Margaret Mac Curtain (1929–2020) was aDominicansister, Irish historian, writer, and educator.[1]
Mac Curtain was a native ofCounty Cork, Ireland. She was the daughter of Sean and Ann Mac Curtáin, who raised her inCork City.[2] She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1950 fromUniversity College Cork (UCC), where she won the Peel Prize and turned down an opportunity to study withJ. R. R. Tolkien prior to joining theDominican Order.[3] She joined the teaching staff at Sion Hill, Blackrock and she held several positions includingPrioress of Sion Hill Convent (1984–1989).[4] In 1964, she earned a Ph.D. in history and was a lecturer in the Irish History Department ofUniversity College Dublin from 1964 to 1994. She was also a professor at the School of Irish Studies, Dublin, from 1972 to 1989. She held the Burns Chair of Irish Studies atBoston College from 1992 to 1993. She was awarded theEire Society of Boston Gold Medal in 1993 for her writings on Irish women's history.[5] When she initially became a nun she was given the name Sister Benvenuta but she restored her own name when rule changes allowed it.[6]
Sr. Mac Curtain was the founding principal and helped establish theSenior College Ballyfermont.[5]
Dr. Mac Curtain chaired the National Archives Advisory Council from 1997 to 2002.[7] She also served on the academic council of theIrish School of Ecumenics.[8]
Mac Curtain was active in political and social causes. She chaired the National Archives Advisory Council from 1997 to 2002 and contributed to the Treoir 2000 report on the state of the Irish language at the end of the 20th century.[9]
Many Irish past students of UCD cite Mac Curtain as an influence on their work, includingSinéad McCoole andCathal Mac Coille.[10]
