Case Studies

Samples of recent work by the ATU Galway (Formerly GMIT) Heritage Research Group

Recent work has focused on the following:

  • promoting and encouraging genealogy tourism

  • the memory and commemoration of wars and rebellions

  • the development of heritage trails and battlefield tourism in post-conflict situations

  • the development of content for museum exhibitions and films

  • curatorial practice

  • cultural identities

  • language policy and pedagogy

  • ethnomusicology

  • Irish traditional music

  • historical cultural politics

  • local history

  • historical geography

  • archaeological survey (rural and urban)

  • medieval friaries

  • big houses and landed estates

  • contemporary art in rural places

  • community mapping projects

  • space/place studies

  • festivals and events

  • visitor satisfaction

  • landscape management

  • agri-environment schemes

  • environmental policy and planning

  • nature conservation

  • digital heritage

A list of current postgraduate students, who are in the process of conducting research for their MA and PhD theses, is provided below:

* = PRINCIPAL SUPERVISOR

Berard, Verena (MA Candidate), ‘Cultivating Environmental Values Towards Upland Areas of High Nature Value Through Agri-environmental Schemes’ (Research Advisory Panel: MARGARET O’RIORDAN*, Fergal O’Dowd, Jackie Hunt [Aniar Ecology]). Funded by GMIT’s Research and Innovation Strategic Endowment (RISE) Scholarship Programme.

Boyce, Angela (MA Candidate), ‘Stained Glass in the Churches of Castlebar, Westport and Newport and Environs: Its History and Iconography Explored’ (Research Advisory Panel: Dr YVONNE McDERMOTT*, Dr Fiona White, Noel Campbell [National Museum of Ireland]). Funded by GMIT’s Research and Innovation Strategic Endowment (RISE) Scholarship Programme.

Ryan, Mary (MA Candidate), ‘The Strickland Management of the Dillon Estate in Counties Mayo and Roscommon 1825–1885’ (Research Advisory Panel: Dr FIONA WHITE*, Dr Yvonne McDermott, Dr Ciarán Reilly [Capard House]).

Timothy, Michael (MA Candidate), ‘Mayo Abbey: History and Archaeology, AD 600–1600’ (Research Advisory Panel: Dr YVONNE McDERMOTT*, Dr Fiona White, Dr Colmán Ó Clabaigh [Glenstal Abbey]).

Daly, Brian, (PhD Candidate), ‘Electoral Politics in the Irish Free State Constituencies of Galway, Mayo South and Mayo North, 1923–1933: A Study of Five General Elections and the Political Parties and Politicians Who Contested Them’ (Research Advisory Panel: Dr MARK McCARTHY*, John Tunney, Dr Martin O’Donoghue [National Library of Ireland]).

Kavanagh, Eilish (PhD Candidate), ‘The Irish War of Independence (1919–1921) in County Galway: Compiling Local Histories, Recording Memories & Developing Post-Conflict Heritage Initiatives’ (Research Advisory Panel: Dr MARK McCARTHY*, Dr Shirley Wrynn, Marie Mannion [Galway County Council]). Funded by the Irish Research Council’s Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship Programme.

Hennessey, Yvonne (MA Candidate), ‘Retracing the Lines: Historical, Aesthetic and Cultural Perspectives on the Role of Women in Irish Animation’ (Research Advisory Panel: Dr SUZANNE O’SHEA*, Dr Mark McCarthy, Marion McEnroy).

Ní Fhlathuin, Nuala (PhD Candidate), ‘New Approaches to Situating Contemporary Art in a Rural, Minority Language Context’ (Research Advisory Panel: DR DEIRDRE O’MAHONY*, Dr Nessa Cronin [NUIG], Dr Iain Biggs [University of the West of England]). Funded by GMIT’s Research and Innovation Strategic Endowment (RISE) Scholarship Programme.