He is a native of Monaghan, a town on the border of Ireland and Northern Ireland, and his father was a high school history teacher in Ireland. Books about Irish history surrounded Gannon at home. 

“There was an element of cultural immersion in the subject,” he said.  

Gannon is passionate about communicating Irish history to audiences at Georgetown and beyond, and last month, he was awarded the (Special Recognition Prize) for his 2023 book, .��

“The highest form of recognition really is that of your academic peers,” Gannon said. “To receive this award for me personally represents a form of career recognition by the Irish academy.”

Gannon’s book suggests that the actions, activities and attitudes of Irish nationalists in Britain were essential to the creation of the modern Irish state, he said, and it has contributed to recent national discourse in Ireland.

“We are proud to see Professor Gannon’s work recognized with the NUI Irish Historical Research Prize,” said , a professor and chair in the Department of History. “This award is particularly meaningful because it validates the global approach to history that we champion here at Georgetown. Professor Gannon’s scholarship — specifically his monograph, Conflict, Diaspora, and Empire — does not just recount events; it reimagines them across borders.”

Irish Nationalism in Britain

The book and Gannon’s research findings grew out of his Ph.D. thesis at Maynooth University and involved extensive archival research across Ireland, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Traditionally, Ganon said, the actions of Irish nationalists in mainland Britain were characterized as a “sideshow” to the revolutionary events that took place on the island between 1912 and 1922. But the book suggests that Irish nationalism in Britain was integral to contemporary Irish and British assessments of the Irish Revolution. It also shows that the role of Irish immigrants was invaluable to the creation of the Irish state, Gannon said.

The book and Gannon’s arguments have earned considerable media attention and commentary in Ireland and led to national debate. Publications and news organizations like , and , Ireland’s national broadcaster, have reviewed the book.

“This thoroughly researched, well written and insightful study addresses a significant gap in our knowledge of Irish Nationalism in Britain during the Revolutionary period and makes a convincing case for a need to reframe how we look at Irish Nationalism and the Revolutionary period in Ireland,” the NUI Awards selection panel wrote. “Professor Gannon is the first to place Irish Nationalism in Britain, which until now was regarded as marginal, more centrally within the wider context [of] the Irish Revolution.”

The selection panel also praised Gannon for “presenting a convincing argument that Home Rule activists, Sinn Féin supporters and IRA activists, operating in Britain had greater significance in shaping the Revolution back in Ireland than has hitherto been recognized.”

Maintaining peace on the island of Ireland requires embracing both British and Irish heritage, Gannon said, and the book attests to the importance of the shared past, shared future narrative through empirical research.

Georgetown’s Irish History

When Gannon received a in 2022, he chose to come to Georgetown because of the Global Irish Studies program and the comparative and transnational focus of the history department.

“I think the incredible breadth of research interests in the Department of History really set Georgetown apart from every other institution in my mind,” Gannon said.

Collins, the chair of the history department, believes that Gannon’s book, with themes of migration, empire and transnational identity, mirrors the wider ethos of the department, where scholarly analysis that crosses geographic and thematic boundaries is encouraged.

Gannon said he feels at home at Georgetown, and considers the NUI award an international endorsement of the value of Irish history at the university. Gannon noted that both Georgetown University founder and president were of Irish descent.

“I’m really passionate about promoting Georgetown’s historic Irish heritage, and positioning Georgetown’s Global Irish Studies as the premier Irish studies program in the world,” Gannon said. “I consider this award a significant milestone towards those aims.”

The ministers of the recently re-formed power-sharing executive in Northern Ireland visited the United States for St. Patrick’s Day to meet with President Joe Biden and strengthen their relationships with partners in the country. 

“We have a strong relationship with the United States and this week, our focus will be on showcasing Northern Ireland as a compelling investment opportunity and highlighting the many benefits of doing business here,” said O’Neill in a prepared statement.

From Resolution to Rejuvenation

Joel Hellman, dean of the School of Foreign Service, introduced the event, noting Georgetown’s reputation as a center for the study of post-conflict resolution.

“Through difficult times, Northern Ireland has prevailed, thrived and continued to offer the world a road map on how to negotiate a lasting peace,” Hellman said. “We know here at Georgetown — thanks especially to the work of our Institute for Women, Peace and Security — that there is no lasting peace without women at the table. Today, we are excited to hear from two women who are not only at the table but at the head of it about their hopes and plans for building a better Northern Ireland.”

The conversation was moderated by , an associate professor of government at American University. The talk, before a packed audience of visiting dignitaries, esteemed faculty, and engaged students, began with a reflection on the legacy of the past and ventured into visions of the future.   

Both O’Neill and Little-Pengelly grew up as children in a zone of conflict, and their adult lives have been defined by the fragile peace ushered in by the Good Friday Agreement. 

“We have been a society that, despite an eagerness to move on, is dragged down by the unfinished threads of the past, the legacy of issues not yet resolved,” said Little-Pengelly. “We are at this moment of incredible opportunity where people have this huge eagerness to look to the future now despite the, in Maya Angelou’s words, ‘wrenching pain’ of the past that ‘cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage need not be lived again.’” 

O’Neill, the first nationalist First Minister in Northern Ireland’s history, reflected on coming from a different political party and a different personal background than Little-Pengelly. Despite their differences, she affirmed, they are united in the hope of achieving tangible changes for the people of Northern Ireland. 

“Emma and I are the epitome of the Good Friday Agreement ourselves because we come from two very different backgrounds, two very different lived experiences,” said O’Neill. “If we’re going to be successful into the future and ensure that today’s generation is not burdened by yesterday’s, then we need to properly deal with the past and find ways to heal wounds.” 

O’Neill and Little-Pengelly visited the Hilltop last year for the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, participating in an event with former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. Reflecting on their personal lives and the history of Northern Ireland, they situated the recently-formed government in a pivotal location – a quarter of a century away from conflict and determined to build another quarter of a century of peace and prosperity. 

“I hope that Michelle and I can bridge that transition, between some of the remaining threads of the past that sometimes wind themselves around and bring down our institutions and move to 25 years of building success and prosperity,” said Little-Pengelly. 

In addition to the First Minister and deputy First Minister, both Junior Ministers in the Executive, Aislin Reilly and Pam Cameron, are also female. The conversation turned to the role of women in leadership positions. 

“Women being in leadership roles is undoubtedly important for the framework that it provides for people to see what that can be, but more than that we want to deliver,” said Little-Pengelly. “No matter what the symbolism of women in leadership roles, we want to deliver.”

The event was organized by three on-campus programs, , the and the , in collaboration with off-campus partners, the Washington Ireland Program, the John & Pat Hume Foundation, the Northern Ireland Office, the Northern Ireland Bureau and the Department of Foreign Affairs of Ireland.

The event marked the second annual meeting of the Washington Forum on Northern Ireland, a joint project of Georgetown University, American University and Ulster University. Watch the full conversation . 

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