MEET THE PRESENTERS

Dr Olwen Purdue

Dr Olwen Purdue specialises in the history of urban poverty and welfare, and in difficult or contested public histories. She is founder and Director of the Centre for Public History at Queen’s University, and of the MA in Public History, and works closely with the cultural and heritage sectors across Northern Ireland in research, teaching and public engagement.

She was specialist historical advisor for Titanic Belfast and a member of the advisory group for the Ulster Museum's Irish history exhibition and its Troubles and Beyond gallery, and has worked on numerous history documentaries for television. She is a member of the Board of Directors of the Irish Museums Association and international editor of The Public Historian.

Professor Sean O’Connell

Professor O’Connell works on the social history of modern Britain and Ireland (particularly Belfast). He has been active in developing oral history at Queen’s and is an editor of the journal Oral History.

Research interests include working-class communities, gender, and consumption. His most recent publication was a research report commissioned by the Department of Health (NI), examining the history of mother and baby homes and Magdalene laundries in Northern Ireland.

The report was debated in the Stormont assembly (and in the media) on 26 January and deals with one of the most controversial issues in recent Irish history.