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Melissa Baird

@melissabaird.bsky.social
285 followers 171 following 6 posts

Assistant Editor, Documents on Irish Foreign Policy, Royal Irish Academy | Historian of modern Irish and American history.

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Reposted by Melissa Baird
Documents on Irish Foreign Policy @difp-ria.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Guess what we've been up to? 👀#comingsoon
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Melissa Baird @melissabaird.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
In advance of the publication of @difp-ria.bsky.social volume 15 later this year, I wrote about how the 1973 World Ploughing Championships in Wexford became a problem for Irish foreign policy:
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Documents on Irish Foreign Policy @difp-ria.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
DIFP were in Bern earlier this month for the 18th International Conference of Editors of Diplomatic Documents #ICEDD2026 #OSCE26CH. Listen to Dr Michael Kennedy's (Executive Editor of DIFP) lecture on Ireland's evolving attitude to the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe 1969-75 here:
youtube.com
18. ICEDD-Conference – From Geneva to Helsinki: The Making of the CSCE
YouTube video by Dodis
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Alex Zalben @azalben.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
Dolly Parton, among a thousand other amazing things she did in her life, gifted over 330 million books to kids through her Imagination Library program. Her passing is a tremendous loss to the world, but you can support the program today to keep it going imaginationlibrary.com
imaginationlibrary.com
Dolly Parton's Imagination Library | USA, UK, IE, CA, AU
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a book gifting program that mails free books to children from birth until they begin school in participating areas.
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Kat Tenbarge @kattenbarge.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
People are making fun of AOC for having a slight southern accent while speaking in Memphis but they clearly don’t know the pain of habitually and unconsciously imitating the speaking style of the people around you
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Elaine Crory @elainecrory.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
I need people to understand that fascism needs misogyny to survive and builds much of its worldview on that foundation. They believe women are the incubators on legs that are objects either to be used for producing the white babies they want or prevented from producing the babies they don't.
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Melissa Baird @melissabaird.bsky.social · 22/06/2026
When does the rioting start?
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Royal Irish Academy @ria.ie · 18/06/2026
As Ireland prepares to take on the Presidency of the Council of the European Union once again, it's worth looking back at where it all began. In this @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social article, John Gibney, @difp-ria.bsky.social , explores Ireland's first EEC Presidency in 1975 www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
Black and white photo of a formal international meeting with delegates seated around tables, photographers capturing the event, and national flags in the background.
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Luke Butterly @lukejbutterly.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
Last night neighbours, communities, and support groups helped many families flee from their burning homes in Belfast, often not able to wait for the emergency services. Anaka Women's Collective is one of these groups, and who do vital work throughout the year on a shoestring budget. Donate here:
paypal.com
Donate to Participation and Practice of Rights Project Ltd
Help support Participation and Practice of Rights Project Ltd by donating or sharing with your friends.
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Melissa Baird @melissabaird.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
These poor kids traumatised for life. We had a panel in 2023 in the Linen Hall of Protestant and Catholic men and women burnt out of their houses 1969-1972. They cried, 50 years later, about the life-long effects that experience had on them.
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Sam McBride @sjamcbride.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
A really ominous sign about the capabilities of the PSNI, whose Chief Constable has for years been begging Stormont to properly fund it: Just hours after serious racist violence broke out, already the PSNI can't cope and is requesting mutual aid support from GB police forces.
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Irish Studies at QUB @irishstudiesqub.bsky.social · 14/04/2026
In our next seminar on 20 April, Melissa Baird & Michael Kennedy (DIFP) will speak on: ‘“Agents from the South running around Northern Ireland”: Backchannel talks between loyalists and the DFA in the aftermath of Sunningdale’s collapse’ All welcome! www.ticketsource.com/institute-of...
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History Today @historytoday.com · 12/03/2026
#StPatricksDay is a global celebration of Irish culture, but in the US its parades have always been political. 🔓 Melissa Baird’s new Behind the Times is free for 7 days www.historytoday.com/archive/behi...
historytoday.com
St Patrick’s Day Protests
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Shannon Devlin @shannondevlin.bsky.social · 11/02/2026
Looking forward to speaking about one of my favourite families, the Taylors of Coleraine, tomorrow at the first Coleraine Museum Fireside Talk of the year! All online, get in touch for more details.
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Melissa Baird @melissabaird.bsky.social · 13/11/2025
Grateful for an awfully slow news day to share my newly published article. What else would you be reading today? muse.jhu.edu/pub/423/arti...
muse.jhu.edu
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Anne Goldgar @annegoldgar.bsky.social · 18/09/2025
For those reading that academia.edu has predatory terms of service, this is how to delete your account when they ask you to agree to their terms of service.
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Kevin O'Sullivan @kevinkosullivan.bsky.social · 23/07/2025
To put this a little more directly: suggesting that "the world" has been "silent" carries the danger of depoliticising the crisis because it places the blame on *everyone*, when the ones we should be focusing on are the *few* who hold the levers of real power. 3/3
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The Author, Séamas O'Reilly @seamas.bsky.social · 12/06/2025
"No no no you don't understand. I told the racists where all the immigrants were BEFORE they went and set that place on fire.".
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Elaine Crory @elainecrory.bsky.social · 09/06/2025
If every sexual offence reported last year resulted in a riot, there would have been 1,615. There weren't though. Were there?
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Documents on Irish Foreign Policy @difp-ria.bsky.social · 09/06/2025
WE'RE HIRING! Applications welcome for a three-year post with a focus on the 1970s/80s #jobfairy www.ria.ie/about/career...
ria.ie
Vacancy: Assistant Editor, Documents on Irish Foreign Policy - Royal Irish Academy
Applications are invited for the position of Assistant Editor, Documents on Irish Foreign Policy (DIFP) at the Royal Irish Academy.
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Frances Nolan @francesmnolan.bsky.social · 30/04/2025
I’m heartened to see that @ria.ie is funding up to four postdoctoral fellowships to encourage research into its historic links to colonial enterprises. Each fellowship is worth €5,000 and the deadline for applications is 9 June 2025. www.ria.ie/grants/colon...
ria.ie
Colonial Legacies Fellowship Scheme - Royal Irish Academy
The Colonial Legacies fellowships are intended to encourage research into the RIA’s historic links with colonial enterprises.
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Dr Laura Gillespie @drlauragillespie.bsky.social · 28/04/2025
Huge day for the parish launching @shannondevlin.bsky.social’s first book at Queen’s. Very much a full circle moment. Galileo loved it. @qubhistory.bsky.social
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Laura Kelly @tortietabby.bsky.social · 16/04/2025
100% this. Can’t understand why these toxic campaigners choose to focus their energy and hatred towards a minority of people just trying to live their lives when it is cisgender men who are perpetrating violence against women on a daily basis. Solidarity with trans people now and always.
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Irish Studies at QUB @irishstudiesqub.bsky.social · 08/04/2025
We're taking a couple of weeks break, and our next Irish Studies event will be a booklaunch of Shannon Devlin's 'Siblinghood and Sociability in 19th-Century Ulster' on Mon. 28 Apr. at 4.30 (in-person and online), with Prof. Diane Urquhart. All welcome. www.qub.ac.uk/schools/Iris...
qub.ac.uk
Booklaunch of Shannon Devlin, Siblinghood and Sociability in Nineteenth-Century Ulster
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History at Bristol @uobrishistory.bsky.social · 18/03/2025
Read more about ‘Faces of the Irish Diaspora’ - a project researched by our very own Dr Lucy Wray, and featuring some familiar faces. Go and see it for yourself on College Green until 31 March!
bristol247.com
Faces of the Irish diaspora in Bristol
A photo exhibition shares stories of the Irish diaspora in Bristol
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Sam McBride @sjamcbride.bsky.social · 09/03/2025
Declassified files reveal how key figures in De Valera's Ireland were privately thinking the unthinkable about Irish unity in 1969: Ditching the flag & anthem, ending neutrality, joining NATO, Terence O'Neill as Irish president...and buying The Irish News.
belfasttelegraph.co.uk
The secret papers which reveal radical thinking about a united Ireland
We are in a phony war about Irish unity. A united Ireland is not yet credibly close, so most people are only thinking about it shallowly.
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RTÉ Brainstorm @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social · 07/02/2025
Why Irish Government called on UN to intervene in Troubles in 1969. Taoiseach Jack Lynch's request followed many such demands by nationalists for the UN's engagement in Northern Ireland, writes @melissabaird.bsky.social @difp-ria.bsky.social www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
rte.ie
Why Irish Govt called on UN to intervene in Troubles in 1969
Taoiseach Jack Lynch's request followed many such demands by nationalists for the UN's engagement in Northern Ireland
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Kevin O'Sullivan @kevinkosullivan.bsky.social · 10/02/2025
The latest vol. of @difp-ria.bsky.social is out. It's as immense as its size suggests (1200 pages!) Lots on the EEC, Biafra, etc, but I hope people will appreciate the blow-by-blow exchanges we included on the Troubles - especially the docs on Derry and Bloody Sunday. 🗃️ www.ria.ie/2025/02/10/d...
ria.ie
Documents on Irish Foreign Policy Vol. XIV: 1969-1973 available now - Royal Irish Academy
The fourteenth in the Documents on Irish Foreign Policy (DIFP) series, covering the period from June 1969 to March 1973, has been published by the Royal Irish Academy. Documents on Irish Foreign Polic...
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RTÉ Brainstorm @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social · 30/01/2025
It's 1970 & the Irish army are plotting to invade Northern Ireland... Michael Kennedy @difp-ria.bsky.social on how plans for Irish army to make incursions into NI were mooted after violence & riots in 1969 - from Documents on Irish Foreign Policy Vol. XIV: 1969-1973 www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
rte.ie
It's 1970 & Irish army are plotting to invade Northern Ireland
The prospect of Irish Defence Forces making incursions into Northern Ireland was mooted after violence erupted there in 1969
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Documents on Irish Foreign Policy @difp-ria.bsky.social · 30/01/2025
Volume X of DIFP is now free open access online at www.difp.ie/books/volume-10/
difp.ie
Volume 10 – Documents on Irish Foreign Policy
This volume of selected documents treats of the development of Irish foreign policy and the Irish diplomatic service from 21 January 1919 to 6 December 1922. With a few exceptions, none of the documen...
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Melissa Baird @melissabaird.bsky.social · 29/01/2025
So excited that everyone can now read all about the fascinating networks Shannon’s uncovered! It’s been amazing to see how this research has evolved from hearing about these stories in our PhD office to seeing it in print only a few years later. I am so proud 🥹
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RTÉ Brainstorm @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social · 21/01/2025
Dining for Ireland: unconventional diplomat Con Howard used 1970s' London parties and soirees to befriend, charm & influence politicians, media moguls and journalists. By @kateom.bsky.social RIA - from Documents on Irish Foreign Policy Vol. XIV: 1969-1973 www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2...
rte.ie
Dining for Ireland: how diplomat Con Howard charmed 1970s London
The unconventional diplomat used London parties and soirees to befriend and influence politicians, media moguls and journalists
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Irish Studies at QUB @irishstudiesqub.bsky.social · 14/01/2025
Our Spring 2025 #IrishStudies programme is now available at: www.qub.ac.uk/schools/Iris...
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University of Galway - History @historyatgalway.bsky.social · 14/01/2025
Our spring 2025 History seminar is now available. Our first history seminar will be held on 22 January 2025 and delivered by Professor Deirdre Raftery (UCD) in collaboration with the Centre for the History of Religion. @sarahannebuckley.bsky.social
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Melissa Baird @melissabaird.bsky.social · 14/01/2025
My first piece on the new volume of @difp-ria.bsky.social (&first Bluesky post!), and it’s all about Irish diplomacy during Bernadette Devlin McAliskey’s 1969 US tour: www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2... @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social
rte.ie
How Irish diplomats reacted to Bernadette Devlin's 1969 US tour
The Irish Government found themselves in a delicate position when the civil rights activist and newly elected MP toured the US in 1969
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Documents on Irish Foreign Policy @difp-ria.bsky.social · 02/12/2024
DIFP XIV has arrived. You can buy it here: shop.ria.ie/products/doc...
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Documents on Irish Foreign Policy @difp-ria.bsky.social · 26/11/2024
DIFP XIV (1969~1973) is arriving #imminent.
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Documents on Irish Foreign Policy @difp-ria.bsky.social · 22/11/2024
👋
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