Melissa Baird
@melissabaird.bsky.social
Assistant Editor, Documents on Irish Foreign Policy, Royal Irish Academy
| Historian of modern Irish and American history.
| Historian of modern Irish and American history.
Grateful for an awfully slow news day to share my newly published article.
What else would you be reading today?
muse.jhu.edu/pub/423/arti...
What else would you be reading today?
muse.jhu.edu/pub/423/arti...
muse.jhu.edu
November 13, 2025 at 10:42 AM
Grateful for an awfully slow news day to share my newly published article.
What else would you be reading today?
muse.jhu.edu/pub/423/arti...
What else would you be reading today?
muse.jhu.edu/pub/423/arti...
Reposted by Melissa Baird
For those reading that academia.edu has predatory terms of service, this is how to delete your account when they ask you to agree to their terms of service.
In the dialogue box asking you to agree, DO NOT click agree: instead click on the TOS link which will open another tab. In the top right of that tab you can go to your account settings and delete your account.
September 18, 2025 at 12:50 PM
For those reading that academia.edu has predatory terms of service, this is how to delete your account when they ask you to agree to their terms of service.
Reposted by Melissa Baird
To put this a little more directly: suggesting that "the world" has been "silent" carries the danger of depoliticising the crisis because it places the blame on *everyone*, when the ones we should be focusing on are the *few* who hold the levers of real power. 3/3
July 23, 2025 at 8:12 PM
To put this a little more directly: suggesting that "the world" has been "silent" carries the danger of depoliticising the crisis because it places the blame on *everyone*, when the ones we should be focusing on are the *few* who hold the levers of real power. 3/3
Reposted by Melissa Baird
"No no no you don't understand. I told the racists where all the immigrants were BEFORE they went and set that place on fire.".
Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has said his comments about Larne Leisure Centre housing individuals displaced by recent riots were made before the building was set alight, and were intended to “diffuse” tensions.
‘He is unfit for office’: Gordon Lyons to be reported over social media comments on Larne Leisure Centre
Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has said his comments about Larne Leisure Centre housing individuals displaced by recent riots were made before the building was set alight, and were intended to “dif...
www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk
June 12, 2025 at 8:16 AM
"No no no you don't understand. I told the racists where all the immigrants were BEFORE they went and set that place on fire.".
Reposted by Melissa Baird
If every sexual offence reported last year resulted in a riot, there would have been 1,615. There weren't though. Were there?
June 9, 2025 at 9:53 PM
If every sexual offence reported last year resulted in a riot, there would have been 1,615. There weren't though. Were there?
Reposted by Melissa Baird
WE'RE HIRING! Applications welcome for a three-year post with a focus on the 1970s/80s #jobfairy www.ria.ie/about/career...
Vacancy: Assistant Editor, Documents on Irish Foreign Policy - Royal Irish Academy
Applications are invited for the position of Assistant Editor, Documents on Irish Foreign Policy (DIFP) at the Royal Irish Academy.
www.ria.ie
June 9, 2025 at 9:36 AM
WE'RE HIRING! Applications welcome for a three-year post with a focus on the 1970s/80s #jobfairy www.ria.ie/about/career...
Reposted by Melissa Baird
I’m heartened to see that @ria.ie is funding up to four postdoctoral fellowships to encourage research into its historic links to colonial enterprises. Each fellowship is worth €5,000 and the deadline for applications is 9 June 2025.
www.ria.ie/grants/colon...
www.ria.ie/grants/colon...
Colonial Legacies Fellowship Scheme - Royal Irish Academy
The Colonial Legacies fellowships are intended to encourage research into the RIA’s historic links with colonial enterprises.
www.ria.ie
April 30, 2025 at 9:56 AM
I’m heartened to see that @ria.ie is funding up to four postdoctoral fellowships to encourage research into its historic links to colonial enterprises. Each fellowship is worth €5,000 and the deadline for applications is 9 June 2025.
www.ria.ie/grants/colon...
www.ria.ie/grants/colon...
Reposted by Melissa Baird
Huge day for the parish launching @shannondevlin.bsky.social’s first book at Queen’s. Very much a full circle moment. Galileo loved it. @qubhistory.bsky.social
April 28, 2025 at 9:02 PM
Huge day for the parish launching @shannondevlin.bsky.social’s first book at Queen’s. Very much a full circle moment. Galileo loved it. @qubhistory.bsky.social
Reposted by Melissa Baird
100% this. Can’t understand why these toxic campaigners choose to focus their energy and hatred towards a minority of people just trying to live their lives when it is cisgender men who are perpetrating violence against women on a daily basis. Solidarity with trans people now and always.
94% of the people raped in the UK are women, and 98% of the people arrested for rape or sexual assault are men. And — to repeat — around 3% of *reported* rapes result in a conviction. If you are looking for a feminist campaign, put down the LARGE GAMETES placard and start screaming at the CPS.
April 16, 2025 at 9:01 PM
100% this. Can’t understand why these toxic campaigners choose to focus their energy and hatred towards a minority of people just trying to live their lives when it is cisgender men who are perpetrating violence against women on a daily basis. Solidarity with trans people now and always.
Reposted by Melissa Baird
We're taking a couple of weeks break, and our next Irish Studies event will be a booklaunch of Shannon Devlin's 'Siblinghood and Sociability in 19th-Century Ulster' on Mon. 28 Apr. at 4.30 (in-person and online), with Prof. Diane Urquhart. All welcome.
www.qub.ac.uk/schools/Iris...
www.qub.ac.uk/schools/Iris...
Booklaunch of Shannon Devlin, Siblinghood and Sociability in Nineteenth-Century Ulster
www.qub.ac.uk
April 8, 2025 at 8:50 AM
We're taking a couple of weeks break, and our next Irish Studies event will be a booklaunch of Shannon Devlin's 'Siblinghood and Sociability in 19th-Century Ulster' on Mon. 28 Apr. at 4.30 (in-person and online), with Prof. Diane Urquhart. All welcome.
www.qub.ac.uk/schools/Iris...
www.qub.ac.uk/schools/Iris...
Reposted by Melissa Baird
Read more about ‘Faces of the Irish Diaspora’ - a project researched by our very own Dr Lucy Wray, and featuring some familiar faces. Go and see it for yourself on College Green until 31 March!
Faces of the Irish diaspora in Bristol
A photo exhibition shares stories of the Irish diaspora in Bristol
www.bristol247.com
March 18, 2025 at 4:37 PM
Read more about ‘Faces of the Irish Diaspora’ - a project researched by our very own Dr Lucy Wray, and featuring some familiar faces. Go and see it for yourself on College Green until 31 March!
Reposted by Melissa Baird
Declassified files reveal how key figures in De Valera's Ireland were privately thinking the unthinkable about Irish unity in 1969: Ditching the flag & anthem, ending neutrality, joining NATO, Terence O'Neill as Irish president...and buying The Irish News.
The secret papers which reveal radical thinking about a united Ireland
We are in a phony war about Irish unity. A united Ireland is not yet credibly close, so most people are only thinking about it shallowly.
www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk
March 9, 2025 at 2:05 PM
Declassified files reveal how key figures in De Valera's Ireland were privately thinking the unthinkable about Irish unity in 1969: Ditching the flag & anthem, ending neutrality, joining NATO, Terence O'Neill as Irish president...and buying The Irish News.
Reposted by Melissa Baird
Why Irish Government called on UN to intervene in Troubles in 1969. Taoiseach Jack Lynch's request followed many such demands by nationalists for the UN's engagement in Northern Ireland, writes @melissabaird.bsky.social @difp-ria.bsky.social www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
Why Irish Govt called on UN to intervene in Troubles in 1969
Taoiseach Jack Lynch's request followed many such demands by nationalists for the UN's engagement in Northern Ireland
www.rte.ie
February 7, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Why Irish Government called on UN to intervene in Troubles in 1969. Taoiseach Jack Lynch's request followed many such demands by nationalists for the UN's engagement in Northern Ireland, writes @melissabaird.bsky.social @difp-ria.bsky.social www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
Reposted by Melissa Baird
The latest vol. of @difp-ria.bsky.social is out. It's as immense as its size suggests (1200 pages!) Lots on the EEC, Biafra, etc, but I hope people will appreciate the blow-by-blow exchanges we included on the Troubles - especially the docs on Derry and Bloody Sunday. 🗃️
www.ria.ie/2025/02/10/d...
www.ria.ie/2025/02/10/d...
February 10, 2025 at 5:51 PM
The latest vol. of @difp-ria.bsky.social is out. It's as immense as its size suggests (1200 pages!) Lots on the EEC, Biafra, etc, but I hope people will appreciate the blow-by-blow exchanges we included on the Troubles - especially the docs on Derry and Bloody Sunday. 🗃️
www.ria.ie/2025/02/10/d...
www.ria.ie/2025/02/10/d...
Reposted by Melissa Baird
It's 1970 & the Irish army are plotting to invade Northern Ireland... Michael Kennedy @difp-ria.bsky.social on how plans for Irish army to make incursions into NI were mooted after violence & riots in 1969 - from Documents on Irish Foreign Policy Vol. XIV: 1969-1973 www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
It's 1970 & Irish army are plotting to invade Northern Ireland
The prospect of Irish Defence Forces making incursions into Northern Ireland was mooted after violence erupted there in 1969
www.rte.ie
January 30, 2025 at 4:08 PM
It's 1970 & the Irish army are plotting to invade Northern Ireland... Michael Kennedy @difp-ria.bsky.social on how plans for Irish army to make incursions into NI were mooted after violence & riots in 1969 - from Documents on Irish Foreign Policy Vol. XIV: 1969-1973 www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
Reposted by Melissa Baird
Volume X of DIFP is now free open access online at www.difp.ie/books/volume-10/
Volume 10 – Documents on Irish Foreign Policy
This volume of selected documents treats of the development of Irish foreign policy and the Irish diplomatic service from 21 January 1919 to 6 December 1922. With a few exceptions, none of the documen...
www.difp.ie
January 30, 2025 at 10:36 AM
Volume X of DIFP is now free open access online at www.difp.ie/books/volume-10/
So excited that everyone can now read all about the fascinating networks Shannon’s uncovered! It’s been amazing to see how this research has evolved from hearing about these stories in our PhD office to seeing it in print only a few years later. I am so proud 🥹
Happy publication week! Delighted (& slightly terrified) my first book is out in the wild for everyone to read 😂 Had so much fun going down the rabbit hole researching these families and hope that’s evident on the page #histfam
January 29, 2025 at 3:05 PM
So excited that everyone can now read all about the fascinating networks Shannon’s uncovered! It’s been amazing to see how this research has evolved from hearing about these stories in our PhD office to seeing it in print only a few years later. I am so proud 🥹
Reposted by Melissa Baird
Dining for Ireland: unconventional diplomat Con Howard used 1970s' London parties and soirees to befriend, charm & influence politicians, media moguls and journalists. By @kateom.bsky.social RIA - from Documents on Irish Foreign Policy Vol. XIV: 1969-1973 www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
Dining for Ireland: how diplomat Con Howard charmed 1970s London
The unconventional diplomat used London parties and soirees to befriend and influence politicians, media moguls and journalists
www.rte.ie
January 21, 2025 at 12:26 PM
Dining for Ireland: unconventional diplomat Con Howard used 1970s' London parties and soirees to befriend, charm & influence politicians, media moguls and journalists. By @kateom.bsky.social RIA - from Documents on Irish Foreign Policy Vol. XIV: 1969-1973 www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
Reposted by Melissa Baird
Our Spring 2025 #IrishStudies programme is now available at: www.qub.ac.uk/schools/Iris...
January 14, 2025 at 9:39 AM
Our Spring 2025 #IrishStudies programme is now available at: www.qub.ac.uk/schools/Iris...
Reposted by Melissa Baird
Our spring 2025 History seminar is now available. Our first history seminar will be held on 22 January 2025 and delivered by Professor Deirdre Raftery (UCD) in collaboration with the Centre for the History of Religion. @sarahannebuckley.bsky.social
January 14, 2025 at 1:19 PM
Our spring 2025 History seminar is now available. Our first history seminar will be held on 22 January 2025 and delivered by Professor Deirdre Raftery (UCD) in collaboration with the Centre for the History of Religion. @sarahannebuckley.bsky.social
My first piece on the new volume of @difp-ria.bsky.social (&first Bluesky post!), and it’s all about Irish diplomacy during Bernadette Devlin McAliskey’s 1969 US tour:
www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2... @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social
www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2... @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social
How Irish diplomats reacted to Bernadette Devlin's 1969 US tour
The Irish Government found themselves in a delicate position when the civil rights activist and newly elected MP toured the US in 1969
www.rte.ie
January 14, 2025 at 1:04 PM
My first piece on the new volume of @difp-ria.bsky.social (&first Bluesky post!), and it’s all about Irish diplomacy during Bernadette Devlin McAliskey’s 1969 US tour:
www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2... @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social
www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2... @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social
Reposted by Melissa Baird
DIFP XIV has arrived. You can buy it here: shop.ria.ie/products/doc...
December 2, 2024 at 1:16 PM
DIFP XIV has arrived. You can buy it here: shop.ria.ie/products/doc...
Reposted by Melissa Baird