Biography
I am Lecturer in History and Director of the MA Public History & Cultural Heritage programme at the University of Limerick.
I research cultural histories of Irish music and country houses, landed elites, gender, education, recreation, and nation building, 1700s-1900s, as well as contemporary public history narratives and practices.
I welcome enquiries from potential MA and PhD students, as well as postdoctoral colleagues, interested in working on these topics.
Research Interests
My research interests lie in the cultural and social history of Irish music in the long nineteenth and twentieth centuries, focusing on processes of individual and collective cultural identity formation in country houses, landed elites, gender, education, recreation, and nation building, as well as contemporary public history narratives and practices.
Funding and collaborations
My work on the social life and musical cultures of country houses and landed estates in Ireland has been funded by the Office of Public Works, Irish Research Council (Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Research Fellowship; New Foundations Networking Grant), the Royal Irish Academy (Charlemont Award), and the AHSS Faculty at the University of Limerick.
I am a Research Associate at the Research Foundation for Music in Ireland, Conservatory of Music and Drama, Technological University (TU) Dublin, Member of the European Network for Country House and Estate Research (ENCOUNTER), and Member of the international Sound Heritage network leading the Irish Research Council-funded Sound Heritage Ireland project an inter-sectoral forum for communication and collaboration on issues concerning the sounding' of historic properties with a particular focus on music in country houses.
Public history
As well as contributions to local and national radio and television programmes, my work includes public history and heritage interpretation projects with the Office of Public Works including a travelling exhibition on pioneering Victorian Irish photographer W.D. Hemphill, and the Bryce House restoration project at Garinish Island in Co. Cork, specifically its reinterpretation as a historic house museum.
Teaching Interests
I teach in the following areas:
Postgraduate
- public history theory and practice, narratives and practices
- digital humanities
- public history placement preparation and reflective practices
- MA history research sources, methods and approaches
- MA history dissertation writing
Undergraduate
- Irish political, cultural and social histories, 1700s-1900s
- Specialist elective: The Irish country house - class, gender, culture
Professional Activities
Award
- 2021 - National Forum Teaching Hero
- 2016 - Irish Research Council New Foundations Grant Awardee
- 2015 - Royal Irish Academy Charlemont Research Scholar
- 2010 - Irish Research Council Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Consultancy
- 2013 Office of Public Works -
Association
- Member, International Federation for Public History (IFPH)
- Member, Irish Association of Professional Historians (IAPH)
- Member, Society for the Study of Nineteenth-Century Ireland (SSNCI)
Outreach
- Organising internships for MA students with museums and public history sites/professionals/projects locally, regionally, and nationally e.g. Limerick Museum, Limerick Archives, Hunt Museum Limerick, People's Museum of Limerick, National Museum of Ireland, Donegal County Museum, Waterford Viking Triangle Museums, Kerry County Museum, Wexford County Council, Galway City Museum, Special Collections Glucksman Library
Research Collaborators
- E A E R N: Eighteenth-century Arts Education Research Network - International Collaboration Type - University of Glasgow -Scotland
- Sound Heritage - International Collaboration Type - University of Southampton -England
Publications
Books
Music and dancing at Castletown, Co. Kildare, 1759-1821
Karol Mullaney-Dignam
(2011)
Music and dancing at Castletown, Co. Kildare, 1759-1821
Dublin :
Four Courts Press
Book Chapters
No accomplishment so great for a lady': women and music in the eighteenth- and nineteenth-century elite Irish household
Karol Mullaney-Dignam
(2021)
No accomplishment so great for a lady': women and music in the eighteenth- and nineteenth-century elite Irish household
In Women and Music in Ireland ;
Ita Beausang, Jennifer O'Connor-Madsen and Laura Watson(Ed.)
Woodbridge, UK :
Boydell & Brewer
Expanding the narrative: public history, music, and the Irish country house
Karol Mullaney-Dignam
(2021)
Expanding the narrative: public history, music, and the Irish country house
In Sound Heritage: Making Music Matter in Historic Houses;
Jeanice Brooks, Matthew Stephens, and Wiebke Thormählen(Ed.)
London :
Routledge
Music masters' and 'musicianers': census records and Irish music history, 1821-1911
Karol Mullaney-Dignam
(2019)
Music masters' and 'musicianers': census records and Irish music history, 1821-1911
In Documents of Irish music history in the long nineteenth century (IMS 12);
Kerry Houston, Maria McHale and Michael Murphy(Ed.)
Dublin :
Four Courts Press
pp. 182-194
'What do we mean by Irish music?': the politics of state-sponsored music publication in independent Ireland'
Karol Mullaney-Dignam
(2018)
'What do we mean by Irish music?': the politics of state-sponsored music publication in independent Ireland'
In Music Preferred: Essays in Musicology, Cultural History and Analysis in honour of Harry White;
Lorraine Byrne Bodley(Ed.)
Vienna :
Hollitzer Verlag
pp. 215-228
[ULIR]
Useless and extravagant? The consumption of music in the Irish country house'
Karol Mullaney-Dignam
(2016)
Useless and extravagant? The consumption of music in the Irish country house'
In The country house: material culture and consumption;
Swindon :
Historic England
[ULIR]
Hemphill's world: Clonmel and beyond'
Karol Mullaney-Dignam
(2014)
Hemphill's world: Clonmel and beyond'
In William Despard Hemphill, Irish Victorian Photographer;
Karol Mullaney-Dignam(Ed.)
Dublin :
Irish Government Publications for National Historic Properties, Office of Public Works
pp. 41-52
French horns playing at every meal: musical activity at Carton, 1747-1895'
Karol Mullaney-Dignam
(2014)
French horns playing at every meal: musical activity at Carton, 1747-1895'
In Aspects of Irish aristocratic life: the FitzGeralds and Carton House ;
Dublin :
UCD Press
pp. 92-105
[ULIR]
Persevering post-PhD: contemporary issues for early career academics'
Karol Mullaney-DIgnam
(2014)
Persevering post-PhD: contemporary issues for early career academics'
In Restating the value of Humanities in contemporary contexts ;
Dublin :
Royal Irish Academy, 2014
pp. 46-50
[ULIR]
The Music in the Irish Country House project: origins and objectives'
Karol Mullaney-Dignam
(2011)
The Music in the Irish Country House project: origins and objectives'
In The Irish country house: its past, present and future ;
Dublin :
Four Courts Press
pp. 166-183
Forging a musical culture: state, nation and music in Ireland, 1922-1932
Karol Mullaney-Dignam
(2008)
Forging a musical culture: state, nation and music in Ireland, 1922-1932
In Musical Culture and Memory;
Tatjana Marković and Vesna Mikić(Ed.)
Belgrade, Serbia :
Belgrade University of Arts
pp. 76-83
Edited Books
Aspects of Irish aristocratic life: essays on the FitzGeralds and Carton House
(2014)
Aspects of Irish aristocratic life: essays on the FitzGeralds and Carton House
Karol Mullaney-Dignam, Patrick Cosgrove, Terence Dooley(Ed.)
Dublin :
University College Dublin
William Despard Hemphill, Irish Victorian Photographer
(2014)
William Despard Hemphill, Irish Victorian Photographer
Karol Mullaney-Dignam(Ed.)
Dublin :
Irish Government Publications for National Historic Properties, Office of Public Works
Peer Reviewed Journals
Review: Emer Crooke, White elephants: the country house and the state in independent Ireland, 1922-73 (Dublin, 2018)
Karol Mullaney-Dignam
(2019)
Review: Emer Crooke, White elephants: the country house and the state in independent Ireland, 1922-73 (Dublin, 2018)
In Irish Historical Studies;
pp. 363-364
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/ihs.2019.85
[ULIR]
Review: Marjorie Fitzpatrick, Music and power in eighteenth-century court society: Handel's Messiah and Protestant Ascendancy (Lewiston, New York, and Lampeter, Wales: The Edwin Mellen Press, 2016)
Karol Mullaney-Dignam
(2016)
Review: Marjorie Fitzpatrick, Music and power in eighteenth-century court society: Handel's Messiah and Protestant Ascendancy (Lewiston, New York, and Lampeter, Wales: The Edwin Mellen Press, 2016)
In Eighteenth Century Ireland;
pp. 197-199
[ULIR]
Review: Helen Berry, The castrato and his wife (Oxford, 2011)
Karol Mullaney-Dignam
(2013)
Review: Helen Berry, The castrato and his wife (Oxford, 2011)
In Eighteenth Century Ireland;
[ULIR]
Spacious and splendid': music, dancing and social life at Glin Castle, 1781-1854
Karol Mullaney-Dignam
(2012)
Spacious and splendid': music, dancing and social life at Glin Castle, 1781-1854
In Irish Architectural And Decorative Studies;
pp. 16-37
'Irish country house music collections: Birr Castle, Co. Offaly'
Karol Mullaney-Dignam
(2012)
'Irish country house music collections: Birr Castle, Co. Offaly'
In Brio: Journal of the International Association of Music Libraries, UK and Ireland Branch ;
pp. 23-36
[ULIR]
Review: Patrick Walsh and A.P.W. Malcomson (eds), The Conolly Archive (Irish Manuscripts Commission, Dublin, 2010)
Karol Mullaney-Dignam
(2011)
Review: Patrick Walsh and A.P.W. Malcomson (eds), The Conolly Archive (Irish Manuscripts Commission, Dublin, 2010)
In Irish Archives;
pp. 59-61
Précis: State, nation and music in independent Ireland, 19221951: Ph. D. thesis, National University of Ireland, Maynooth, 2008
Karol Mullaney-Dignam
(2009)
Précis: State, nation and music in independent Ireland, 19221951: Ph. D. thesis, National University of Ireland, Maynooth, 2008
In Irish Economic And Social History;
pp. 97-99
DOI: https://www.jstor.org/stable/24338752
Other Journals
Treasure island [on Ilnacullin/Garinish island, Co. Cork]
Karol Mullaney-Dignam
(2015)
Treasure island [on Ilnacullin/Garinish island, Co. Cork]
In Irish Arts Review;
'An 'Italian palace' in Co. Roscommon: the creation of Rockingham House, Boyle'
Karol Mullaney-Dignam
(2013)
'An 'Italian palace' in Co. Roscommon: the creation of Rockingham House, Boyle'
In Roscommon Historical and Archaeological Society Journal ;
pp. 12-16
[ULIR]
Conference Contributions
A great divide' or a longer nineteenth century? Music, Britain and the First World War'
Karol Mullaney-Dignam
(2017)
A great divide' or a longer nineteenth century? Music, Britain and the First World War'
Durham University, Durham, UK
Why Public History? Conference, Queen's University Belfast, Northern Ireland
Karol Mullaney-Dignam
(2017)
Why Public History? Conference, Queen's University Belfast, Northern Ireland
Belfast, Northern Ireland
Sound Heritage Ireland Symposium
Karol Mullaney-Dignam
(2016)
Sound Heritage Ireland Symposium
Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, University of Limerick
Moments of Becoming: Transitions and Transformations in Early Modern Europe Conference
Karol Mullaney-Dignam
(2015)
Moments of Becoming: Transitions and Transformations in Early Modern Europe Conference
University of Limerick
Eleventh Annual Historic Houses of Ireland Conference
Karol Mullaney-Dignam
(2013)
Eleventh Annual Historic Houses of Ireland Conference
Castletown House, Co. Kildare
Second Women and Music in Ireland Conference
Karol Mullaney-Dignam
(2012)
Second Women and Music in Ireland Conference
Royal Irish Academy of Music, Dublin
The Irish diaspora and revolution, 1845-1945, International Conference
Karol Mullaney-Dignam
(2012)
The Irish diaspora and revolution, 1845-1945, International Conference
National University of Ireland Maynooth
Articles
What was St Patrick's Day like in 1918?
Karol Mullaney-Dignam
(2018)
What was St Patrick's Day like in 1918?
RTÉ Brainstorm
[ULIR]
Video recording / TVs
Tríd an Lionsa (Through the Lens), episode 1
Karol Mullaney-Dignam
(2018)
Tríd an Lionsa (Through the Lens), episode 1
Sibéal Productions
The Big House in Ireland
Karol Mullaney-Dignam
(2013)
The Big House in Ireland
BigMountain Productions
Music and the Irish Country House
Karol Mullaney-Dignam
(2012)
Music and the Irish Country House
NUI Maynooth
Radio Presentations
Ireland's National Anthems: from God Save the King to The Soldier's Song
Karol Mullaney-Dignam
(2017)
Ireland's National Anthems: from God Save the King to The Soldier's Song
RTÉ Lyricfm
The FitzGeralds in Ireland
Karol Mullaney-Dignam
(2014)
The FitzGeralds in Ireland
[ULIR]
Audiovisual materials
Cultural nexus: the country house in Ireland
Karol Mullaney-Dignam
(2015)
Cultural nexus: the country house in Ireland
Art Institute of Chicago :
Exhibitions
Bryce House Museum, Co. Cork
Karol Mullaney-Dignam
(2015)
Bryce House Museum, Co. Cork
National Historic Properties, Office of Public Work
Silent Exposure: The photography of William Despard Hemphill
Karol Mullaney-Dignam
(2014)
Silent Exposure: The photography of William Despard Hemphill
National Historic Properties, Office of Public Works
Encyclopedia Entrys
Tailteann Games [Aonach Tailteann]
Karol Mullaney-Dignam
(2013)
Tailteann Games [Aonach Tailteann]
In Encyclopeadia of Music in Ireland;
Feis Ceoil
Karol Mullaney-Dignam
(2013)
Feis Ceoil
pp. 372-373
Blogs
Larkin' About: Topical humour from the Weekly Irish Times'
Karol Mullaney-Dignam
(2013)
Larkin' About: Topical humour from the Weekly Irish Times'
[ULIR]
Consultancys
Visit Maynooth: Heritage Interpretation Strategy
Karol Mullaney-Dignam
(2013)
Visit Maynooth: Heritage Interpretation Strategy