Michael’s research has probed into new frontiers in the neglected area of class in Irish culture particularly in terms of literature. His research has been presented in recent years at a wide range of public engagement and academic conference activities. Through successful funded research projects, he has also moved into new multi-disciplinary themes and international contexts. Over the last four years at Queen’s he has developed research proposals that have secured significant funding. Michael’s projects focus on: crowd-sourced festival history; creativity on the margins; northern Irish working-class history and culture; Irish diaspora histories; Irish opposition to the First World War. His first monograph, Writing Ireland’s Working Class (2011), received an excellent REF review and was warmly welcomed by scholars as a substantial contribution to academic knowledge.