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Ed Whelan

My name is Edward Whelan and I graduated with a PhD in history in 2008. Between 2010-2012 I worked in the Limerick City Archives. I have written a book and several peer reviewed journal articles. At present I am a full-time freelance writer and researcher and live in Gillogue, County Clare.

I am from Limerick in the Republic of Ireland. I have a lifelong love of history and have been fascinated by the subject from an early age. I attended the University of Maynooth 2003-2008 and studied history and classical studies. I obtained a BA from Maynooth and was admitted to the History PhD program. Based on my BA results I was awarded two scholarships and during my post-graduate studies I worked as a tutor.

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Origins of the sarsen stones is finally pinpointed. Source: Alexey Fedorenko / Adobe Stock

30 July, 2020 - 14:02 Ed Whelan

Origin of Stonehenge’s Sarsen Stones is Finally Pinpointed

After years of uncertainty, experts have now solved the mystery of exactly where most of the Stonehenge sarsen stones came from, made possible through the return of a missing fragment of one of the...

Study finds that medieval remedy found in 1000-year-old medical text could hold key to treating antibiotic-resistant infections. Source: shaiith / Adobe Stock

29 July, 2020 - 21:49 Ed Whelan

Medieval Remedy Could Treat Antibiotic-Resistant Infections

A possible medical breakthrough has been made by experts, all thanks to a 1000-year-old medieval English medical text. A treatment, that dates to the Dark Ages , is helping researchers to treat a...

Michael McDonagh, Head of National Monuments, inspecting the damage at Ballygawley, a famous Irish Neolithic site. Source: Sligo Neolithic Landscapes

28 July, 2020 - 22:51 Ed Whelan

Irish Neolithic Sites At Risk From Vandals and Treasure Hunters

Irish Neolithic sites , and Stone Age monuments are being destroyed by treasure hunters , vandals, and visitors. Some of the tombs date back 5000 years and are among the oldest of their kind in...

Evolutionary geneticists conducting a genome study have found that Neanderthals had a lower pain threshold than the majority of modern humans. Source: proct_ab / Adobe Stock

28 July, 2020 - 18:42 Ed Whelan

Do You Have a Low Pain Threshold? Blame Your Neanderthal Genes

Researchers believe that Neanderthals had a lower pain threshold than modern humans. A study has shown that because of genetic mutations our extinct relatives were more sensitive to pain. We...

A statue of Prithviraja III at Qila Rai Pithora in Delhi Source: CC BY SA 3.0

28 July, 2020 - 02:01 Ed Whelan

Qila Rai Pithora, the Ancient Fort That Gave Rise to Delhi

India’s many remarkable forts and citadels stand as a testament to its turbulent history. Qila Rai Pithora Hillfort in Delhi is one of the most impressive surviving fortresses in Northern India. This...

Mohamed Ghassen Nouira holding textile fragments made with his ancient purple dye using Murex sea snails from Tunisia. Source: Mohamed Ghassen Nouira

27 July, 2020 - 22:50 Ed Whelan

Tunisian Man Rediscovers Secret of Priceless Ancient Purple Dye

A Tunisian man has been able to solve an ancient mystery. He has found a way to re-create an ancient purple dye that was once linked to ancient kings and emperors. Through a long process of trial and...

Mediterranean Sea. Credit: Sergii Figurnyi / Adobe Stock

26 July, 2020 - 23:00 Ed Whelan

Mediterranean Sea Was Hotter 2,000 Years Ago!

International researchers have found proof that the Mediterranean Sea was 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit (2 degrees Celsius) hotter during the time of the Roman Empire , from 1 to 500 AD, the warmest it has...

King Doniert’s Stone Source: Andy Chisholm / Adobe Stock

26 July, 2020 - 18:56 Ed Whelan

King Doniert’s Stone, Memorial of a Lost Kingdom

While Britain is a land with many world-famous historical landmarks and sites, there are numerous smaller and little-known monuments that are remarkable in their own way. King Doniert’s Stone is a...

A monument found among the Zapotec ruins in south-west Mexico. Source: EFE

25 July, 2020 - 20:38 Ed Whelan

Astonishing Zapotec Ruins and Carvings Found in Mexico

An astonishing discovery has been made on top of a mountain in Mexico. Archaeologists and locals have been exploring a site where previously unknown Zapotec ruins and carvings have been found. The...

Myanmar sunset Bagan (formerly Pagan) temple Source: murrrrrs / Adobe Stock

25 July, 2020 - 02:01 Ed Whelan

Is the Palace of Binnaka Waiting to be Discovered?

Myanmar, once known as Burma, is a Southeast Asian nation that is increasingly popular with foreign travelers due to its incredible history and traditions . The once important city-state of Binnaka...

The ancient butter dish found on Loch Tay, Scotland, dating from the Iron Age Source: Scottish Crannog Centre

24 July, 2020 - 19:11 Ed Whelan

Ancient Butter Dish Found in Scottish Lake Still Held Butter

Researchers have found an unusual but especially important discovery in a Scottish lake : an ancient butter dish, made of wood, that has miraculously survived in water, for over two millennia. This...

Roman shipwreck artifacts found in the Spanish fish shop. Source: Civil Guard

23 July, 2020 - 23:00 Ed Whelan

Illegal Roman Shipwreck Artifacts Found in a Spanish Fish Shop

During a recent routine inspection of a seafood store, Spanish authorities came across a number of important historical artifacts that date to the Roman Empire . They found over a dozen storage...

Aerial image of the Kingdom of Judah excavation, a 2,700-year-old administrative complex in Jerusalem. Source: Yaniv Berman / Israel Antiquities Authority

23 July, 2020 - 14:00 Ed Whelan

Center of Ancient Kingdom of Judah Found in Jerusalem

In Jerusalem, archaeologists have made an important discovery that is providing new insights into the biblical Kingdom of Judah . They have found what they believe is an administrative center...

Front of the main piece of the Stone Age Venus of Egerszeg Statuette recently unearthed in Hungary. Source: Göcsej Museum

22 July, 2020 - 02:21 Ed Whelan

Stone Age ‘Venus of Egerszeg’ Statuette Unearthed in Hungary

In Hungary , archaeologists have found a 6500-year-old idol . The incomplete figure is a female form and has been named the Venus of Egerszeg. The team who discovered the Venus of Egerszeg say the...

The landscape of remote Mongolia where the long-lost nomad Dragon City of the Xiongnu Empire was recently discovered. Source: Iderkhangai Tumur-Ochir / Heritage Daily

21 July, 2020 - 13:59 Ed Whelan

Long-lost Nomad City of the Xiongnu Empire Found in Mongolia

In a desolate region of Mongolia , archaeologists have discovered the long-lost nomad city that was once the capital of an empire that played an important role in the history of Imperial China...

Screengrab from video showing vandals in Pakistan destroying Buddhist statue

20 July, 2020 - 13:52 Ed Whelan

Vandals Destroy Priceless Buddha Statue for Being Un-Islamic

In Pakistan , a group of construction workers destroyed a priceless Pakistani Buddha , smashing the figure to pieces. The almost 2000-year-old figure was vandalized because it offended local...

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