Jane Ohlmeyer
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Jane Ohlmeyer, , is a historian and academic, specialising in early modern Irish and
British history The British Isles have witnessed intermittent periods of competition and cooperation between the people that occupy the various parts of Great Britain, the Isle of Man, Ireland, the Bailiwick of Guernsey, the Bailiwick of Jersey and ...
. She is the Erasmus Smith's Professor of Modern History (1762) at
Trinity College Dublin , name_Latin = Collegium Sanctae et Individuae Trinitatis Reginae Elizabethae juxta Dublin , motto = ''Perpetuis futuris temporibus duraturam'' (Latin) , motto_lang = la , motto_English = It will last i ...
and Chair of the
Irish Research Council The Irish Research Council ( ir, An Chomhairle um Thaighde in Éirinn) was launched in 2012 and operates under the aegis of the Department of Education and Skills. The core function of the organisation is to support research across a number ...
, which funds frontier research across all disciplines. Ohlmeyer was the founding Head of the School of Histories and Humanities at Trinity College Dublin, Trinity's first vice-president for Global Relations (2011–14), and Director of the Trinity Long Room Hub Arts and Humanities Research Institute (2015–20). Ohlmeyer has been the Principal Investigator (PI) or co-PI for 25 research and research infrastructure projects with awards totalling c. €22 million from national, European and international funders. In addition to historical research, Ohlmeyer regularly speaks on topics that relate more generally to the importance of the arts and humanities, the value of inter- and trans-disciplinarity, educational policy, and digital humanities. She has commented on the barriers facing women in the university sector and launched a free Democracy Curriculum in 2020. She is a committed advocate of the public humanities and policy engagement and is a notable public commentator on contemporary issues, including
Brexit Brexit (; a portmanteau of "British exit") was the Withdrawal from the European Union, withdrawal of the United Kingdom (UK) from the European Union (EU) at 23:00 Greenwich Mean Time, GMT on 31 January 2020 (00:00 1 February 2020 Central Eur ...
. In 2021, Ohlmeyer delivered the
Ford Lectures The Ford Lectures, technically the James Ford Lectures in British History, are an annual series of public lectures held at the University of Oxford on the subject of English or British history. They are usually devoted to a particular historical ...
on 'Ireland, Empire and the Early Modern World' at the
University of Oxford , mottoeng = The Lord is my light , established = , endowment = £6.1 billion (including colleges) (2019) , budget = £2.145 billion (2019–20) , chancellor ...
. She was the eleventh women to deliver the prestigious lectures since they were founded in 1896. Ohlmeyer was the first person from a university in Ireland to since F.S.L Lyons in 1977. Due to the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
, this was the first time the lectures were delivered online. The lectures are now available on the
RTÉ (RTÉ) (; Irish for "Radio & Television of Ireland") is the national broadcaster of Ireland headquartered in Dublin. It both produces and broadcasts programmes on television, radio and online. The radio service began on 1 January 1926, whil ...
website.


Early life and education

Ohlmeyer was born in
Zambia Zambia (), officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central, Southern and East Africa, although it is typically referred to as being in Southern Africa at its most central point. Its neighbours are t ...
to a Northern Irish mother and a South African father, moving to Belfast in 1969. She read history as an undergraduate at the
University of St Andrews (Aien aristeuein) , motto_lang = grc , mottoeng = Ever to ExcelorEver to be the Best , established = , type = Public research university Ancient university , endowment ...
before going on to complete an MA at the
University of Illinois The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (U of I, Illinois, University of Illinois, or UIUC) is a public land-grant research university in Illinois in the twin cities of Champaign and Urbana. It is the flagship institution of the Uni ...
and a PhD at
Trinity College Dublin , name_Latin = Collegium Sanctae et Individuae Trinitatis Reginae Elizabethae juxta Dublin , motto = ''Perpetuis futuris temporibus duraturam'' (Latin) , motto_lang = la , motto_English = It will last i ...
.


Career

Ohlmeyer was appointed
Erasmus Smith's Professor of Modern History Erasmus Smith's Professor of Modern History is a chair in history at Trinity College Dublin. It was founded in 1762 and funded by the Erasmus Smith Trust, which was established by Erasmus Smith, who lived 1611–1691. It had been preceded by a Pro ...
at
Trinity College Dublin , name_Latin = Collegium Sanctae et Individuae Trinitatis Reginae Elizabethae juxta Dublin , motto = ''Perpetuis futuris temporibus duraturam'' (Latin) , motto_lang = la , motto_English = It will last i ...
in 2003. Prior to that appointment, she held posts at the
University of California at Santa Barbara The University of California, Santa Barbara (UC Santa Barbara or UCSB) is a public land-grant research university in Santa Barbara, California with 23,196 undergraduates and 2,983 graduate students enrolled in 2021–2022. It is part of the U ...
,
Yale University Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the w ...
and, from 1995 to 2003, at the
University of Aberdeen , mottoeng = The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom , established = , type = Public research universityAncient university , endowment = £58.4 million (2021) , budget ...
. Upon her promotion to Professor in 2000, Ohlmeyer was the first woman to hold a chair in History at the
University of Aberdeen , mottoeng = The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom , established = , type = Public research universityAncient university , endowment = £58.4 million (2021) , budget ...
, and the first chair of Irish History in Scotland. Ohlmeyer has taught undergraduate and postgraduate students at
Trinity College Dublin , name_Latin = Collegium Sanctae et Individuae Trinitatis Reginae Elizabethae juxta Dublin , motto = ''Perpetuis futuris temporibus duraturam'' (Latin) , motto_lang = la , motto_English = It will last i ...
, at
Yale Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the wor ...
, the
University of Aberdeen , mottoeng = The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom , established = , type = Public research universityAncient university , endowment = £58.4 million (2021) , budget ...
,
New York University New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then- Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin. In 1832, th ...
and
Ashoka University Ashoka University is a philanthropy-driven private university located in the National Capital Region (NCR), India, focusing on a liberal education in the Humanities, the Social Sciences, and the Sciences. The university is on a mission to ...
in New Delhi. At Trinity, she has supervised 11
PhD PHD or PhD may refer to: * Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), an academic qualification Entertainment * '' PhD: Phantasy Degree'', a Korean comic series * '' Piled Higher and Deeper'', a web comic * Ph.D. (band), a 1980s British group ** Ph.D. (Ph.D. al ...
students and mentored eight
postdoctoral A postdoctoral fellow, postdoctoral researcher, or simply postdoc, is a person professionally conducting research after the completion of their doctoral studies (typically a PhD). The ultimate goal of a postdoctoral research position is to pu ...
fellows and nine Marie Skłodowska-Curie Cofund Fellows. She has served as an external examiner for theses in the English and History Faculties at the Universities of
Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...
,
Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cambridge bec ...
,
Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...
,
New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...
,
Galway Galway ( ; ga, Gaillimh, ) is a City status in Ireland, city in the West Region, Ireland, West of Ireland, in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Connacht, which is the county town of County Galway. It lies on the River Corrib between Lo ...
, UCD and
Maynooth Maynooth (; ga, Maigh Nuad) is a university town in north County Kildare, Ireland. It is home to Maynooth University (part of the National University of Ireland and also known as the National University of Ireland, Maynooth) and St Patrick's ...
. In 2015 Ohlmeyer was appointed Chair of the
Irish Research Council The Irish Research Council ( ir, An Chomhairle um Thaighde in Éirinn) was launched in 2012 and operates under the aegis of the Department of Education and Skills. The core function of the organisation is to support research across a number ...
. The Irish Research Council (IRC) awards competitive funding on the basis of research excellence. The council also advises the government on research related policy issues, as well as lobbying ministers in Dublin and Brussels, and was the first funding agency in Ireland to publish a gender strategy and introduce gender-blind assessment. The Council introduced the #LoveIrishResearch social media campaign to empower Irish researchers to communicate why their research matters. From 2015 to 2020 Ohlmeyer was Director of the Trinity Long Room Hub Arts and Humanities Research Institute, having previously worked with colleagues to develop the concept and secure funding (2008). The Trinity Long Room Hub advances research excellence in the arts and humanities; fosters innovation in research, including interdisciplinarity, and draws attention to issues of national and international importance through an extensive public humanities initiative. In 2020 Ohlmeyer led the institute's 10th anniversary celebrations.   In 2011 Ohlmeyer was appointed Trinity's first Vice President for Global relations, a post she held until 2014. Ohlmeyer designed and implemented Trinity's "Global Relations Strategy". Ohlmeyer has held visiting fellowships at the University of Oxford, Ashoka University, São Paulo University, São Paulo,  Jawaharlal Nehru University,  University of Cambridge, Folger Institute, New York University, École des hautes Études en Sciences Sociales and the Huntington Library. She is member of the
Royal Irish Academy The Royal Irish Academy (RIA; ga, Acadamh Ríoga na hÉireann), based in Dublin, is an academic body that promotes study in the sciences, humanities and social sciences. It is Ireland's premier learned society and one its leading cultural ...
, the
Irish Manuscripts Commission The Irish Manuscripts Commission was established in 1928 by the newly founded Irish Free State with the intention of furthering the study of Ireland's manuscript collections and archives. Its foundation was primarily motivated by the loss of many h ...
and of a number of editorial and advisory boards including the
Consortium of Humanities Centers and Institutes Established in 1988, the Consortium of Humanities Centers and Institutes serves as a site for the discussion of issues germane to the fostering of cross-disciplinary activity and as a network for the circulation of information and the sharing of ...
. In 2021 she was considered for the role of Provost of the college when the position was being considered for one of three women, including Linda Hogan and Linda Doyle, making it the first time a woman was provost since the founding of the college.


Research

Ohlmeyer is the author or editor of numerous articles and 13 books, including Volume 2 of ''The Cambridge History of Ireland'', published in 2018. ''The Cambridge History of Ireland'' was launched in Dublin by President Michael D. Higgins, in London by former UK Prime Minister
John Major Sir John Major (born 29 March 1943) is a British former politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1990 to 1997, and as Member of Parliament (MP) for Huntingdon, formerly Hunting ...
and in Washington DC by President-elect Joe Biden. Her most recent book is an edition of Edward Hyde, earl of Clarendon's ''A Short View of the State and Condition of the Kingdom of Ireland'' (Oxford, 2020). She is currently working on a book provisionally titled ''Ireland, Empire and the Early Modern World'' which she will give as the Ford Lectures at the University of Oxford (2021). To date, Ohlmeyer has been the Principal Investigator (PI) or co-PI for 25 research and research infrastructure projects, with awards totalling €22 million including:  * SHAPE-ID (2018–21), an EU-funded project that aims to improve inter- and trans-disciplinary cooperation between the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (AHSS) and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines. * Human+ (2020–25), a ground-breaking project co-funded by the European Commission's Horizon 2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions and undertaken in partnership with the Adapt Centre which places the human at the centre of technology innovation to serve the long-term and collective needs of society. * The Global Humanities Institute on the 'Crises of Democracy' (2017–19), funded by the
Mellon Foundation The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation of New York City in the United States, simply known as Mellon Foundation, is a private foundation with five core areas of interest, and endowed with wealth accumulated by Andrew Mellon of the Mellon family of Pitt ...
, brought together a consortium of humanities scholars spanning four continents to explore the various threats to democracy through the lens of cultural trauma. * 1641 Deposition Project (2007-10), a flagship technology project which digitised 8,000 witness accounts from the
1641 rebellion The Irish Rebellion of 1641 ( ga, Éirí Amach 1641) was an uprising by Irish Catholics in the Kingdom of Ireland, who wanted an end to anti-Catholic discrimination, greater Irish self-governance, and to partially or fully reverse the plantation ...
, making these controversial documents available online in a fully Text Encoding Initiative (TEI) compliant format. The website was launched in 2010 by President
Mary McAleese Mary Patricia McAleese ( ; ga, Máire Pádraigín Mhic Ghiolla Íosa; ; born 27 June 1951) is an Irish activist lawyer and former politician who served as the eighth president of Ireland from November 1997 to November 2011. She is an academic ...
and Ian Paisley, Lord Bannside and a Research Impact Showcase was held to mark the tenth anniversary of the project on 22 October 2020. Ian Adamson, the once Honorary Historian of the Ulster Unionist party also accompanied Ian paisley and Jane to the symposium.


Public engagement and advocacy

Ohlmeyer was closely involved in the development and launch of ''History Scotland'', an illustrated and interdisciplinary quarterly magazine that is aimed at members of the general public. She has contributed to a number of television (
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
,
RTÉ (RTÉ) (; Irish for "Radio & Television of Ireland") is the national broadcaster of Ireland headquartered in Dublin. It both produces and broadcasts programmes on television, radio and online. The radio service began on 1 January 1926, whil ...
, TV3,
Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a fourth television service ...
, Channel 5) and radio programmes (
BBC Radio 4 BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC that replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. It broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history from the BBC' ...
' In our time', PBS, Radio Scotland, RTÉ, Newstalk,
Near FM Near FM (North East Access Radio) 90.3 FM is a BAI-licensed community media project operated by the not-for-profit media co-operative, Near Media Co-operative Society Limited. Membership in the co-operative is open to all organisations and ...
) and is currently the executive producer for a 6-part documentary series, ''From That Small Island: The Story of the Irish''. As Director of the Trinity Long Room Hub, she developed the "Behind the Headlines" discussion series and hosted 25 discussions on pressing and complex issues. Ohlmeyer regularly speaks on topics that relate more generally to the importance of the arts and humanities, the value of inter- and trans-disciplinarity, educational policy, and digital humanities. She has commented on the barriers facing women in the university sector and launched a free Democracy Curriculum in 2020. She is a committed advocate of the public humanities and policy engagement and is a notable public commentator on contemporary issues. Ohlmeyer is also co-chair of the
Royal Irish Academy The Royal Irish Academy (RIA; ga, Acadamh Ríoga na hÉireann), based in Dublin, is an academic body that promotes study in the sciences, humanities and social sciences. It is Ireland's premier learned society and one its leading cultural ...
's Brexit Taskforce, a group of academics from across Ireland assessing the impact that Brexit could have on research and education on the island.


Honours

* 2021: The Ford Lectures on 'Ireland, Empire and the early modern world' at the History Faculty, University of Oxford * 2020: Stand up for Research – Research Excellence Award, Trinity College Dublin * 2018: Societal Impact – Innovation Award, Trinity College Dublin * 2012-13: A 'Choice Outstanding Academic Title' for ''Making Ireland English'' * 2011: Elected Member of the Royal Irish Academy * 2015: Elected Fellow of Trinity College Dublin * 1994: ''Civil War and Restoration in the Three Stuart Kingdoms'' American Conference on Irish Studies (ACIS) book prize for History and Social Sciences * 1993: ''Civil War and Restoration in the Three Stuart Kingdoms''
The Whitfield Prize The Whitfield Prize (or Whitfield Book Prize) is a prize of £1,000 awarded annually by the Royal Historical Society to the best work on a subject of British or Irish history published within the United Kingdom or Republic of Ireland during the cal ...
: awarded ''Proxime Accesit'' for the best book on British history published in the United Kingdom


Selected works

* * * * * * *Ohlmeyer, Jane, ed. (2020). ''A Short View of the State and Condition of the Kingdom of Ireland.'' Oxford: Oxford University Press. . Ohlmeyer has published 13 academic books (2 monographs and 11 edited or co-edited), over forty articles and was one of the four co-editors of the Irish Manuscripts Commission The 1641 Depositions in 12 volumes (2014–20).


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ohlmeyer, Jane Living people 20th-century Irish historians 21st-century Irish historians Irish women non-fiction writers Irish women historians Academics of Trinity College Dublin Academics of the University of Aberdeen Members of the Royal Irish Academy Writers from Belfast 21st-century Irish women writers Year of birth missing (living people)