Darragh Gannon
Where do you live? Washington DC.
Current company and position? Georgetown University/Associate Director of Global Irish Studies.
First job and what it taught me? My first official job was as Curatorial Researcher to the historic ‘Proclaiming a Republic: the 1916 Rising’ centenary exhibition at the National Museum of Ireland. It taught me the true value of Mark Twain’s famous quote: “find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work a day in your life”.
I will be forever grateful to my colleagues at the National Museum of Ireland for making my first employment opportunity such a creative, collaborative, and culturally significant experience.
How do you embrace your Irish heritage? As a historian of modern Ireland and the Irish diaspora, it is a daily privilege to bring to life – through books, lectures, and media appearances – the rich heritage of the Irish-American relationship.
I’m passionate about sharing the legacies of Irish-American history with the next generation of political, civic, and community leaders. At Georgetown University, I teach courses on Irish history - from the Great Irish Famine to the Good Friday Agreement – to over 200 students annually. Many of these School of Foreign Service students will become future US diplomats.
Beyond the classroom, I am an enterprising ambassador for Irish history across the Atlantic. Appointed by the Smithsonian Museum as an expert on their Celtic Voyage cruise, I serve as a heritage guide and cultural commentator for American tourists on their premier journey across Ireland. Many of these visitors have subsequently developed a life-long interest in Irish culture.
As we approach America’s 250th birthday, finally, I have taken on the role of Lead Historian to IrishAmerica250, a nationwide initiative to celebrate and commemorate the historic achievements of the Irish-American community. Supporting the invaluable work of the Irish Embassy, community groups (such as the Ancient Order of Hibernians/Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians), and cultural institutions (such as the American Irish Historical Society), I am committed to making 2026 a year to remember for the Irish-American community.
Something people would be surprised to know about me... I once enjoyed an incredible night out with Andrea Corr and Michael Flatley…that’s all I’m willing to state on the record!
Biography: Darragh Gannon proudly serves as Associate Director of Global Irish Studies at Georgetown University and Ireland Funds Fellow at the Princess Grace Library, Monaco. He has published three landmark books on modern Ireland: Proclaiming a Republic: Ireland, 1916, and the national collection; Ireland 1922: independence, partition, civil war; and the award-winning Conflict, Diaspora, and Empire: Irish nationalism in Britain, 1912-1922. A former Fulbright scholar, he is a regular commentator on Irish affairs for international media, including BBC, RTÉ, Irish Times, and TIME. Passionate about the history and future of Irish-America, Darragh serves as Lead Historian to the nation-wide IrishAmerica250 program.
