This pun gave me a much needed Friday morning chuckle.

What a wonderful (if slightly intimidating) day learning about colleagues' brilliantly insightful and empathetic work. Counting myself lucky to work with such smart and lovely people.

Big day for the parish today. We have the Inaugural Professorial Lecture of our wonderful colleague Roisín Higgins on her research on sensorial history of the Troubles. This will be followed by a conversation between our also wonderful colleague Sarah Roddy and Niamh Nic Ghabhann on Sarah's new book

Big day for the parish today. We have the Inaugural Professorial Lecture of our wonderful colleague Roisín Higgins on her research on sensorial history of the Troubles. This will be followed by a conversation between our also wonderful colleague Sarah Roddy and Niamh Nic Ghabhann on Sarah's new book

good morning specifically to the FBI agent who introduced Mamdani’s dad to Marx

Listen to our colleagues in Palestine when they cry out about what has happened and what is happening to higher education there. They are in the frontlines of the struggle for academic freedom. We owe them our attention and our action. www.irishtimes.com/ireland/educ...

Great news from New York. A positive and radical platform can win. Looking forward to shoehorning a discussion of Zohran's father's theories of the legacies of indirect rule and Postcolonial polities in Africa into small talk for the next few weeks.

When you realise your dad is actually in the WhatsApp group you've been using to plan a surprise present for your parents but it's grand because you also know he never reads his messages...

Regimes of grievability from my Senegal archive notes. The Governor of Upper Volta to the Governor General of French West Africa, 1924: We shouldn't forget that for local families the material consequences of the loss of a husband or brother are infinitely less painful than in our European societies

Loving that apparently the password for the Louvre video cameras was "Louvre" 😂😂 www.liberation.fr/checknews/lo...

Dan O'Brien suggesting the time has come to abandon the cause of nuclear non proliferation. Appears to be willing an even more dangerous world into existence. Not a thought spared here for those communities from Algeria to the Pacific and beyond who were devastated by testing not to mention Japan.

The Go Ahead bus routes are living proof that privatisation does not mean enhanced efficiency. Cursed to live on a Go Ahead route and to have parents who live on a Go Ahead route. I am nostalgic for when the Dublin buses were late but actually turned up.

Your Master students think about PhD? Let them look at the EUI! I can also talk to them about the general vibe/history dept!

protesters were allowed to board a bus, racially profile the passengers and demand to see their documentation all without consequences. What a failure in policy and policing this has all been. www.thejournal.ie/clare-protes...

A reminder to get there early on Thursdsy lest you be subject to the kinds of brawls over seating that @seroddy.bsky.social details in the book. No pew rents will be applied and there may even be some catering to get you in the door before the event.

Ivan was so indignant that anyone connected him to the HH campaign- little did we know it was because he was working for Jim Gavin🙄Of course Matt won't run into this problem next time round because he advocates for abolishing presidential elections altogether.

Really looking forward to hearing @seroddy.bsky.social in conversation with @niamhroisin.bsky.social on her wonderful new book Money and Irish Catholicism in Maynooth on Thursday evening. All are welcome to attend so please do join us.

For all your Fenian apparel needs.

Really hoping to catch this when I am back in Dakar early next year.

We are just out of the election where a resounding majority of the voting public endorsed Catherine Connolly and we are already seeing think pieces about how the Irish public can be brought to see the error of their ways. This strategy of chiding the electorate is as offensive as it is ineffective.

Travelling to Cork later today to give a talk tomorrow to a group of architecture students on one of my favourite topics- Marseille!

Iontach. Cuireann Catherine gníomh leis an bhfocal i gconaí. Gaeltacht communities are among the most marginalised on the island while lucht na Gaeilge is expanding rapidly among young people of all backgrounds North and South. This is such a positive move. www.thejournal.ie/irish-will-b...

20 years since Zyed (17) and Bouna (15) died while fleeing the police despite being completely innocent. Racial profiling and police brutality remain endemic in France. A young black or North African origin man is 20 times more likely to be stopped and searched.

Yet another example of the asymmetry of ignorance between these islands...

Living for the Daily Mail's rage.

Catherine Connolly got more votes than any other president in history - any pol corr or commentator trying to convince you that the story is actually the spoiled votes is showing you their whole arse, and should be treated accordingly.

"Original and captivating." The #WolfsonHistoryPrize judges on why they have shortlisted Kieran Connell's (@kieranconnell.bsky.social) 'Multicultural Britain: A People’s History' (@hurstpublishers.bsky.social) for the 2025 prize.

Óráid den scoth ó Catherine Connolly. Love that she put Gaeilge first. Powerful words that underline her commitment to solidarity, neutrality, community, cultúr sgus teanga. She will do us proud. Gracious words from Heather Humphreys who did her country a service by running for the highest office.

I'm sure Catherine Connolly can fulfil Kelly's vision here as 'active, brave and imaginative', even if he doesn't seem to have contemplated a woman occupying the office!

A wonderful book now available in Open Access. It would be great for teaching too!

Let this be the last presidential election where people in the North are denied a vote. Lots of talk of a shared island but successive governments have consistently refused to enfranchise the people of the North to have a say in the election of the President.

Managed to sneak out to Naples' working class eastern suburbs of San Giovanni a Teduccio and Barra to check out the amaazing street art by Jorit and collaborators.

How devastating for Derry and communities across the North who have not received justice. And yet it is, as suggested here, a moment of pride for those who refused to abandon the pursuit of justice. Now is a time to centre their voices first and foremost. www.derryjournal.com/news/courts/...

Another ruling excoriating Israel's breaches of international humanitarian law. It also dismisses Israel's claims that many UNWRA workers were Hamas militants, a piece of hasbara that many who should know better spread at the start of the genocide. www.bbc.com/news/article...

Napoli😍😍

A little end of week appreciation post for research support staff who deal with neurotic academics like myself with such grace and competence. The team in UCC were fantastic and the RDO in Maynooth are really wonderful. They make all the good things we are able to do happen.

Lovely morning in Maynooth.

Me panicking on a date when asked what my hobbies are.

WOKE. CULTURE WARS. CULTURE WARS.

Today's most read on @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social. Check out our new digital exhibition tracing the history of visual representations of the Irish revolution in France: @clairedubois.bsky.social meshs-omekas.univ-lille.fr/omeka-s/s/im... www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...

presumably for the opportunity to write an op-ed in the Irish Times titled “Why I resigned from the Green Party over its decision to back Catherine Connolly”

Gentle reminder…the Special Criminal Court was opposed trenchantly and for compelling reasons by Mary Robinson before she became President; its continued existence has been criticised by the UN Human Rights Committee, UN Special Rapporteurs, the Irish Human Rights & …

The French President actively intervening in the politics of Madagascar, a former colony. The French military smuggling the contested and corrupt President out of the country. But of course we should not critique or question our dear ally France. www.lemonde.fr/afrique/arti...

So just to clear up this week we've learned the following things are threats to democracy: - Pleading not guilty in court - The Bar's professional ethical standards - Criticising the media - Voting No on a referendum - Paul Murphy Political discourse in this country is a complete mess right now

This is how Fine Gael TDs are now presenting the United Nations. The proud Irish tradition of international multilateralism dragged through the mud for the sake of attacking Catherine Connolly. Surely some in Fianna Fáil object to this denigration of the legacy of Aiken. What a disgrace.

If I never hear the names Ivan Yates or Joe Brolly again for the rest of my life, I will be much the happier for it

Have just seen that Joe Brolly clip about Heather Humphreys. Despicable. Clear misogyny. We have two women running for the Presidency and this is how he intervenes in the debate. He should be mortified.

It was wonderful to welcome @susiedeedigan.bsky.social to Maynooth last night where she spoke to a full house about her fascinating research on women republican prisoners in the 1940s.

If you are going to invite someone who is not a specialist on Palestine Israel to commentate on the ceasefire as an expert, the least you can do is ask the about how they reacted to those who raised the alarm about the impending genocide back in late 2023. This matters.