Jackie Uí Chionna is an historian, writer, and singer from Dublin, Ireland. She lives in Galway, on the west coast of Ireland, where she teaches History at the University of Galway. Her professional career has spanned heritage management, academia, and research. An accomplished media performer, she has contributed to TV and radio documentaries on a variety of historical subjects in both Ireland and the UK.
She studied History and English at University College Dublin, and holds an MA in Heritage Management from University College Cork, a PhD in History from the University of Galway, and a Higher Diploma in Education from Trinity College Dublin. A committed advocate of public history, her specialism is the social history of modern Ireland.
Her most recent research is more global in nature, and relates to cryptography and the breaking of codes for intelligence gathering. Her most recent book, Queen of Codes: The Secret Life of Emily Anderson, Britain's Greatest Female Code Breaker, documents the remarkable life of an Irishwoman who became Britain's greatest female codebreaker and served with British intelligence through two World Wars and the interwar period.
An experienced oral historian, Jackie and has incorporated oral history extensively in her research and publications.
Always drawn to the personal stories of those who populate the historical narrative, she is an accomplished writer of historical biography and memoir. From 2007 to 2009, she was commissioned by NUI Galway to undertake The University in Living Memory Oral History Project. The project aimed to document what it was like to study, teach, or work at University College Galway from 1930 to 1980. Her resulting publication, An Oral History of University College Galway, 1930-1980: A University in Living Memory, was published by Four Courts Press, Dublin, in Autumn 2019.
In 2013, Jackie held the Thomas McDonogh Post-Doctoral research fellowship at NUIG, during which she produced a biography of Galway businessman, entrepreneur, and politician Máirtín Mór McDonogh. Her book, He Was Galway: Máirtín Mór McDonogh, 1860-1934, was published by Four Courts Press, Dublin, in November 2016. The book was a critical and commercial success in Ireland and was shortlisted for the NUI Historical Research Prize 2019, the most prestigious prize in history publishing in Ireland.
In 2019 Jackie was awarded an Archives By-Fellowship at Churchill College Cambridge, and from April – June 2019 she undertook research for her biography of Emily Anderson OBE. The resulting book, Queen of Codes: The Secret Life of Emily Anderson, Britain's Greatest Female Code Breaker was published by Headline Publishing (UK) in April 2023. The book was officially launched in the Irish Embassy in London by the Irish Ambassador to the UK, Mr. Martin Fraser.
From April - June 2023 she a Visiting Scholar at the Oxford Centre for Life Writing at Wolfson College Oxford. During her time there she worked on her next book, a collective biography of the unknown and unacknowledged female codebreakers of the First and Second World Wars.
In September 2023 she was appointed as an Associate Fellow at the Institute of Historical Research (IHR), School of Advanced Study, University of London. During her time at the IHR she will progress her ongoing research on the unacknowledged female codebreakers of the First and Second World Wars, and collaborate with colleagues at the IHR on projects related to public history, of which she is a passionate advocate.
Outside of her academic and research pursuits, Jackie is deeply rooted in the music, language and culture of her native Ireland. A fluent Irish speaker, she is also an accomplished and prizewinning traditional singer. She is actively involved in a range of organizations, including Comhaltas Ceolteóirí Éireann and the Access Music Project Galway. She is a board member of the Galway Archaeological and Historical Society, and as Editor of the Society's Journal has produced seven volumes to date.
A former National P.R.O. for NETWORK Ireland - Women's Business Network, Jackie has always advocated for gender equality, and women in business and the professions. She served on the organizing committee for the INISH: Island Conversations festival and was for many years a member of the Board of Galway Civic Trust.
Her love for the west of Ireland led to she and her husband restoring a traditional cottage by the sea in Connemara, which serves as a source of inspiration for her thinking and writing.
She studied History and English at University College Dublin, and holds an MA in Heritage Management from University College Cork, a PhD in History from the University of Galway, and a Higher Diploma in Education from Trinity College Dublin. A committed advocate of public history, her specialism is the social history of modern Ireland.
Her most recent research is more global in nature, and relates to cryptography and the breaking of codes for intelligence gathering. Her most recent book, Queen of Codes: The Secret Life of Emily Anderson, Britain's Greatest Female Code Breaker, documents the remarkable life of an Irishwoman who became Britain's greatest female codebreaker and served with British intelligence through two World Wars and the interwar period.
An experienced oral historian, Jackie and has incorporated oral history extensively in her research and publications.
Always drawn to the personal stories of those who populate the historical narrative, she is an accomplished writer of historical biography and memoir. From 2007 to 2009, she was commissioned by NUI Galway to undertake The University in Living Memory Oral History Project. The project aimed to document what it was like to study, teach, or work at University College Galway from 1930 to 1980. Her resulting publication, An Oral History of University College Galway, 1930-1980: A University in Living Memory, was published by Four Courts Press, Dublin, in Autumn 2019.
In 2013, Jackie held the Thomas McDonogh Post-Doctoral research fellowship at NUIG, during which she produced a biography of Galway businessman, entrepreneur, and politician Máirtín Mór McDonogh. Her book, He Was Galway: Máirtín Mór McDonogh, 1860-1934, was published by Four Courts Press, Dublin, in November 2016. The book was a critical and commercial success in Ireland and was shortlisted for the NUI Historical Research Prize 2019, the most prestigious prize in history publishing in Ireland.
In 2019 Jackie was awarded an Archives By-Fellowship at Churchill College Cambridge, and from April – June 2019 she undertook research for her biography of Emily Anderson OBE. The resulting book, Queen of Codes: The Secret Life of Emily Anderson, Britain's Greatest Female Code Breaker was published by Headline Publishing (UK) in April 2023. The book was officially launched in the Irish Embassy in London by the Irish Ambassador to the UK, Mr. Martin Fraser.
From April - June 2023 she a Visiting Scholar at the Oxford Centre for Life Writing at Wolfson College Oxford. During her time there she worked on her next book, a collective biography of the unknown and unacknowledged female codebreakers of the First and Second World Wars.
In September 2023 she was appointed as an Associate Fellow at the Institute of Historical Research (IHR), School of Advanced Study, University of London. During her time at the IHR she will progress her ongoing research on the unacknowledged female codebreakers of the First and Second World Wars, and collaborate with colleagues at the IHR on projects related to public history, of which she is a passionate advocate.
Outside of her academic and research pursuits, Jackie is deeply rooted in the music, language and culture of her native Ireland. A fluent Irish speaker, she is also an accomplished and prizewinning traditional singer. She is actively involved in a range of organizations, including Comhaltas Ceolteóirí Éireann and the Access Music Project Galway. She is a board member of the Galway Archaeological and Historical Society, and as Editor of the Society's Journal has produced seven volumes to date.
A former National P.R.O. for NETWORK Ireland - Women's Business Network, Jackie has always advocated for gender equality, and women in business and the professions. She served on the organizing committee for the INISH: Island Conversations festival and was for many years a member of the Board of Galway Civic Trust.
Her love for the west of Ireland led to she and her husband restoring a traditional cottage by the sea in Connemara, which serves as a source of inspiration for her thinking and writing.