Great read

🚨Published in the American Historical Review!🚨 My article argues that historians can treat the body as an archive. Using my own training alongside J.C. Hise’s 1930s squat experiments, I explore how fitness culture reshapes bodies, identities & anxieties. 👉 bit.ly/46xlcVw

'Myth, music and muscle': @physcstudy.bsky.social on sport, Irish identity, and the (re)invention of tradition @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...

The Tailteann Games return this Saturday at Kells Priory. I wrote for RTÉ Brainstorm about why this revival matters for Irish identity, heritage and mythology in 2025. 👉 www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...

Why the Tailteann Games are returning this month. The story of the Tailteann Games reveals how Irish identity is made, remade and sometimes forgotten, writes @physcstudy.bsky.social @ulsteruni.bsky.social @researchireland.ie www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...

Thank you so much to @physcstudy.bsky.social for hosting us in Belfast. #BSSH2025 has, as always, been a brilliant few days - stimulating and fun. See you all next year, BSSH-ers ❤️

The shortlist for this year's Lord Aberdare Prize has just been announced and features authors such as Conor Murray, Matt McDowell, Conor Heffernan, as well as Matthew Llewellyn & Toby Rider, best of luck guys...

We are delighted to announce that Mariam Kass Azmin from The Alice Smith School of Kuala Lumpur won the 2025 British Society of Sports History EPQ Prize. www.sportinhistory.org/articles/epq...

The @bssh.bsky.social conference is underway with the PhD/ECR workshop taking place today! Up first at #BSSH25 is @rafnicholson.bsky.social, Katie Holmes & Hayley Kilgallon discussing publishing for both academic & public audiences with their recently published or soon-to-be publications

We’re underway here at @ulsteruni.bsky.social for the 2025 @bssh.bsky.social conference with Matthew Brown of Bristol University discussing South American Sports History and his book as part of the #BSSH25 Lord Aberdare lecture.

Enjoyed chairing this session, great papers from all three presenters Mat - Reframing Local Heritage through the Drehberg Games Jim - Rufus Harris’s Failed Attempt at Reform during World War II Sam - ‘Don’t worry!’: The rise of netball & international governance 1926-63 #BSSH25 @bssh.bsky.social

Pleasure to chair the panel 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦, 𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 at #BSSH25 with Mateusz Rozmiarek, Jim Watkins and Sam Oldfield @bssh.bsky.social #SportHistory

I’ve just chaired a fab session on Irish sport, with papers on the history of ladies Gaelic football (Hayley Kilgallon), mountaineering (Kevin Higgins), and Lady Florence Dixie (Stuart Gibbs). Interesting theme of the tensions between “recreation” and professionalism present in all 3. #BSSH2025

Panel 1 on Irish Sporting Legacies opened with Hayley Kilgallon on Women's Gaelic Football

The Lord Aberdare lecture by Matthew Brown on sports in South America...

#BSSH25 World's Friendliest Conference 💚 in beautiful city #Belfast 💚 with Old Friends 💚 @bssh.bsky.social @whuhistorian.bsky.social @fionaskillen.bsky.social @justaballgame.bsky.social @kelceyervick.bsky.social @playingpasts.bsky.social

This paper from Conor Meyler at #BSSH2025 was right up my alley! Conor showed how mergers between male & female sporting organisations ALWAYS seem to lead to underrepesentation of women in governance. A very live issue because the 3 Gaelic games associations in Ireland are considering a merger...

Conor's going away pres and prize winner at BSSH dinner ending a successful first day at conference

Getting started @bssh.bsky.social #BSSH2025 - welcomed by @physcstudy.bsky.social 👋 It’s so wonderful to be back amongst this community of scholars again!

We’re underway for day 2 of the @bssh.bsky.social conference at @ulsteruni.bsky.social with Sofie Remijsen of the University of Amsterdam discussing the decline of sport in the Ancient world and in particular, perspectives from the ancient Mediterranean.

Sofie Remijsen opens day two of the BSSH conference with the Derek Birley Memorial Lecture on Mediterranean sports

Our Autumn Winter 2025 catalogue is here! Browse exciting upcoming titles ➡️📚 bit.ly/CatAW25 Featuring books from @drtimrideout.bsky.social @madelinepotter.bsky.social @physcstudy.bsky.social @maireadcasey.bsky.social @nickalito.bsky.social @profgaryb.bsky.social @andrewjamdavies.bsky.social & more!

💪 Where can you learn about the history of fitness — for free? From digitised magazines and archived strongman manuals, there’s a ton of strength history online… if you know where to look. I’ve pulled together a guide below! bit.ly/4534hJI

Why did Bronze Era lifters have flat chests? No, it wasn’t because big pecs were "too feminine." No, Greek statues aren’t the full answer either. Here’s the real history — equipment, goals, and myths debunked: 🧵👇 physicalculture.substack.com/p/why-did-br...

🏋️‍♂️ Bethnal Green Gym is under threat, but its legacy matters. I was proud to help draft a Historic England application, under consideration, to protect this space. Credit to Will Tennyson for showing how much this gym means to lifters, locals & history www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcOA...

Physical Culture Study physicalculture.substack.com?r=8aryw&utm_...

🗣️ I did a thing. I’ve launched a Substack: Physical Culture Study – stories from the strange, sweaty, and strong corners of history. If you like muscle lore, vintage fitness, or oddball strength feats… come along Link: bit.ly/4kJwHy7

Most read on #RTEBrainstorm: how Ireland's ancient sport of road bowling has taken off from Cork and Armagh to TikTok and Instagram. By @physcstudy.bsky.social @ulsteruni.bsky.social @researchireland.ie www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...

Now in paperback! Indian Club Swinging and the Birth of Global Fitness by @physcstudy.bsky.social examine different fitness cultures across the British Empire and demonstrates how fitness intersects with understandings of nationalism, race, gender and health. 📖 bit.ly/43a2QYN

Heritage, place and identity: @physcstudy.bsky.social on the contemporary revival of road bowling @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...

The surprising revival of road bowling, Ireland's ancient sport. From Cork and Armagh to TikTok and Instagram, young and old road bowlers are taking up the bowl and keeping this unique tradition alive. By @physcstudy.bsky.social @ulsteruni.bsky.social @researchireland.ie www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...

Why a 115kg stone from a Co Waterford beach is shipping up to Boston. Sending the Cloch Bán to the US is a slightly eccentric idea, but it captures how diaspora communities find joy in heritage, writes @physcstudy.bsky.social @ulsteruni.bsky.social @researchireland.ie www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...

This #Bloomsday, I’ll be speaking on Sandow and strength in Ulysses—exploring Bloom’s curious obsession with the body. Join us for “Breathe and Bloom: Of Fathers and Figures” on June 15, Brighton Square. Yoga, readings, music & muscle Link: bit.ly/3FIuW5Q

A death at a strongman show? Nearly! This week's blog post looks at the 1989 Pure Strength show which saw 3 time WSM winner Bill Kazmaeir nearly drop a 200lbs. barrell on a fellow competitor's head! Link: bit.ly/42yDepw

Amazons of the Arena will be edited by Dr Conor Heffernan @physcstudy.bsky.social (Ulster University), Dr Rachel Ozerkavich (University of Austin, Texas) and David Chapman and will be published, I believe, in 2026.

Great to be invited on The Boys We’ve Seen Podcast this week with @physcstudy.bsky.social and Johnny Cooper We’re talking all things Irish soccer ⚽️ Have a listen 👇🏼 open.spotify.com/episode/6FOP...

Really excited that my article, ‘For club, country, and capitalism? Footballers’ autobiographies and the political and moral economies of post-war Britain’ is now out in Contemporary British History. #skystorians🗃️ #polisky

Call for papers for our annual History of Science, Medicine and Technology Ireland network conference is open! 9/10 may 2025 in Belfast campus, Ulster university.

HSTM Network Ireland Conference 2025 Submissions of papers on any theme relating to HSTM are welcome. Abstracts (no more than 300 words) and a short biography (no more than 100 words) should be submitted by 21 March 2025 using this Google Form: forms.gle/bn5G8K3m8chDUj…

Just published an with Golden Era Bookworm tracking mortality across bodybuilding eras. Pre-1960 athletes lived longer than those from the post-1960 'Golden Era'. History warns us about sustainable training paths and steroid use in the iron game! Preprint: bit.ly/3WRUgeS

Bethnal Green Weightlifting Club is Britain's oldest gym, having opened in 1926. The gym, which caters to multiple groups and age groups, is being threatened with eviction by Tower Hamlets Council. Check out the below video to see why this is a terrible decision. www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxyG...

New Article posted this week on what I learned about training and fitness over the past year and some of my favorite history podcasts and books physicalculturestudy.com/2025/01/08/w...

'There is Victorian boxing.' YES there is! 🤜🏻🤛🏾 From today's Guardian. 'The new Peaky Blinders'! ☺️ There's ALSO a whole team of young Black and Asian British writers behind #AThousandBlows too, though...

First read of the new year is this excellent little volume, which uncovers the debates and arguments that accompanied the emergence of the word ‘Capitalism’. Wishing you all a year of good books and much reading.

🚨New Article🚨 I published in a strength and conditioning journal! Thanks to Strength & Conditioning Journal for publishing my article on the history & evolution of the back squat. This is a must-read for strength fans, practitioners, & historians! Link: bit.ly/49yiXSJ 🧵below

Really useful podcast here on methodology & history with @seroddy.bsky.social as part of the Irish History Students Association series - will be sharing with my MA students! open.spotify.com/episode/38Hc...

A link to my most recent article in case anyone missed it at the other place and is interested in women who worked at RTÉ. My free copies are used up but if you don't have access I can easily send a copy. doi.org/10.1080/0143...

yesterday, giving a keynote at the Contexts of Pain symposium here in Tampere. The rub: trying to give chronic pain a reason.

This is what's so baffling about so many suggestions for AI in the humanities classroom: they mistake the product for the point. Writing outlines and essays is important not because you need to make outlines and essays but because that's how you learn to think with/through complex ideas.