Native of Moneygall. Professor of Ecclesiastical History at St Patrick's College Maynooth, where he writes on popular religion & ritual, medieval to modern.
Call for Contributions to new volume “Childhood and the Irish: a Miscellany”, to be pub. by
@wordwellbooks
late 2025. Part of long-running series. Proposals for articles of 1,300 words to salvador.ryan
@spcm
.ie. All disciplines welcome.
#childhood
#IrishHistory
Sad to hear of the death of Jesuit sociologist Fr Mícheál MacGréil, activist on issues such as traveller rights. prison reform, and the promotion of the Irish language. His 1978 book, Prejudice and Tolerance in Ireland, was a landmark publication. Solas na bhFlaitheas dó.
It’s unthinkable today, but when the priceless treasure that is the 8th century Book of Kells first arrived to Trinity College Dublin in the late 17thC, it was available on loan just like any other book in the library!
Wrote a letter that was published in the
@IrishTimes
today about a particularly objectionable narrative that has crept into discussions of COVID restrictions on church attendance.
#COVID19
My father drove double-deck buses in Dublin for over thirty years. I just came across a number of safe driving certificates that he was awarded. This one is from 1949. Isn’t it lovely?
There’s some very sad news from Maynooth this morning, news that has reverberated around the world of Irish history and has left so many of us numb in its wake.
My beautiful mother Mary passed away peacefully on Tuesday night in Nenagh hospital. We’re full of gratitude for her life, and for all who loved her, and were so good to her, especially in these last few days of her life’s journey. May she rest in peace.
My deepest sympathies to his wife Bernie and to all who loved Ray dearly.
Somehow, life will never be quite the same again.
RIP Ray. Thank you for everything.
Thank you so much to all of you who expressed kind sympathy on the recent death of my mother Mary. Characteristically, the last few days have once again shown the incredible goodness of people — family, friends, neighbours, and community — for which I am grateful beyond words.
This should be good! Colmán is a brilliant historian and an excellent, and hugely entertaining, speaker. If you haven’t heard him in action before, here’s a wonderful opportunity to do so ...
In trying to explain to my children the incalculable loss of my doktorvater Raymond Gillespie, and grasping to find a suitable example, I found the following words tumble out of my mouth: “If I were Luke Skywalker, he would be Obi-Wan Kenobi”. RIP, my beautiful mentor & friend.
Last night I had the privilege of presenting my doktorvater and all-round legend, Prof. Raymond Gillespie, with his festschrift as he retires from
@MaynoothHist
. 4 years in the making, with over 80 contributors, it was a minor miracle we kept it a secret!
It’s a very sad day for theology with the death, earlier today, of Rev. Dr Enda McDonagh. He was a real luminary, and a man before his time. But, most of all, a gentle and kind human being, full of courtesy.
@StPatsMaynooth
#EndaMcDonaghRIP
So … at 355 pages, and 119,768 words, “Birth & the Irish: a Miscellany” can now officially be said to be “in press” with
@wordwellbooks
. If you are one of the contributors, please feel free to cite your article on your profile page. Due date: late 2021.
In the new, strange, reality of living in the coronaverse, when daily schedules are not always as precise as they once were, this meal chart may be more relevant than ever.
In September 1992 I entered Maynooth College as a barely 17-year-old first year, with the intention, at the time, of studying for the priesthood. Here I reflect a little on that experience thirty years ago.
Very conscious that today is Michael Lyster’s last All Ireland hurling final as anchor of
@TheSundayGame
. He’s been the voice of most of my life watching hurling broadcasts on
@RTEgaa
and I’ll certainly miss him.
Very sad to hear of the death of Lorrae Desmond, actor; singer; performer, presenter; playwright. Perhaps best known over here as “Shirley Gilroy” in “A Country Practice”, she enjoyed an extraordinary career and was much loved.
As the year slowly draws to a close, the thoughts of many will soon turn to
#Christmas
and gift-giving. Next month will see the release of “Christmas and the Irish”, published by
@wordwellbooks
. It may just ease your annual Christmas gift quest!
The perennial complaint of the working academic….
Could have been written yesterday, but this is from the fifth-century bishop Augustine of Hippo, who is desperately eager to make progress on his magnum opus, The City of God. Plus ça change …
Raymond was a giant among Irish historians of all periods, but more importantly, he was a thoroughly decent human being, generous to a fault with his expertise, his learning, his hospitality, and his down-to-earth humanity.
Wonderful to finally see all 5 volumes of the new
@OUPHistory
Oxford History of British and Irish Catholicism on the shelf in
@library_MU
. I’m honoured to have been invited to contribute chapters to volumes 1 and 4. Huge congrats to
@jdmccafferty
& James Kelly for their ed. work
Had to make a once-off return visit to
@StPatsMaynooth
today to retrieve files from my computer. Since I’ve been away,
#spring
has arrived. A reminder that
#hope
endures and that there will be better days to come.
I lost my biological father in December 2001. I lost my academic father today, and I feel bereft. There is a very real sense in which, when this happens, one becomes academically orphaned.
Looking forward to celebrating the career of this wonderful man, my doktorvater, Prof. Raymond Gillespie, later this evening as we launch a recently-published festschrift in his honour.
It’s 2023’s perfect
#Christmas
stocking filler 🎄 — Christmas and the Irish: a Miscellany.
For all who love history, culture, and good storytelling. But, most of all, for all who love Christmas! Ho! Ho! Ho!🎅
Order your copy today from
@wordwellbooks
A few weeks ago, I was asked by the
@IrishTimes
to pen a piece on foot of the publication of Birth and the Irish by
@wordwellbooks
. Reading over all the incredibly thought-provoking contributions of others anew, this is what I found myself writing…
Of course we probably shouldn’t be too surprised as the even older Book of Durrow had once to be rescued from a farmer who was dipping it in water and using the water to cure his cattle.
While we so often (rightly) acknowledge declining numbers of church attendance, I also like to think of events such as the Galway novena as snapshots of what a living, breathing, no-fuss, faith-life can look like “on the ground”.
#GalwayNovena
I always come away from “in-service” training with some new nugget of business-speak / jargon. This morning I learned about an IT platform that is being phased out; however the phrase that was used instead was: “it’s being sunsetted” 🌅
(you’re welcome...)
An application has been lodged to build a hotel on the southern slope of The Rock of Cashel. That would ruin the aesthetic of this national monument and scupper any chance of attaining UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Closing date for objection is 28/11/22.
I had a dream last night that I found John Henry Newman alive and well and living in Turkey.
When I broke the news to him that he was about to be canonised, he became quite grumpy and professed that it was an awful thing to do to a 218-year-old man...
#NewmanCanonisation
Maynooth College
@StPatsMaynooth
bade farewell today to one of its long-serving staff members who devoted the best part of his life to the College community. RIP Tom Corcoran, and thank you for all your years of dedication and service. You will be fondly remembered by many.
A date for your diary. On this day, next week, Thursday 30 November, we are launching Christmas and the Irish in the Royal Irish Academy in Dublin. Please RSVP if you’d like to come along. Details below.
Call for Papers🎄
Christmas and the Irish: a Miscellany.
From the earliest times to present day. 1,300 words. Expressions of interest to Salvador.ryan
@spcm
.ie
by 1 September 2022. Submission deadline is: 1 October 2022. To be published by
@wordwellbooks
in late 2023
A reminder that Christmas and the Irish will be launched in the
@RIAdawson
on Thursday evening at 7pm. The volume will be launched by folklorist Michael Fortune. All warmly welcome. Looking forward to seeing you there.
Last Thursday evening I recorded the following lecture on Death & the Irish for Tipperary Studies. Little did I know that within just over 24hrs, we would lose my beautiful father-in-law, Michael Sutton. I’d like to dedicate this lecture to him.
It is a sobering thought that today I have reached my half-ninetieth birthday.
It really doesn’t seem all that long ago since I was being carried by my parents.
Life is precious. And the years go quickly.
A reminder to appreciate the extraordinary ordinariness of everyday.
Delighted to receive a copy of Peter Marshall’s latest volume this morning; it’s a 550-page magisterial cultural study of a subject very close to the author’s heart — the islands of Orkney. Having already read a draft copy of this superb work, I can
heartily recommend it.
Today marks 20 years since the man who gave me my first drink passed away.
Remembering my father, Jim, who left me with a wonderful store of memories and with deep gratitude.
My father, had he lived (he died in 2001), would have celebrated his 100th birthday today🎂. In reflecting on this, I am so grateful for his 81 years which were well-lived.
Was sad to hear, some days ago, of the death of Dr Colmán Etchingham, a former lecturer, and then colleague, of mine from
@MaynoothUni
. He made a very significant contribution to the historiography of early medieval Ireland. May he rest in peace.
One of my colleagues (good-naturedly) dismisses all historians as nothing more than “professional gossipers”. Not finding enough gossip for their appetites in the present age, they trawl the past looking for more.
I think there’s probably something in this ...
BIRTH AND THE IRISH: A MISCELLANY: Call for contributions of c. 1200 words on any aspect of the Irish giving birth (at home or abroad), from earliest times to the present day. Volume 3 in series for
@wordwellbooks
Email: Salvador.ryan
@spcm
.ie for details. Deadline: 1 Sept 2020.
Remembering my late father, Jim, on his 18th anniversary, with a feeling of gratitude: for his life; for the person he was; for bequeathing to me his love of storytelling, and so much of his sense of humour & his fabulous expressions. In these I meet him every day.
Call for Articles🎄
Christmas and the Irish: a Miscellany.
1,300 words. All disciplines welcome. Further info: Salvador.ryan
@spcm
.ie Will accept submissions up to 25 Dec 2022. To be published by
@wordwellbooks
in late 2023