Dr. Sheila Mulloy
Historian



Historian
Sheila O’Malley was born in Galway. Her parents were Christine (Ryan) also Michael O’Malley M.D. She lived in Barna House.
Education
Sheila studied at U.C.G. from (1939-1943) graduating with a B.A. a Double Degree in Arts & Commerce. During 1945 she graduated from U.C.D. with M.A. H. Dip. She spent several months at the Dublin Institute for Advance Studies prior to attending
Paris
Sheila O’Malley attended the famous Paris Sorbonne University where she received a prestigious international scholarship to Ecole Nationale des Chartes. In addition to modern history she studied paleography also philology.
Family
In August 1949 she married John Mulloy a Westport business man. They had a large family at Carrabawn, Westport.
Interests
Sheila Mulloy was a committee member of the first board of Western Care Association in 1966 then treasurer of the association in following years. She was an esteemed committee member of the Westport Historical Society.
O’Malley Clan
She was chieftain of the O’Malley Clan 1992/3 also guardian chieftain of the Clan from (1997 – 2000). During 2006 Sheila was awarded the title ‘Champion of the West’ by the Humbert Summer School.
Vice – President
Sheila Mulloy attended The Military History Society of Ireland & the Irish Geological Society along with her husband John. Dr. Mulloy was appointed vice-president of the Military History Society of Ireland.
Publications
While Sheila Mulloy was studying, she discovered a vast archive of correspondence between France & Ireland that dated back to the Williamite wars. This she worked on for over forty years, first as a basis for her PhD in 1955, then as she by edited, indexed then produced a selection of the material for the Irish Manuscripts Commission. In turn this was published as a three-volume Franco-Irish Correspondence. (Dec. 1688-Feb. 1692) An extract in The Mayo News during 1955 stated the immortal headline stated that Married Woman Gets Degree as she was awarded a Ph. D for her research.
Dr. Mulloy published articles for The Irish Sword also Capuchin Annual. Dr. Mulloy published Galway and Jacobite War during 1986. In 1988 she published O’Malley People and Places. Dr. Mulloy contributed an essay on John Moore, the President of Connacht for the Royal Academy’s Dictionary of Irish Biography.
Editor
Dr. Mulloy was editor emeritus of the Westport Historical Journal from (1983-2005) Dr. Sheila Mulloy produced a book of historical essays re: Invasion of the French led by General Humbert entitled Victory or Glorious Defeat: Biographies of Participants in the Mayo Rebellion of 1798 during 2010. She edited the O’Malley Journal for the O’Malley Clan. During 1999 she translated & edited Padraig O’Morain’s tAn Athair Manus Mac Suibhne, Sagart Meigheo Eiri Amach 1798 on behalf of Westport Historical Society.
Dr. Sheila Mulloy’s contribution to Westport Historical Journal Cathair na Mart may be viewed below:
1981 Some 17th Century Links with Brittan vol.1 no. 1
1985 James Joseph McDonnell. the best-known of the United Irish Chiefs of the West vol. 5 no.1
1988 Mayo and the Jacobite War of 1989-91 vol. 7 no. 1
1989 His Excellency the Marquis of Anglesey, Lord Lieutenant and General Governor of Ireland visits Westport, April 1831 vol. 9 no.1
1989 Military History of the Western Island vol. 9 no. 1
1990 William Hamilton Maxwell (1792-1850) Author of Wild Sports of the West vol. 10. no.1
1993 Murrisk and Ballyhaunis Compared no. 13
1994 Father Manus Sweeney (1763-1799) no. 14
1996 From Cromwell to William: Land Settlement in South Mayo, 1649-1702 no. 16.
Demise
Dr. Sheila Mulloy’s demise occurred when she aged ninety-one years old on 29th September 2013 at her home.
Immense gratitude is due to Mulloy family for their assistance & photograph.
Further Information
In his column Auld Stock The Connaught Telegraph 23rdJune 2020 Johnny Mee references Dr. Sheila Mulloy was an historian also a keen associate of the Cathair na Mart Journal. She was a relative of President Seán T. O ‘Kelly who was a frequent visitor to her home at Carrabawn.
Quote: Dr. Sheila Mulloy of Westport was of the opinion that ‘Ballinrobe courthouse was the only one in the county unchanged since 1798.’
Sources
Mulloy Family information.
The Mayo News 8th October 2013 : https://www.mayonews.ie/obituaries/18702-dr-sheila-mulloy-carrowbaun-westport
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