Personal profile
Particulars
Office Location: QBS Student Hub, 02.027
Research Interests
Primary fields: Economic History, Economic Growth, Demography
Secondary fields: Applied Econometrics, Trade
Research Statement
Alan Fernihough is a Reader in Economics at Queen’s Business School, a Research Associate at the Queen’s University Centre for Economic History, and a Research Affiliate of the Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR). His research applies modern econometric techniques to historical data to study the long-run drivers of economic development. He has published in leading journals including The American Economic Review, The Economic Journal, The Journal of Economic History, Demography, and Explorations in Economic History. His recent work examines how geography, demography, and trade shaped Ireland’s economic development and its integration into the global economy.
Achievements
Alan Fernihough holds an MA and PhD in Economics from University College Dublin. In 2023, he was awarded the prestigious Barrington Medal by the Statistical and Social Inquiry Society of Ireland. His research has appeared in leading academic journals, including the American Economic Review and The Economic Journal. He has been the recipient of major research grants, including an ESRC Future Leaders Award and a Royal Irish Academy Nowlan Digitisation Grant. Earlier in his career, he received the Denis Conniffe Prize from the Irish Economics Association (2011) for the best paper presented by a graduate student.
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
Projects
- 2 Finished
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R1663MAE: The Causes and Consequences of the Great Irish Famine
Fernihough, A. (PI)
19/09/2016 → 30/09/2018
Project: Research
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R1615MAE: Representation of the People: Franchise Extension and The 'Sinn Fein Election' in Ireland, 1918
de Bromhead, A. (PI) & Fernihough, A. (CoI)
04/04/2016 → 31/03/2018
Project: Research
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Protestantism and human capital: evidence from early 20th century Ireland
Fernihough, A. & Henderson, S., Jan 2025, In: Explorations in Economic History. 95, 18 p., 101647.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile122 Downloads (Pure) -
Across the sea to Ireland: return Atlantic migration before the First World War
Fernihough, A. & Ó Gráda, C., 11 Nov 2024, (Early online date) In: European Review of Economic History. 19 p., heae017.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile1 Link opens in a new tab Citation (Scopus)106 Downloads (Pure) -
Economic geography and the Irish border: a market access approach
Fernihough, A., 01 Dec 2024, In: Journal of the Statistical and Social Inquiry Society of Ireland. 53, p. 61-76 16 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile1 Link opens in a new tab Citation (Scopus)88 Downloads (Pure) -
Mind your language: explaining the retreat of the Irish language frontier
Fernihough, A., Colvin, C. L. & McLaughlin, E., 31 Jul 2024, Queen's University Belfast, 47 p. (QUCEH Working Paper Series; no. 24-07).Research output: Working paper
File312 Downloads (Pure) -
175 years of mismeasuring Ireland?: some traps set by historical data
de Bromhead, A., Fernihough, A. & Ó Gráda, C., 2023, In: Journal of the Statistical and Social Inquiry Society of Ireland. 51, p. 128-155 28 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile2 Link opens in a new tab Citations (Scopus)265 Downloads (Pure)
Datasets
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Irish Civil Parishes: 1841 and 1851 Digitized and Mapped, 1821-1851
Fernihough, A. (Creator), UK Data Service, 23 Jan 2023
Dataset
Prizes
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Sir Timothy Coghlan Prize - Distinguished Runner up
de Bromhead, A. (Recipient) & Fernihough, A. (Recipient), 01 Aug 2022
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
Activities
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Religion and Nation Building
Fernihough, A. (Invited speaker), Colvin, C. (Contributor), McLaughlin, E. (Participant) & Neary, P. (Participant)
09 Jan 2026Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in workshop, seminar, course
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Economic History Society Annual Conference 2025
Fernihough, A. (Presenter) & Henderson, S. (Contributor)
05 Apr 2025Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in conference
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CEPR Applied Micro-Economic History Workshop
Fernihough, A. (Speaker) & Henderson, S. (Contributor)
07 Feb 2025 → 08 Feb 2025Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in workshop, seminar, course
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Ireland: A New Economic History - 30 Years On
Fernihough, A. (Invited speaker) & Colvin, C. (Invited speaker)
16 Jan 2025Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in workshop, seminar, course
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3rd CEPH Irish Research Initiative Workshop
Fernihough, A. (Presenter) & Henderson, S. (Contributor)
10 Dec 2024Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Press/Media
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When Britain turned inward
de Bromhead, A., Fernihough, A., Hjortshøj O'Rourke, K. & Lampe, M.
18/12/2018
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Research
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‘No evidence’ women were key in Sinn Féin’s 1918 election win
de Bromhead, A., Fernihough, A. & Hargaden, E.
05/12/2018
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Research
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Sinn Féin’s sudden rise to power in 1918 was long seen as a ‘youthquake’ – now there’s a different explanation
de Bromhead, A. & Fernihough, A.
05/12/2018
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Research
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Study: Rising and threat of conscription key to Sinn Féin success
de Bromhead, A., Fernihough, A. & Hargaden, E.
05/12/2018
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Research