Talk # Ireland’s undiscovered past: the 1800s Historian Gillian O’Brien goes in search of lesser-known men and women in the Virtual Record Treasury of Ireland. Date : 3 October 2025 Location : Online ![An engraving of a 19th-century dock with the text 'The County of Cork'.](https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/media/images/county-of-cork-illustr.655eab2d.fill-900x600.format-jpeg.jpegquality-60.bgcolor-fff.jpg) About this image Cork City Libraries, Cork CL GJ. The history of 19th-century Ireland was dominated by big events, big men and big problems. The Act of Union of 1800, the Great Famine, and the campaign for land rights and Home Rule are among the most prominent events that shaped the country, while Robert Emmet, Daniel O’Connell and Charles Stewart Parnell all loom large over popular understanding of the century. However, in this talk Historian Gillian O’Brien will delve into the Virtual Record Treasury of Ireland in search of some lesser-known men and women and uncover their unexpected stories to reveal new interpretations of Ireland’s recent past. This talk showcases the Virtual Record Treasury of Ireland, an international digital humanities project that aims to reconstruct the lost state collection of Ireland following the destruction of the Public Record Office of Ireland in 1922. ## Event details Date : 3 October 2025, 14:00 to 15:00 Price : Free : Pay what you can Location : [Online, Live-streamed on Vimeo](#location-details) **This event has sold out.** ## Dates for this event ### 3 October 2025 (past event) * 14:00 to 15:00 ## Newsletter [Get priority booking](https://pages.enews.nationalarchives.gov.uk/pages/subscribe) Subscribe to our weekly newsletter for exhibition updates and early booking for events, including talks and tours. ## How to join online ### What you need to join This event will be live streamed on the website of our streaming service, Vimeo. When you book, you will receive an email that includes the link you need to join the event. This link will also be shared with you in a reminder email in advance of the event. * Vimeo provide guidance on [How to watch a live event](https://help.vimeo.com/hc/en-us/articles/12426085581073-How-to-watch-a-live-event-on-Vimeo). * **You do not need a Vimeo account to join.** If you do sign up for a Vimeo account, please be aware you may be asked to verify your age. You can find out more here: [About age verification in the UK and EU](https://help.vimeo.com/hc/en-us/articles/38597306882193-About-age-verification-for-the-UK-and-the-EU) * You can join from your browser from a laptop or mobile device. * For the best experience we recommend using either a laptop or desktop computer. ### Help during the event To access the live event, click on the link in the Eventbrite confirmation email you received when you booked the event. Vimeo will open in your web browser. * If the live event hasn’t started at the advertised start time, please refresh your browser window and click the play button on the event again. If that doesn’t work, try closing the browser window and clicking the link in your confirmation email again. * You can enable live subtitles by clicking on the ‘CC’ button at the bottom of the video player. ‘CC’ stands for ‘Closed Captions’. * When you join the event, you may have to click on the sound icon at the bottom of the video to unmute the sound. If there is still no sound, please make sure that you have got your speakers turned up to full volume. * If you have a query that has not been answered above, please email us at [whatson@nationalarchives.gov.uk](mailto:whatson@nationalarchives.gov.uk) ### Watch after the event This talk will be available to watch after the event, using the same link you will receive to join it live. It will remain available for a limited period of 48 hours after the event has finished, unless otherwise stated. ## Speakers * ![](/static/images/blank-profile.svg) **Gillian O'Brien** Professor of Public History at Liverpool John Moores University Gillian O'Brien is the author of The Darkness Echoing: Ireland’s Places of Famine Death and Rebellion and a former Fulbright Scholar. ## Help us improve this website [Complete our short survey (opens in new tab)](https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/DN07V0/?area=footer&source=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nationalarchives.gov.uk%2Fmd%2Fwhats-on%2Fevents%2Firelands-undiscovered-past-the-1800s%2F) --- [Back to top](#top)