John Gallagher
@earlymodernjohn.bsky.social
Irishman in Yorkshire. Historian of language, education, migration at the University of Leeds. Co-editor of the Historical Journal; from 2026, editor of Renaissance Studies. Occasional BBC radio presenter. Currently learning Amharic. Dad!
Pinned
New editor and associate editor, Renaissance Studies – Society for Renaissance Studies
www.rensoc.org.uk
Some news: in 2026 I'll take over as Editor of Renaissance Studies. It's a journal that means a great deal to me and which occupies a uniquely important position in the interdisciplinary study of the early modern world. With our new Associate Editor, Dr Elizabeth Petcu, I can't wait to get started!
Reposted by John Gallagher
What languages did the 35 hermits living in Jerusalem in 808 pray to God in? Charlemagne wanted to know, so he found out. (Mostly Greek and Syriac)
November 21, 2025 at 1:22 PM
What languages did the 35 hermits living in Jerusalem in 808 pray to God in? Charlemagne wanted to know, so he found out. (Mostly Greek and Syriac)
Obviously I meant 'doodled' rather than googled here, but this was a nice find last week in a register of wills from 1563.
I really enjoyed this one, even if I'd be slightly annoyed to find it googled underneath *my* will.
November 20, 2025 at 2:44 PM
Obviously I meant 'doodled' rather than googled here, but this was a nice find last week in a register of wills from 1563.
I was writing the other day about a document that mentions the Antwerp-born Londoner Lodewijk Theeuws, but I hadn't realised that a claviorgan he built in 1579 still exists at the V&A, and that it's the earliest surviving keyboard instrument made in Britain. collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O60635/...
The Theewes Claviorgan | Theewes, Lodewyk | V&A Explore The Collections
Claviorgan, 1579, English, Lodewyk Theewes
collections.vam.ac.uk
November 20, 2025 at 8:56 AM
I was writing the other day about a document that mentions the Antwerp-born Londoner Lodewijk Theeuws, but I hadn't realised that a claviorgan he built in 1579 still exists at the V&A, and that it's the earliest surviving keyboard instrument made in Britain. collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O60635/...
It would be really good to see an Irish media outlet reporting on the Burke family without regurgitating their use of the dogwhistle word "transgenderism". The IT have used it uncritically throughout the whole saga; the Indo were at it today.
November 19, 2025 at 9:57 PM
It would be really good to see an Irish media outlet reporting on the Burke family without regurgitating their use of the dogwhistle word "transgenderism". The IT have used it uncritically throughout the whole saga; the Indo were at it today.
Reposted by John Gallagher
Fresh on the catalogue, REQ 2/280, more Elizabethan Court of Requests goodness. Over 20,000 new item descriptions and counting for this oft-overlooked conciliar court. discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/browse/r/r/C...
Browse records of other archives | The National Archives
The official archive of the UK government. Our vision is to lead and transform information management, guarantee the survival of today's information for tomorrow and bring history to life for everyone...
discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk
November 18, 2025 at 9:53 AM
Fresh on the catalogue, REQ 2/280, more Elizabethan Court of Requests goodness. Over 20,000 new item descriptions and counting for this oft-overlooked conciliar court. discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/browse/r/r/C...
Reposted by John Gallagher
'Nottingham will be the only Russell Group university not to teach modern foreign languages degrees if it approves plans to close a swath of courses including Spanish and French as well as music and dozens of others.' 1/3
University of Nottingham considers axing language and music degrees
Total of 48 degrees could disappear from Russell Group institution, with falling revenues and rising costs blamed
www.theguardian.com
November 18, 2025 at 7:01 PM
'Nottingham will be the only Russell Group university not to teach modern foreign languages degrees if it approves plans to close a swath of courses including Spanish and French as well as music and dozens of others.' 1/3
Reposted by John Gallagher
Meet one of the oldest early printed books in our collections - a Japanese-Spanish dictionary compiled by Catholic missionaries and published in 1630 in Manila 📖
November 18, 2025 at 12:16 PM
Meet one of the oldest early printed books in our collections - a Japanese-Spanish dictionary compiled by Catholic missionaries and published in 1630 in Manila 📖
Reposted by John Gallagher
Now available as podcast: my lecture for the @ghilondon.bsky.social on nuns' letters, Reformation pamphlets and the development of the German language #nuntastic www.ghil.ac.uk/publications...
Henrike Lähnemann: 1525 and All That
www.ghil.ac.uk
November 18, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Now available as podcast: my lecture for the @ghilondon.bsky.social on nuns' letters, Reformation pamphlets and the development of the German language #nuntastic www.ghil.ac.uk/publications...
Reposted by John Gallagher
Here’s another fully funded 4-year PhD position at Leiden within the ERC project LangPro led by Dr Alisa van de Haar, and co-supervised by yours truly, on guilds and associations supporting early modern language professionals bit.ly/49rsLA3
Apply by 15 Feb. 2026; starting date 1 Aug. 2026
Apply by 15 Feb. 2026; starting date 1 Aug. 2026
PhD position, project LangPro: 'Societies and Guilds in the Language Industry'
PhD position, project LangPro: 'Societies and Guilds in the Language Industry'
bit.ly
November 18, 2025 at 4:25 PM
Here’s another fully funded 4-year PhD position at Leiden within the ERC project LangPro led by Dr Alisa van de Haar, and co-supervised by yours truly, on guilds and associations supporting early modern language professionals bit.ly/49rsLA3
Apply by 15 Feb. 2026; starting date 1 Aug. 2026
Apply by 15 Feb. 2026; starting date 1 Aug. 2026
Reposted by John Gallagher
📢Here's a fully funded 4-year PhD position at Leiden within the ERC project LangPro led by Dr Alisa van de Haar, and co-supervised by yours truly, on professional opportunities for women in the early modern language sector bit.ly/47Y3hYI
Apply by 15 Feb. 2026; starting date 1 Aug. 2026
Apply by 15 Feb. 2026; starting date 1 Aug. 2026
PhD position, project: LangPro Women in the Early Modern Language Sector
PhD position, project: LangPro Women in the Early Modern Language Sector
careers.universiteitleiden.nl
November 18, 2025 at 4:22 PM
📢Here's a fully funded 4-year PhD position at Leiden within the ERC project LangPro led by Dr Alisa van de Haar, and co-supervised by yours truly, on professional opportunities for women in the early modern language sector bit.ly/47Y3hYI
Apply by 15 Feb. 2026; starting date 1 Aug. 2026
Apply by 15 Feb. 2026; starting date 1 Aug. 2026
Reposted by John Gallagher
I’ve written a piece on the curious lack of media and political interest in the issues faced by our national @britishlibrary.bsky.social. This is strange given we live in a world where ideas, knowledge and research are a long-term source of innovation and insight
www.cityam.com/the-british-...
www.cityam.com/the-british-...
The British library is in crisis: why does nobody care?
The widespread indifference to the British Library's crippling cyberattack demonstrates a perilous failure to value the knowledge infrastructure vital for national prosperity
www.cityam.com
November 18, 2025 at 6:27 AM
I’ve written a piece on the curious lack of media and political interest in the issues faced by our national @britishlibrary.bsky.social. This is strange given we live in a world where ideas, knowledge and research are a long-term source of innovation and insight
www.cityam.com/the-british-...
www.cityam.com/the-british-...
I was just thinking the other day that it is mad that if this continues then the book I'm writing, about London 1560-1630, will contain basically no British Library manuscript material. Would have been unthinkable to me but there hasn't been a manuscript catalogue for two years now!
I’ve written a piece on the curious lack of media and political interest in the issues faced by our national @britishlibrary.bsky.social. This is strange given we live in a world where ideas, knowledge and research are a long-term source of innovation and insight
www.cityam.com/the-british-...
www.cityam.com/the-british-...
The British library is in crisis: why does nobody care?
The widespread indifference to the British Library's crippling cyberattack demonstrates a perilous failure to value the knowledge infrastructure vital for national prosperity
www.cityam.com
November 18, 2025 at 1:51 PM
I was just thinking the other day that it is mad that if this continues then the book I'm writing, about London 1560-1630, will contain basically no British Library manuscript material. Would have been unthinkable to me but there hasn't been a manuscript catalogue for two years now!
Reposted by John Gallagher
“Around six months after the cyber incident I talked to the then chair of the science select committee, who was not aware of this incident” w o w
I’ve written a piece on the curious lack of media and political interest in the issues faced by our national @britishlibrary.bsky.social. This is strange given we live in a world where ideas, knowledge and research are a long-term source of innovation and insight
www.cityam.com/the-british-...
www.cityam.com/the-british-...
The British library is in crisis: why does nobody care?
The widespread indifference to the British Library's crippling cyberattack demonstrates a perilous failure to value the knowledge infrastructure vital for national prosperity
www.cityam.com
November 18, 2025 at 1:13 PM
“Around six months after the cyber incident I talked to the then chair of the science select committee, who was not aware of this incident” w o w
Reposted by John Gallagher
Very much looking forward to the Irish Renaissance Seminar here in Galway this Saturday, featuring a keynote by @fredschurink.bsky.social, a panel by our @rebpaf.bsky.social friends, and a surprise visit from @earlymodernjohn.bsky.social.
cc: @stemma.bsky.social, @uniofgalway.bsky.social
cc: @stemma.bsky.social, @uniofgalway.bsky.social
November 18, 2025 at 12:28 PM
Very much looking forward to the Irish Renaissance Seminar here in Galway this Saturday, featuring a keynote by @fredschurink.bsky.social, a panel by our @rebpaf.bsky.social friends, and a surprise visit from @earlymodernjohn.bsky.social.
cc: @stemma.bsky.social, @uniofgalway.bsky.social
cc: @stemma.bsky.social, @uniofgalway.bsky.social
Reposted by John Gallagher
Places almost completely filled for this! Let me know if you'd like a spot reserving before they run out.
I'm planning an interactive workshop on the senses and medical humanities, to be held in Leeds in July 2026. It will involve creative practitioners, academics, and clinicians. If this is something you'd be interested in attending, please drop me a message or reply to this post and we can chat more!
November 17, 2025 at 1:50 PM
Places almost completely filled for this! Let me know if you'd like a spot reserving before they run out.
Reposted by John Gallagher
Míle buíochas le Mary Claire agus lucht @raidiofailte.bsky.social as labhairt liom faoin siompóisiam a bheas ar siúl againn sa Chultúrlann ar Dé Máirt an 25 Samhain. Is féidir clárú anseo: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/symposium-...
@irishstudiesqub.bsky.social @qubelfastofficial.bsky.social
@irishstudiesqub.bsky.social @qubelfastofficial.bsky.social
November 14, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Míle buíochas le Mary Claire agus lucht @raidiofailte.bsky.social as labhairt liom faoin siompóisiam a bheas ar siúl againn sa Chultúrlann ar Dé Máirt an 25 Samhain. Is féidir clárú anseo: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/symposium-...
@irishstudiesqub.bsky.social @qubelfastofficial.bsky.social
@irishstudiesqub.bsky.social @qubelfastofficial.bsky.social
Reposted by John Gallagher
Just TEN DAYS LEFT to submit your abstracts for @emjlynajsh.bsky.social's and my conference on EM practical texts @sheffieldcems.bsky.social. The conference has hybrid capability, and we have six self-funded student/non-waged ECR travel bursaries of £75 each.
sites.google.com/sheffield.ac...
sites.google.com/sheffield.ac...
Sheffield Centre for Early Modern Studies - CFP: Reading the Practical in Early Modern Literature
CFP: Reading the Practical in Early Modern Literature
sites.google.com
November 14, 2025 at 9:19 AM
Just TEN DAYS LEFT to submit your abstracts for @emjlynajsh.bsky.social's and my conference on EM practical texts @sheffieldcems.bsky.social. The conference has hybrid capability, and we have six self-funded student/non-waged ECR travel bursaries of £75 each.
sites.google.com/sheffield.ac...
sites.google.com/sheffield.ac...
Reposted by John Gallagher
Memorandum attesting to the fact that Domingo Rodriguez 'is now, and has been for upwards of 17 years ... '
[Alan Carr voice]
' .... head Linguister' at Tellicherry (Thalassery) for the East India Company. #skystorians
One of untold hundreds who did this translation work for the EIC.
[Alan Carr voice]
' .... head Linguister' at Tellicherry (Thalassery) for the East India Company. #skystorians
One of untold hundreds who did this translation work for the EIC.
November 13, 2025 at 2:56 PM
Memorandum attesting to the fact that Domingo Rodriguez 'is now, and has been for upwards of 17 years ... '
[Alan Carr voice]
' .... head Linguister' at Tellicherry (Thalassery) for the East India Company. #skystorians
One of untold hundreds who did this translation work for the EIC.
[Alan Carr voice]
' .... head Linguister' at Tellicherry (Thalassery) for the East India Company. #skystorians
One of untold hundreds who did this translation work for the EIC.
Reposted by John Gallagher
So proud of my @leidenhumanities.bsky.social colleague Lotte Fikkers, whose Open Access Book, Early Modern Women’s Life Writing & English law is out w/ @edinburghup.bsky.social ! A stunning achievement from our @erc.europa.eu project #FEATHERS. Don’t miss it
www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/news/2025...
www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/news/2025...
Women in early modern courtrooms: 'A cross-section of society'
In early modern England, courts of law were working overtime. University lecturer Lotte Fikkers delved into the records of centuries-old court cases involving women. In Early Modern Women's Life-Writi...
www.universiteitleiden.nl
November 11, 2025 at 10:00 AM
So proud of my @leidenhumanities.bsky.social colleague Lotte Fikkers, whose Open Access Book, Early Modern Women’s Life Writing & English law is out w/ @edinburghup.bsky.social ! A stunning achievement from our @erc.europa.eu project #FEATHERS. Don’t miss it
www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/news/2025...
www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/news/2025...
Reposted by John Gallagher
Any journalists interesting in covering/following can DM here or contact me at pdkmitchell at gmail dot com. The most recent BBC and ITV coverage is here (CW: violence, femicide, suicide):
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.itv.com/news/tyne-te...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.itv.com/news/tyne-te...
www.itv.com
November 10, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Any journalists interesting in covering/following can DM here or contact me at pdkmitchell at gmail dot com. The most recent BBC and ITV coverage is here (CW: violence, femicide, suicide):
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.itv.com/news/tyne-te...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.itv.com/news/tyne-te...
Reposted by John Gallagher
I'm in Nairobi this week for the opening of the inquest into my sister Kate's death here, almost four years ago, which is still very much unsolved. The case has been beset by obstructions and evasions; it's taken us a long time to get this far and there may be more to come.
November 10, 2025 at 5:01 PM
I'm in Nairobi this week for the opening of the inquest into my sister Kate's death here, almost four years ago, which is still very much unsolved. The case has been beset by obstructions and evasions; it's taken us a long time to get this far and there may be more to come.
Reposted by John Gallagher
This Underwood typewriter, likely the first with Irish characters, was used by the Gaelic League around 1905.
Now on display in the newly opened Changing Ireland Galleries in Collins Barracks, it’s a powerful symbol of everyday tools shaping Irish identity.
www.museum.ie/en-IE/Museum...
Now on display in the newly opened Changing Ireland Galleries in Collins Barracks, it’s a powerful symbol of everyday tools shaping Irish identity.
www.museum.ie/en-IE/Museum...
I kept finding cló gaelach everywhere this weekend - a typewriter @nmireland.bsky.social , font on school signage, and blocks of type at the National Print Museum #gaeilge #clógaelach
November 10, 2025 at 2:45 PM
This Underwood typewriter, likely the first with Irish characters, was used by the Gaelic League around 1905.
Now on display in the newly opened Changing Ireland Galleries in Collins Barracks, it’s a powerful symbol of everyday tools shaping Irish identity.
www.museum.ie/en-IE/Museum...
Now on display in the newly opened Changing Ireland Galleries in Collins Barracks, it’s a powerful symbol of everyday tools shaping Irish identity.
www.museum.ie/en-IE/Museum...
Reposted by John Gallagher
I kept finding cló gaelach everywhere this weekend - a typewriter @nmireland.bsky.social , font on school signage, and blocks of type at the National Print Museum #gaeilge #clógaelach
November 9, 2025 at 5:38 PM
I kept finding cló gaelach everywhere this weekend - a typewriter @nmireland.bsky.social , font on school signage, and blocks of type at the National Print Museum #gaeilge #clógaelach
I would put my hat in the ring for director general of the BBC except that I am disqualified by the unacceptable attribute of really liking the BBC.
No more noble British tradition than resigning over some nonsense everyone is only pretending to be angry about rather than all of the actually bad things you've done.
November 9, 2025 at 6:37 PM
I would put my hat in the ring for director general of the BBC except that I am disqualified by the unacceptable attribute of really liking the BBC.
No more noble British tradition than resigning over some nonsense everyone is only pretending to be angry about rather than all of the actually bad things you've done.
November 9, 2025 at 6:10 PM
No more noble British tradition than resigning over some nonsense everyone is only pretending to be angry about rather than all of the actually bad things you've done.