R. B. McDowell

R. B. McDowell
Born (1913-09-14)14 September 1913
Died 29 August 2011(2011-08-29) (aged 97)
Nationality Irish
Alma mater Trinity College, Dublin

Robert Brendan McDowell (14 September 1913 29 August 2011)[1][2] MA, PhD, Litt.D, LLD, MRIA, FTCD,[3] was an Irish historian. He was a Fellow Emeritus and a former Associate Professor of History at Trinity College, Dublin. He was born in Belfast. He was referred to colloquially as "RB", "McDowell" or "the White Rabbit". His politics were strongly Unionist and he was member of the British Conservative Party.

University career

McDowell was educated at the Royal Belfast Academical Institution, where he discovered his love of history. Here he met T. W. Moody, later an esteemed colleague in the History department at Trinity. He completed his graduate work at Trinity, having been elected a scholar in Modern History and Political Science in 1936. He was first appointed a lecturer in Trinity in 1945, and for 13 years (19561969) was the Junior Dean of Students, or "Dean of Discipline", a role that involved disciplining students in the tumultuous 1960s and resulted in many amusing anecdotes. He resided in the college until the age of 94, when he retired to Celbridge.

In 2007, The College Historical Society of which McDowell was a vice-president unveiled a portrait of McDowell, which can be seen in the Graduates' Memorial Building, alongside Douglas Hyde & Theobald Wolfe Tone, amongst others.

Bibliography

McDowell's published work concentrated on the era when Britain and Ireland shared a government, and aspects of the Irish-British relationship.

Co-authored works:

Books about McDowell

As well as his scholarship, McDowell became celebrated for his eccentric dress, his Ulster diction and his ability to talk knowledgeably at great length. Hundreds of anecdotes by former colleagues and students were published in 2 volumes after his retirement:

Autobiography

References

  1. The Junior Dean RB McDowell: encounters with a legend
  2. "Professor RB McDowell". The Telegraph. 2011-08-31. pp. Obituaries. Retrieved 1 September 2011.
  3. Trinity College Memorial service booklet, 20 October 2011
  4. Review by Geoffrey Wheatcroft
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