Campus
- Downtown Toronto (St. George)
Fields of Study
- Atlantic World
- Britain and Ireland
- Canada
- Conflict, Violence and Genocide
- Migration/Diaspora
- Religion and Society
- United States
Biography
Specialist in the religious, social, and communications history of Canada and Ireland. Author of the award-winning books Catholics at the Gathering Place: Historical Essays on the Archdiocese of Toronto (1992) and The Waning of the Green: Catholics, the Irish and Identity in Toronto, 1887-1922 (McGill-Queen’s 1999); Michael Power: The Struggle to Build the Catholic Church on the Canadian Frontier (McGill-Queen’s, 2005); he has recently completed a revisionist work on the Irish Famine migration to Canada (for the CHA Canadian Ethnic Groups Series) and a short award-winning book for the Ireland Park Foundation: Death or Canada: The Irish Famine Migration to Toronto, 1847 and Toronto. He is currently researching the evolution of religious broadcasting in Canada and writing a book on Canada’s Irish Catholics during the Great War. A recipient of four University Teaching Awards, he served as Principal of St. Michael’s College from 2002 to 2011, and as Acting Vice-Provost, Students, for the University of Toronto for part of 2013.
Edited Publications:
Awards
- 2019 Paul Bator Memorial Prize, for best article in Canadian Catholic Historical Studies, vols. 82 to 84
- 2018 Honorary Award, from Principals & Vice-Principal Council, Distinguished Service to Catholic Education, Toronto Catholic District School Board
- 2017 Award of Merit, Toronto Catholic District School Board
- 2016 Dean’s Award of Excellence
- 2013 Research Community Partnerships Grant, SSHRC
- Distinguished Catholic Alumni Award, Ottawa Catholic School Board
- 2010 Teacher of the Year, Awarded by St. Michael’s College Student Union'
- 2009 - 2010 Award of Merit, Heritage Toronto, for Death or Canada: The Irish Famine Migration to Toronto, 1847
- 2006 Winner, Heritage Toronto Award of Excellence for book Michael Power, Best book on a Toronto theme for 2005
- 2006 Appointed Senior Fellow, Massey College
- 2005 Paul Bator Memorial Award, Best Article Published in Canadian Catholic Historical Association, Historical Studies (2004-5)
Education
Publications
- Hunger and Hope: The Irish Famine Migration from Strokestown, Roscommon in 1847 (Cork University Press : 2023)
- The Imperial Irish: Canada's Irish Catholics Fight the Great War, 1914-1918 (McGill-Queen’s University Press : 2017)
- It's Our Turn: Carrying on the Work of the Pioneers of Catholic Education in Ontario (Novalis Publisher : 2017)
- Death or Canada: The Great Famine Migration and Toronto, 1847 (Novalis-Bayard : 2009)
- Michael Power: The Struggle to Build the Catholic Church on the Canadian Frontier (McGill-Queen’s University Press : 2005)
- The Waning of the Green: Catholics, the Irish and Identity in Toronto, 1887-1922 (McGill-Queen's University Press : 1999)