R. W. Dudley Edwards

Robert Walter Dudley Edwards (1909–1988), known as R. W. Dudley Edwards or 'Robin,' was an influential Irish historian born in Dublin, son of an English civil servant father and a mother from Clare.[1][2] He educated at Synge Street CBS and St. Enda's, became Professor of Modern Irish History at University College Dublin from 1945 to 1979, and co-founded Irish Historical Studies, professionalizing Irish historiography through primary source research.[4][5][6][7] Renowned for his eccentricity, he established key archives at UCD and advocated for the National Archives of Ireland.[3][5][7]