensive period of engagement and consultation with members, Academy staff and external stakeholders in order to seek their views on current and future activities and to identify particular issues of strategic importance. In addition to online questionnaires, workshops and meetings with staff and members took place both in Academy House and regionally, including in Belfast, Galway and Dublin. A number of one-to-one the public good through debate and consultations took place with key external analysis in research and higher education. stakeholders in government departments It recognises the three main strands of the and agencies in Dublin and in Belfast. Academy’s role to: These engagements were all extremely valuable with a vast array of very con- structive comments and suggestions being 1. Recognise and foster provided by all participants. In distilling excellence in research to and reflecting on these, the Strategic Plan Committee was able to identify some key advance the public good perceptions, themes and directions that 2. Be an independent voice on resonated with members, Academy staff and external stakeholders. This was a vital higher education and public ingredient in the development of the plan. policy An outline draft of the key elements was presented to members and Academy staff, 3. Represent the world of Irish with feedback from these presentations helping to refine the final shape and detail scholarship internationally of the Strategic Plan 2019–2023. 23 The Strategic Plan restates the RIA’s purpose as Ireland’s scholarly academy, and an independent and strong voice serving Because it is based on the strength of the For each of the strategic goals there Academy’s core values and on our unique are three major objectives designed to role as an independent voice grounded in strengthen, enhance, foster, promote, scholarly excellence and trust, I am confi- showcase and support key elements of dent that the plan will enable the Academy the goals. Each strategic goal is also to provide a unique service to modern supported by a number of key actions that society. It provides a robust platform on will deliver the goals. In all nineteen key which we can, working together, build a actions are identified. strong and sustainable Academy, in which excellence in scholarship and learning are The work of the Academy is carried out paramount. through our staff, our members and our committees, working groups and boards, The Strategic Plan 2019–2023 is deliber- in partnership with our external partners. ately very ambitious and clear in its goals. Working together, we will use the new The strategic goals are threefold: Strategic Plan to build an inclusive and modern Academy that values and develops our membership and staff. Research- 1. Serve Ireland and the public mindedness and excellence will permeate good through the Academy’s and underpin all our activities, while an 24 enhanced communication plan will support research and scholarly the Academy’s activities both externally resources and by drawing and internally. As we continue to face on the knowledge and financial and other challenges, we will make optimum use of our facilities and our insight of its members infrastructure to enable us to achieve the goals of the new plan. We will examine 2. Represent Ireland by in detail all our activities in order to engaging and leading in maximise our relevance and impact within our areas of expertise. We will seek to activities that strengthen strengthen our financial sustainability in international recognition of order to allow us to achieve our strategic the Academy’s scholarship goals. In all our activities we will adhere to the highest standards of governance, 3. Build a Modern Academy management and oversight.

by increasing diversity and In order to realise the goals, objectives providing new impetus to and actions of the new Strategic Plan, a detailed implementation plan has now the life and work of the been developed and is being acted upon. Academy This identifies key actions, with timelines, costs, responsibilities and measures/indicators of success. The implementation process is being led by Dr Tony Gaynor, the Executive Secretary, and supported by Academy staff and members from across the spectrum of our activities.

I would like to thank all the members of the Strategic Plan Committee, chaired by Jocelyn Bell Burnell, Hon. MRIA, for their dedication and hard work, and also all the Academy officers, council and Academy staff for their support throughout the process. I would also like to thank our new executive secretary and the team with responsibility for co-ordinating and driving forward the implementation plan.

I look forward to seeing the development, in the coming months and years, of the vibrant and inclusive Academy envisaged in the Strategic Plan 2019–2023 as a strong advocate and respected leader in the third-level sector, in public service and in representing Irish scholarship both nationally and internationally.

The full Strategic Plan can be found on ria.ie. The establishment of a Young Academy for Ireland Peter E. McHugh, MRIA, Secretary for Policy and International Relations was delighted and heartened to see plans h An all-island direct link to to establish a Young Academy in Ireland the younger, high-performing firmly enshrined in the new Strategic scholars and research stars in Plan for the Royal Irish Academy, which Ireland (north and south) in an was launched on Admittance Day 2019. academy context ICongratulations to Jocelyn Bell Burnell, Hon. MRIA, (Chair, Strategic Plan Committee) and h A framework for the Academy Pat Shannon, MRIA, (Secretary, Royal Irish to hear the ‘voice’ of the very Academy) for leading the development of an best of our younger researchers, excellent Strategic Plan and in particular for across the science, social science committing the Academy to the Young Academy and humanities domains, in a objective. coordinated way. I believe that this is potentially of great benefit Consistent with this Strategic Plan goal, I when making representations to believe that the time is right for the Academy government, policy makers and to do this and I believe that it would be hugely other stakeholders The beneficial to both the Academy and to Ireland to work towards such an objective. h A framework for young researchers to enhance their establishment I have had the honour of serving as Policy profiles (nationally and 27 and International Relations Secretary of the internationally) through academy Academy since 2016, and one of the duties of membership the role is to be the Academy representative in of a Young a number of international academy network h An environment for young organisations, including ALLEA (European researchers to network, and to Federation of Academies of Sciences and generate new collaborations and Academy Humanities) and EASAC (European Academies’ synergies Science Advisory Council). At meetings of these organisations I have heard reports on h A framework to enhance for Ireland substantial developments in a number of awareness of the Academy and of countries in this domain; at some of the meet- academy membership generally ings representatives from young academies have amongst younger researchers presented and contributed alongside the ‘senior’ academy counterparts, and I can attest to the h An ability to improve gender energy, dynamism and innovative nature of the representation and gender ideas that the Young Academy representatives balance. For example the Global brought to the proceedings. Young Academy organisation in 2018 reported 43 per cent female I envision that the benefits of a Young Academy membership, with a goal of 50 for Ireland are manifold, and include: per cent gender balance. Again, consistent with the Strategic Plan, to compete on an equal footing with every- I believe that the Academy is ideally placed one else being proposed for membership. and, indeed, the natural driver for the Using the example again of the Global establishment of a Young Young Academy, and Academy in Ireland; in most quoting from their eligi- cases that I am aware of ‘The young academy bility criteria ‘Applicants there is a very strong affil- membership gives should be in the early iation between a national to middle years of their Young Academy and a the scholar a period independent careers. The national ‘senior’ academy. of time to benefit majority of the GYA members are aged 30–40 There are numerous from academy and the typical period examples of best practice membership and from completion of a internationally on the for them to make PhD or similar degree formation and operation of is 3-10 years.’ Also, the young academies. Countries the very best of the membership duration is that have set up young opportunity, but five years. academies in recent years include Scotland, Belgium, when it comes to In summary, given the 28 Germany, Finland, Poland, ‘senior’ academy strength of the potential Norway, Denmark, Spain, benefits to Ireland and Canada, Japan, Israel and membership they to the Academy, I believe India. Membership criteria, have to compete that the time is right terms and conditions are on an equal footing for the establishment clearly laid out, and there is of a Young Academy in no assumption of automatic with everyone else Ireland. And, as members follow-on membership of being proposed for of the Academy, I believe the ‘senior’ academy, which that we should all now is a concern that is some- membership.’ engage with the Academy times raised. The young through the Strategic academy membership gives the scholar a Plan implementation phase, and give our period of time to benefit from academy active support and energy to the successful membership and for them to make the very development and establishment of a Young best of the opportunity, but when it comes Academy that is optimally designed for the to ‘senior’ academy membership they have Irish context. An appreciation of Mary E. Daly, PRIA Michael F. Ryan, MRIA

Elected to he Academy had to wait 229 years for the election of its first female president, Mary E. Daly. Several distinguished women membership had served the Academy well and had been elected to import- in 1991 Tant posts as officers but there was so much of circumstances and timing that finally filled the presidency with a deserving and distinguished woman. Her career as a scholar from her graduation in his- Vice-President: tory in University College Dublin, her D. Phil at Oxford to the many 1996–97 roles she played in her alma mater, not least as teacher, but also as On Council Principal of the College of Arts and Celtic Studies for many years. 1997–2000 She has been very productive in publishing on nineteenth and twentieth century history with strong emphases on social, political and ad- 29 ministrative themes. She has served on a number of prominent gov- Secretary: ernment advisory bodies and boards including the Higher Education 2000–04, Authority, the inquiry into the mother and child institutions (which continues) and advising government on the commemoration of the On Council ‘decade of centenaries’ events which saw the emergence of the mod- 2007–08 ern Ireland with its two jurisdictions and the tasks Vice-President: of nation-building which followed the War of Inde- 2008–09 pendence. We can attribute On Council the profound effect that the 2009–11 Academy had on the com- memorations to her tireless advocacy. President 2014–17 Daly was a specialist but also a utility player in the Academy, in the university and in public affairs. of work on the Foclóir na Nua Gaeilge Her HEA role informed her effective and the annual reports during her time engagement with that body and greatly in office record its advances and of those bolstered the partnership between that in the Dictionary of Medieval Latin from body and the Academy. She championed Celtic Sources - an internationally lauded many programmes and events. Not lexicographical project that has produced least was her input and support for the important scholarly offshoots. She can conference on making peace in Ireland, take pride in the support she gave to the which has now been recorded in a new and publication of New Survey of Clare Island important Academy publication, Brokering series. Mary E. Daly was an active and the Good Friday Agreement: the untold story. imaginative President and before that, she was an advocate for change in the The profile of women members was Academy where, as secretary, she played greatly raised by Daly’s election as PRIA a vital role in bedding-in the changes and her determination to increase the proposed in the first modern Strategic number of female MRIAs has borne fruit, Plan to which she had made an essential but there is some way to go. The portraits contribution. of distinguished women members in the hall are an important reminder of their achievements and influence and their 30 distinction as pioneers in science and the humanities while posing the unspoken question: Where are all the others? A partial answer can be found in the group portrait of younger women scientists on the opposite wall. She also put a great deal of effort into the continuing programme Humanities and Social Sciences Committees

1. Coiste Léann na Gaeilge, Litríocht na Gaeilge agus na gCultúr Ceilteach 2. Ethical, Political, Legal and 130 volunteers Philosophical Studies Committee make up these committees. 3. 31 Historical Studies Committee 50% of the committee members are males 4. and Social Sciences Committee

5. 50% Study of Languages, Literature, are females. Culture and Communication Committee They drive the programme of work in the Academy 6. and give of their time and Standing Committee expertise freely to do so. for Archaeology 7. Standing Committee for International Affairs Rural Conversations

he Social Sciences Committee in of the events. Also, each of the events was collaboration with the Department recorded and made available as podcasts of Rural and Community on the Academy’s website. TDevelopment continued the Rural Conversations project (a series of rural A final report of the complete series, with stakeholder discussion forums) during a synopsis of the findings, was launched 2019. On 8 November 2018, the first by Minister for Rural and Community Rural Conversation took place in National Development, Mr Michael Ring TD, in University of Ireland Galway on the topic Academy House on 4 September 2019. of economic development in rural Ireland. In 2019 two further Rural Conversations took place; on 28 February in Dundalk To date there have Institute of Technology on social cohesion and on 4 April in Waterford Institute of been over 450 Technology on vibrant and sustainable communities in rural Ireland. downloads of the 32 reports and over Over 200 stakeholders from a cross-sec- tion of rural community stakeholders, 1,700 listens to government agencies, government support agencies and academics attended the Rural the podcasts. Conversations. Stakeholders discussed the Stakeholders’ feedback from these topics under consideration and offered consultative events helped inform the their views and suggestions in response development of the next phase of to questions posed at each of the three government policy on rural development. events. Their views were collated into published reports that were produced for each Insights from the consultation with stakeholders included:

‘An overarching h There is a need for a h The co-creation of rural flexible definition of ‘rural’ education and develop- theme ment initiatives should be h People are at the heart of throughout encouraged vibrant and sustainable these events was rural communities h Rural health and safety the need for a services need to encompass h It is necessary to balance on-call community health- holistic, multi- the rural eco-system by care and homecare support generational recognising the need to structures, although these community care for rural culture and may be able to accommo- heritage infrastructure and approach to date cross-community care surrounding nature while rural community developing the economy h Tradition and technology development. need to be balanced in h A sustainable rural infra- rural business development Cohesion is structure needs to be built 33 needed both h New farm business models h Where we meet is are producing linked within and changing between local avenues of development in h Social and technological development bio-diversity, ecology and platforms can be harnessed tourism groups, as a catalyst for community h The changing nature of underpinned cohesion work is offering remote by simple, h The value of local media employment opportunities constant access should be recognised h A holistic government to information h Current and future rural policy and inter-depart- on activities community leaders need to mental coherence is needed and available be supported among those who engage supports.’ h The evolving volunteer with rural communities infrastructure must be h The value of rural living Áine Hyland, MRIA recognised and its contribution to h Tradition can be passed society must be articulated through the generations One hundred years of Irish foreign policy: looking back, looking forwards The Standing Committee for International Affairs held its annual Social Media conference on 23 May 2019. The conference, which was titled ‘One and democracy: How hundred years of Irish foreign policy: do we balance rights looking back, looking forwards’, marked the centenary of the establishment and responsibilities? of Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs, now the Department of 34 The Social Sciences Committee organised a Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). panel discussion of the challenges and oppor- The International Affairs conference tunities that digital and social media present is always a highlight of the Royal in our society and the growing case across Irish Academy’s calendar and the Europe for online content regulation and 2019 conference examined the history, controls. The panel included Dr Maria Helen contemporary dynamics and future Murphy, Maynooth University; Professor Brian challenges of Irish foreign policy and O’Neill, TU Dublin; Gavin Sheridan, CEO and foreign policy-making. co-founder of Vizlegal; and Professor Eugenia Siapera, University College Dublin, and was The keynote address was delivered by chaired by committee member Helen Shaw. The Mr Niall Burgess, Secretary General, panel addressed questions on balancing the DFAT and Dr Sinead Walsh, EU civil freedom of expression that online media Ambassador to South Sudan provided provide while protecting the common good, the plenary. and the responsibilities of the internet global companies behind social media platforms like The conference was followed by the Twitter and Facebook to see how well Ireland is launch by Mr Niall Burgess of the facing up to these challenges. journal Irish Studies in International Affairs at Iveagh House. The discussion was recorded and uploaded to Soundcloud, where it has received over 300 listens. Revealing the Past

he Standing Committee for h Ireland’s h A medieval Archaeology presented their ice-age world meeting place biennial one-day seminar revealed: new by the Boyne: T‘Revealing the past: archaeological discoveries from excavation of excavation and research in Ireland’ in Ballynamintra a possible ferta October. This was an opportunity for Cave, Co. at Dowth, Co. recent Academy archaeology grant Waterford Meath recipients to showcase their research and recent discoveries. These archaeological h Down by the h A good vintage: grant schemes are supported by the river: looking for early medieval National Monuments Service. There early Mesolithic grape pips from were also presentations of findings made people at Kilkenny through the Archaeology Radiocarbon Hermitage, Co. Dates Scheme supported by Queen’s Limerick h A clean slate: 35 University Belfast. the science of h Prehistoric writing on slate Research projects presented at the ritual practices in late medieval seminar covered topics ranging from the revealed at the Ireland Ice-Age, Neolithic, through the medieval Newgrange era and up to Famine times in locations Farm excavation, h Feeding the poor: around the island of Ireland: Wicklow, 2018 revealing relief Waterford, Limerick, Meath and food from dental Kilkenny. Research showcased included: h Embracing calculus analyses the dead on in victims of Baltinglass Hill: a the Great Irish newly discovered Famine palisade enclosure Ireland in the European Eye A panel discussion titled ‘Irish- launched in Berlin on 8 June language literature in Europe: and had its Irish launch in the a survey of translations and Goethe Institute, Dublin, on 7 reception patterns in conti- November 2019. nental countries’ took place in the Royal Irish Academy on The panel was chaired by 8 November 2019. The panel Professor Bettina Migge, discussion was a collaboration co-editor of the RIA publica- between Coiste Léann na tion Ireland in the European eye. Gaeilge, Litríocht na Gaeilge The panel included co-authors agus na gCultúr Ceilteach of one of the book’s chapters; 36 and the Study of Languages, Professor Joachim Fischer Literature, Culture and (UL) and Dr Éamon Ó Ciosáin Communication. The concept (MU), the book’s other co-ed- for this discussion grew out itor Dr Gisela Holfter and Dr of the RIA publication Ireland Rióna Ní Fhrighil (National in the European eye, which was University of Ireland Galway). From left to right: Dr Joanna Kosmalska, Univer- sity of Lodz; Dr Thomas Lier, Director, Goethe-In- stitut Irland; Dr Marieke Krajenbrink, UL; Dr Gisela Holfter, Director, Centre for Irish-German Studies, UL, and Professor Bettina Migge, School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics, UCD, co-editors of the book; Helena King, Senor Editor, RIA Publications; and Anngret Simms, MRIA.

The discussion dealt with the topic of cultural and political context of contem- communication across languages, litera- porary literary translation, broadening tures and cultures, with a specific focus on the debate about the Irish language by Irish language and literature in a European focussing on cultural communications in a context. It addressed the European dimen- multilingual European context. sion of Irish literary production and the 37

‘By imagination we live’: a strategy for the humanities, 2020–2030

The Irish Humanities Alliance (IHA) contribution to make in addressing the hosted Professor Dame Marina Warner, most pressing social, political, cultural, writer, literary critic and Professor of technological and environmental issues of English and creative writing at Birkbeck the twenty-first century. It outlines a sig- College at the Royal Irish Academy to nificant all-island vision for the humanities launch its new strategy document, ‘By that is based on an extensive and in-depth imagination we live’ in November. consultation with all-island IHA member institutions comprising the ten universities The strategy is rooted in the convic- and the Royal Irish Academy, which hosts tion that the humanities have a major and supports the work of the IHA. Conference on Eighteenth-century Manuscript Culture The Coiste Léann na Gaeilge, Litríocht na Gaeilge agus na gCultúr Ceilteach held a one day conference entitled ‘Eighteenth-century manuscript culture in the wider Gaelic world: The manuscripts of Rev James McLagan (1728–1805) in context’ in June 2019.

The Rev. James McLagan (1728-1805) was a pre-eminent Scottish Gaelic scholar, poet, manuscript-collector, lexicographer as well as a military chaplain. His career with the Black 38 Watch regiment saw him on active military service throughout Ireland, the Isle of Man and in the American War of Independence. Using McLagan and his extensive collection of Gaelic literary material as a point of departure, this event explored issues of eighteenth-century Irish, Manx and Scottish Gaelic manuscript and literary culture, with a particular focus on fiannaigheacht lays and ‘Ossian’, scholarly networks, oral tradition, historical and political contexts for manuscript creation and collection.

This event was part of the ‘Gaelic Literature in Enlightenment Scotland: The McLagan Ossianic material’ research network, funded by the Royal Society of Edinburgh and led by Celtic and Gaelic, University of Glasgow, with the support of the Royal Irish Academy’s Coiste Léann na Gaeilge, Litríocht na Gaeilge agus na gCultúr Ceilteach. Culture and Heritage Working Group

The Academy’s Culture and Heritage while papers on museums and on archival Working Group (CHWG) acts as a facilita- repositories and libraries are in develop- tor for discussion of opinions and ideas on ment. All published discussion papers can contemporary Irish cultural and heritage be found on ria.ie policy and practice. It works in partnership with other cultural and heritage bodies and To mark the launch of the CHWG’s groups and has strong links to the govern- discussion papers, a workshop on cultural ment’s Creative Ireland programme and heritage, creativity and education was Heritage Ireland 2030. held at Academy House in June 2019. The 39 Minister for Education and Skills, Mr Joe In the light of government’s Culture and McHugh, TD, delivered a speech to the Creativity capital plan, which aims to 70 guests who attended the workshop. invest in a range of cultural activities and Following an address from the Academy’s enterprises, the CHWG produced a set Senior Vice-President and the Chair of position papers highlighting modes of of the Culture and Heritage Working creativity associated with public culture, Group, Mary Canning, a discussion public institutions and vernacular culture. with a panel of experts was moderated Written by senior academics with strong by the Academy’s Polite Literature and ties to many of the state’s cultural insti- Antiquities Secretary, Mary O’Dowd. The tutions, these papers constitute a set of three panel speakers were: Tania Banotti, reflections on the necessity for and social Director of Creative Ireland; Virginia benefits of supporting enhanced attention Teehan, Chief Executive of the Heritage to creativity in Irish life. These discussion Council and Helen O’Donoghue, Head of papers explore aspects of creativity in the Engagement and Learning at the Irish sciences, music, the Gaeltacht, the Irish Museum of Modern Art. language, folklore and the vernacular, The CHWG also held three forums throughout the course of 2019:

h Consultation forum on Heritage Ireland 2030 in conjunction with the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, January 2019 On foot of this, the Academy made an official submission to the Heritage Ireland 2030 consultation.

h Discussion forum on libraries and archives within Heritage 2030, May 2019 25 invited participants from the higher education, library, archive Above (l-r): Dr Edel Bhreathnach, Dr Ann Lynch, Dr Mark Clinton Below (l–r): Finola O'Kane Crimmons, MRIA, Ian Doyle, Heritage 40 and publishing sectors outlined the Council and Jane Stout, Trinity College Dublin challenges and opportunities facing libraries and archives in relation to heritage collections.

h Discussion forum on the future of museums in Ireland, November 2019 Since this event the Academy has published a public discussion paper that provides an outline of the discussion from the workshop and looks to better understand the issues raised by inviting stakeholders’ responses to the questions posed within it. This feedback will inform the development of the Academy’s final discussion paper on the future of museums. Science Committees

1. Climate Change and Environmental Sciences Committee 93 2. volunteers Engineering and make up these committees. Computer Science Committee 60% 41 of the committee 3. members Geoscience and are male and Geographical Sciences 40% Committee are female. 4. They drive the programme of work in the Academy Life and Medical and give of their time and Sciences Committee expertise freely to do so. 5. Physical, Chemical and Mathematical Sciences Committee he risk posed by not vaccinating is far greater than any risk associated with receiving a vaccine says the Royal Irish Academy’s Life and Medical Sciences TCommittee. The committee published an Expert Statement on Vaccinations to coincide with World Immunization Week (24–30 April 2019). The statement sought to provide clear and useful information about vaccination and the health benefits it provides to help the public make more informed decisions on vaccination.

Vaccination provides long-term protection against infectious diseases to people of all ages and failure to vaccinate

Vaccination isn’t a personal choice, it’s a public one is not just a threat to the individual but health of others is put at risk by anyone to the whole community. Vaccines have carrying the infection, which can be passed prevented hundreds of millions of deaths on. These diseases can be very serious and from infectious diseases around the world, even fatal in infants and young children if yet the powerful protection that vaccination they are not protected by vaccination. can offer is now in danger. It is slowly being Some parents are withholding or delaying undermined by the incorrect view that vaccination, a decision usually influenced vaccination is not safe. by misinformation, leading to the misplaced view that vaccination can be harmful. This The decision not to vaccinate also poses misguided view is being driven at least in a threat to the general community. When part by parents picking up so-called ‘facts’ more people are vaccinated from social media and accepting there are fewer people left unsubstantiated claims made by in the community who can ‘As the recent anti-vaccine lobby groups. spread the infection to others. Falling vaccination rates measles All medical procedures carry today have triggered several outbreaks some level of risk and childhood measles outbreaks in Ireland have shown, injections are no exception. and other countries. These Before routine human use all outbreaks can be prevented if common vaccines must be shown to 43 the great majority of people but serious be safe and effective through are vaccinated. Smallpox, polio stringent safety testing, clinical or diphtheria, once common diseases will trials and constant monitoring illnesses that caused many return if we do by Irish and international deaths have been eliminated agencies. The risk posed by not or are now held in check by not vaccinate’ vaccinating is far greater than vaccination. However, as the any risk associated with receiv- recent measles outbreaks have shown, these ing a vaccine. common but serious diseases will return if we do not vaccinate. The human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine targets the virus that in later life can trigger First introduced over 200 years ago, vaccines cervical cancer. Some parents refused this are one of the safest medical interventions vaccination for their children because of available and save more lives every year than unfounded concerns about safety, despite antibiotics or surgery. We now have vaccines the facts that the vaccine has been shown to that can prevent certain cancers, and more have no long-term side effects and reduces are being developed all the time. the risk of developing cervical precancers by 90 per cent. High vaccine uptake is Failing to vaccinate puts a child at risk of needed to reduce HPV infection and new contracting measles, whooping cough and cases of cervical cancer. Read the full expert other childhood illnesses. Furthermore, the statement on ria.ie. in the development of implantable and Kathleen wearable power sources for bioelectronic devices. During his Ph.D., Xinxin success- Lonsdale fully demonstrated several prototype cells, including self-powered pulse generators RIA Chemistry mimicking those used in pacemakers, contact lens supported flexible biofuel Prize cells that can generate power from lactate Dr Xinxin Xiao, a PhD graduate of present in tears, and a self-powered drug University Limerick, was selected as this release system that can enable controllable year’s winner of the Kathleen Lonsdale and on-demand drug delivery. RIA Chemistry Prize, sponsored by Henkel. This award is granted to the most outstanding Irish PhD thesis in the general area of the chemical sciences. Climate Dr Xiao is an accomplished early career Change and chemist who has made an impactful contribution to his research field. Xinxin Xiao Environmental 44 studied Materials Science and Engineering at the Shandong University, China (B.S., Sciences 2011) and obtained his M.Sc. in 2014 from the same university. He was awarded Committee an Irish Research Council Postgraduate Environmental scholars are worried Scholarship in 2014 to carry out his Ph.D. about the lack of public recognition and studies in the Department of Chemical behaviour change around how serious Sciences at the University of Limerick climate change is for the future of our under the supervision of Professor planet. Why are we not changing our Edmond Magner. behaviour and how can we encourage change? This was the first topic addressed Dr Xiao’s winning paper ‘Development in a new blog series from the Climate of nanoporous gold based bioelectrodes’ Change and Environmental Sciences examines the use of nanoporous gold- Committee. Further blogs will be issued in based biofuel cells to generate electricity this series and can be found at ria.ie from body fluids. Such cells are of interest Hamilton On 16 October each year, a day of celebrations is held to Day commemorate famed Irish mathematician Sir William Rowan Hamilton. However, the 2019 Hamilton Day was exceptional for the Academy as it was also the culmination of a project with Transport Infrastructure Ireland and TU Dublin to commission a commemorative artwork of Hamilton at the Luas Broombridge stop.

On Hamilton Day, Minister for Finance & Public Expenditure and Reform, Mr Paschal Donohoe, TD, launched the commemorative artwork by emerging artist Emma Ray (both pictured below) that celebrated Hamilton’s 176-year-old act of graffiti. It celebrated the story of the 16 October 1843 when Irish mathematician Hamilton and his wife Helen were walking along the banks of the Royal Canal from Dunsink 45 Observatory to the Royal Irish Academy where he was president. At Broome Bridge Hamilton had that very rare occurrence in science: a Eureka moment. He suddenly alighted The 2019 Hamilton prize winners are Dara MacConville, Maynooth University; Francis Flanagan, University of Limerick; Shane Gibbons, University College Dublin; Andrew Cleary, Trinity College Dublin; Amanda Forde, National University of Ireland Galway; Andrew Joyce, Queen’s University Belfast; Yimin Guo, TU Dublin; Thomas Sheerin, University College Cork; and Fergal McGuirk, Dublin City University

46 on the solution to a problem he had been innovation. The poster headline was working on for a long time and in his generated by a current final year Visual excitement, he took out his penknife and Communication student, Jake Skelly. The scratched his formula for Quaternion Luas poster campaign ran for four weeks, algebra onto the bridge: i² = j² = k² = ijk = coinciding with Maths Week 2019 and -1. Quaternions would later be instrumen- Science Week 2019. tal in putting the first man on the moon and be used for CGI in movies. The Royal Irish Academy was honoured to have Professor Maria Chudnovsky of Emma Ray’s artwork, which has been cut Princeton University (pictured left with into the stone paving flags at the Luas Peter Kennedy, PRIA) to help celebrate stop, depicts the footprints of Hamilton Day 2019 which Hamilton and his wife: where was generously sponsored Hamilton’s footprints stop, by Ibec. She began with a his formula for quaternion ‘We hope that masterclass for students in algebra is illuminated in this artwork mathematics, chaired by Dr sequence. We hope that this Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin. artwork will inspire the next will inspire the The masterclass gave students generation of Irish scientists next generation the opportunity to learn from 47 and mathematicians. of Irish a leading expert in the field of graph theory. In 2019 TU Dublin’s School scientists and of Creative Arts ran a com- mathematicians.’ Hamilton Day celebrations petition encouraging students continued with the Hamilton to design a Luas campaign Prize award ceremony, to raise awareness of Hamilton and his honouring the top nine undergraduate achievements. This design project was mathematics students in Ireland. The a collaboration between the RIA and ceremony and prizegiving took place at students and staff on the BA Visual Academy House and was attended by Communication at TU Dublin School family and friends of the recipients as well of Creative Arts. Lily Gaertner, a recent as representatives from their university graduate, drew from the rich local heritage departments and members of the mathe- of scientific discovery at Dunsink and matics community in Ireland. The evening Broombridge to produce a set of illustra- culminated in the annual Hamilton tions for a poster and digital campaign Lecture, which Professor Chudnovsky to promote the legacy of Hamilton and titled ‘Parties, doughnuts and colouring: his impact on current technological some problems in graph theory’. Oireachtas members will have the oppor- Oireachtas tunity to learn about the world-class research that is taking place in Ireland, Science Pairing and in return researchers and scientists will be able to follow the path that their Scheme work takes as it enters the legislative and The Royal Irish Academy Oireachtas policy sphere. This knowledge exchange Science Pairing Scheme will run from project also builds an important network November 2019 to March 2020 and between academics and legislators, and we is a collaborative project between hope that the connections made during the Academy and the Houses of the the scheme will lead to greater collabora- Oireachtas. It is supported by Geological tion in the future. Survey Ireland and co-ordinated through the Geosciences and Geographical TDs and senators taking part in the Sciences Committee. scheme include Deputies John Brassil, Declan Breathnach, Michael Harty, In this scheme, members of the Jim O’Callaghan, Fiona O’Loughlin, Oireachtas are paired with scientists and Catherine Martin and Eamon Ryan, and researchers working on issues of rele- Senators Ivana Bacik, Rose Conway- 48 vance in their constituency or committee Walsh, Pippa Hackett, Anthony Lawlor work. The topics under consideration and Catherine Noone. They are matched cover some of the key issues facing with academics and researchers working Ireland today, including housing, rural in Maynooth University, TU Dublin, sustainability and energy. National University of Ireland Galway, Dublin City University and Teagasc. Royal Irish Academy Gold Medal Awards The Royal Irish Academy Gold Medals were established ‘The awards in 2005 to acclaim Ireland’s foremost thinkers in the humanities, social sciences, physical and mathematical acknowledge the sciences, life sciences, engineering sciences and the exemplary work environment and geosciences. The Academy awards two and the outstanding Gold Medals every year. The medals, sponsored by the Higher Education Authority, celebrate the achievements achievements of of inspirational figures in higher education in Ireland Professors James- and acknowledge the global impact of their work. The Gold Medals are considered the highest accolade in Chakraborty and scholarly achievement in Ireland. Smartt, both in Ireland and On Tuesday 12 February 2019 Minister for Education and Skills, Mr Joe McHugh, TD, presented the Royal internationally. The Irish Academy 2018 Gold Medals to architectural his- awards demonstrate 49 torian, Kathleen James-Chakraborty, MRIA (University the commitment of College Dublin) and astrophysicist, Stephen J. Smartt, MRIA (Queen’s University Belfast) at a ceremony in the academics to the Academy House (pictured below). highest standards of scholarship. They have been judged by their peers to have made outstanding contributions in their respective fields and their work is an inspiration to our future generations of researchers.’ Joe McHugh, TD Pictures Conor McCabe PhotographyPictures Conor McCabe

50 US-Ireland Research Innovation Awards The US-Ireland Research Innovation Awards are a joint initiative of the Royal Irish Academy and the American Chamber of Commerce, Ireland. The awards recognise excellence in research innovation, creation, process and invention by an organisation, as a result of US Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Ireland. Sponsored by KPMG and Ulster Bank with media support from The Irish Times, these awards recognise and acknowledge exemplary ideas underpinned by innovative research that originate in Irish organisations, and that have a strong social and/or economic impact. In May almost 700 guests, including Their winning research innovation senior business leaders of many of the US was Universal Fitness Innovation and 51 companies in Ireland, representatives from Transformation (UFIT), an innovative academia and leaders including former capacity building programme based on Taoiseach Enda Kenny, TD gathered at the rigorous research that provides bespoke annual celebration dinner for the awards resources to enable the fitness industry to presentation. At the event, the American embrace diversity and provide a quality, Chamber presented a Special Recognition accessible service to people with disabil- Award to IDA Ireland for their outstand- ities. UFIT is promoted by IHRSA, the ing contribution to inward investment and Boston headquartered industry body for creating a global Ireland. a sector that has grown rapidly over the past four decades. Together the UNESCO Chair at the Institute of Technology The 2019 winners were: Tralee and IHRSA are transforming the sector into one that embraces inclusion UNESCO Chair Institute of and diversity for the benefit of business (Pictured top Technology Tralee and society. UFIT facilitates human rights left) – winner of the award for an objectives, while delivering economic and Irish Higher Education Institute social benefits evidenced by the research. or Research Centre with US Through UFIT, IHRSA is now driving an corporate links inclusive transformative change agenda in Other brands include Mercedes, Crown the industry, with more and more coun- Paints, Hollander and Welspun, all of tries and sites on board. The IT Tralee which have certified products in all UNESCO Chair partnership with IHRSA continents. via UFIT has elevated disability inclusion to the top of the industries development FotoNation (pictured previous agenda. The World Health Organisation page, middle) – winners of the is now embarking on the UFIT journey with Tralee UNESCO Chair and IHRSA award for the Irish operations of a globally to implement UFIT. US headquartered and controlled multinational company Allergy Standards Limited (pic- FotoNation developed a Driver Monitoring System (DMS) designed to tured previous page, top right) deliver a smarter driver experience. DMS – winner of the award for an Irish is a safety product that uses modern Microenterprise/SME with links to artificial intelligence-driven approaches the US corporate sector in Ireland combined with smart intelligent camera Allergy Standards, based in Dublin, have designs that determine the distraction/ developed the world’s first scientific drowsiness/inappropriate posture of the 52 standards for consumer products to deter- driver based on their facial and partial mine their capability to improve indoor body image. Driver monitoring is increas- air quality and achieve asthma & allergy ingly becoming a very important feature friendly® certification. The certification for new cars, especially in the context programme is the only programme of transitioning from no automation endorsed by the Asthma and Allergy to autonomous driving, so that the car Foundation of America (AAFA). Allergy knows when it is safe to yield control to Standards Limited connects top brands the driver. As cars become increasingly to over 60 million Americans affected by autonomous, DMS will transition into an asthma and allergies. Some of the world’s in-cabin occupancy monitoring system leading manufacturers, such as LG, Dyson, (OMS), powered by a low-power high-per- Procter & Gamble, 3M and De’Longhi formance chip designed to enable the have certified a variety of their products system networks to infer in real time, with providing a whole of home offering of applications in safety, security, entertain- healthier products to their customers. ment, social media and many others. Grants €147,250 awardedacross 1. Archaeology Research 6

Excavation Grants grant schemes 2. Archaeology Research Grants Total number of 3. grants Directed Research in awarded: 53 World Heritage Sites 41

4. Grants awarded Charlemont Grants 53% 5. female The Royal Irish Academy- 47% Royal Society International male Exchange Cost Share Programme 63% 6. of awardees Eoin O’Mahony Bursary travel in Irish History for their research n 2019 Dr Marion Dowd was awarded an Archaeology Research Excavation IGrant, funded by the National Monuments Service for work on a project titled the ‘Alice and Gwendoline Cave: assessing an Alice Upper Palaeolithic site’.

Alice and Gwendoline Cave, and which is situated in the townland of Cahircalla Beg, Co. Clare was Gwendoline originally excavated in 1902 (and published in the Transactions Cave: of the Royal Irish Academy in 1906). The cave has been subject assessing to further research in recent years, including a 2011 Royal Irish Academy grant for a radiocarbon 54 an Upper date of a brown bear patella with cut-marks (found in the cave in Palaeolithic 1902), which contributed to the cave providing the first evidence site of a human presence in Ireland during the Palaeolithic period.

The objective of the 2019 research excavation at the cave was to investigate the archaeological context of the Upper Palaeolithic butchered bear patella that was recovered at the site in 1902. To this end a series of soil samples and sedimentary blocks were taken to conduct lipid biomarker characterisation Photograph: Terry Casserly and Tim O’Connell Photograph: Casserly Terry with compound specific carbon and hydrogen isotope analysis, soil micromorphology and phytolith analysis. A small quantity of animal bone was also recovered, in addition to a series of possibly struck lithics. Two areas of in situ burning that had been identified by magnetic susceptibility in advance of the project were also investigated during the excavation.

This grant allowed Dr Dowd to establish the extent of the 1902 excavations, take samples from deposits beneath the level of the 1902 excava- Photograph: Thorsten Kahlert tions, complete a detailed 3D scan of the cave and begin soil micromorphology, lipid 55 biomarker and phytolith “I would like to gratefully analyses, which will take place acknowledge the support of the to establish the environment in and around the cave in the RIA for funding this research. Late Palaeolithic. The grant has allowed us to carry out cutting-edge archaeological Whilst interpretation of the findings is ongoing pending scientific techniques at the site radiocarbon dating, animal which have never before been bone analysis and lithic analysis, the results of this project used in Ireland. It allowed a will contribute to archaeologi- multi-national team of experts cal knowledge in the following areas: geomorphology, to investigate an archaeological geophysics and prospection site of major significance in as well as our wider under- understanding Ireland’s Upper standing of Ireland’s Upper Palaeolithic period. Palaeolithic.” Dr Marion Dowd The reconceptualisation of palliative care as a human right in international and regional human rights systems

n 2019 Dr John Lombard of the School of life care and a member of the United of Law at University of Limerick was Nations Open-ended Working Group awarded a Charlemont Grant for a on Ageing. Dr Lombard believes that project on palliative care. this experience has been instrumental in 56 I shaping his research and that it has also Dr Lombard’s research explored the informed research that he is currently concept of a human right to palliative undertaking with Age Action Ireland. care. This project particularly concentrated on the right as it could be applied During his research visit to Lancaster in Ireland as well as in England and Wales University, Dr Lombard also delivered and involved a new collaboration with the a seminar on double effect reasoning International Observatory on End of Life and palliative care, which was recorded Care (IOELC) at Lancaster University in and made available to over 250 IOELC the UK. members.

Dr Lombard used the opportunity afforded The collaboration, which began as part of by the Charlemont Grant to develop and this project has continued since, and Dr expand his research network and open Lombard has been invited to contribute an national and international opportunities editorial on the topic of the intersection for collaborative engagement. He met with of law and palliative care for the Palliative senior researchers as well as PhD candi- Medicine journal, which is edited by the dates in the IOELC and worked alongside head of the IOELC, Professor Catherine Professor Sheila Payne, an internationally Walshe. This leading academic journal on recognised expert in palliative and end palliative medicine and its website receives approximately 50,000 visitors each month. will shape palliative care practice across Dr Lombard is also working on a journal Europe over the coming years and that article about this work, which will be his research will be incorporated in the published in the Human Rights Law Review. teaching of medical law at undergraduate and postgraduate level in the School of Following on from this work Dr Lombard Law, University of Limerick. was invited to speak about the contribution of a human rights-based approach to palliative care provision at the Palliative Care ‘it was an honour to receive Research Network Annual Symposium and the RIA grant. The period of has been invited to deliver talks in hospices in Dublin and Limerick on the topic of mobility was hugely important palliative care and the right to health. To in making connections coincide with Palliative Care Week, he with other researchers and published a post on RTE Brainstorm titled ‘Is access to palliative care a human right?’. giving me the space and opportunity to think about the Dr Lombard has also been invited to join a Horizon 2020 expert group on palliative relationship of human rights sedation, which he attributes to the con- and palliative care’. 57 nections made through the IOELC. Dr John Lombard

He hopes that this role will allow him to contribute to discussions that Access to experts The Royal Irish Academy has a proud tradition of inviting subject experts to speak to the public through the Academy’s Discourse programme or to engage with future generations through its masterclass programmes. In 2019 our Discourse Series, h Brigid Laffan, MRIA, ‘I really liked sponsored by Mason Hayes and Director and Professor at the Curran solicitors, enabled us to Robert Schuman Centre for the manner host public talks on a wide range Advanced Studies, European in which the of topics with both national and University Institute spoke international speakers about ‘Ireland’s decisive choice masterclass was for Europe’ conducted and h Professor Sir David h Eleanor Maguire, Hon. Cannadine, Dodge Professor MRIA, Wellcome Principal facilitated. The of History, Princeton Research Fellow and Professor speaker and University and President of of Cognitive Neuroscience the chair were the British Academy spoke on at the Wellcome Centre for ‘The Irish dimension to British Human Neuroimaging at excellent and History: From the Act of University College London, very interesting. Union to Brexit’ spoke about ‘The anatomy of h Professor Michele memory’ The class Nicoletti, President of the members all Parliamentary Assembly of Where their schedules allowed the Council of Europe spoke these speakers also engaged with contributed on ‘Democracy, truth and university nominated early career to the very 59 trust in Europe’ researchers in a more intimate thought- h Professor Wayne Powell, masterclass setting. Each master- Principal and Chief Executive, class is facilitated by a Chair and provoking Scotland’s Rural College allows for a unique format where discourse’ spoke about ‘Global food and the participants can sit around a nutrition security: the role of table with a high-profile expert innovation’ and have a face-to-face discussion, Access h Emma Teeling, MRIA (pic- rather than sit in a lecture theatre. tured overleaf, top), Professor The objective of the masterclass of the School of Biology and is to engage and motivate early Environmental Science and career researchers and forge to experts Founding Director of the relationships and networks. The Centre for Irish Bat Research, response from participants is University College Dublin overwhelmingly positive spoke about ‘How do we study with our participants bats and rats to find the secret indicating the master- of everlasting youth?’ class was very beneficial. ‘The whole class was enjoyable and instructive. The organisation of the room around a round table made it convivial, and the speaker was brilliant’

Women in 60 leadership Masterclasses The Academy runs a Women in Leadership h Jane Ohlmeyer, MRIA, Erasmus masterclass series, which is supported by Smith’s Professor of Modern History Accenture. These masterclass sessions are at Trinity College Dublin and Director an ideal opportunity to inspire, motivate of the Trinity Long Room Hub Arts and mentor the next generation of women leaders and also work as a great network- and Humanities Research Institute ing opportunity for participants. Our h Mary Harney, former Tánaiste speakers for the 2019 series were: h Barbara Harvey, Managing Director in Accenture Research and lead for h Michaela Blott, Distinguished Accenture’s research on workplace Engineer at Xilinx equality h Dr Rhona Mahony, former Master of the National Maternity Hospital ‘I liked the small group setting and that we got an opportunity to ask questions directly to the speaker but it also allowed the group to share their experiences’

‘The insight gained from the other participants was also great, as it became clear that many of the

challenges experienced 61 by those in leadership roles are common, regardless of the specific position’

‘The speaker genuinely inspired me and I liked the sense of solidarity in the room, of common experiences’ Our international 62 relations work

The Academy and its members provide Our main networks are: independent, timely and authoritative scientific advice to Irish and international h All European Academies (ALLEA) decision-makers on a wide variety of issues. h European Academies’ Science Advisory Through our participation in international Council (EASAC) academic networks and our work with h Science Advice for Policy by European sister academies globally, we ensure that the voice of Irish science contributes to future Academies (SAPEA) policy and practice development. We ensure that Irish scientists are h ALLEA Horizon Europe Working represented on our international networks’ Group working groups and steering groups. Such representation helps to build the profile h ALLEA Working Group on Truth, of Irish science internationally, which is a key goal of Irish higher education Trust and Expertise and research policy. The participation of Irish scientists in these networks also h ALLEA Working Group on Science brings an Irish perspective to European Education policy discussions. The Academy’s international relations work is based on h SAPEA Working Group on Making the belief that scientists and scholars Sense of Science for Policy have a duty to ensure that policymakers and decision-makers have access to the very best academic research and also that h SAPEA Working Group on this research is explained to them in a Transforming the Future of Ageing thorough and accessible manner. Over the course of 2019, our delegates The Royal Irish Academy is currently have represented us in European cities represented in the following groups: such as Berlin, Amsterdam, Brussels, 63 Copenhagen, Helsinki, London, Ljubljana h EASAC Working Group on Ocean and Bern. Circulation As a proud member of these international networks, we publicise all of their h EASAC Working Group on Climate publications on ria.ie and on our Twitter Change and Health feed (@RIAdawson) to our 19.64K followers. These reports are compiled at h EASAC Environment Steering Panel the request of the European Commission’s Science Advice Mechanism and written h EASAC Biosciences Steering Panel by expert working groups composed of academic experts drawn from across the European Union. The reports offer timely, h EASAC Energy Steering Panel evidence-based synthesis of scientific research on policy issues identified by the h ALLEA Permanent Working Group European Commission and provide fresh on Science and Ethics perspectives on the policy questions that our elected representatives look to address. We ensure our stakeholders are up to date on new developments by disseminating these reports networks to key academics, politicians and policymakers, and to the Oireachtas Library & Research Service, which provides information and research services to Ireland’s politicians. ‘EASAC’s report A key part of our dissemination plan is to on ‘Negative hold awareness-raising events at the Royal Emissions Irish Academy. These events, which are presented by experts who contributed to the Technologies’ reports, seek to highlight the relevance of has significantly the research in an Irish context. For example, informed in June 2019 we held a workshop to mark the launch of ‘The imperative of climate Ireland’s stated action to protect human health in Europe’. ambitions Chaired by Mike Jones, MRIA, the Academy’s 64 nominee to EASAC’s Environment Steering to become a Panel, the workshop featured an in-depth competitive, low- presentation from Professor Pat Goodman, the Academy’s contributor to the report, and carbon, climate a discussion with a panel of environmental resilient and and public health experts. In 2020 we will environmentally hold events to highlight SAPEA’s reports on ‘Transforming the Future of Ageing’ and sustainable ‘Making Sense of Science for Policy under economy by Conditions of Complexity and Uncertainty’. 2050.’ These reports can have a significant influence on policy formation in a number of key areas. For example, EASAC’s report on ‘Negative Emissions Technologies’ has significantly informed Ireland’s stated ambitions to become a competitive, low-carbon, climate resilient and environmentally sustainable economy by 2050. Similarly, many of the challenges identified in EASAC’s ‘Food Nutrition and Security’ report are featured in Ireland’s Food Wise 2025, a ten-year plan for the agri-food sector in Ireland. The ALLEA Working Group on Science Education has prepared a survey on Climate Change Education Initiatives in Europe. A statement based on the findings of this survey, which identifies common trends, gaps, strengths and weaknesses in relation to the content and pedagogical approaches to climate education, will be submitted to the European Commission.

Opposite: Maria Baghramian, MRIA and Luke Drury, MRIA, our representatives on the ALLEA working group on Truth, Trust and Expertise. Collaboration at work: Open Science

he announcement by the European and scientific material, allowing more Commission that the principle research from the same data, and mul- of Open Science is to become the tiplying opportunities for domestic and Tmodus operandi of Horizon Europe, fol- global participation in the research process. lowed by the publication of Plan S, major Open Science encompasses all disciplines, work on the FAIR data principles, and the including arts and the humanities, and significant undertaking also includes open educa- of the European Open ‘Open Science tional resources (OER), Science Cloud (EOSC) open educational practices has ensured that Open brings many (OEP) and open pedagogy. Science/Open Research is unknowns and The concept has acquired fast becoming a dominant support from all sectors: global research policy the specifics of governments, funders, 66 focus. It is an umbrella how it will change higher education institu- term that encompasses the research tions and researchers. openness at all stages of the research cycle, from environment, As more funders (including open access to publica- particularly Science Foundation Ireland) tions, through open access sign up to Plan S, it seems to FAIR research data, to within individual that we will soon experi- open peer review and open disciplines, are the ence disruptive change in scientific processes. The subject of much the research system. This rationale for open science has caused some concern is simple: publicly funded discussion.’ as Open Science brings research should be openly many unknowns and the available to the public. Furthermore, specifics of how it will change the research scientific knowledge is a product of social environment, particularly within individ- collaboration and its ownership belongs to ual disciplines, are the subject of much the community. There is also an argument discussion. At present, journal metrics that greater access to scientific inputs and and indicators such as the ‘H-index’ are outputs can improve the efficiency and often used as a proxy for research quality. transparency of the research system by However, existing metrics are biased in reducing duplication costs in collecting, particular directions and fail to account for creating, transferring and reusing data the benefits of open practices to our larger scientific understanding. Many questions briefing on the contents and implications of arise from the reassessment of traditional Plan S. In February, the Academy offered research structures and metrics, such as: a briefing by the European Commission’s How will research be evaluated in the future? FAIR data expert group on the implica- What might replace journal metrics as the tions of the ‘Turning FAIR into Reality’ main indicator for research excellence? report. The ALLEA E-Humanities working How will research evaluation differ between group, chaired by Dr Natalie Harrower, disciplines? the Director of the DRI, is soon to publish It seems clear at this stage that a more open recommendations to Humanities researchers system of research sharing and collabora- for FAIR data management; Dr Harrower tion will challenge how research systems also contributes to the development of currently recognise and reward high quality the EOSC via the Executive Board’s FAIR research. As these changes occur globally, working group. Ireland has a national decision to make: How will we manage and achieve an open science In June 2018, we convened a roundtable environment that supports research? How discussion of the Chairs of our multidisci- will we best connect our research outputs plinary committees to examine the issues with those across Europe and globally? We from a disciplinary perspective and formed a may need a culture change in how we do working group to guide activities in research. It may be that the quest to achieve this area. 67 a more knowledge-based society will mean the focus of the future will be on maintain- In Novemeber 2019, an awareness raising ing research integrity in an open research event and discussion session gave research- environment. ers the opportunity to offer views on how best to implement new research assessment The National Open Research Framework methodologies. The RIA is committed to (NORF), which is jointly governed by the working with NORF to ensure these views Department of Education and Skills and are properly represented. the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation published principles on the transition to open research in July 2019. In late 2019 they announced funding for a role at the Digital Repository of Ireland (DRI), located at the Royal Irish Academy, to develop a National Action Plan. The Academy is currently focused on examining how researchers can be assisted and supported during this period of change. In January 2019, the Academy partnered with the HEA to deliver a community New Members

Paolo Bartoloni is Professor of Liam Alan Italian at the Barry National University Barrett is a full professor in the of Ireland Galway. is Director of the School of Electronic He is a leading Economic and Social Yvonne Engineering at Dublin cultural theorist who Research Institute. City University. He is has made significant Buckley In addition to his is Professor of an international leader contributions many academic Zoology at Trinity in the fields of optical to international papers on issues such College Dublin. She communications and scholarship in the as immigration and has made world- photonic systems. He areas of comparative population ageing, leading advances in holds ten patents in literature, translation he has contributed population ecology, the photonics domain studies, contemporary significantly to with applications in and is co-founder philosophy and Italian economic policy in conservation and 68 of two successful cultural history Ireland. He was a invasive species photonics companies and has written member of the Irish management. She (Southern Photonics extensively on major Fiscal Advisory received an IRC and Pilot Photonics). European intellectual Council and is Laureate award for the He attracted the most figures such as currently a member of project THRIVE to prestigious conference Giorgio Agamben, the Climate Change determine how plant in the optical Martin Heidegger, Advisory Council. He populations persist in communications field to Walter Benjamin, has chaired the annual a changing world. Dublin in 2019. Giuseppe Ungaretti National Economic and Italo Svevo. Dialogue since 2015. New Members Christine Alison Casey William Forrestal is Professor in Crawley is senior lecturer in Architectural History is an award-winning Diarmaid history at National at Trinity College journalist and University of Dublin. Casey’s broadcaster with Ferriter Ireland Galway and scholarship highlights the BBC, presenting is Professor of an authority on the artisans who television and radio Modern Irish pre-revolutionary built and decorated programmes on History at University France and religion. buildings in Dublin current affairs, politics, College Dublin. His Her acclaimed and across Europe. arts, science, religion research focuses on Vincent de Paul, the Her latest book, and ethics. Among the the social, political Lazarist Mission, Making magnificence: many documentaries and cultural history and French Catholic Architects, stuccatori, he has presented of twentieth-century Reform (Oxford and the eighteenth- are the landmark Ireland. The author University Press, century interior (Yale natural history of numerous books, 2017) explains how University Press, series Blueprint (which he is a consistently French Catholic 2017), was awarded now forms part of innovative interpreter reformers dedicated the Alice Davis the Ulster Museum’s of the modern Irish themselves to 69 Hitchcock Medallion permanent natural historical experience. social and spiritual by the Society history exhibition); He is the author of regeneration of Architectural the global thinkers a weekly column in and innovation. Historians of interview series The Irish Times and a She is currently Great Britain, for entitled William familiar presence in investigating how its outstanding Crawley meets; and The the broadcast media achievements in contribution to man who shrank the on historical and France later became a the knowledge of world, an exploration other subjects. platform for Catholic architectural history. of the scientific genius expansion on a of Lord Kelvin. global scale. Alan Irvine is Professor of Dermatology at Trinity College Yuri Moyra Dublin. Alan has Gunko Haslett a long-standing Andrew is Professor of is Professor of research record Fowler Inorganic Chemistry Eighteenth-Century in hereditary skin is a Research in Trinity College and Romantic disease. For more Professor Dublin. He is a Literature at Queen’s than two decades of Applied world-leading University Belfast. he has produced Mathematics at expert in the area of Her many monograph consistently high- the University inorganic materials publications impact basic and of Limerick and chemistry. He has include Pope to clinical research in a senior research developed strong Burney, Scriblerians to epithelial biology and fellow at Corpus links with Irish Bluestockings (Palgrave, genetic skin disease. Christi College, industry and has 2003) and Byron’s Don He holds visiting Oxford. He is best- been responsible Juan (Clarendon Press, professorships to known for his work for important 1997) for which she U Minnesota and in glaciology, in developments was awarded the Rose U Penn, honorary 70 which he is a leading in the teaching Mary Crawshay professorship in international of nanoscience. prize by the British Dundee University figure. He is the Potential applications Academy. She is and is Director of the author of books of his research range currently principal International Eczema on mathematical from solar energy investigator for the Council. He is also modelling and conversion and Irish Song database a scientific advisor on mathematical adhesive technology and general editor for to several charities geoscience, and to imaging of major book projects including the Irish co-author of a biological samples from the university Skin Foundation forthcoming book and nanomedicine. presses of Cambridge and British Skin on chaos. and Oxford. Foundation. Paul Kieran Moynagh McEvoy is Head of the To m is Professor of Law Department of and Transitional Biology and director Lodge Justice and senior is Professor of of the Human Health research fellow Peace and Conflict Fearghal Research Institute at at the Senator Studies and a Dean Maynooth University George J. Mitchell McGarry at the University and has a part-time Institute at Queen’s is Professor of Modern of Limerick. He affiliation as Professor University Belfast. Irish History at has published more of Immunology He is a leading figure Queen’s University than 120 journal in the Institute internationally on Belfast. He has articles and book for Experimental societies transitioning become a distinctive chapters on the Medicine at Queen’s from conflict, most and authoritative contemporary University Belfast. notably on issues such voice in the history political history His research focuses as dealing with the of revolutionary and of South Africa. on delineating the past, human-rights post-revolutionary Among his seven roles of Pellino 71 protections and Ireland, in books that widely cited books proteins in immunity. reparations. He is the have reached both an is the highly He is the recipient of recipient of awards academic audience and influential Black the NUI Centennial from the Economic a wider public. He is politics in South Prize for Academic and Social Research also an active exponent Africa since 1945 Publishing and the Council, the Arts and of public history, at a (Longman, 1983), 2014 Biochemical Humanities Research time when issues of which has shaped Society (IASBS) Council, the British commemoration and thinking on this medal. Academy and the memorialisation are of subject over three Leverhulme Trust. central importance to decades. our society. Dáithí O’Ceallaigh has played major roles both in bilateral and in multilateral Olivia Ivan Valeria diplomacy. He worked O’Leary Perry Nicolosi for many years on is a journalist, is Professor of Public is Professor of British-Irish and broadcaster, public Health and Dean of Nanomaterials and north-south relations, commentator and the School of Public Advanced Microscopy culminating in service writer of international Health at University in Trinity College as Irish ambassador to standing. Her College Cork. He is Dublin. She is an the United Kingdom work—praised for its an epidemiologist expert in high from 2001 to 2007. perceptiveness, literary with an international resolution microscopy As Irish ambassador skill and humour— profile in public health specialising in to the United Nations makes an exceptional nutrition. Since 2008, two-dimensional institutions at contribution to Irish he has been principal nanomaterials and society. She is currently 72 Geneva in 2008, he investigator on the their applications to oversaw negotiation the presenter of ‘The Health Research energy storage. She of the Dublin poetry programme’ on Board’s Centre for has the distinction Convention on RTÉ Radio 1 and is Health and Diet of being the first Cluster Munitions, a regular contributor Research–one of Irish person to hold to ban weapons that to ‘Drivetime’, RTÉ’s Europe’s leading six ERC grants and have a devastating flagship radio evening interdisciplinary has made numerous impact upon civilians news and current affairs centres of excellence presentations in conflict and post- programme. She is the in public health supporting women in conflict regions across recipient of numerous nutrition. science and the work the world. awards and three of the ERC. honorary degrees. Isabel Rowland Torres Michael Stout is Professor of Zaworotko is Professor of Spanish Golden- holds the Bernal Philosophy and Age Literature at Chair of Crystal the Director of Queen’s University Engineering and Catherine the Centre for Ethics Belfast and the an SFI research Stanton in Public Life at outgoing President professorship at is a senior principal University College of the Association the University research officer Dublin. Through of Hispanists of of Limerick. His in Teagasc and a four influential Great Britain and research relates research professor at books and numerous Ireland. She is to the creation University College articles he has an international of new metal- Cork. She has developed a novel corresponding organic and published hundreds conception of human member of the multicomponent of research papers agency, in terms Royal Spanish pharmaceutical on the molecular of a sensitivity Academy, perhaps materials, aimed analysis of food to reason and the the highest form carbon capture, 73 components that norms of rational of recognition water purification impact on human thought, thus for any Hispanist. and better nutrition and establishing She has published medicines. He is health. She is also a himself as one of extensively on a Fellow of the founding principal the most original the poetry of the Royal Society of investigator at the contemporary Spanish Golden Chemistry and the APC Microbiome philosophers of Age, and holds a Learned Society Ireland research action and mind. Queen’s University of Wales. institute. Teaching Award. Honorary Members

Fionnuala Ní Aoláin is a Regents Professor at the University of Minnesota, USA. She is a world-leading scholar and practitioner in the fields of law, political science and public policy, whose expertise has been recognised by, amongst many others, the European Commission, the United Nations Human Rights Council, and the International Criminal Court. Most recently, she co-edited the Oxford Handbook of Gender and Conflict (Oxford University Press, 2018).

John O’Keefe is a Nobel Prize-winning cognitive neuroscientist who has made the pivotal discoveries on which our understanding of the brain’s GPS system is founded. His discovery of ‘place cells’ inaugurated the modern era of the exploration of the brain’s cognitive map. His many other discoveries have indelibly altered our 74 understanding of brain function, with implications extending from patients with dementia to intelligent robotics.

Richard Sharpe is Professor of Diplomatic at Oxford University. A scholar of international repute, he has been awarded many academic distinctions. His work spans several areas: hagiography, Anglo-Norman charters, Medieval Latin, manuscript and print culture. In each of these he is an acknowledged authority. Many of his publications relate to Ireland and he is currently compiling a detailed catalogue of printed works in the Irish language 1571–1871. Bereavements Andrews, John Harwood. MA(Cantab), Gooding, David Willoughby. MA, PhD(Lond), MA, MSc, MLitt(Dubl). FTCD. PhD(Cantab 1952, 1954). Emeritus Retired Professor of Geography, TCD. Professor of Old Testament Greek, QUB. Elected in 1978. Died 15 November 2019. Elected in 1977. Died 30 August 2019.

Atiyah, Michael Francis. FRS, Former Herries Davies, Gordon Leslie. MA(Dubl, President, Royal Society of Edinburgh. Manc), PhD(Dubl). FTCD(Emeritus). Elected in 1979. Died 11 January 2019. Retired Professor of Geography, TCD. Honorary member. Elected in 1979. Died 22 February 2019.

Beierwaltes, Werner Anton Vincenz. Holland, Charles Hepworth. BSc(Manc Promotion Phil., Habilitation, Dr(h.c.) 1950), MA(Dubl 1968), PhD(Lond 1956). Ioannina Bundesverdienstkreuz. Emeritus Emeritus FTCD, Former Professor of Professor of Philosophy, Ludwig Geology and Mineralogy, TCD. Maximilian University of Munich. Elected in 1971. Died 26 December 2019. Elected in 1986. Died 22 February 2019. Jeauneau, Edward. Professor, Pontifical Burke, Philip George. BSc(Lond 1953, Institute of Medieval Studies, University of 75 1956), DSc(hc Exeter, QUB). FRS. Toronto. Emeritus Professor, Department of Applied Elected in 1991. Died 10 December 2019. Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, QUB. Honorary member. Elected in 1974. Died 4 June 2019. O’Donoghue, Brendan. Former Secretary Elgie, Robert. BA(Oxon 1987), PhD(LSE General, Department of the Environment 1992). Professor of Government and and retired Director, National Library of International Studies, DCU. Ireland. Elected in 2017. Died 14 July 2019. Elected in 2001. Died 4 September 2019.

Fitzpatrick, David Patrick Brian. Wright, Barbara. MA, LLB, PhD(Cantab), BA(Melb), PhD(Cantab). Professor of LittD(Dubl). Emerita Professor of French Modern History, TCD. Literature, TCD. On Council and in Office: Elected in 2001. Died 19 February 2019. 1990-91, VP 1991-92, 1998-2000, SVP 2000-01, 2001-02, 2007-2010. Gell-Mann, Murray. BSc (Yale), PhD Elected in 1988. Died 14 December 2019. (MIT). Robert Andrews Millikan Professor Emeritus of Theoretical Physics, California Institute of Technology. Elected in 2003. Died 24 May 2019. Honorary member. Our research projects 76

he Royal Irish Academy currently runs seven academic research Dictionary of projects at the leading edge of scholarship in their respective disciplines. Irish Biography T Terry Clavin These projects and their research outputs give the institution particular academic strengths in Irish history, cartogra- The Royal Irish Academy recently marked phy, digital archives and lexicography. the 10th anniversary of the publication of Academy projects draw on resources in the most comprehensive and authoritative which the Academy Library and its col- biographical dictionary published for lections are exceptionally rich, including Ireland, the Dictionary of Irish Biography Irish language and literature, linguistics, (DIB). Devised, researched, written and the history and culture of Ireland and edited under the auspices of the Royal archaeology. Academy research projects Irish Academy, the DIB was first published publish regularly and play a vibrant role in an online edition and in a nine-volume in academic and public life in Ireland and print edition in 2009, and contained 9,014 across the globe. signed biographical articles of subjects who died prior to 2003. The online version is available to subscribers at dib.cambridge. org and is freely available in most libraries. This educational resource of huge potential is also freely available to use in schools via Scoilnet.

Since 2009 the DIB has published online updates every six months, with online revisions and corrections also being performed biannually. Approximately 80 new biographies are added yearly to the DIB and entries are published at least five years after the subject’s death. Despite the breadth of coverage of the first nine volumes, inevitably some interesting and important figures were omitted; to correct this, ‘missing persons’ biographies overlooked in the original DIB are regularly added to the online dictionary. In 2018 the print editions of volumes 10 and 11 were published, comprising over 600 subjects who died between 2003 and 2010, and 157 missing persons.

The DIB has published 279 ‘missing persons’ as well as 625 biographies of subjects who died during 2003–13. Notable recent biographies include Charles Haughey, Seamus Heaney, Maeve Binchy, John McGahern, regarding well-known events or contexts George Best, Maureen Potter, Gerry Ryan, (i.e., the 1916 Rising, the Northern Ireland Liam Clancy, Ronnie Drew, Joe Dolan, ‘Troubles’, Irish party politics, the influ- Mary Raftery and Conor Cruise O’Brien. ence of the catholic church). DIB articles The 2020 entries will include biographies are broadly chronological, though some- of Garret FitzGerald, Ian Paisley, Albert times a thematic structure is necessary if a Reynolds, Christine Buckley, Lillian Barry subject has parallel careers. and Jackie Healy-Rae. Perhaps the most significant change that As far as possible DIB entries contain has occurred since the first publication comprehensive factual information: of the DIB is the ready availability of details of birth and death, family, edu- historical material online. This potentially cation, significant awards, distinctions makes readers less reliant on the DIB even and promotions. A list of the sources though information online can be erro- used is included at the end to guide neous, garbled and biased. In response to those interested in further research. DIB this challenge the DIB now offers longer, entries are more than mere catalogues of more intensively researched biographical events: rather, they attempt to appraise articles. We can do so thanks to the digi- the circumstances that shaped an individ- tisation of the Irish newspaper archives. 78 ual’s life such as formative influences and During the preparation of the original their physical and social environment. DIB there had not been enough time for That said, for the purposes of brevity a researchers to trawl through the news- certain amount of knowledge is assumed paper archives. However, since then the

Pictured before the lecture marking the ten-year anniversary of the publication of the DIB (l–r) Patrick Geoghegan, chairman of the DIB advisory board; Kate O’Malley, DIB managing editor, Fintan O’Toole, Irish Times; and James Quinn, former DIB managing editor ability to perform accurate word searches in the digital archives of the majority of Dictionary of national and many local newspapers has made the Irish print media a most import- Medieval Latin ant source for our research. Moreover, most of the careers of the post-2009 DIB from Celtic entries fall within the final decades of Sources the 20th century, a period when the Irish Anthony Harvey newspaper sector expanded the range and sophistication of its coverage, and in doing The principle objective of the Dictionary so became a richer and more useful source of Medieval Latin from Celtic Sources for historians. (DMLCS) project is to compile an authoritative, documented guide to the meaning The DIB is now entering a new phase. and usage of all the unusual words found The Academy plans to make the entire in Latin texts written during the Middle Dictionary freely available online, making Ages by Celtic (mostly Irish) authors, or by the DIB a national resource that the Celts abroad. There are many thousands of general public can enjoy while also allowing such words: some of them went on to be students of history at all levels and ages borrowed into other languages, eventually to view it anywhere and anytime. A more 79 giving even such everyday terms as English dynamic online presence will allow the DIB ‘flavour’ and ‘totally’. Other Celtic-Latin team to repurpose some of the biographical coinings were abstruse from the start. entries into themed collections and resource packages that can support specific aspects Understanding them adequately is essential of the school curriculum. The late Seamus for the comprehension of each of the hun- Heaney, when launching the hard copy dreds of texts involved, yet this vocabulary volumes in 2009 said, the project ‘presents is not to be found in any standard Latin dic- us with a resource of enormous impor- tionary. In determining the etymologies and tance, not only for professional students meanings of these words systematically for and scholars, but for every literate person the first time so as to fill this gap, as well as on the island, it is an epoch-making event in tracking their use geographically and across the history of Irish scholarship.’ The next a thousand years of history. The project stage in the project is to make this resource contributes to the Academy’s strategic goal open access and available to all. Any why of serving the public good by conducting not? It provides us with a unique history of fundamental research that aims to be both our island, not through the prism of events innovative and definitive. and potential biased agendas, but through its people, warts and all. As the project’s digital archive of texts is built up, and the dictionary is compiled, and familiarity with the material is developed, it becomes increasingly possible to conduct over-arching reviews of the Celtic-Latin phe- nomenon that have some claim to objectivity. In recent years this has rendered possible, for the first time, substantiated comparisons of Hiberno-Latin with the Latin of Wales; detailed analyses of the Latin usages of particular authors (such as abbot Adomnán of Iona and the self-styled Virgilius Maro Sweden, Romania, the various communities Grammaticus) or places (such as the Isle of of Spain, and so on). At the same time, in Man); surveys of the French influence on basing its lexicography on a digitally search- Celtic-Latin texts written after the Norman able corpus of its sources, DMLCS is one of invasions; detection and description of the a group of ventures using similar methods various logical methods used in seventh-cen- to compile dictionaries of the various his- tury Ireland to coin new Latin words; the torical and minoritized languages other than development of a taxonomy of the different Latin that have been employed by Celtic kinds of ghostwords; assessments of Celtic- authors. These ventures are working increas- Latin technical terminology, and so on. ingly closely together and by now include 80 Often prompted by invitations to DMLCS Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru (the national dic- staff to speak at various conferences, these tionary of the Welsh language) and Faclair Academy contributions to learning go on na Gàidhlig (the Scottish universities’ dictio- to be further disseminated by publication in nary of the Gaelic of that country), as well peer-reviewed journals and anthologies. The as the Academy’s own FNG project (working project thus helps to fulfil another of the on modern Irish, as reported elsewhere in institution’s strategic goals, a bibliography this publication) and eDIL (the digitised new of the offerings in question being available edition of the Academy’s original dictionary on the website at ria.ie. of pre-modern Irish).

In compiling a territorially-defined dictio- Both the Latin and the Celtic ventures all nary of medieval Latin, DMLCS takes its either commenced in the pre-digital age place as one of a family of projects being or else were founded after DMLCS; as the conducted across Europe with parallel longest established dictionary project in objectives. Conceived under the auspices of either category to have been computer-based the Union académique internationale, these from the start, DMLCS often finds itself in projects together provide lexicographical a position to give advice to the others. By treatment of medieval Latin texts from such involvement in external engagement most of the areas where such works were and leadership, DMLCS contributes to the composed (England, the German-speaking strategic goal of strengthening international countries, Italy, the Czech lands, Poland, recognition of the Academy’s scholarship. line with the FAIR principles (findable, Digital Repository accessible, interoperable and reusable) via its searchable, open access portal at dri.ie. of Ireland To deposit data in DRI, institutions join Natalie Harrower as members; by the end of 2019, DRI had nineteen members with diverse collections The Digital Repository of Ireland (DRI) from across Ireland. Headquartered at provides long term preservation and sus- the Royal Irish Academy, the DRI also tained access to digital data from Ireland’s has staff at Trinity College Dublin and higher education and cultural sectors, Maynooth University. with digital collections and research data spanning the social sciences, humanities Alongside the provision of data preserva- and arts. As well as preserving a wealth tion and publication services, DRI operates of data, DRI makes this data available in as a community hub for best practices in digital preservation and data discovery, as well as a go-to centre for training, research, policy development and advocacy in a range of areas dealing with data governance and digital archiving. We offer a range of training activities and knowl- 81 edge-building events, as well as a yearly forum to update members on new and planned developments, and to provide an opportunity for community exchange. In September, DRI launched a collaborative lecture series with the National Archives of Ireland, with an inaugural invited lecture on personal digital archiving.

In 2019 DRI announced its first Community Archive Scheme, where a low or unfunded archive is awarded DRI membership and support services for a year, in order to preserve and promote an important collection. The scheme was established to actively diversify DRI’s collections, open the repository to smaller organisations and community efforts, and give DPASSH 2019 in Queen’s University belfast (l–r): Dr Kathryn Cassidy; Dr Deborah Thorpe; Dr Natalie voice to archival material that enriches Harrower; Timea Biro; Dr Aileen O’Carroll and Kevin Long. our social and cultural understanding of Jacob’s Biscuit Factory Archive This collection comprises photographs, photographic albums and slides. The images date from the late 19th cenutry to the early 21st century. The photographs reflect the company's history as a major employer in Dublin city, and in Liverpool, and as a global exporter of biscuits. Images are reproduced with courtesy of Valeo Foods and Dublin City Library and Archive. CC-BY-NC-ND.

Visit dri.ie to view the collection.

82 Above: female employees operating a drawplate oven which is loaded with trays of biscuits. Left: male employees making cases. Below: a Jacob’s delivery van loaded with cases. A number of different locations are printed on the cases including; Singapore, Ireland, and Mombasa. Ireland. The first winner of this scheme In August 2019, DRI marked the ingest was the Cork LGBT Archive, which of its 50th collection with a social worked with DRI staff to publish a rich media campaign that put a spotlight on and engaging collection in October 2019. each of these collections. By the end By focusing on Cork’s LGBT community of the year, a further nine collections these collections mark the social change have been ingested, with several others that has taken place in Cork, and more underway. Notable among these collec- broadly in Ireland, and are a celebration tions is Monaghan County Council’s of local and grassroots activism. The call collection ‘Border Roads to Memories for applicants was opened for a second and Reconciliation’, which includes oral round, and the 2020 winner is the Asylum histories of people living and working on Archive, which documents the direct the border. In addition, DRI has been col- provision system in Ireland since 2007. lecting its own oral histories through ‘The Atlantic Philanthropies Archives Project,’ An important element of DRI’s work is a partnership with Cornell University promotion of the collections that are being archives to create digital exhibitions of preserved in the repository. In late 2018 projects funded by Atlantic in Ireland, we launched the DRI Early through the curation of 83 Career Research Award, to ‘An important Atlantic business records, encourage postgraduate stu- new oral histories that speak dents working in the field of element of DRI’s to the projects, and expert Arts, Humanities and Social work is promotion commentary. This project has Sciences to use DRI col- helped us to develop exper- lections for their research. of the collections tise in archival exchange and The award provides a that are being interoperability, business bursary for the best use preserved in the records archiving, and of DRI data or collections around interview consent and in Masters or PhD work. repository.’ transcription. The inaugural award was made in September 2019 to archaeologist DRI is also developing methods of col- Jennifer McCarthy, whose extensive use of lecting digital ephemera from complex the archaeology reports in the Transport sources. The ‘In Her Shoes’ collection is Infrastructure Ireland Digital Heritage col- a pioneering collection of born digital lections allowed her to reinterpret aspects material that has been gathered, but not of a Middle to Late Bronze Age settlement yet published. The collection records the site at Youghal, Co. Cork. posts from a Facebook Group that cam- paigned in the lead-up to the Referendum on the 8th Amendment. The collection Work with the RDA underpins DRI’s is significant on two fronts. First, the strategic commitment to supporting Open content provides us with a large dataset Science/Open Research, particularly in from a reproductive health movement and terms of research data management. allows us to develop best practice around Throughout 2019, DRI continued to the ethics of cataloguing and preserving expand its expertise in this area, and con- such material. Second, it provides us with tribute to international initiatives. DRI’s a technical and archival challenge, devel- director serves on the National Open oping workflows for extracting archival Research Forum, the National Archives packages from social media posts, which Advisory Council, and the Executive are short, ephemeral, and nebulous in Board of the EOSC (European Open nature. Science Cloud) via the FAIR working group. In December DRI partnered with DRI is active in a number of interna- Queen’s University Belfast to host the tional associations, including the All Biennial Conference DPASSH (Digital European Academies (ALLEA) via the Preservation in the Arts Social Sciences E-Humanities working group, which is and Humanities). The theme was ‘Practical chaired by DRI’s Director, Dr Natalie Approaches to Open Science in the Arts Harrower. In 2019, the working group Social Sciences and Humanities (ASSH)’ 84 held an open consultation on draft recom- and it brought together experts from mendations for Humanities researchers across Ireland and the UK to tackle the to create FAIR research data; the consul- challenges of implementing the Open tation received over 200 comments and Science agenda for ASSH: www.dpassh.org the final publication will be released in February 2020. See www.allea.org. DRI is DRI is jointly funded by the Higher also heavily involved in the Research Data Education Authority and the Irish Alliance, a grassroots alliance of working Research Council, via a core operat- groups supported by national funders ing grant from the Department of from around the world that emerge to Education and Skills. DRI also received address specific challenges in the sharing project funding in 2019 from the of research data. In 2019, DRI continued Atlantic Philanthropies, the European as a partner in European Commission Commission’s Horizon 2020 programme, Horizon 2020-funded Research Data the Insight Centre for Data Analytics, and Alliance Europe project, supporting the Connecting Europe Facility for the researcher involvement, dissemination of Europeana Common Culture project. Research Data Alliance (RDA) outputs, and the growth of RDA’s impact. Photo by Mark Stedman . Photo by

85 Documents on Irish Foreign Policy John Gibney

L-R: Tánaiste and Minister 2019 proved to a busy year for Documents on Irish Foreign for Foreign Affairs and Trade Policy (DIFP), with numerous projects involving collabora- Simon Coveney, TD; Dr John Gibney, assistant tions with colleagues inside and outside the RIA. In January editor, DIFP; Dr Kate 2019 DIFP expanded with the addition of a third permanent O’Malley, managing editor, DIB; Dr Michael Kennedy, member of staff, and officially commenced the research and Executive Editor, DIFP; Niall production cycle for DIFP XII, covering the years 1961–65 Burgess, Secretary General, and due for publication in November 2020. Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade; Peter Kennedy, PRIA. 2019 marks the centenary of the establishment of the Irish foreign service, as the modern Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). It had its origins in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs established as one of the first four government departments of the first Dáil in January 1919 (Ireland has the unusual distinction of having material from archives and libraries in Opposite: Emily Coll of the UN had a foreign policy and a diplomatic Ireland, the UK, the USA and across Department of service before there was an interna- continental Europe, not to mention Public Information tionally recognised independent Irish a range of material in private hands Visitor Services (who was originally from state). In 2017 DIFP was commis- that was generously made available Bruree, Co. Limerick) sioned by DFAT to produce a lavishly by many current and former diplo- briefs a group of visitors to the UN illustrated centenary history of mats. The book itself contains c. 230 in New York, 16 Irish foreign policy from 1919 to the images that were whittled down from October 1958. Taken present. The resulting book Ireland: a an initial selection of over 1000 and from Ireland: a voice among the nations. voice among the nations, written by John marks an unprecedented co-operative Gibney, Michael Kennedy and Kate venture between DIFP and RIA O’Malley was published in October Publications. 2019, and was launched in Academy House on 27 November by Tánaiste DIFP is a partnership project between and Minister for Foreign Affairs and the RIA, DFAT and the National Trade, Mr Simon Coveney, TD. Archives of Ireland (NAI). The regular DIFP series publishes selected The book is the latest of a number documents related to Irish foreign of ancillary projects undertaken by policy, the majority of which are held 86 DIFP in recent years and was con- in the collections of the NAI (which is ceived of as a history of Irish foreign where the project is actually housed). policy, rather than as an institutional In 2019 DIFP also embarked on a new history of the department itself and is collaboration with the NAI’s newly intended to explore, in a broad sense, established education and outreach how a small state like Ireland has unit. To mark the centenary year of related to the wider world, by examin- the foundation of Ireland’s diplomatic ing how Irish diplomats and politicians service, DIFP has been co-curating responded to the challenges presented a series of monthly mini-exhibitions by the upheavals of the twentieth throughout 2019 in the National century and beyond. It is also a Archives relating to the history of companion volume to the regular Irish foreign policy and DFAT itself. DIFP series. By its nature, however, Subjects covered to date have included visual material—photographs, images, the first Dáil’s diplomatic service in ephemera—are not published in the revolutionary period; St Patrick’s the regular volumes of documents. Day in Nigeria in 1962; Ireland’s The centenary volume offered an accession to the League of Nations opportunity to create a visual history in 1923; the history of Iveagh House, of Ireland’s foreign relations, using which has been the home of DFAT

Minister for Industry and Commerce Patrick McGilligan also became Minister for External Affairs after the assassination of Kevin O’Higgins. It was feared that External Affairs would be downgraded, but McGilligan, an international lawyer by training, reinvigorated Ireland’s approach to the League of Nations. He oversaw the first expansion of Ireland’s diplomatic service, opening missions at the Vatican, Paris and Berlin in 1929, and Ireland’s successful election to the Council of the League of Nations in 1930. His years in office also saw the successful negotiation of a number of trade treaties, including with France. The cartoon depicts McGilligan and French minister to Ireland M. Charles Alphand. Taken from Ireland: a voice among the nations. and its predecessors since 1941; held in the UCD collections meteorological assistance given is comprehensive enough to to the Allies during the Second make it possible to chart the World War; Irish aid relief development of Ireland’s con- in Europe after the Second stitutional relations from 1919 ‘The range of the World War; the outbreak of to 1949. DIFP has published the Troubles in August 1969; material from these collections archival material the outbreak of the Second since the first volume in the held in the UCD World War in September 1939; series was released in 1998. collections is the Chernobyl disaster; and These collections contain Ireland’s membership of the photographs, manuscripts and comprehensive United Nations. Each exhibit personal effects that would enough to make it was on display in the lobby not normally be published as of the NAI before rotating to part of the DIFP series. In possible to chart be displayed outside the NAI the course of researching our the development reading room for another two ‘Ireland: a voice among the months. nations’ far more material than of Ireland’s could be used for the centenary constitutional The centenary project also pro- book was uncovered. Therefore, 89 relations duced another offshoot, in the given that the material had form of an online Google Arts been identified, we proposed from 1919 to and Culture exhibition curated this online collaboration with 1949. DIFP by DIFP and UCD Archives, UCD Archives to showcase titled ‘Republic to Republic: it in public. An online exhi- has published Ireland’s international sover- bition was launched on 18 material from eignty, 1919-1949’. While the April 2019 as part of the NAI houses the major institu- RIA symposium marking the these collections tional collections of relevance seventieth anniversary of the since the first to DIFP, UCD Archives is declaration of the Republic volume in the the leading repository in the and Ireland’s departure from state for the personal papers the Commonwealth. A printed series was of many of the key politicians booklet cataloguing the released in and diplomats involved in exhibition also proved a great shaping independent Ireland’s success, and the exhibition 1998.’ foreign policy (such as W.T. was launched with an online Cosgrave, Kevin O’Higgins, campaign in conjunction with Eamon de Valera, Frank colleagues from the Dictionary Aiken, and many others). The of Irish Biography. range of the archival material of some key developments. The Foclóir Galláin an Stairiúil na Gaeilge project has reached the end of a five-year plan of activity Fhoclóra: which began in 2015, a plan agreed and part-funded by the Academy’s partner in Reflections on the Foclóir project, the Department of our progress on Culture, Heritage and Gaeltacht. It has consequently been a busy year of effort to Foclóir Stairiúil deliver on the final milestones envisaged in the plan, but also one of reflection na Gaeilge on the progress made and on the future Charles Dillon needs and objectives of this national linguistic project. In addition, eDIL, the Milestones and landmarks are critically 16-year project of retro-digitisation of the important in long-term research work; Academy’s Dictionary of the Irish Language they give dedicated researchers the added came to an end in August 2019, having incentive of working towards short- provided an invaluable resource which, er-term goals, and they afford funders, with the Irish Script on Screen project, has supporters and the wider Academy the revolutionised scholarly approaches to the opportunity to appreciate the value of study of Old and Middle Irish. The ancil- 90 the research work as it proceeds to the lary RIA publication, A history of Ireland in ultimate aim. Such milestones are partic- 100 words, which was published in October ularly invaluable when the research work 2019 is a fitting testament to the novelty involves dictionary production, which of approach and discovery which eDIL has takes time—consider that it was in 1907 enabled; it takes a quirky look at the vocab- that the great Celtic scholar Kuno Meyer ulary of the early language, and uses it to stated our objective for us: ‘a compre- afford a glimpse of the social and cultural hensive and as far as possible, exhaustive history of medieval Ireland, while assess- dictionary of the Irish language’. There ing also its resonances in the language as have been many milestones along our path, spoken and written in our own time. from the publication of the letter D by Carl Marstrander in 1913, and the arrival of the second contribution in 1932, to the Project milestones reached completion in 1975 of the Dictionary of the This year the FNG team completed our Irish Language covering most of Old and digital collection of Irish texts to the Middle Irish (i.e. pre-1650). year 1958, the year which saw the stan- dardisation of the spelling of the Irish language. The completion of the corpus A landmark year to this watershed date means we now In this context, 2019 has been a landmark have a digital databank of Irish which year for lexicographical research in the amounts to over 5000 texts and 60 million Academy, and has seen the realisation words. Therefore, the foundation for our Foclóir Stairiúil na Gaeilge team (Colm Ó Cuaig, Deirdre D’Auria and Charles Dillon) with Government Chief Whip and Minister of State for Gaeilge, Gaeltacht and the Islands, Mr Seán Kyne, TD. historical dictionary is progressing very successes and achievements recently made. well towards completion, with work now The period to 2025 will see two major gathering pace as the spelling within texts landmarks reached, namely the completion becomes standardised and the quality of of the digital corpus of Irish (containing texts more legible by our scanners and 90 million words), and the beginning of processors. In tandem, work has begun on the process of creating dictionary entries. the design of what will be our dictionary The major task to be initiated is to add an entries, with key decisions taken by the oral Irish component to our digital founda- 91 editorial board on definitions, on meta-lan- tion, so that we can draw on oral sources guage and on presentation allowing us to to complete the evidential picture for progress into making use of our corpus to language use. This will be a central plank shape and formulate the entries which will of our work over the next three years. comprise Foclóir Stairiúil na Gaeilge. Customised dictionary-writing software will be procured, and work will begin on As a supplement to this digitisation and producing the dictionary proper, based on lexicographical work, over 19 million our well-laid foundations. There will follow words of text were made freely searchable a substantial shift in the activity of the and readable online in Autumn 2017, in project, as attention turns away from digi- addition to the release online, in Spring tisation and corpus production, towards 2016, of 19 editions (1882–1909) of lexicography and dictionary production. Irisleabhar na Gaedhilge / The Gaelic Journal, to mark the centenary of the A New Funding Agreement Easter Rising. Our funding partner, the Department of Culture, Heritage and Gaeltacht has joined Next steps us in our ambition for the next stages of There has also been the need, of course, the Foclóir Stairiúil na Gaeilge project, and to plan for the next phase of the project’s have committed, in a deeper partnership, development, which will build on the to an increased level of funding for the life of our next five-year plan. Our mile- Language 2010–2030. We look forward stones are now theirs, as our work forms to our continued partnership with the part of pledges made by the Department Department in delivering the ambitious and in both their Action Plan 2018–2022 and challenging goals outlined in our five-year in the broader 20-year Strategy for the Irish plan.

mbliana, tháinig deireadh le plean maidir le sainmhínithe agus le cruth na oibre cúig bliana ag Foclóir Stairiúil na hiontrála, rud a chuirfidh ar ár gcumas na I Gaeilge, a comhaontaíodh i 2015 leis an hiontrálacha a dhréachtú ón gcorpas atá Roinn Cultúir, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta, réitithe againn don Fhoclóir Stairiúil. atá mar chomhpháirtí ag Acadamh Ríoga na hÉireann sa tionscadal taighde náisiúnta Tá an gá ann freisin, ar ndóigh, dearcadh seo. Is bliain ghnóthach a bhí ann, mar sin, chun cinn agus pleanáil leis an tionscadal a agus sinn ag iarraidh bailchríoch a chur ar fhorbairt agus tógáil ar an méid atá bainte na cuspóirí a bhí le soláthar faoin bplean, ach amach cheana. Sa tréimhse seo chugainn a san am céanna bhí deis ann ár machnamh a fhad le 2025, bainfear amach dhá chuspóir dhéanamh ar an dul chun cinn atá déanta, mhóra de chuid an tionscadail, mar atá an 92 agus ar na riachtanais agus na cuspóirí a corpas digiteach Gaeilge a chríochnú (90 bheidh ann feasta leis an tionscadal a fhor- milliún focal), agus tús a chur le scríobh an bairt mar is oiriúnach. fhoclóra féin. Tá gné mhór amháin den obair sin le tionscnamh – an teanga labhartha a Tá corpas digiteach na Gaeilge anois chur san áireamh sa dúshraith theicniúil, críochnaithe chomh fada leis an mbliain sa chaoi go mbeimid in ann tarraingt ar 1958, an bhliain a cuireadh an caighdeán i fhoinsí labhartha mar fhianaise ar úsáid na bhfeidhm ar litriú na Gaeilge. Ó cuireadh an Gaeilge. Beidh sé seo ina ghné lárnach dár méid seo i gcrích a fhad le 1958, tá bunachar gcuid oibre sna trí bliana atá le teacht. Tá an Gaeilge scríofa againn anois ina bhfuil breis dúshlán romhainn freisin an ghníomhaíocht agus 5000 téacs agus os cionn 60 milliún a aistriú ón digitiú agus tógáil corpais go dtí focal Gaeilge. Mar sin, ní heagal a rá go an fhoclóireacht agus an scríobh foclóra. bhfuil an dúshraith don Fhoclóir Stairiúil ar shéala a bheith iomlán forbartha, agus tá Bhí gliondar orainn gur fhógair an Príomh- luas nua ag teacht faoin obair anois óir tá Aoire agus Aire Stáit sa Roinn Cultúir, litriú caighdeánach i gceist sna téacsanna Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta, Seán Kyne TD agus is fusa iad a phróiseáil dá réir. In go raibh an Roinn sásta lenár bplean uaill- éineacht leis sin, tá an obair tosaithe ar mhianach don tionscnamh oiread agus gur iontrálacha don fhoclóir; tá cinntí tábhachta- gheall sé maoiniú €920k don Acadamh thar cha déanta ag an mBord Eagarthóireachta, an tréimhse cúig bliana atá romhainn amach. For most, a first encounter with the Irish From plots to Historic Towns Atlas (IHTA) will involve delving into one of the published ‘fasci- press and beyond: cles’, either in print or online. Each one is a year of Irish devoted to a particular Irish town or city and presents a range of maps and illus- Historic Towns trations with an accompanying text. The initial experience may range from provid- Atlas research, ing the answer to an historical question to triggering a sense of wonderment about production and a place. When browsing Dublin, part III, co-operation 1756 to 1847, Roddy Doyle found the ‘urge Sarah Gearty to write was strong’, recognising the value

Boys swimming in one of the town’s mill races — details from the mid-seventeenth-century pictorial map of Galway (Trinity College, Dublin, MS 1209/73), revealed in the book Renaissance Galway (extract 7 ‘A bountiful hinterland’). of the published atlas as a starting point of Galway 2020 (European Capital of for further study and as an impetus for Culture). It was launched in the US at the new ideas. Galway-focused 2019 Milwaukee Irish Fest (15–18 August 2019) with a lecture and Some of this momentum is harnessed exhibition available to the 120,000 visitors. by the IHTA project via public seminars, Meanwhile the book prompted further exhibitions, online resources and ancillary interrogation into aspects of language, publications, which are based on the atlas architecture and cartography at a seminar series (numbers 1–29). Renaissance Galway: on the pictorial map hosted by the Moore delineating the seventeenth-century city was Institute, National University of Ireland released in September 2019 and builds on Galway on 10 October 2019. research initiated for IHTA, no. 28, Galway/Gaillimh by Jacinta Prunty and Though the subject of each IHTA is in Paul Walsh (2016). The subject of the essence local, key maps at standard scales book is the remarkable and vast ‘pictorial and the thematic layout of the gazetteer map’ of Galway from the mid-seventeenth (Topographical Information) are aimed at century, which was intended as a wall facilitating comparison of towns nation- hanging. Only two copies of the original ally and internationally. An annual seminar printed map have survived, and it is the held in the Royal Irish Academy, convened 94 well-preserved version from Trinity in recent years in association with the College Dublin manuscripts department British Historic Towns Atlas, explores the that is reproduced in thirty-eight extracts broader aspects of urban form and society. in Renaissance Galway with commentaries Ports—with their unique topography and by author Paul Walsh. Renaissance Galway identity as gateways—were the subject of was produced by the IHTA team and sup- the 2019 seminar (16–17 May 2019) with ported by Galway City Council in advance case studies presented from Glasgow, Hull, Drogheda, Belfast and Dublin. The event Engraving of the Boyne Viaduct by Laurence Fagan, c. 1865, was supported by Dublin Port Company is one of the many items reproduced from the Municipal Art and featured a trip to the present-day port Collection in the Highlanes Gallery, Drogheda. complex for a public lecture and tour. Just as the publication of investigations brought the ‘Broad in scope each atlas offers the wider author right down to plot but forensic world a new way of seeing level, where the form and in detail, that town, it also marks the function of each individual investigations end of a long and energetic building contributes to brought the author phase of research, editing and understanding the overall right down to cartography. The most recent topography of the town. plot level, where atlas—no. 29, Drogheda/ Dates of construction and Droichead Átha—was pub- dilapidation and details of the form and lished in May 2019 and purpose and ownership were function of each represents about ten years collected from cartographical individual building of committed work by the and documentary sources and contributes to author, honorary editors and systematically recorded in understanding the editorial team in the Royal the gazetteer, where each site overall topography Irish Academy. Author Ned was refined and categorised of the town.’ Mc Hugh is a retired second- with intensive editorial input ary school teacher with a long following IHTA methods. association with Drogheda. Although he had worked and Understanding the evolution published on many aspects of of Drogheda was aided 95 the eighteenth- and nine- by the many early maps, teenth-century town, research topographical illustrations for the IHTA required an and photographs that have unprecedented trawl of the survived. These are held in sources noting particulars of various repositories across urban sites from the origins Ireland and the UK and are of the town in the twelfth brought together as reproduc- century up to 1900. Broad in tions in the atlas. This process scope but forensic in detail, involved particularly tricky photography in the case of Drogheda, of the year pouring over printers’ drafts. where capturing images of maps by Publication represents a significant Robert Newcomen (1657) and Taylor and milestone in the IHTA catalogue and in Skinner (1778) each 1 x 1.5 metre in size the town of Drogheda itself, where the and Willem Van der Hagen’s painting of atlas was officially launched on 14 May the town from c. 1720, which survives 2019. Behind the scenes authors were directly on the plasterwork high above the busy researching their chosen towns 96 fireplace in the entrance hall to Beaulieu for future atlas publications on Arklow, House, required several efforts and partic- Ballyshannon, Carlow, Cavan, New ular Thematic and topographical maps are Ross, Tralee, Tullamore, Waterford and created especially for each atlas. Standard Westport. Dungarvan and Cork were the maps at specific scales are produced with focus of production in the later part of the help of Ordnance Survey Ireland and the year; with Rathmines also reaching facilitate comparison of towns across ‘final draft’ stage in the ancillary series Ireland and elsewhere in Europe. The main on Dublin suburbs, which also includes map (Map 2) depicts each individual plot in Drumcondra, Kilmainham/Inchicore and the town in the mid-nineteenth century. For Ringsend/Irishtown, with no. 1 Clontarf Drogheda this was created fully in-house having been published in 2018. for the first-time using ArcGIS (propri- etary Geographical Information Systems An early copy of Drogheda was presented software from ESRI). The methodology to President Michael D. Higgins in Áras was developed over a number of years and an Uachtaráin in April 2019. He noted the offers a prototype for digitally mapping value of the atlas as a tool for education historic towns that will continue beyond and tourism, emphasising that ‘for heritage the static map presented in Drogheda. to arrive, history must come first’ and remarking on the co-operation implicit in Drogheda went to press in January 2019 the IHTA enterprise, which involves at and the IHTA team spent the early part its core editors, staff and authors drawn Opposite: view of Drogheda, looking north east c. 1720 by Willem Van der Hagen (Beaulieu House, Co. Louth).

Launch of Renaissance Galway: delineating the seventeenth-century city (l–r): Jacinta Prunty, IHTA/ MU; Gary McMahon, Galway City Council; Jane Conroy, MRIA, NUIG; Denis Lyons, Deputy Mayor, Galway City Council; Paul Walsh (author); Eithne Verling, Director, Galway City Museum; Sarah Gearty, Photograph Aengus McMahon by IHTA; Jennifer Moore, IHTA. from a variety of institutions, disciplines organised for Heritage 2030. Within and backgrounds and stretches from education, student workshops were held the local to the international. Much of in the Waterford Institute of Technology this contribution is done in a voluntary and the IHTA ran a six-week studentship capacity—editors and authors receive no scheme with Maynooth University History payment for their work and time. Local Department (SPUR) during the summer. authorities offer their support via their The annual meeting of the International 97 Heritage/Conservation officers, City and Commission for the History of Towns County Archivist and Librarians who act allows for the opportunity to discuss and as contact points around the country and showcase work on Irish towns alongside through financial backing: Dublin City their counterparts overseas. In September Council, Galway City Council and Louth IHTA colleagues joined representatives County Council provided grants in 2019. from twenty countries in celebrating fifty The Highlanes Gallery and Millmount years of historic town atlas publication Museum, Drogheda; Galway City Museum; in Europe with a workshop dedicated to the Registry of Deeds, Dublin; Linen Hall planning the next fifty years of the atlas Library, Belfast offered suitable venues endeavour. Irish towns, with a dedicated and hospitality for lectures, launches and atlas project and their own particular exhibitions related to the atlas during heritage, will continue to be part of that the year. ‘Behind the maps’ workshops evolving story at home and abroad. were run in the Royal Irish Academy as part of the Dublin Festival of History in Visit ihta.ie for the latest October. Nationally, the IHTA was just one of many partners taking a collaborative publications, related events and approach in the Heritage Council’s town free access to digital editions of centre workshops in Ballina and Dundalk the IHTA series. and the various consultation forums New Survey of Clare Island Jonathan Dykes

2019 was not only the 110th anniversary Feehan distils the results of those two of Irish naturalist Robert Lloyd Praeger’s important surveys to shine a spotlight ambitious survey of the natural history on the richness of life surviving on Clare and cultural heritage of Clare Island; the Island, covering, among other things, the year also marked the 20th anniversary of geology and geomorphology of the island; the publication of the first volume of the the soil types deposited on the island after Royal Irish Academy’s New Survey of the Ice Age; terrestrial flora and fauna Clare Island. Fortuitously, 2019 was also as well as freshwater flora and fauna; the the year that the Academy published island’s archaeology and early history and Clare Island by John Feehan, who, in his the progress of agriculture over time. preface explains: The author interweaves the natural and cultural heritage of the island and shares ‘Many of the volumes of the his wider ecological knowledge to help us understand the role each species plays in 98 New Survey are targeted at the life of the island. In doing so, he looks a specialised readership and not only to the past and present of Clare are not readily accessible to Island’s natural and cultural heritage, but the general reader, on which to its future, and in particular to the future of farming on the island. account it was felt that a less technical ‘composite’ volume In December 2019 John Feehan, NSCI would be useful, this book series editor Martin Steer, MRIA and Academy staff travelled to Clare Island being the result.’ to present complimentary copies of Clare Island to the island residents. This initiative was supported by Mayo County Council.

New Survey of Clare Island, Volume 9: Birds, will be published in the summer of 2020.

Opposite and left: images from Clare Island by John Feehan ‘Few places on Earth, and none elsewhere in Ireland, have yielded such a concentrated inventory of knowledge about the natural world.’ Michael Viney – foreword to Clare Island Library LibrarySiobhán Fitzpatrick

Re-imagining Bard of Erin, Thomas Moore 101

his fascinating exhibition commemorating the 240th anniversary of Moore’s birth on 28 May 1779, was curated by Dr McCleave, Queen’s University TBelfast. It explored Moore the writer and poet and especially ‘Thomas Moore Moore’s success as an Irish writer with an international is an originary reputation in positioning Ireland within Europe via cultural exchange. Drawing mainly on Moore’s own library— and formative donated to the Academy by his widow in 1855—and the presence in the ERIN (Europe’s Reception of the Irish Melodies and National airs) electronic resource, a Horizon 2020-funded development of Queen’s University Belfast project, the exhibition was European music launched by Harry White, MRIA on 20 June. The receptive audience were also treated to a short recital of Irish melodies and letters in by Feis Ceoil prize-winner, Stephen Walker. the first half of the nineteenth The exhibition explored the range of Moore’s reading and research on Islam, the Koran and the east, then in vogue century’ across Europe, and the reach of Lalla Rookh, his bestselling Harry White, MRIA 1817 poem, which was published in mul- copy — Lalla Roûkh: divertissement mêlé de tiple London and American editions and chants et de danses, executé au Château Royal translated into Romance, Scandinavian de Berlin le 27 janvier 1822 [sic] pendant and Slav languages as le séjour de … Msgr. Le well as Arabic. Readers Grand-Duc Nicolas et throughout Europe and ‘Readers throughout Mad. La Grande-Duchesse beyond were enthralled Europe and beyond Alexandra Féodorowna by the adventures of were enthralled by the … — records a musical Indian princess Lalla production of the poem Rookh journeying to adventures of Indian at the court of King marry a Kashmiri king. princess Lalla Rookh Wilhelm III of Prussia En route she meets a journeying to marry on the occasion of the minstrel, Feramorz, who a Kashmiri king. visit of his daugh- accompanies her on her ter, Grand Duchess journey. She falls in love En route she meets a Alexandra Feodorovna with Feramorz who is, of minstrel, Feramorz, who and her husband Grand course, her betrothed in accompanies her on her Duke Nicolas of Russia disguise! (later Tsar Nicolas I). journey. She falls in love The lavish tableau vivant, The tale within the with Feramorz who is, in which the Royal guests 102 narrative of the Peri of course, her betrothed and courtiers took part, (a Persian spirit denied in disguise!’ before an audience of entry to heaven who 3,000, was directed and has to complete three choreographed by Count quests in order to earn a place in Paradise), Carl von Bruhl (1772–1837), whilst the gave rise to many musical interpretations, music was directed by Gaspare Spontini including Robert Schumann’s oratorio, ‘Das Paradies und die Peri’ (1843).

By a stroke of good luck, a rare copy of the poem, published in French at Berlin (1822), came on the market in June 2019. This (1774–1851), Kapelmeister to the court. funding perhaps, as the late Seamus Heaney, News of the amazing performance spread MRIA, was a lifelong admirer of Thomas far and wide—Byron and Goethe heard of Moore and his work. it and Chateaubriand, minister of France to the Berlin court in whose opinion it was We also thank the Board and Director ‘the most splendid and tasteful thing he of the National Gallery of Ireland for had ever seen’. The Berlin copy was enabling the loan of Daniel Maclise’s acquired by Moore for his personal library illustrated edition of the Irish melodies but it was retained by his widow when to the exhibition. she donated the bulk of his collection to the Academy. It is one of only six known copies, its value enhanced by its provenance. Enterprising Sisters Continuing the theme of women’s history, This wonderful book, with 23 colour illus- the focus of the Library’s 2018–19 exhi- trations (pictured here), was displayed in the bition—‘Prodigies of learning: Academy exhibition and seen by the many visitors women in the 19th century’—and in recog- to the Academy throughout the summer, nition of the landmark Sex Disqualification during Heritage Week and on Culture Night (Removal) 1919 Act which removed the when over 1,300 people explored Academy barriers to women’s participation in certain House, the display and much more. Later, professions, we organised a series of five audiences would attend a lecture series lectures celebrating sisterhood. The lec- 103 exploring aspects of Moore’s oeuvre and tures explored the lives and achievements influence, his portrayal of the Orient, his of five memorable families of sisters from time in Paris, his lyrics and the politicisation diverse backgrounds across four centu- of the harp through his Irish melodies. ries who made their mark on Irish life. Including artists, publishers, writers, edu- The Academy acknowledges the generosity cationalists, philanthropists, revolutionaries of the Friends of the National and suffragists, these were independent Collections of Ireland in enabling the women with hopes and ideals who made purchase of the Berlin volume. The a difference in their own times. The Library also used its Heaney Special series attracted record attendances. Acquisitions Fund, a fitting use of this ‘A little remnant of the work of the ancients’ RIA MS23 N 10: the Book of Ballycummin’(pictured left)—was the subject of the fourth Irish Manuscripts Conference, organised by the Library in partnership with Roinn na Sean-Ghaeilge, Coláiste na hOllscoile, Má Nuad and with the support of the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, School of Celtic Studies, 7–8 March.

Best known by its shelfmark ‘23 N 10’ the manuscript was probably produced in Ballycummin, Co. Roscommon, in the six- teenth century. Described in the nineteenth century as a ‘little remnant of the work of the ancients’, the book is particularly significant because it preserves tales which are amongst the oldest surviving literature in Irish. These tales would originally have been recorded in a now-lost manuscript called Cín Dromma Snechta. Aside from wonderful examples of Old Irish narrative literature, the manuscript also preserves legal texts, poetry and wisdom literature from early medieval Ireland. Twelve speakers explored all aspects of the production, survival and significance of the ‘Book of Ballycummin’ and the marvels of medieval Irish literature contained within it. New and exciting hypotheses were posited, based on recent research facilitated by the digital version of the book, made possible by Irish Script on Screen (www.isos.ie)— the major Gaelic manuscripts resource, now in its twentieth year. Recorded conference lectures are podcast at: https://soundcloud. com/the-royal-irish-academy of transcripts compiled by Dr Ashford and Adding to the archives an Index to the individuals named in the The Library’s core activity is the provision volumes, with their places of origin given, of research facilities to Irish and interna- where found. tional scholars and students and in this context we continue to add to the archival and other research collections. We were Crustacea privileged to accept the following donations Mr Paul Harding, Cambridgeshire was this year: the recipient of several Praeger grants for the investigation of woodlice in Ireland Emigration records during the 1980s and listed three Academy Library natural history collections—Moffatt, We are very grateful to Dr Gaye Ashford Pack-Beresford and Phillips. Mr Harding who donated her family’s collection of ships has graciously donated his research papers surgeon’s records relating to voyages aboard related to Crustacea in Ireland. HMS Tartare and emigrant ship John Barry, 1823–5. William Burnie, a Scottish surgeon based in Cobh, looked after passengers on James Joyce, Finnegans wake both voyages with care and compassion. The second voyage, aboard the John Barry (1825) ‘Three quarks for Muster Mark! was part of the Peter Robinson Emigration Sure he hasn’t got much of a 105 Scheme, records of which are held in Cork bark. And sure any he has it’s all and Canada. beside the mark.’

The collection consists of two volumes of On 3 December the Library received a manuscript notes-records. The first, con- bequest item from the estate of the late tains information on the HMS Tartare, and Peter Kevin Carroll, MRIA, University the medical conditions and general accounts College Dublin. An autographed first of the emigrants. The second volume relates edition copy of Finnegans wake (London and only to the John Barry voyage. It contains New York: Faber and Faber, Viking Press, a wealth of information in a daily log: from 1939) was presented by representatives of weather conditions, the character of the the Carroll family, Deirdre Cooney Carroll people, details of their medical symptoms, and Kieran Carroll to Academy Vice- childbirth and infant death, dietary infor- President, Dr Mary Canning. The volume mation, the religious material provided. The has an interesting provenance. The late collection has historical, social, emigration, Murray Gell-Mann, Hon. MRIA, Nobel lau- genealogical, naval, cultural and medical reate and discoverer of ‘quarks’, inscribed significance, as well as potential interest the copy for Kevin Carroll in Dublin on to nutritionists and meteorologists. The 16 October 2002 on the occasion of Gell- collection is supplemented by two volumes Mann’s Academy lecture ‘On Hamilton, bridges and contemporary science’. Funding was received from the Many years before, Carroll had drawn his friend’s attention to the occurrence following in 2019 of quarks in Joyce’s work. Gell-Mann I. Beausang; M. Turpin Belsito; D. Butler; recalled this in his inscription: P. Cohen; P. Donlon, MRIA; K. Ermolin; G.L. Huxley, MRIA; R. Kelly; Lit. & Hist. ‘For Kevin Carroll: Seekers Group, Dublin; Marino Institute Dublin, 16 October, 2002 of Education; S. May; A. & Á. Meek; S.B. Thank you, Muster Mark, for the Murphy; E.M. Ní Dhubhagáin (Dugan); three quarks, Murray Gell-Mann’ M. Rogan; B. Whelan, MRIA; multiple anonymous donors. Donations were used to fund the upgrade of the Thomas Shining a light on archival Moore harp display case and conservation resources of the harp itself; conservation of OS Having participated in a pilot digitisation 6-inch maps Tipperary and Tyrone and project with the landmark ‘Beyond 2022’ medical tract MS 23 E 24; Irish History initiative, an international collaboration Online compilation; outreach activities. funded by the Irish Research Council with the aim of reconstituting the lost The following bodies provided 106 archive (1922) of the Public Record sponsorship for Office, the Library has officially become a Participating Institution in the pro- • Acquisition of Thomas Moore’s gramme. We hope to contribute many personal copy of Lalla Roûkh (Berlin, more resources for exploration and 1822) Friends of the National research over the coming years. Collections of Ireland • Catalogue and leaflets related to ‘Discovering Thomas Moore’ exhibi- Inks & Skins tion Queen’s University Belfast The Library also entered a partnership • The Fourth Irish Manuscripts with another ground-breaking IRC- Conference DIAS School of Celtic laureate led project, a UCC project Studies; (Roinn na Nua-Ghaeilge and the Tyndall • Maintenance of Irish History Online Institute) researching the materiality Irish Historical Studies Publications of the late-medieval Gaelic vernacular manuscript (1100-1600). This study of The Library acknowledges all individuals inks and vellum will focus initially on and institutions for their support of our the Book of Uí Mhaine (RIA MS D ii 1), collections and connected activities. employing multi-spectral imaging and XRF spectroscopic analysis. Donors of books and archives 2019 Members: J.F. Atkins; J.R. Bartlett; N.Canny; the late P.K. Carroll; K.J. Cathcart; R. Gillespie; M. Guiry; P. Harbison; I. Maher; M. Mansergh; J. Ross; A. Titley; G. Toner.

Friends and Institutions: ALLEA (All European Academies); G. Ashford; R. Barlow; British Academy; B. Browne; D.J. Butler; A. Byrne; Cahir Women’s History Group; V. Cavalli; M.M. Clarke; T. Clavin; U. Courtney; Cumann Seanchais Ard Mhacha; B. Cunningham; J.M. Cunningham; Dublin City Council; Elsevier Ltd; S. Evans; E. Farinella; D.A. Finnegan; S. Fitzpatrick; M. Fogarty; J. Gibney; P. Harding; J.P. Hartley; A. Harvey; Heritage Council; J. Higgins; Higher Education Authority; Holy Convent of the Transfiguration of the Savior; J. Hussey; M. Hutchins; A. Ireland; The Irish Workhouse Centre, Portumna; T. Jenks; P.H. Kelly; R. Kelly; B. Kilty; H. King; K. de Lacey; L. Lunney; S. McCleave; M. Moran; E. Mullins; R. Ó Ciaráin; M. O’Doherty; S. O’Doherty; P. O’Donohoe; E. O’Dwyer; P. Ó Macháin; T. O’Riordan; Polish Embassy; Resurrecting Monuments; B. Ritchie; G. Ronan; B. Scott; H. Shiels; P. Slattery; B. Smith; C.D. Smith; Société des Bollandistes; N. Sturgeon; Tipperary County Council; F. Whearity; C.J. Woods; Wordwell; J.J. Wright.

Moore, Irish melodies illusrated by D. Maclise … (London, [1866]), NGI Library Special Collections. On loan to the Royal Irish Academy by kind permission of the Board and Director of the National Gallery of Ireland. Books & Journals

Ireland The book examines the historical Gisela Holfter is Senior Lecturer in in the background and contextualisation of German and Course Director of the EUropean Ireland in Europe; representations Ireland MA in Irish-German Studies at the ISBN: 978-1-911479-02-4 Eye of Ireland in European literature The Royal Irish Academy isUniversity one of Limerick. of the longest- and Irish literature in Europe; Irish Edited by in the art, architecture, film and music in 9 7 8 1 9 1 1 4 7 9 0 2 4 Gisela Holfter European discourses; and European www.ria.ie established publishers in Ireland.Bettina Migge is Professor We of have been and Bettina Migge studies, tourism and journalism. European Linguistics and Head of the School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics With contributions from at University College Dublin. publishing scholarly articles since 1787. OurDavid books Clark, Fiorenzo Fantaccini, Anna Eye Fattori, Joachim Fischer, Paul Gillespie, Anne Karhio, Linda King, Joanna Edited by and journals are academically double blind peerKosmalska, Marieke Krajenbrink, Brigid Laffan, Fergal Lenehan, Caoimhín Mac Gisela Holfter Giolla Léith, Edward Moxon-Browne, and Bettina Migge reviewed, and are produced to a high standardLynda Mulvin, of Anne Gallagher, Éamon Ó Ciosáin, Thomas O’Connor, Mervyn 108 O’Driscoll, Finola O’Kane and Harry White editing and design.

We currently publish six journals. You can subscribe to our journals at ria.ie and read them

both in print and online. WeCover image: welcome After an illustration (artist unknown) submissions: from 'See Ireland First', a tourist map by the Irish if you wish to submit an article,Tourist Association, 1928. check the ‘Instructions to Authors’ on each individual journal’s webpage.

JOHN GIBNEY is assistant editor with the Royal Irish Academy’s Documents on Irish Foreign Policy series. Ireland MICHAEL KENNEDY is executive editor of There was an Irish foreign service before there was an independent the Royal Irish Academy’s Documents on Irish Ireland: Irish state and modern Irish diplomacy has its roots in Ireland’s struggle The Academy publishes booksForeign Policy series.aimed at a voice for independence. This new history of Irish foreign policy since 1919 A voice among KATE O’MALLEY is managing editor of explores how Irish diplomats and politicians charted a path through the among John Gibney the Royal Irish Academy’s Dictionary of Irish upheavals of the twentieth century and beyond. Lavishly illustrated, the Michael Kennedy communicating scholarly materialBiography and was assistant editor to with the a widerwith public,many images never published before, Ireland: a voice among the Kate O’Malley Documents on Irish Foreign Policy series from the nations nations, explores how a small state on the western edge of Europe nations 2005 to 2019. engaged with the wider world, from the aftermath of the First World John Gibney War to the globalisation of the twenty-first century. landmark series and scholarly books. Michael Kennedy Kate O’Malley

Awards include several Irish Book Awards, Best ISBN: 978-1-908997-96-8 9 7 8 1 9 0 8 9 9 7 9 6 8 Irish Printed book, Institute of Designers in www.ria.ie Ireland awards and Business 2 Arts awards.

DUSTJACKET TO PRINT.indd 1 06/08/2019 16:19:55 2019 Eriu_Layout 1 10/06/2019 16:39 Page 1 Brokering the Good Friday Agreement: the untold story untold the Agreement: Friday Good the Brokering royal irish academy

ÉRIU LXIII (2013): CARLOS GARCÍA CASTILLERO, Old Irish tonic pronouns as extraclausal constituents; EOIN MAC CÁRTHAIGH, Mo mhallacht ort, a shaoghail (c. 1655): dán is a sheachadadh; ANDER EGURTZEGI AND BORJA ARIZTIMUÑO, Remarks on the etymology of the Basque word for ‘swallow’ and its potential relation to Celtic; MÍCHEÁL HOYNE, The political context of ‘Cath Muighe Tuireadh’, the Early Modern Irish version of the Second Battle of Magh ´ Tuireadh; DAMIAN MCMANUS, Surnames and scions: adjectival qualification of Christian names ERIU and cognomina in Classical Irish poetry. Varia I: GORDON Ó RIAIN, Three short notes; Varia II: DAMIAN MCMANUS, On the 2nd sg. subjunctive of do-ni in Classical Irish. FOUNDED AS THE JOURNAL OF THE SCHOOL OF IRISH LEARNING ÉRIU LXIV (2014): DEBORAH HAYDEN, On the meaning of two medieval Irish medical terms: DEVOTED TO IRISH PHILOLOGY Derg dásachtach and Rúad (fh)rasach; MICHAEL CLARKE, The extended prologue to Togail Troí: from Adam to the Wars of Troy; PAUL BYRNE, The northern boundary of Múscraige Tíre; CATHAL AND LITERATURE Ó HÁINLE, ‘Ab fíréanda fada ó shin’: a detatched apologue?; DAMIAN MCMANUS, In defence of manslaughter: two poems by Muireadach Leasa an Doill/Albanach Ó Dálaigh for Domhnall Mór (Mac Éigneacháin) Ó Domhnaill († 1241). Varia I: LIAM BREATNACH; VariaBrokering II: DAMIAN MCMANUS, Classical Irish the miscellanea .

Irish civil servants and political ÉRIU LXV (2015): MÍCHEÁL HOYNE, Imtheacht an dá nónmhar agus Tóraigheacht Taise VOL. LXVIII, 2018 Taoibhghile: an Early ModernGood Irish exemplary tale ; TFridayIMOTHY G. BARNES, Old Irish cuire, its advisers reveal their role in the ISBN: 978-1-911479-09-3 congeners, and the ending of the 2nd sg. middle imperative; EOIN MAC CÁRTHAIGH, Gofraidh Óg Northern Ireland peace process. Mac An Bhaird cecinit: 1. Deireadh flaithis ag Féin Gall; CATHAL Ó HÁINLE, Three apologues EDITED BY and In Cath Catharda; JÜRGENAgreement:UHLICH, Two unrecognised Philargyrius glosses ; DAMIAN Their testimonies evoke a strong MCMANUS, Celebrating the female in Classical Irish poetry: the wife. LIAM BREATNACH AND DAMIAN MCMANUS Varia I: CHANTAL KOBEL, The use of an overt subject with a third-person verb + nota augens; 9 7 8 1 9 1 1 4 7 9 0 9 3 sense of the highly sensitive political Varia II: DAMIAN MCMANUS, theIGT/BST citations: untold further identifications ; storyVaria III: DAMIAN www.ria.ie environment in which they worked. MCMANUS, Some corrigenda to A Bardic miscellany. They reflect on the impact of an edited by Mary E. Daly ever-changing political landscape on ÉRIU LXVI (2016): LIAM BREATNACH, On Old Irish collective and abstract nouns, the meaning of cétmuinter, and marriage in early mediaeval Ireland;JOHN CAREY, The final transformation of prospects for advancing the peace Étaín;AARON GRIFFITH, On the Old Irish third palatalisation and the 3sg. present of the copula; process, and on the evolution of policy MÍCHEÁL HOYNE, An adjectival construction indicating lesser degree in Early Modern Irish; EOIN and thinking about Northern Ireland MAC CÁRTHAIGH, Gofraidh Óg Mac An Bhaird cecinit: 2. Do Dúisgeadh Gaisgeadh Gaoidheal;

from the outbreak of violence in 1968 DAMIAN MCMANUS, Miscellanea on Classical Irish: 1 Cadad at -s s- boundaries. 2 The conjunctionless comparative. 3 The appositional genitive;GREGORY TONER, Desire and divorce to the conclusion of the 1998 Good in Serglige Con Culainn;PATRICK WADDEN, Prímchenéla and Fochenéla in the Irish Sex Aetates Friday Agreement. These personal Mundi;DAVID WOODS, Adomnán, Arculf and the mosque on the Temple Mount. edited by Mary E. Daly E. Mary by edited

accounts offer insight into how the Varia I: ANTHONY HARVEY, Hiberno-Latin quantotus, tantotus; Varia II:EOIN MAC CÁRTHAIGH, ICHARD HARPE ´ Irish tried to shape the course of the IGT/BST citations and duplicate entries: further identifications; Varia III:R S , ERIU VOL. LXVIII, 2018 negotiation of a hard-won agreement. Gulide, Guile and Gulinus: an Irish type for a twelfth-century Latin story.

ÉRIU LXVII (2017): PAMELA O’NEILL, Old Irish Muirchrech ‘sea boundary’;DEIRDRE NIC CHÁRTHAIGH, Triúr ríogh táinig do thigh Dhé: Dán cráifeach agus plé ar a fhoinsí; BERNHARD BAUER, New and corrected MS readings of the Old Irish glosses in the Vienna Bede;MARIE-LUISE THEUERKAUF, The death of Boand and the recensions of Dindṡenchas Érenn;EOIN MAC CÁRTHAIGH, Gofraidh Óg Mac An Bhaird cecinit: 3. As truagh cor chríche Banbha;ELLIOTT LASH, A quantitative analysis of e/i variation in Old Irish etar and ceta;MÍCHEÁL HOYNE, Early Modern Irish miscellanea;DAMIAN MCMANUS, Celebrating the canine: an edition of Slán dona saoithibh sealga ‘Farewell to the masters of the hunt’, an elegy for Diarmaid Mág Carthaigh’s († 1368) hound. Varia I: SÍLE NÍ MHURCHÚ, Ní chluinim sin a chláirseach: A lost poem from the Book of the O’Conor Don; Varia II: DAVID STIFTER, The origin of time; Varia III: LIAM BREATNACH, 1.On the preposition for with the negative particle in Old Irish; 2. The River Níth

COVER TO PRINT.indd 1 RENA ISSANCE GALWAY 06/08/2019 09:46:36 DUBLIN ISSN 0332-0758 2018 ALSO IN THIS SERIES is unique among Irish cities in possessing a large-scale, detailed bird’s-eye view of the city in the mid-seventeenth century. Often referred to as the John Rocque’s Dublin: a guide to the Georgian city Galway by Colm Lennon and John Montague (2010) ‘pictorial map’, only two copies of the original printed map are known to exist and it is the well- preserved version from Trinity College, Dublin that is reproduced in this book. Dublin 1847: city of the Ordnance Survey by Frank Cullen (2015) This ‘historical delineation’ of Galway is a remarkable achievement in terms of its design, presentation and content. In Renaissance Galway, the author has chosen extracts from this map and provided a series of thirty-eight commentaries as representative of the multi-faceted nature of the ABOUT THE work. These range from depictions of coats of arms, illustrations of allegorical imagery, individual Paul Walsh IRISH HISTORIC buildings and areas, to aspects of everyday life. TOWNS ATLAS The Irish Historic Towns Atlas (IHTA) is a The extracts and commentaries are accompanied by an introductory essay where the many research project of the Royal Irish Academy. mysteries that continue to surround this map are explored — its compilers, purpose and origins. It traces the topographical development of towns Together the map extracts and accompanying texts offer new perspectives and insights into the and cities through its atlas publications. Each cultural, sociopolitical and religious outlook of its ruling Catholic elite — the so-called ‘tribes’ of atlas consists of an essay with thematic maps, a Galway. Originally intended as a wall hanging and measuring a little over 2 m by 1.4 m, this map topographical gazetteer and a series of loose sheet was produced to impress and remains a centrepiece of Galway’s visual history. facsimiles. Visit ihta.ie for full list. The IHTA also promotes the study of Irish towns and cities through its ancillary publications, seminars and special exhibitions. PAUL WALSH has spent his career working in Irish archaeology and has a passionate interest in the history and archaeology of his native city, Galway. His publications include Discover Galway (2001) and he is joint author with Jacinta Prunty of Galway c. 1200 to c. 1900: from medieval Renaissance borough to modern city (2015) and Irish Historic Towns Atlas, no. 28, Galway/Gaillimh (2016). Galway delineating the seventeenth-century city

ISBN: 978-1-911479-07-9 Paul Walsh

Cover: extracts from Pictorial map of Galway, mid-seventeenth century (Reproduced with permission of the board of Trinity College). 9 7 8 1 9 1 1 4 7 9 0 7 9 www.ria.ie

119 B2 TO PRINT_Layout 1 20/12/2019 09:47 Page 1 B OOYAND IOLOGY CLARE ISLAND BIOLOGYand BIOLOGYand E NVIRONMENT VOLUME 119B ENVIRONMENT John Feehan Issue 2/3 (2019) ENVIRONMENT CONTENTS

63 A report on the detection and management of potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTVD) in potato breeding material in Northern Ireland Richard O’Hanlon, Paul Watts, Rodney Martin, Gillian Young and Colin Fleming

71 Evidence for prey specialisation on venomous weeverfish by grey seals PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL IRISH ACADEMY Martha Gosch, Mark Jessopp, Michelle Cronin and Emer Rogan

75 Estimating the population size of the endangered white-clawed crayfish V OL . 119B Austropotamobius pallipes using mark-recapture at three Special Areas of VOLUME 119B Conservation (SACs) Issue 2/3 (2019) Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) in flower Adon McFarlane, Joanne O’Brien, Brian Nelson and Martin Gammell © Bigstock Photo 93 Effects of climate change on date of ear emergence in varieties of perennial ryegrass Lolium perenne L. N O

Eamonn J. Meehan and Trevor J. Gilliland . 2/3 (2019)

111 North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena glacialis) in Irish waters: 1300–1987 Seán A. O’Callaghan P 123 Differences in dry matter content between forage varieties of THE OF ROCEEDINGS Lolium perenne L. Eamonn J. Meehan and Trevor J. Gilliland R OYAL I RISH A CADEMY

www.ria.ie ISSN 0791-7945 From murder to beekeeping and everything between he words we use say something fun- the Otherworld, of wonderful beasts and damental about us and how we think. of beautiful paradises. These tales pro- 110 They give others an indication of vided allegories for Christian living and Twhat we know, what is important to us, and told of the shaping of the Irish landscape. how we perceive our environment. Words They recalled battles and other notable offer glimpses into how people live and events. how they process that experience. Through this enormous literary outpour- The words that have come down to us ing, churchmen and scholars provided from Gaelic Ireland are a product of the us with an insight into the beliefs, habits rich and varied textual culture that was and daily lives of the Irish—how they ate, written, initially in ecclesiastical centres, drank, dressed, loved and lied. This book from about the sixth century CE. The offers a history of Gaelic Ireland through range of the material produced in medi- words used by its people. eval Irish is remarkable. It includes legal tracts covering everything from murder to A history of Ireland in 100 words by Sharon bee-keeping, as well as chronicles preserv- Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh and ing year-by-year accounts of noteworthy Gregory Toner, MRIA with illustrations occurrences. A vast secular literature was by Joe McLaren, was published in October created, encompassing tales and poems 2019. It was shortlisted for ‘best Irish- about kings and heroes, warriors and published book of the year’ at the An Post women. Stories were told of journeys to Irish Book Awards 2019.

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annual 2019 review

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Cover illustrations by Joe McLaren taken from A history of Ireland in 100 words by Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh and Gregory Toner, MRIA

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