Hello. I’m Gillian O’Brien, Reader in Modern Irish History at Liverpool John Moores University. Earlier this year the University of Chicago Press published my book "Blood Runs Green. The Murder that Transfixed Gilded Age Chicago" (http://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/B/bo19966410.html). The book is about an murder of an Irish doctor in Chicago in 1889. At the time it generated enormous interest partly because it was an unusual and particularly brutal murder, partly because a number of influential figures in Chicago were implicated in the crime and partly because the murder was the result of a long-running feud within the secret Irish American revolutionary society Clan na Gael.
In addition to my work on Irish America I research, write and teach about the eighteenth and nineteenth century Irish history particularly the 1798 Rebellion, Georgian Dublin and the history of primary education. I am also work on a number of museum and heritage projects where my role is that of the historical consultant. The role varies from job to job and ranges from offering advice as to the content to be included to choosing the artefacts that will be displayed. In some cases I also write the panel text and the accompanying guidebooks. At the moment I’m working on two projects in Ireland – both were former prisons so I’ve been dealing with lots of issues associated with ‘Dark Tourism’.
I’m happy to answer questions about my book, research or museum work (I can’t answer specific questions in relation to the museums as they are both works in progress, but will answer general ones). You can find more information here: gillianmobrien.wordpress.com or on twitter: @gillianmobrien
Hate to double-dip like this, but I wanted to also ask a "big question" in regard to your topic: Why did Chicago of all places become a hotbed of Irish immigration?
In 19th century America, I (rightly or wrongly) think of New York City, Boston and Chicago when I think of Irish immigration, but I don't think of places like Philadelphia, Baltimore, New Orleans or St. Louis, which were all big cities in the mid-to-late century.
What exactly is "Dark Tourism"?
What do you think about Kendrick's Secret Museum? Do you find it to be accurate?
Hi Gillian, thanks very much for doing this AMA! As a relative outsider who isn't particularly well versed on the topic of your book, I have a couple of questions:
What motivations lay behind the founding of Clan na Gael, and what how was the organisation funded by 1889?
Secondly, I notice that Clan na Gael still exists - though I've no doubt in a very different form - in the 21st century. Did the 1889 murder and the subsequent fallout badly damage the organisation? How did it cope with the media coverage and unwanted attention brought on by the murder?
Thanks!
Thanks for doing this, Dr. O'Brien! I'm curious about your research process and how you pinpointed this particular incident for a book.
What made you pick this subject to write about?
Then, once you picked the subject, how did you do your research? Having combed through 19th century newspapers to compile a list of lynchings in Alaska, I know they can be a bit ... inaccurate as sources. What other materials did you lean upon?
What do you think of the work of Christine Kinealy? If I understand right her work was really influential on the Irish field.
Never heard of the Cronin murder. What makes it interesting is the number of Irish in the police force in Chicago. It's before Francis O'Neill ( of O'Neill's Music of Ireland) became chief, but he would have been in the force. Was it the Irish investigating the Irish?
What language did most 19th-century Irish immigrants to the US speak? If they spoke Irish, would they have known English as well?