Engelsberg Applied History Annual Lecture 2022: Professor Patrick Geoghegan
Channel: War Studies KCL
Date: 2022-11-04

The Engelsberg Applied History Annual Lecture is back after a year hiatus. This year, we were joined by Professor Patrick Geoghegan of Trinity College Dublin to speak on the career of Martin Mansergh. Known simply as ‘The Man’ by the IRA during the clandestine talks of the late-1980s and early-1990s, Martin Mansergh played a crucial role in helping to bring about the peace process and was directly involved in the negotiations that led to the Good Friday Agreement.  The son of the distinguished Cambridge historian, Nicholas Mansergh, from whom he gained important insights into Irish history, British-Irish relations, and the Irish republican tradition, Martin completed a Ph.D. on the French Revolution at Oxford, before returning home to Ireland where he worked for three different Taoisigh (prime ministers) and later served a government minister.  His application of history and the historical method proved invaluable across three decades of public service, and his advice and expertise was called upon during various political crises, as well as during government formation, and when it came to developing new approaches to Northern Ireland.

This presentation explores how Mansergh was able to use his understanding of history and the historical experience to change the future of the island of Ireland.  Immersed in the world of history and historical thinking, Mansergh ability to think across time enabled him to approach previously unresolved questions with empathy and insight and also an important element of common sense.  The public service career of Mansergh was defined by the application of history, and it provides a case study that enables us to investigate its capabilities and potential in the areas of peace-making, statesmanship, governance and diplomacy.

Lord Paul Bew acted as respondent. The event was chaired by Dr Maeve Ryan, Co-Director of the Centre for Grand Strategy, who then lead the Q and A session.