John Joe Conwell Historian

John Joe Conwell has written a number of local histories including his latest book, Portumna A Galway parish by the Shannon, and specialises in the study of landed estates and the Big Houses of the landed gentry. A Galway Parish by the Shannon a book of almost 900 pages documents the parish of Portumna's history since man first set foot in that part of Ireland. It examines the first settlers in the area and the significance of Lough Derg, the River Shannon as a highway through medieval Ireland as well as the recreational use of the river today. John Joe Conwell holds a Masters's degree in local history from the National University of Ireland and his thesis on the 14th Earl of Clanricarde during the Great Famine was published by NUI Maynooth in 2002. John Joe coordinates and lectures on the University of Limerick local history course run for adult students. He is a founding member of South East Galway Archaeological and Historical Society and gives talks to groups and societies on a range of topics of local historical interest. He has worked as a tour guide with Cycling Holidays Ireland for over twenty years, focusing particularly on the historical features of the country. John Joe also guides on a voluntary basis in the Irish Workhouse Centre and is an authority on the Great Irish Famine of the 19th century. He is also a founding member of Ireland Reaching Out, a company set up to connect members of the worldwide Irish diaspora with their ancestral parishes.