Heritage Research Group - Atlantic Technological University

This multi-campus group of lecturers and researchers has wide-ranging expertise in the principal forms of cultural heritage – intangible, tangible, natural, and digital. Members are particularly interested in the practical application and use of the past in the present and future.

Research is often conducted in collaboration with various partners and clients in the cultural heritage, historic environment and tourism sectors. Research questions are explored with a critical mind and a creative spirit. The group is committed to the provision of postgraduate education for those who wish to train for rewarding careers in the above-mentioned areas.

Amongst the group’s members are postgraduate students, who are conducting research for their MA and PhD theses. In its explorations of cultural heritage, the group is committed to servicing the research needs of agencies, citizens, civic bodies, communities, government departments, heritage businesses, local authorities, museums, professional bodies, and visitor attractions.

Read the Heritage Research Group brochure.

Case Studies

Samples of work conducted by the 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

Research

Much of our research is applied in nature, focusing on the practical application and use of the past in the present; e.g. in museum exhibitions, heritage site management, heritage tourism, public history, community archaeology, conservation, restoration, festivals, reenactments, commemorations, genealogy, film, TV, libraries, archives, and creative digitalisation.

Through our academic publications (e.g. peer-reviewed journal articles, monographs, and book chapters), reports, MA and PhD theses, and creative work (e.g. heritage trails, guidebooks, museum exhibitions, art exhibitions, short films, artworks, and performances), we remain committed to advancing knowledge about the place of cultural heritage in inclusive, innovative and reflective societies.

Members

Specialist academic staff and postgraduates in the Heritage Research Group

There are 18 specialist staff and postgraduates in the Heritage Research Group – with research interests across a wide range of areas in heritage studies.

Their names, affiliations, contact details, and research interests are furnished below:

Dr Fiona Beglane

Department: Environmental Science
Campus: Sligo
Email: Fiona.Beglane@atu.ie
Tel: +353 (071) 9305544

Research Interests: Zooarchaeology, landscapes, medieval archaeology, hunting, the use of scientific techniques in archaeology, integrating scientific and social/cultural interpretations of archaeology, examining the interaction between humans and animals.

Dr Sarah Berthaud

Department: Languages & Humanities
Campus: Dublin Road, Galway
Email: Sarah.Berthaud@atu.ie
Tel: +353 (0)91 742422

Research Interests: European cultural heritage studies, bilingualism, second language acquisition, teaching and learning, technologies in translation/interpreting (especially with the issue of Irish being a ‘minority language’), language policy.

Gary Dempsey

Department: Creative Arts & Media
Campus: Wellpark Road, Galway
Email: Gary.Dempsey@atu.ie

Research Interests: The role of stonemasons in medieval Ireland, the use of digital technology in community heritage projects, the application of digital recording techniques in heritage visualisation.

Dr Marion Dowd

Department: Environmental Science
Campus: Sligo
Email: Marion.Dowd@atu.ie

Research Interests: Prehistoric archaeology, cave archaeology, archaeological excavation, folklore, cillíní (children’s burial grounds), Sligo’s Civil War.

Paul Gosling

Department: Heritage & Tourism
Campus: Dublin Road, Galway
Email: Paul.Gosling@atu.ie
Tel: +353 (0)91 742027

Research Interests: Built and cultural heritage studies, archaeological survey (rural and urban), Táin Bó Cúailnge (topographic and toponymic aspects).

Dr Mark McCarthy

Department: Heritage & Tourism
Campus: Dublin Road, Galway
Email: Mark.McCarthy@atu.ie
Tel: +353 (0)91 742411

Research Interests: Cultural heritage studies, urban historical geography, memory and commemoration of wars and rebellions in post-conflict contexts, and early modern and modern Irish and international history.

Dr Yvonne McDermott

Department: Business, Humanities & Technology
Campus: Mayo
Email: Yvonne.McDermott@atu.ie
Tel: +353 (0)94 9043176

Research Interests: Built and cultural heritage studies, history and archaeology of mendicant orders of friars in the late medieval period, medieval friaries and leper houses.

Dr Marion McGarry

Department: ATU Connemara / Heritage & Tourism
Campus: Connemara / Dublin Road, Galway
Email: Marion.McGarry@atu.ie
Tel: +353(0)91 742673

Research Interests: Irish cultural heritage, heritage tourism, Irish built heritage, furniture and material culture 1850-1950, Irish folklife and seasonal rituals 1850-1950, historical influences on Irish literature, contemporary Irish furniture and design.

Cian Marnell

Department: Heritage & Tourism + Languages & Humanities
Campus: Dublin Road, Galway
Email: Cian.Marnell@atu.ie
Tel: +353 (0)91 742052

Research Interests: Cultural heritage studies, Ireland’s literature, folklore, Irish language pedagogy and grammar, graduate employment.

Dr John O’Callaghan

Unit: Teaching and Learning Centre
Campus: Sligo
Email: John.OCallaghan@atu.ie

Research Interests: Twentieth-century Ireland, the Irish Revolution, history teaching, commemoration, history and reconciliation, local history, public history.

Fergal O’Dowd

Department: Business, Humanities & Technology
Campus: Mayo
Email: Fergal.ODowd@atu.ie
Tel: +353 (0)94 9043120

Research Interests: Cultural and natural heritage studies, evolution and future development of agri-environment schemes, development of ‘slow adventure’ within the adventure tourism sector, Irish language usage and change.

Margaret O’Riordan

Department: Business, Humanities & Technology
Campus: Mayo
Email: Margaret.ORiordain@atu.ie
Tel: +353 (0)94 9043153

Research Interests: Cultural and natural heritage studies, environmental policy and planning.

Dr Suzanne O’Shea

Department: Centre for Creative Arts & Media + Heritage & Tourism
Campus: Centre for Creative Arts & Media + Galway
Email: Suzanne.OShea@atu.ie
Tel: +353 (0)91 770661, Ext 2490

Research Interests: Cultural heritage studies, art history and theory, aesthetics and philosophy, curatorial practice, art education, gender and history, historical cultural politics, feminist aesthetics, feminist philosophy.

Dr Cilian Roden

Department: Heritage & Tourism
Campus: Dublin Road, Galway
Email: Cilian.Roden@atu.ie
Tel: +353 (0)91 742470

Research Interests: Natural heritage studies, aquatic ecology, algae, marine biology, terrestrial vegetation, nature conservation.

Stephanie White Stott

Department: Environmental Science
Campus: Sligo
Email: Stefanie.White@research.atu.ie

Research Interests: Built and cultural heritage, heritage tourism, heritage management, object and archaeological conservation, archaeological site conservation, conservation science, sustainable development.

Dr John Tunney

Department: Heritage & Tourism
Campus: Dublin Road, Galway
Email: John.Tunney@atu.ie
Tel: +353 (0)91 742102

Research Interests: Culturalheritage studies, heritage tourism, Irish traditional music (especially singing in West Ulster), museum studies/design.

Dr Fiona White

Department: Business, Humanities & Technology
Campus: Mayo
Email: Fiona.White@atu.ie
Tel: +353 (0)94 9043216

Research Interests: Built and cultural heritage studies, archaeology (post-medieval archaeology, ceramics), history (local history of Mayo).

Dr Shirley Wrynn

Unit: Research and Innovation Office
Campus: Dublin Road, Galway
Email: Shirley.Wrynn@atu.ie
Tel: +353 (0)91 742794

Research Interests: Cultural heritage studies, heritage tourism, history, memory studies.

Postgraduate Education

We are committed to the provision of postgraduate education for those who wish to train for rewarding careers in the above-mentioned areas. Amongst our members are postgraduate students, who are conducting research for their MA and PhD theses.

Services

In our explorations of cultural heritage, we are committed to servicing the research needs of agencies, citizens, civic bodies, communities, government departments, heritage businesses, local authorities, museums, professional bodies, and visitor attractions.

Contact Us

Dr Mark McCarthy
Senior Lecturer and Programme Chair in Heritage Studies
Department of Heritage and Tourism
Galway International Hotel School
Atlantic Technological University, Galway City
Dublin Road
Galway

Tel: +353 91 742411
Email: M ark.McCarthy@atu.ie