Find a PhD Supervisor
Professor Fearghal McGarry
School of History, Anthropology, Philosophy and PoliticsProf McGarry works on modern Irish history. His recent research has focused on the revolutionary era, particularly the Easter Rising. He has published widely on politics in independent Ireland, particularly republicanism and radical political ideology in the inter-war era. An active public historian, he is interested in historical memory, including commemoration, historical films, and museums.
He is currently researching inter-war Irish cultural anxieties about modernity, and leading a major research project assessing the Irish revolution’s global impact.
Contact info
Research Interests
Open to PhD applications in the field of
- Modern Irish history
- Politics and culture in 20th century Ireland
- Commemoration and historical memory
Public outreach & key achievements
Through collaborations with museums such as GPO Witness History, theatre companies like the Abbey Theatre,
documentary-makers and other public history partners, Professor McGarry's research on the Easter Rising and
the Irish Revolution is informing commemoration of the current ‘Decade of Centenaries’, facilitating greater
public understanding of this contentious period of history.
- Research project: A Global History of Irish Revolution, 1916-1923
- Research project, Film and History
- Media story: Ireland’s 1916 Rising, Time
Research students
| PhD Title | Press control in Northern Ireland during the Second World War |
| Country | Northern Ireland |
| PhD Title | Representing the Troubles: Contested Histories, Critical Museology and Conflict Exhibitions |
| Country | Northern Ireland |
Alumni: Where are they now
| PhD Title | Unapproved routes: histories of the Irish border, c 1922-72 |
| Country | Northern Ireland |
| Current Position | Junior Research Fellow, Institute of Advanced Studies, University College London. Winner, 2016 ACIS Prize for Distinguished First Book |
| ‘Being part of a multi-disciplinary school helped me to develop as a historian – by thinking across scholarly boundaries I was better placed to understand the international boundary that was the subject of my research.’ | |
| PhD Title | Sunningdale, power-sharing, and British-Irish relations, 1972-75 |
| Country | Ireland |
| Current Position | Lecturer in Politics, University of Huddersfield |
| ‘My PhD in History from Queen’s University Belfast equipped me with skills in research, writing and analysis that have proven invaluable to me in commencing a career in the higher education sector.’ | |
| PhD Title | East Ulster and the Irish Revolution, 1920-22 |
| Country | UK |
| Current Position | Senior Associate (Anti-Money Laundering), PwC |
| ‘The research skills I gained during my PhD were pivotal in landing a research job with PwC. Since then I've moved into a role that requires an investigative mind-set and strong written and verbal communication skills, all of which I developed during my years at QUB.’ |