Robert Dudley Edwards
Encyclopedia
Robert Walter Dudley Edwards (4 June 1909 – 5 June 1988) was an Irish
historian.
, Robert moved to St. Enda's School
after the 1916 rising, and then Synge Street CBS
, finally returning to the Catholic University School. In his final exams he failed French and Irish but gained first place in Ireland in history.In 1933, Edwards married Sheila O'Sullivan, a folklorist and teacher. They had three children: Mary; Ruth Dudley Edwards, a historian, crime novelist, journalist and broadcaster, and Owen Dudley Edwards
, a historian at the University of Edinburgh
. Sheila died in April 1985. Robert Dudley Edwards died in 1988 in St. Vincent's Hospital
after a short illness.
, Edwards was auditor of the Literary and Historical Society, gained a first-class degree in history in 1929 followed by a first class master's degree in 1931 with the National University of Ireland prize. He carried out postgraduate work at the University of London
and earned his PhD in 1933, published in 1935 as Church and State in Tudor Ireland. Along with Theo Moody
he founded the Irish Historical Society in 1936, and its journal Irish Historical Studies was first published in 1938.
In 1937 he was awarded a DLitt by the National University of Ireland
and in 1939 was appointed to a statutory lectureship in Modern Irish History at University College Dublin. He succeeded Mary Hayden
to the Chair of Modern Irish History in 1944, which he held until he retired in 1979. His contribution to the discipline of history in Ireland was substantial, and included the setting up of the university archives.
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
historian.
Biography
Robert Walter Dudley Edwards, known to his friends as Robin and his students as 'Dudley' was born in Dublin. His father was Walter Dudley Edwards, a journalist who came to Ireland with his wife, Bridget Teresa MacInerney from Clare, and became a civil servant. His mother was a supporter of women's rights and Dudley recalled that he had a 'Votes for Women' flag on his pram. Educated first at the Catholic University SchoolCatholic University School
Catholic University School is a Roman Catholic secondary school for boys located on the southside of central Dublin, Ireland. It is run by the Marist Fathers.-Origins:...
, Robert moved to St. Enda's School
St. Enda's School
St. Enda's School, or Scoil Éanna, was a Secondary school for boys set up by Irish nationalist Patrick Pearse in 1908.-Background:Pearse, generally known as a leader of the Easter Rising in 1916, had long been critical of the educational system in Ireland, which he believed taught Irish children to...
after the 1916 rising, and then Synge Street CBS
Synge Street CBS
Synge Street CBS is a Christian Brothers School in Dublin 8, Ireland. It was founded in 1864.-Primary school:The primary section caters for boys from seven to twelve years. It is called Sancta Maria CBS. It opened in 1954.-Secondary school:...
, finally returning to the Catholic University School. In his final exams he failed French and Irish but gained first place in Ireland in history.In 1933, Edwards married Sheila O'Sullivan, a folklorist and teacher. They had three children: Mary; Ruth Dudley Edwards, a historian, crime novelist, journalist and broadcaster, and Owen Dudley Edwards
Owen Dudley Edwards
Owen Dudley Edwards was born in Dublin, Ireland in July 1938. He is the son of Professor Robert Dudley Edwards and brother to the Irish writer, Ruth Dudley Edwards....
, a historian at the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
. Sheila died in April 1985. Robert Dudley Edwards died in 1988 in St. Vincent's Hospital
St. Vincent's University Hospital
St. Vincent's Hospital is a teaching hospital located at Elm Park, south of the city of Dublin, Ireland. It is at the junction of Merrion Road and Nutley Lane opposite the Merrion Centre and adjacent to Elm Park Golf Club.-History:St. Vincent's Hospital was founded in 1834 on St...
after a short illness.
Academic career
In University College DublinUniversity College Dublin
University College Dublin ) - formally known as University College Dublin - National University of Ireland, Dublin is the Republic of Ireland's largest, and Ireland's second largest, university, with over 1,300 faculty and 17,000 students...
, Edwards was auditor of the Literary and Historical Society, gained a first-class degree in history in 1929 followed by a first class master's degree in 1931 with the National University of Ireland prize. He carried out postgraduate work at the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
and earned his PhD in 1933, published in 1935 as Church and State in Tudor Ireland. Along with Theo Moody
Theodore William Moody
Theodore William Moody was an Irish historian. He was educated at Royal Belfast Academical Institution and Queen's University Belfast. In 1930 he went to the Institute of Historical Research in London, and graduated with a PhD in 1934. He was Professor of Modern History at Trinity College, Dublin,...
he founded the Irish Historical Society in 1936, and its journal Irish Historical Studies was first published in 1938.
In 1937 he was awarded a DLitt by the National University of Ireland
National University of Ireland
The National University of Ireland , , is a federal university system of constituent universities, previously called constituent colleges, and recognised colleges set up under the Irish Universities Act, 1908, and significantly amended by the Universities Act, 1997.The constituent universities are...
and in 1939 was appointed to a statutory lectureship in Modern Irish History at University College Dublin. He succeeded Mary Hayden
Mary Hayden
Mary Teresa Hayden was an Irish historian, Irish language activist and campaigner for women's causes.Mary Hayden was educated initially at the Dominican College, Eccles Street and then at Alexandra College in Dublin...
to the Chair of Modern Irish History in 1944, which he held until he retired in 1979. His contribution to the discipline of history in Ireland was substantial, and included the setting up of the university archives.
Published works
- Church and State in Tudor Ireland. A history of penal laws against Irish Catholics, 1534-1603 (Longmans and Company, London: 1935)
- The great famine: studies in Irish History 1845-52 (Editor, with Desmond Williams; Browne and Nolan, Dublin: 1956)
- A New History of Ireland, (Gill and Macmillan, Dublin: 1972)
- Irish Families: the archival aspect, (National University of Ireland, Dublin: 1974)
- Daniel O'Connell and his world, (Thames and Hudson, London: 1975)
- Ireland in the age of the Tudors : the destruction of Hiberno-Norman civilization, (Croom Helm, London; Barnes and Noble, New York: 1977)
- Sources for Early Modern Irish History, 1534-1641, (with Mary O'Dowd, Cambridge University Press: 1985)