Michael McLaughlin, PhD candidate at the Irish Room, Boston College
Michael McLaughlin at Boston College Global PhD fellowship

 

I’ve just returned from spending two months at Boston College as part of the Global PhD Fellowship, joining a cohort of ten visiting doctoral students from across the world, with disciplines ranging from history to Marian theology. We met bi-weekly to share our research and support each other’s projects, creating a lively and diverse intellectual community. This also spilled into our accommodation in Gabelli Hall where we founded a small international enclave on the second floor. Living and working together allowed us to form strong personal  bonds very quickly which I know will long outlive the duration of the fellowship for all of us both personally and professionally.

My own work centred in the Burns Research Library, where I explored the community choral scores in the Irish music collection. This included choral scores and unexpected gems, such as the publicity material for Ireland’s Eurovision entries, generously highlighted for me by the Irish archivist. Beyond research, I formed close connections with members of the music faculty and was especially inspired by Dr. Riikka Pietiläinen Caffrey’s community project at the Boston Public Library, which supports English language learning and cultural integration for immigrant communities.

Life outside the library also offered opportunities to experience Boston and New England, with highlights including trips to Salem, Cape Cod, and watching the Boston Pops July 4th concert live including hearing Tchaikovsky’s 1812 overture with live cannon fire (accompanied, of course, by lobster rolls and Sam Adams finest!).

Looking ahead, I am eager to continue building on the professional and personal relationships developed over the summer, particularly with Dr. Pietiläinen Caffrey and colleagues at the Boston College Global Office, Dr. Bryan Flemming and Fr. Jim Keenan SJ. I am deeply grateful to my colleagues at the Trinity Long Room Hub and the Music Department for their encouragement during the application process, and to the Taylor Bequest for the financial support that made this fellowship possible.

Michael McLaughlin is a PhD candidate at the School of Creative Arts working on a project titled 'Resolving the tension between social inclusion and musical excellence in a Community Choir'. Through his research, he explores the unique and powerful role that community choirs play in people’s lives—as spaces of belonging, creativity, and shared purpose.