History and Philosophy

Tomás Finn is a lecturer in History at the University of Galway. He specialises in Irish and British history. An internationally recognised scholar, he is regarded as an authority on modern Irish political history. His research and publications have made a significant contribution to historical scholarship. The importance of his prize winning book on Tuairim in understanding the evolving intellectual climate in Ireland and its role in persuading governmental institutions to adopt new policies and a chapter on Donal Barrington, the Supreme Court Judge, in an edited volume have shown that public intellectuals in Ireland and among its diaspora, in fact, did influence the key policy decisions that shaped modern Ireland. This concern with intellectuals and social movements and the process of modernisation is reflected in his current work. He is currently co-editing two books and has chapters in each of these, one on Youth Political Parties and the other Muintir na Tire, the rural social movement. His work thus reflects the Department of History and School of History and Philosophy's ongoing research strengths in the areas of Activism and Justice, Religion and Society and Childhood, Youth and Family. He focuses on the intersection between intellectuals, civil society and church and state in understanding the process of modernisation. An active member of various professional societies, Dr Finn's publications have often flowed from his collaboration with these bodies and the different conferences he has organised at the University of Galway. He works closely with national and international colleagues in understanding the ways intellectuals interacted with civil society and sought to re-invent the governance of Ireland in cultural, social, political and economic terms. This facilitates the profile he has gained in the national and international media. 

Dr Finn has extensive teaching experience at the University of Galway. As a lecturer in the Discipline of History, the Centre for Irish Studies, the University's Youth Academy and through the International Irish Studies Summer School, he has responsibility for the creation, teaching and assessment of a wide variety of modules in a range of programmes, and at all academic levels. His modules include nineteenth and twentieth century Ireland and Britain as well as Irish and European history from the medieval and early modern periods. Research led and student centred, he is central to organising the Department of History's curriculum including leading and mentoring early career researchers.