Notes and queries

Eire-Ireland:Journal of Irish Studies, Spring-Summer, 2003

The Irish Research Funds were established by the Irish American Cultural Institute in 1988 in the belief that responsible inquiry into the Irish American experience is crucial to providing a lasting record of Ireland and America's history, traditions, and contributions to Western Civilization. The awards are supported by endowed funds from the O'Shaughnessy family of St. Paul, Minnesota, the Irish Institute of New York, and the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick of Philadelphia. All awards are given to projects exploring an Irish American theme.

2003 RECIPIENTS OF THE IRISH RESEARCH FUNDS:

EMILY BRUNNER--Recipient of an O'Shaughnessy Award for her research topic, "Irish American Nationalists and the Dilemma of National Allegiance: 1910-24." Ms. Brunner is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Chicago and teaches a seminar on the methods of writing and research.

CHARLES FANNING--Recipient of an Irish Institute Award for his research topic, "A Hidden Flowering: Irish America in the Depression Years." Among the nation's leading Irish Studies researchers, Professor Fanning received his Ph.D. in American Civilization from the University of Pennsylvania. Since 1993 he has been Professor of English and History and Director of Irish and Irish Immigration Studies at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale.

DIANE HOTTEN-SOMERS--Recipient of an O'Shaughnessy Award for her research topic, "The Greening of American Drama: Inventing Nationality in the Irish and American Theatre, 1850-2000." A Ph.D. candidate at Boston University, Ms. Hotten-Somers is a lecturer in the English Department at Boston College.

TARA MCCARTHY--Recipient of an Irish Institute Award for her research topic, "The Evolution of Political Culture among Irish Women in America from the End of Nineteenth Century through the 1920s." Ms. McCarthy, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Rochester, specializes in American history, women's history, and the history of social reform. In 2002 she received the Glyndon Van Deusen Dissertation Writing Award from the History Department at the University of Rochester.

NIAMH O'SULLIVAN--Recipient of a Friendly Sons of St. Patrick Award for her research topic, "A Retrospective of John Mulvany's Artwork." Dr. O'Sullivan, who earned her Ph.D. degree at University College, Dublin, in 2001, has been a lecturer in the History of Art and Design and Complementary Studies at the National College of Art and Design since 1987.

CHRISTIAN G. SAMITO--Recipient of an Irish Institute Award for his research topic, "Proof of Loyalty: Military Service, Justice, and Citizenship in the Civil War Era." Mr. Samito received his J.D. degree from Harvard Law School and is currently a doctoral candidate in nineteenth-century American history at Boston College. He serves asa teaching assistant in the history of early modern and modern Europe and also as a historical consultant for Walden Media.

MICHAEL SILVESTRI--Recipient of an Irish Institute Award for his research topic, "The Exploration of Irish American Relationships with Indian Nationalists." Dr. Silvestri, who received his doctorate from Columbia University, is the Director of the Advisement Center in the College of Architecture, Arts, and Humanities at Clemson University. He also is an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the History Department at Clemson.

BARBRA WALL--Recipient of an O'Shaughnessy Award for her research project, "Unlikely Entrepreneurs: Irish Catholic Sisters and the Hospital Marketplace, 1865-1925." Dr. Wall, who earned her doctorate at the University of Notre Dame in 2000, is an Assistant Professor of Nursing at Purdue University. In 2002 she was the recipient of two awards--the American Association for the History of Nursing Postdoctoral Research Award and (with Dr. Elaine Sorensen Marshall) the American Association for the History of Nursing Lavinia Dock Award for the best research article published in a journal.