Researcher Details |

Mark O'Brien

Prof

Mark O’Brien is Professor of Journalism History and Head of the School of Communications. His 2017 book, The Fourth Estate: Journalism in Twentieth-Century Ireland examined the interplay between politics, media ownership, religion, interest groups, social change, and journalism from the 1890s to the 1990s. His other monographs include The Irish Times: A History (2008) and De Valera, Fianna Fáil and the Irish Press: The Truth in the News? (2001).

Among his co-edited volumes are The Sunday Papers: A History of Ireland's Weekly Press (2018), Political Communication in the Republic of Ireland (2014), Independent Newspapers: A History (2012), and Political Censorship and the Democratic State: The Irish Broadcasting Ban (2004). He is also co-editor of the two volume series Periodicals and Journalism in Twentieth-Century Ireland (2014 & 2021).

His current research focuses on the relationship between writers, journalism, and the Irish state from 1922 to 1967. He is chair of the Mary Raftery Prize for Journalism.

Book

	Year	Publication
	2022	Mark O'Brien (ed) (2022) Media Connections between Britain and Ireland: Shared Histories. London: Routledge.
	2022	Mark O'Brien & Felix M. Larkin (eds) (2022) Periodicals and Journalism in Twentieth-Century Ireland 2. Dubln: Four Courts Press.
	2021	Debra Reddin van Tuyll, Mark O'Brien & Marcel Broersma (eds) (2021) Politics, Culture, and the Irish American Press, 1784-1963. New York: Syracuse University Press.
	2018	Joe Breen & Mark O'Brien (eds) (2018) The Sunday Papers: A History of Ireland's Weekly Press. Dublin: Four Court Press.
	2017	Mark O'Brien (2017) The Fourth Estate: Journalism in Twentieth Century Ireland. Manchester: Manchester University Press.
	2015	Kevin Rafter & Mark O'Brien (eds) (2015) The State in Transition: Essays in Honour of John Horgan. Dublin: New Island Press.
	2014	Mark O'Brien & Felix M. Larkin (eds) (2014) Periodicals and Journalism in Twentieth-Century Ireland. Dublin: Four Courts Press.
	2014	Mark O'Brien & Donnacha Ó Beacháin (eds) (2014) Political Communication in the Republic of Ireland. Liverpool: Liverpool University Press.
	2012	Mark O'Brien & Kevin Rafter (eds) (2012) Independent Newspapers: A History. Dublin: Four Courts Press.
	2005	Mary P. Corcoran & Mark O'Brien (eds) (2005) Political Censorship and the Democratic State: The Irish Broadcasting Ban. Dublin: Four Courts Press.
	2008	Mark O'Brien (2008) The Irish Times: A History. Dublin: Four Courts Press.
	2001	Mark O'Brien (2001) The Truth in the News? De Valera, Fianna Fáil and the Irish Press. Dublin: Irish Academic Press.

Book Chapter

	Year	Publication
	2023	Mark O'Brien (2023) 'Fighting and Writing: Journalists and the 1916 Easter Rising' In: Media Connections Between Britain and Ireland: Shared Histories. London : Routledge.
	2021	Mark O'Brien (2021) 'Writing from the margins: In Touch, Identity, Out, and GCN' In: Periodicals and Journalism in Twentieth-Century Ireland 2: A Variety of Voices. Dublin : Four Courts Press.
	2021	Mark O'Brien (2021) 'An American Newspaperman: Transatlantic Influences at the Irish Press in the 1930s' In: Politics, Culture and the Irish American Press, 1784-1963. New York : Syracuse University Press.
	2020	Mark O'Brien (2020) 'The Irish Times: the Protestant and conservative daily newspaper' In: Edinburgh History of the British and Irish Press, Vol. 2: Expansion and Evolution, 1800–1900. Edinburgh : Edinburgh University Press.
	2020	Mark O'Brien (2020) 'The metropolitan press: connections and competition between Britain and Ireland' In: Edinburgh History of the British and Irish Press, Vol. 3: Competition and Disruption, 1900–2017. Edinburgh : Edinburgh University Press.
	2018	Mark O'Brien (2018) ''All the news of Interest': The Kerryman, 1904-88' In: The Irish Regional Press 1892-2018: Revival, Revolution and Republic. Dublin : Four Courts Press.
	2018	Joe Breen & Mark O'Brien (2018) 'The Irish Sunday newspaper: its role, character and history' In: The Sunday Papers: A History of Ireland's Weekly Press. Dublin : Four Courts Press.
	2018	Mark O'Brien (2018) 'A weekly newspaper unequalled in the annals of Irish journalism’: The Sunday Independent, 1905–84' In: The Sunday Papers: A History of Ireland's Weekly Press. Dublin : Four Courts Press.
	2018	Mark O'Brien (2018) 'Whose war was it anyway: Irish journalism and the Great War after 1918' In: Writing the First World War after 1918. London : Routledge.
	2016	Mark O'Brien & Kevin Rafter (2016) 'Commerce and the Church: The Factors that Shaped New Journalism in the Irish Independent' In: Redefining Journalism in the Era of the Mass Press, 1880-1920. London : Routledge.
	2015	Mark O'Brien (2015) ''Facile ignorance' and 'wild wild women': religion, journalism and social change in Ireland 1961-1979' In: The State in Transition: Essays in Honour of John Horgan. Dublin : New Island.
	2014	Mark O'Brien (2014) ''Sources say . . ': Political journalism since 1921' In: Political Communication in the Republic of Ireland. Liverpool : Liverpool University Press.
	2014	Mark O'Brien (2014) 'The Irish press, politicians and the Celtic Tiger economy' In: The Media and Financial Crisis: Comparative and Historical Perspectives. London : Taylor & Francis.
	2014	Mark O'Brien (2014) 'Other voices: The Bell and documentary journalism' In: Periodicals and Journalism in Twentieth Century Ireland: Writing Against the Grain. Dublin : Four Courts Press.
	2012	Mark O'Brien (2012) 'Independent Newspapers and Irish society 1973-98' In: Independent Newspapers: A History. Dublin : Four Courts Press.
	2012	Mark O'Brien (2012) ''The best interests of the nation': Frank Geary, the Irish Independent and the Spanish civil war'' In: Independent Newspapers: A History. Dublin : Four Courts Press.
	2011	Mark O'Brien (2011) 'Journalism in Ireland: The evolution of a discipline' In: Irish Journalism Before Independence: More a Disease than a Profession. Manchester : Manchester University Press.
	2010	Mark O'Brien (2010) 'The court of public opinion' In: Ireland of the Illusions. Dublin : Institute of Public Administration.
	2007	Mark O'Brien (2007) 'Selling fear: The changing face of crime reporting' In: Mapping Irish Media: Critical Explorations. Dublin : UCD Press.
	2006	Mark O'Brien (2006) 'Pressing times: The newspaper industry' In: The Irish Media Directory and Guide. Dublin : Gill & Macmillan.
	2005	Mark O'Brien (2005) 'Disavowing democracy: The silencing project in the south' In: Political Censorship and the Democratic State: The Irish Broadcasting Ban. Dublin : Four Courts Press.
	2004	Mark O'Brien (2004) 'Selling soccer' In: Place and Non-Place - The Reconfiguration of Ireland. Dublin : Institute of Public Administration.

Peer Reviewed Journal

	Year	Publication
	2023	Mark O'Brien (2023) 'Cultivating ‘the heavies or opinion-forming press’: nation branding, Irish economic development and the British press, 1958–1966'. Irish Political Studies, 38 (2):255-276.
	2023	Mark O'Brien (2023) '‘Indecent and Suggestive Pictorial Matter’ Banning Picture Post in Ireland'. Media History, 29 (1):80-94.
	2022	Mark O'Brien (2022) 'In the public interest? Political sex scandals and the media in Ireland'. IRISH POLITICAL STUDIES (PRINT), 37 (1):22-42.
	2022	Mark O'Brien (2022) '“Propaganda Against the Country”: British Newspapers in 1950s Ireland'. Cultural and Social History, 19 (3):283-299.
	2022	Mark O'Brien (2022) 'Opposite assumptions: the relationship between the Roman Catholic Church and news journalism in Ireland'. JOURNAL OF CHURCH AND STATE (ONLINE), 64 (1):110-131.
	2021	Mark O'Brien (2021) 'Writing a sexual revolution: contraception, bodily autonomy and the women’s pages in Irish national newspapers 1935–1979'. Journal of the History of Sexuality, 30 (1):92-111.
	2021	Mark O'Brien (2021) 'Policing the press: censorship, family planning, and the press in Ireland, 1929-67'. Irish Studies Review, 29 (1):15-30.
	2018	Mark O'Brien (2018) 'Fighting and Writing: Journalists and the 1916 Easter Rising'. Media History, 24 (3&4):350-363.
	2017	Mark O'Brien (2017) 'In war-torn Spain’ – the politics of Irish press coverage of the Spanish civil war'. Media, War and Conflict, 10 (3):345-358.
	2016	Mark O'Brien (2016) '‘With the Irish in France': The national press and recruitment in Ireland 1914-1916'. Media History, 22 (2):159-173.
	2016	Mark O'Brien (2016) 'Whose War was it Anyway?: Irish journalism and the Great War after 1918'. Journalism Studies, 17 (4):448-460. [DOI]
	2016	Mark O'Brien (2016) 'Journalism and Emerging Professionalism in Ireland: The Association of Irish Journalists 1887-1890'. JOURNALISM PRACTICE, 10 (1):109-122.
	2015	Mark O'Brien & Kevin Rafter (2015) 'Commerce and the Church: The factors that shaped New Journalism in the Irish Independent'. Media History, 21 (3):252-264. [DOI]
	2010	Declan Fahy, Mark O'Brien, & Valerio Potí (2010) 'From boom to bust: A post-Celtic Tiger analysis of the norms, values and roles of Irish financial journalists'. Irish Communications Review, 12 :5-20.

Other Journal

	Year	Publication
	2018	Mark O'Brien (editor) (2018) 'Shared Histories: Media Connections Between Britain and Ireland' 24 (3&4) .

Conference Contribution

	Year	Publication
	2019	Mark O'Brien (2019) Fourth Transnational Journalism History Conference Cast a cold eye: twentieth century Ireland as reported by Irish stringers in British newspapers University of Groningen, Holland, 20/06/2019-21/06/2019.
	2017	Mark O'Brien (2017) Second Transnational Journalism History Conference Roundtable Discussant: Transnational Journalism History - Concept and Context Dublin, 09/06/2017-10/06/2017.
	2016	Mark O'Brien (2016) First Explorations in Transnational Journalism History ‘Sweep away the slums’: Transnational Journalistic Influences at the Irish Press in the 1930s Augusta University, Augusta, Ga. USA, .
	2016	Mark O'Brien (2016) Shared Histories: Media Connections Between Britain and Ireland Roundtable: Shared Histories and Future Dublin, .
	2016	Mark O'Brien (2016) Non-Violent Resistance: Irreverence and Counter-Discourse as Subversive Weapons in Irish Culture ‘Voir clair’: The Bell and counter discursive journalism in Ireland 1940–1954 Dublin City University, .
	2015	Mark O'Brien (2015) Reporting Revolutions: What the Papers Said From Sydney to Russia via Revolutionary Dublin:Chris O'Sullivan and the Irish Revolution University College Dublin, 13/11/2015-14/11/2015.
	2014	Mark O'Brien (2014) Annual Convention of American Journalism Historians Association 'With the Irish in France': The Press and Recruitment in Ireland 1914-18 St Paul, Minnesota, 08/10/2014-11/10/2014.
	2014	Mark O'Brien (2014) Home Thoughts From Abroad: History, the Press and Diaspora Roundtable Discussion on Transnational Journalism Project University College Cork, 21/11/2014-22/11/2014.
	2014	Mark O'Brien (2014) Communities of Communication: Newspapers and Periodicals in Britain and Ireland from 1900 to the Present Behind the War-Fronts in Spain: The Politics of Irish National Coverage of the Spanish Civil War University of Sheffield, UK, 11/09/2014-12/09/2014.
	2014	Mark O'Brien (2014) The Irish Regional Press: Past and Present Roundtable Discussion on the Regional Press Dublin City University, 12/12/2014-12/12/2014.
	2014	Mark O'Brien (2014) Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication Connecting the Irish and the Irish-American Press Montreal, Canada, 06/08/2014-09/08/2014.
	2013	Mark O'Brien & Kevin Rafter (2013) Redefining Journalism in the Era of the Mass Press From Politics to Commerce: New Journalism, the Irish Independent and a Lasting Legacy University of Sheffield, UK, 04/07/2013-05/07/2013.
	2013	Mark O'Brien (2013) Crises, 'Creative Destruction' and the Global Power and Communication Orders' Better Late than Never: The Delayed Development of Investigative Journalism in Ireland Dublin City University, 25/06/2013-29/06/2013.
	2011	Mark O'Brien (2011) Soothsayers of Doom? The Media and the Financial Crisis in Comparative Perspective The Irish Press and the Financial Crisis City University, London, 12/12/2011-13/12/2011.
	2009	Mark O'Brien (2009) History and the Headlines: Contemporary Coverage and the Reassessment of Historical Events in Newspapers and Periodicals Journalism in Ireland: The Contribution of the Irish Times DIT, Dublin, 20/11/2009-21/11/2009.
	2008	Mark O'Brien (2008) Newspapers: Past, Present and Future Writing Newspaper History: Challenges and Opportunities National Library of Ireland, 07/03/2008-07/03/2008.
	2006	Mark O'Brien (2006) Identities, Biannual Humanities Conference 'The tyranny of ideals': The Irish Times and National Identity in the Free State Dublin City University, 11/05/2006-12/05/2006.
	2005	Mark O'Brien (2005) Media History in Ireland, Britain and Canada: Connections and Comparisons A Farewell to Empire? The Irish Times and de Valera's Constitutional Crusade Moore Institute, NUI Galway, 04/11/2005-04/11/2005.
	2005	Mark O'Brien (2005) Eamon de Valera 30 Years On 'The Supreme Egoist': De Valera and the Legacy of the Irish Press The Humanities Institute of Ireland University College Dublin, 08/09/2005-10/09/2005.

Newspaper

	Year	Publication
	2021	Mark O'Brien (2021) Irish journalism, mother and baby homes and ecclesiastical terror. NEWSA
	2021	Mark O'Brien (2021) Seventy years ago today: how the Irish Times exposed the Mother and Child scandal. NEWSA
	2020	Mark O'Brien (2020) Banning the Picture Post in Ireland. NEWSA
	2019	Mark O'Brien (2019) Fearless: The Journalism of Mary Raftery. NEWSA
	2018	Mark O'Brien (2018) How Jehovah’s Witnesses attacked by a Clare mob ended up convicted of blasphemy. NEWSA
	2018	Mark O'Brien (2018) GAA vs media: Decades of boycotts, blacklisting and libel. NEWSA
	2017	Mark O'Brien (2017) Sex, lies and horsewhipping boys: a history of clerical cover-ups. NEWSA

Review Articles

	Year	Publication
	2015	Mark O'Brien (2015) Review of Andrews, A. (2014) Newspapers and Newsmakers: The Dublin Nationalist Press in the Mid-Nineteenth Century, Irish Historical Studies. REV
	2014	Mark O'Brien (2014) Review of Dungan, M. (2014) Mr Parnell's Rottweiler: Censorship and the United Ireland Newspaper, 1881-1891, Irish Historical Studies. REV
	2014	Mark O'Brien (2014) Review of Backus, M.G. (2014) Scandal Work: James Joyce, the New Journalism and the Home Rule Newspaper Wars, Irish Historical Studies. REV
	2013	Mark O'Brien (2013) Review of Chambers, C. (2012) Ireland in the Newsreels, Irish Literary Supplement. REV
	2010	Mark O'Brien (2010) Review of Morash, C. (2010) A History of the Media in Ireland, Irish Studies Review. REV

Documentary

	Year	Publication
	2004	Mark O'Brien (2004) Family Fortune: De Valera's Irish Press. DOC

Thesis

	Year	Publication
	2000	Mark O'Brien (2000) The Truth in the News? A Socio-Historical Analysis of the Relationship Between Fianna Fáil and the Irish Press. NUI Maynooth: THES

Book Review

	Year	Publication
	2023	Mark O'Brien (2023) Review of Tilley, E. (2020) The Periodical Press in Nineteenth-Century Ireland.

Honors and Awards

Date	Title	Awarding Body
01/01/2019	Research Sabbatical	Dublin City University
01/01/2015	Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences Research Fellowship	Dublin City University
01/01/2014	President's Award for Excellence in Teaching Nominee	Dublin City University
01/01/2009	President's Award for Excellence in Teaching Nominee	Dublin City University
01/01/2008	Boston University Visiting Fellowship	Boston University
01/01/2005	Government of Ireland Post-Doctoral Fellowship	Irish Research Council

Committees

	Committee	Function	From / To
	Transnational Journalism History Network		-
	Mary Raftery Prize Committee		-
	Newspaper & Periodical History Forum of Ireland		-
	Media History Collection Advisory Board		-

Reviews

	Journal	Role
	Irish Historical Studies	Reviewer
	JOURNALISM: THEORY, PRACTICE & CRITICISM	Reviewer
	Media, War and Conflict	Reviewer
	Irish Communications Review	Reviewer
	Media History	Reviewer
	JOURNALISM PRACTICE	Reviewer

Creative Outputs

Year	Title	Type
2019	Fearless: The Journalism of Mary Raftery	Exhibition
2015	Ireland’s Eye: The Past, The Press and The Obscura	Exhibition
2004	Family Fortune: de Valera’s Irish Press	Documentary

Research Interests

He welcomes enquires from anyone interested in pursuing a Masters by Research or a Ph.D. in any aspect of Journalism & Media History; Crime / Political Journalism; Religion / Social Affairs and the Public Sphere; Scandal & Investigative Journalism; the Personalisation of Politics.

Modules Coordinated

Term	Title	Subject
2022	Journalism History	CM294
2022	Crime, Policing and the Media	CM261
2022	Media and Politics in Ireland	CM569