It is my great pleasure to write on behalf of Irish historian Lorcan Collins. I first became aware of Lorcan's work when I read his book The Easter Rising: A Guide to Dublin in 1916. It was evident to me then, as I'm sure it is to most readers, that Lorcan is an excellent historian and that his book is the most readable, and reliable, Irish histories available today. The Easter Rising is a wonderful book simply because it tells the story of Ireland's fight for freedom in such a direct and understandable way. It is a book I highly recommend to anyone interested in Ireland.

     During February 2002, I had the great fortune to meet Lorcan in person when he came to Carson-Newman College for a week. He gave a public presentation about the 1916 Easter Rising that had our students enchanted with him and Ireland. Combining humour with a vast knowledge of Irish history, Lorcan was able to make the topic accessible to people who previously knew nothing about Ireland.

     As well as his public lecture, Lorcan made the time to come and speak to two of my classes. For the James Joyce/ Samuel Beckett Seminar, Lorcan gave us a Dubliner's perspective on Joyce's masterpiece Ulysses. I was impressed with Lorcan's knowledge of Joyce's work, and his observations were a rich addition to the class. Lorcan also visited my Writing and Literary Studies III class where he spoke about the play we were reading, Sean O'Casey's Juno and the Paycock. Once again, I was grateful for Lorcan's views about how and why that classic Irish play is still relevant and important to the Irish people today. Prior to visiting my classes I knew, from reading his book, that Lorcan was a fine historian. It was a great bonus to discover that he is also extremely well-versed in Irish literature too.

     Having Lorcan Collins visit our campus was one of the highlights of the year. The students thoroughly enjoyed his presentations, and his energetic and informative approach made history come alive for them. While I greatly appreciate Lorcan's knowledge and teaching abilities, I also value the fact that he is so enjoyable to spend time with. For these reasons, and for many more that I could add, I recommend that any group that has the opportunity to work with Lorcan Collins do so as soon as possible.

Contact Shawn O'Hare

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