Biography
Máirín MacCarron was appointed to the Department of Digital Humanities at UCC in 2019. Prior to this role, she held posts in the Departments of History at the University of Galway and the University of Sheffield. Elected a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society in 2020, her research has been celebrated in the Science magazine Wired ('Scientists reveal ancient social networks using AI and X-rays' by Sophia Chen, 21 March 2019) and reviewed in The New York Review of Books ('Wimple Networks' by Marina Warner, 23 June 2022).
Awarded prizes include: the Dr Garret FitzGerald Postdoctoral Fellowship in the Humanities, which she received in 2012 and held at the University of Galway; and the Irish Historical Research Prize 2021 for her book Bede and Time: computus, theology and history in the early medieval world (Routledge: London and New York, 2020). MacCarron is Principal Investigator of Time for Women? Gender, Chronology and Historiography before AD 900 (GENCHRON) which runs from 2022–2026.
Research Interests
MacCarron's research interests centre on: Time reckoning (Computus) and Chronology in the Middle Ages; Gender and Women; the writing of History; and Digital approaches to studying the past, especially Network Science and Social Network Analysis.
In 2022, she was awarded an Irish Research Council Consolidator Laureate grant for Time for Women? Gender, Chronology and Historiography before AD 900 (GENCHRON). The project's overarching aim is to integrate gender into a re-evaluation of time and chronology in medieval sources and modern historiography.
She was Co-Investigator on the research project Women, Conflict and Peace: Gendered Networks in Early Medieval Narratives funded by the Leverhulme Trust and based at the University of Sheffield from 2018–2021; and she was Co-Investigator on the Digital Edgeworth Network funded by the 'UK-Ireland Collaboration in Digital Humanities Networking Programme' and jointly based at Cork and Oxford, from 2020–2021.
Research Grants
| Project | Funding Body | Start Date | End Date | Award | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IRCLA/2022/2234 GENCHRON | Irish Research Council | 01-SEP-22 | 31-AUG-26 | €596,548.00 | |
| Digital Edgeworth Network | Irish Research Council | 01-AUG-20 | 30-NOV-21 | €38,000.00 | |
| Women, Conflict and Peace: Gendered Networks in Early Medieval Narratives | Leverhulme Trust | 01-SEP-18 | 31-JAN-21 | €196,000.00 | |
| Bede and the measurement of Time | National University of Ireland (NUI) | 12-NOV-12 | 11-MAY-15 | €130,750.00 |
Publications
Books
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| (2019) | Bede and Time: Computus, Theology and History in the Early Medieval World. Máirín MacCarron (2019) Bede and Time: Computus, Theology and History in the Early Medieval World. London and New York: Routledge. [Details] |
Edited Books
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| (2023) | Bede the Scholar Máirín MacCarron and Peter Darby (Ed.). (2023) Bede the Scholar Manchester: Manchester University Press. [Details] | |
| (2019) | History, Hagiography and Biblical Exegesis: Essays on Bede, Adomnán and Thomas Becket by Jennifer O'Reilly Máirín MacCarron; Diarmuid Scully (Ed.). (2019) History, Hagiography and Biblical Exegesis: Essays on Bede, Adomnán and Thomas Becket by Jennifer O'Reilly London and New York: Routledge. [Details] | |
| (2017) | Maths Meets Myths: Quantitative Approaches to Ancient Narratives Máirín MacCarron; Ralph Kenna; Pádraig MacCarron (Ed.). (2017) Maths Meets Myths: Quantitative Approaches to Ancient Narratives Cham: Springer International Publishing. [DOI] [Details] |
Peer Reviewed Journals
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| (2024) | 'Review of periodical literature for 2022: (i) 400-1100' Máirín MacCarron (2024) 'Review of periodical literature for 2022: (i) 400-1100'. Economic History Review, 77 (1):329-334 [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2022) | 'Review of periodical literature for 2021 (i) 400-1100' MacCarron, M (2022) 'Review of periodical literature for 2021 (i) 400-1100'. Economic History Review, 76 (1) [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2022) | 'The Politics of Female Namelessness between Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages, circa 300 to 750' Máirín MacCarron; Julia Hillner; Ulriika Vihervalli (2022) 'The Politics of Female Namelessness between Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages, circa 300 to 750'. The Journal of Late Antiquity, 15 (2):367-401 [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2020) | 'Gendered networks and communicability in medieval historical narratives' Prado S.D.;Dahmen S.R.;Bazzan A.L.C.;MacCarron M.;Hillner J. (2020) 'Gendered networks and communicability in medieval historical narratives'. Advances In Complex Systems, [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2018) | 'Network analysis of the Viking Age in Ireland as portrayed in Cogadh Gaedhel re Gallaibh' Máirín MacCarron; Ralph Kenna; Pádraig MacCarron; Joseph Yose (2018) 'Network analysis of the Viking Age in Ireland as portrayed in Cogadh Gaedhel re Gallaibh'. Royal Society Open Science, 5 (1) [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2017) | 'Royal Marriage and Conversion in Bede's Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum' Máirín MacCarron (2017) 'Royal Marriage and Conversion in Bede's Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum'. Journal of Theological Studies, 68 (2):650-670 [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2015) | 'Bede, Irish Computistica and Annus Mundi' Máirín MacCarron (2015) 'Bede, Irish Computistica and Annus Mundi'. Early Medieval Europe, 23 (3):290-307 [DOI] [Details] |
Book Chapters
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| (2024) | 'Gendered data in medieval and early modern sources: the ‘Gendered Networks’ and ‘Digital Edgeworth Network’ projects' Máirín MacCarron (2024) 'Gendered data in medieval and early modern sources: the ‘Gendered Networks’ and ‘Digital Edgeworth Network’ projects' In: Dorit Raines (eds). Models of data extraction and architecture in relational databases of early modern private political archives. Venice: Edizioni Ca’ Foscari. [Details] | |
| (2024) | 'Social Network Analysis' Máirín MacCarron; Julia Hillner (2024) 'Social Network Analysis' In: Brill Companion to Roman Prosopography. Leiden, Netherlands: Brill. [Details] | |
| (2024) | 'A Network Approach: Tracking Female Power in Seven Epic Narratives' Máirín MacCarron; Pádraig MacCarron; Joseph Yose; Ralph Kenna; Sílvio Dahmen (2024) 'A Network Approach: Tracking Female Power in Seven Epic Narratives' In: Pamela Lothspeich (eds). The Epic World. London and New York: Routledge: Taylor and Francis. [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2023) | 'The autobiographical statement of Bede the Scholar in Ecclesiastical history 5:24' Máirín MacCarron; Peter Darby (2023) 'The autobiographical statement of Bede the Scholar in Ecclesiastical history 5:24' In: Bede the Scholar. Manchester: Manchester University Press. [Details] | |
| (2023) | 'Introduction' Máirín MacCarron; Peter Darby (2023) 'Introduction' In: Bede the Scholar. Manchester: Manchester University Press. [Details] | |
| (2021) | 'Birth, Miscarriage and Motherhood' Máirín MacCarron (2021) 'Birth, Miscarriage and Motherhood' In: Salvador Ryan (eds). Birth and the Irish: A Miscellany. Dublin: Wordwell. [Details] | |
| (2021) | 'Female Networks and Exiled Bishops between Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages: the cases of Liberius of Rome and Wilfrid of York' Máirín MacCarron; Julia Hillner (2021) 'Female Networks and Exiled Bishops between Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages: the cases of Liberius of Rome and Wilfrid of York' In: Emma O. Bérat, Rebecca Hardie, Irina Dumitrescu (eds). Relations of Power: Women's Networks in the Middle Ages. Bonn: Bonn University Press. [Details] | |
| (2017) | 'The Nagle Family and Penal Ireland: Supporters of a Catholic Faith Under Siege' Máirín MacCarron (2017) 'The Nagle Family and Penal Ireland: Supporters of a Catholic Faith Under Siege' In: Bernadette Flanagan, Mary T. O'Brien, Anne M. O'Leary (eds). Nano Nagle and an Evolving Charism: A Guide for Educators, Leaders and Care Providers. Dublin: Veritas. [Details] | |
| (2017) | 'Medieval Historial, Hagiographical and Biographical Networks' Máirín MacCarron; Pádraig MacCarron; Robert Gramsch; Joseph Yose (2017) 'Medieval Historial, Hagiographical and Biographical Networks' In: Máirín MacCarron; Ralph Kenna; Pádraig MacCarron (eds). Maths Meets Myths: Quantitative Approaches to Ancient Narratives. Cham: Springer International Publishing. [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2014) | 'Christology and the Future in Bede's Annus Domini' Máirín MacCarron (2014) 'Christology and the Future in Bede's Annus Domini' In: Peter Darby; Faith Wallis (eds). Bede and the Future. Farnham: Ashgate. [Details] | |
| (2012) | 'Bede, Annus Domini and the Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum' Máirín MacCarron (2012) 'Bede, Annus Domini and the Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum' In: Janet Rutherford, David Woods (eds). The Mystery of Christ in the Fathers of the Church. Dublin: Four Courts Press. [Details] | |
| (2011) | 'The Adornment of Virgins: Aethelthryth and her Necklaces' Máirín MacCarron (2011) 'The Adornment of Virgins: Aethelthryth and her Necklaces' In: Elizabeth Mullins, Diarmuid Scully (eds). Listen, O Isles, Unto Me: Studies in Medieval Word and Image in Honour of Jennifer O'Reilly. Cork: Cork University Press. [Details] |
Other Journals
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| (2022) | 'Writing History with Female Religious Communities: Medieval and Modern Hagiography' Máirín MacCarron (2022) 'Writing History with Female Religious Communities: Medieval and Modern Hagiography' Studies: An Irish Quarterly Review, 111 (444) :427-433. [Details] |
Conference Publications
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| (2024) | Il Tempo nell’alto Medioevo (Time in the early middle ages) Máirín MacCarron (2024) Historical chronology in the Early Middle Ages: the Venerable Bede's innovation and influence Il Tempo nell’alto Medioevo (Time in the early middle ages) Spoleto, Italy, , 13-APR-23 - 19-APR-23 [Details] |
Book Reviews
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| (2023) | Data Feminism, by Catherine D'Ignazio and Lauren F. Klein. Máirín MacCarron (2023) Data Feminism, by Catherine D'Ignazio and Lauren F. Klein. Cork: Book Reviews [Details] | |
| (2023) | Bede and the Cosmos: Theology and Nature in the Eighth Century. Máirín MacCarron (2023) Bede and the Cosmos: Theology and Nature in the Eighth Century. Book Reviews [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2021) | Gaelic Influence in the Northumbrian Kingdom: The Golden Age and the Viking Age. MacCarron, M (2021) Gaelic Influence in the Northumbrian Kingdom: The Golden Age and the Viking Age. ABINGDON: Book Reviews [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2020) | Early Medieval Hagiography. Máirín MacCarron (2020) Early Medieval Hagiography. Book Reviews [Details] | |
| (2020) | Old Age in Early Medieval England: A Cultural History. Maccarron, M (2020) Old Age in Early Medieval England: A Cultural History. OXFORD: Book Reviews [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2020) | The Gregorian Mission to Kent in Bede's Ecclesiastical History: Methodology and Sources. MacCarron, M (2020) The Gregorian Mission to Kent in Bede's Ecclesiastical History: Methodology and Sources. HOBOKEN: Book Reviews [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2018) | PERCEPTIONS OF FEMININITY IN EARLY IRISH SOCIETY. MacCarron, M (2018) PERCEPTIONS OF FEMININITY IN EARLY IRISH SOCIETY. CAMBRIDGE: Book Reviews [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2018) | Archetypal narratives: pattern and parable in the Lives of three saints. Máirín MacCarron (2018) Archetypal narratives: pattern and parable in the Lives of three saints. Book Reviews [Details] | |
| (2018) | The Cult of Relics in Early Medieval Ireland. Maccarron, M (2018) The Cult of Relics in Early Medieval Ireland. OXFORD: Book Reviews [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2017) | The World of Saint Patrick. Máirín MacCarron (2017) The World of Saint Patrick. Book Reviews [Details] | |
| (2016) | Bede's Temple: An Image and its Interpretation. Maccarron, M (2016) Bede's Temple: An Image and its Interpretation. HOBOKEN: Book Reviews [Details] | |
| (2016) | Allegorizing History: The Venerable Bede, Figural Exegesis and Historical Theory. Máirín MacCarron (2016) Allegorizing History: The Venerable Bede, Figural Exegesis and Historical Theory. Book Reviews [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2016) | The Easter controversy of late antiquity and the early middle ages. Its manuscripts, texts and tables. Máirín MacCarron (2016) The Easter controversy of late antiquity and the early middle ages. Its manuscripts, texts and tables. Book Reviews [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2014) | Heaven and Earth in Anglo-Saxon England: Theology and Society in an Age of Faith. Máirín MacCarron (2014) Heaven and Earth in Anglo-Saxon England: Theology and Society in an Age of Faith. Book Reviews [DOI] [Details] | |
| (2011) | Bede and the End of Time. Máirín MacCarron (2011) Bede and the End of Time. Book Reviews [Details] |
Professional Activities
Honours and Awards
| Year | Title | Awarding Body | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Publication award | National University of Ireland | |
| 2021 | Irish Historical Research Prize | National University of Ireland | |
| 2019 | Publication award | National University of Ireland | |
| 2018 | Moore Institute Visiting Fellow | Moore Institute, NUI Galway | |
| 2017 | Learned Society Fund | University of Sheffield | |
| 2016 | Learned Society Fund | University of Sheffield | |
| 2012 | NUI Dr Garret FitzGerald Postdoctoral Fellow | National University of Ireland | |
| 2009 | PhD student of the year | Department of History, UCC | |
| 2002 | Michael Joseph McEnery Memorial Scholarship | University College Cork | |
| 2000 | PRTLI2 scholarship | Higher Education Authority |
Professional Associations
| Association | Function | From / To | |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Patristic Symposium, Maynooth | Honorary Secretary | 01-MAR-13 / | |
| Royal Historical Society | Fellow | 01-MAR-20 / | |
| International Association of Patristic Studies | Irish Correspondent | 01-JAN-13 / 31-DEC-17 |
Conference Contributions
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| (2023) | History of Political Ideas Seminar, Máirín MacCarron (2023) Bede and Time: Computus, Theology and History in the Early Medieval World. [Invited Seminars/Guest Lectures], History of Political Ideas Seminar, Institute of Historical Research, University of London , 15-NOV-23 - 15-NOV-23. [Details] | |
| (2023) | International Medieval Congress, Máirín MacCarron (2023) Queen Osthryth of Mercia in secular and ecclesiastical networks. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], International Medieval Congress, University of Leeds , 03-JUL-23 - 06-JUL-23. [Details] | |
| (2023) | 9th International Conference on the Science of Computus in Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, Máirín MacCarron (2023) How did Bede know how old he was?. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], 9th International Conference on the Science of Computus in Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, Trinity College, Dublin , 19-JUN-23 - 20-JUN-23. [Details] | |
| (2023) | Universal Chronicles in the Middle Ages, Máirín MacCarron (2023) Universal and National History in Bede's World Chronicles. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], Universal Chronicles in the Middle Ages, Chester , 01-JUL-23 - 01-JUL-23. [Details] | |
| (2023) | Il tempo nell’alto medioevo (Time in the early middle ages), Máirín MacCarron (2023) Study week on Time in the early middle ages organised by Centro italiano di studi sull'alto medioevo (CISAM). [Invited Lectures (Conference)], Il tempo nell’alto medioevo (Time in the early middle ages), Spoleto, Italy , 13-APR-23 - 19-APR-23. [Details] | |
| (2023) | Bede 1350 Lecture Series, Máirín MacCarron (2023) How did Bede know how old he was? Time reckoning in the Early Middle Ages. [Invited Seminars/Guest Lectures], Bede 1350 Lecture Series, Bede Museum, Jarrow , 11-NOV-23 - 11-NOV-23. [Details] | |
| (2022) | Models of data extraction and architecture in relational databases of early modern private political archives, Máirín MacCarron (2022) Data models and historical data: lessons learned from the ‘Digital Edgeworth Network’ and ‘Gendered Networks’ projects. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], Models of data extraction and architecture in relational databases of early modern private political archives, University Ca' Foscari of Venice , 27-OCT-22 - 28-OCT-22. [Details] | |
| (2021) | Where is the Human in the Digital Humanities?, Máirín MacCarron (2021) Social networks and DH projects. [Invited Seminars/Guest Lectures], Where is the Human in the Digital Humanities?, Bonn Center for Dependency and Slavery Studies, Universität Bonn , 23-NOV-21. [Details] | |
| (2021) | Bede and the Continent: the afterlives of Bede’s Chronicles, 8th to 12th centuries, Máirín MacCarron (2021) The key features of Bede’s chronicles. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], Bede and the Continent: the afterlives of Bede’s Chronicles, 8th to 12th centuries, University of Vienna , 16-JUN-21. [Details] | |
| (2021) | SFB-Kolloquium, Máirín MacCarron (2021) The Venerable Bede and the development of historical chronology. [Invited Seminars/Guest Lectures], SFB-Kolloquium, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen , 03-DEC-21 - 03-DEC-21. [Details] | |
| (2021) | Exploring Text: Revealing hidden heritage through online resources. A Digital framework for the medieval Gaelic World, Máirín MacCarron (2021) Digital Approaches for a Divided Archive: the Edgeworth family archive in the National Library of Ireland and the Bodleian Library. [Invited Lectures (Workshops)], Exploring Text: Revealing hidden heritage through online resources. A Digital framework for the medieval Gaelic World, University College Cork , 25-MAR-21. [Details] | |
| (2019) | Medieval History Research Seminar, Máirín MacCarron (2019) Bede, Women and Network Science. [Invited Seminars/Guest Lectures], Medieval History Research Seminar, Trinity College Dublin , 19-SEP-19. [Details] | |
| (2019) | Decoding the Past. Digital Tools for the Analysis of Historical Data, Máirín MacCarron (2019) Detecting and Analysing Gendered Networks in Early Medieval Narratives. [Invited Lectures (Workshops)], Decoding the Past. Digital Tools for the Analysis of Historical Data, Institute of Classical Studies, University of London , 21-FEB-19. [Details] | |
| (2019) | Mujeres imperials, mujeres reales: representaciones públicas y representaciones del poder, Máirín MacCarron (2019) Queens and Networks in Early Medieval Sources. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], Mujeres imperials, mujeres reales: representaciones públicas y representaciones del poder, Universidad de Alcalá, Madrid, Spain , 28-NOV-19 - 29-NOV-19. [Details] |
Committees
| Committee | Function | From / To | |
|---|---|---|---|
| CACSSS Athena Swan Steering Group | Member | 2022 / | |
| CACSSS Community Engagement | Member | 2022 / 2022 | |
| Irish Humanities Alliance, Digital Humanities Working group | Member | 2020 / | |
| Patristic Symposium | Honorary Secretary | 2013 / | |
| International Association of Patristic Studies | Irish correspondent | 2013 / 2018 |
Employment
| Employer | Position | From / To | |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Sheffield | Senior Researcher | 01-SEP-18 / 31-AUG-19 | |
| University of Galway | Lecturer in History | 01-JAN-18 / 30-AUG-18 | |
| University of Sheffield | Lecturer in Medieval History | 01-SEP-15 / 31-JAN-18 | |
| University of Galway | Postdoctoral Researcher | 12-NOV-12 / 11-MAY-15 | |
| PSMGS London | Editor | 12-SEP-11 / 11-SEP-12 | |
| National Print Museum | Heritage Project Co-ordinator | 15-SEP-09 / 11-SEP-11 |
Education
| Year | Institution | Qualification | Subject | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | University College Cork | PhD | Medieval History | |
| 2009 | University College Cork | Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education | Teaching and Learning in Higher Education |
Consultancy
| Client | Description | |
|---|---|---|
| BBC Songs of Praise | ||
| Insular Manuscripts AD 650-850: Networks of Knolwedge | ||
| Coventry University | ||
| Converting the Isles |
Outreach Activities
| Description | |
|---|---|
Lectures to community groups and local history societies in Cork (city and county), Roscommon, Sheffield and Newcastle |
Journal Activities
| Journal | Role | To / From | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peritia | Editor | 01-MAR-18 - | |
| Digital Scholarship In The Humanities | Referee | 11-MAY-23 - 12-SEP-23 | |
| Gender & History | Referee | 01-JUL-21 - 31-JUL-21 | |
| English Historical Review | Referee | 31-OCT-19 - 30-NOV-19 |
Other Activities
| Description | |
|---|---|
External Examiner, MPhil, University of Leicester. 2023 | |
External Examiner, PhD, University College Dublin. 2022 |
Teaching Activities
Teaching Interests
My teaching interests have developed from my research agenda, and I contribute to several of the department's core undergraduate modules and postgraduate programmes. I am committed to embedding digital skills and digital literacy in the classroom, and to integrating questions concerning gender and under-represented groups into the curriculum.
Module Co-ordinator:
DH2009. Gender, Race and Digital Humanities.
DH6012. Contemporary Practices in Publishing and Editing
DH6014. Digital Skills for Research postgraduates in the Humanities and Social Sciences
PG6010. Contemporary Practices in Publishing and Editing
PG6011. Digital Skills for Research postgraduates in the Humanities and Social Sciences
Research Information
Internal Collaborators
| Name | Institute | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clíona Ó Gallchoir | School of English and Digital Humanities | IRELAND | |
| Keelin O'Donoghue | Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and INFANT Research Centre | IRELAND | |
| Rosane Minghim | School of Computer Science and Information Technology | IRELAND |
External Collaborators
| Name | Organisation / Institute | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Julia Hillner | Universität Bonn | GERMANY | |
| Joanna Story | University of Leicester | UNITED KINGDOM | |
| Richard Corradini | Austrian Academy of Science, Institute for Medieval Research | AUSTRIA | |
| Peter Darby | University of Nottingham | UNITED KINGDOM | |
| Ralph Kenna | Coventry University | UNITED KINGDOM | |
| Silvio Dahmen | Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul | BRAZIL |