Earlier this year I commenced a one-year post-doctoral fellowship position at the Moore Institute, NUI Galway. Funded by the National University of Ireland, during the tenure of the fellowship, I will carry out the necessary research to complete my book project on early modern Irish nuns, tentatively entitled, ‘Suppression, migration and reintegration: a study of Irish women religious, 1530-1750’. Having already spent two years at the Moore Institute as a post-doctoral researcher on the RECIRC project, the transition in terms of working environment was a relatively straightforward one (a short move down the hall). However, the transition from working within a large team setting to one in which I am the only member of the team has been a little more daunting. Because my current position is predominantly research focused, I haven’t had the same challenge of balancing time between teaching and research demands. My work up to now has involved planning and conducting research trips to various archives and libraries, writing (and re-writing) book chapter drafts, as well as attending regular meetings with my project mentor (Professor Marie-Louise Coolahan) to discuss progress and plan next steps.
Admittedly, my summer season this year doesn’t look very different to the previous few months, although Summer 2018 has brought the realisation that I am now almost half way through a one-year position.The pressure is mounting to produce altogether more polished and complete chapter ‘drafts’. As a result, I am working to a very tight schedule of deadlines over the next number of weeks and months meaning that 2018 is shaping up to be one of my busiest summers yet. As an earlier contributor to this blog series highlighted, in order to cross the finishing line and get a complete book manuscript in hand (the ultimate goal!), full days tied to the writing desk are essential (not to mention copious amounts of caffeine). Dedication to a full time writing schedule is a difficult task at the best of times but probably even more so during the summer months when a barrage of holiday selfies on social media can induce severe bouts of FOMO (fear of missing out). Certainly the recent Irish ‘heatwave’ did little to ease this. But sun or no sun, the deadlines must be met.
Bronagh McShane completed her PhD (Irish Research Council-funded) at the NUI, Maynooth in 2015. She has published articles on aspects of her research in British Catholic History, Archivium Hibernicum, and is contributing to a forthcoming issue of the Journal of Historical Network Research. Bronagh was previously employed as a postdoctoral researcher on the project ‘RECIRC: The Reception and Circulation of Early Modern Women’s Writing, 1550-1700’ at NUI Galway (European Research Council-funded). She is currently conducting a study of early modern Irish nuns, funded by the National University of Ireland.
Published: 24 Jul 2018 Categories: History, The Busy Season