Maynooth Through the Ages 2025: Dr Ciarán Mac an Bhaird

Описание: 'Uncovering forgotten (hi)stories in the scribbled margins of books'
by Dr Ciarán Mac an Bhaird

"At school we are/were told to not write in our textbooks. However, these annotations often reveal clues that help us discover interesting details about the books themselves (who owned them; how, where, and when they were used etc.). Occasionally, if we are lucky, these clues allow us to rediscover facts about forgotten stories from our past. In this talk I will give an overview of the interesting histories that we have uncovered when studying the annotation in mathematical and scientific texts in the Russell Library at Maynooth. For example, we discovered details about how the seminary was established at Maynooth and the staff who taught there, including their ownership of texts which were banned by the Catholic Church. More spectacularly, we found links to fake plots to assassinate King Charles II of England, and uncovered details of a long-forgotten 17th century transatlantic voyage."

Dr Ciarán Mac an Bhaird is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics. Originally from Lough Egish, Co. Monaghan, he has lectured at Maynooth since 2007. Much of his research has focussed on measuring the impact of initiatives to support student learning and understanding of mathematics. More recently, his research has focussed on the history of mathematics, and especially studies of collections in libraries at Maynooth and elsewhere.

[Recorded in Maynooth University Library, 10th February 2025]