Federation of Local History Societies Highlights the Work of the Éamon Phoenix Foundation
13 February 2026
The Federation of Local History Societies, founded in 1981, represents more than 150 affiliated societies across the island of Ireland and works to promote local history, heritage, archaeology and folklore.
Through its annual journal, seminars and field trips, it supports amateur historians and voluntary museums while encouraging the publication of original research.
The Éamon Phoenix Foundation is pleased to note that the Federation has recently published a feature on Dr Éamon Phoenix and the work of the Foundation.
This recognition is particularly meaningful as it brings the Foundation’s work to one of the most important grassroots history audiences in Ireland. In Northern Ireland, a sister organisation – the Federation for Ulster Local Studies – performs a similar role in supporting local historical research.
Dr Éamon Phoenix was widely known as the “People’s Historian” – a teacher, author, broadcaster and commentator who made history accessible to all .
A lifelong supporter of local history societies north and south, he regarded them as vital custodians of community memory. He regularly addressed such groups and was a long-standing member, and later president, of the West Belfast Historical Society.
Today, the Foundation continues that spirit through projects such as On This Day – the daily republication of his long-running Irish News column – and the development of a comprehensive online archive of his State Papers analyses.
We are grateful to the Federation of Local History Societies for highlighting this work and for its continued commitment to encouraging careful, thoughtful engagement with Ireland’s past.