Colin Rynne

Dr. Colin Rynne is a College Lecturer in Archaeology at University College Cork (UCC), where he holds a PhD and BA in Archaeology. His research focuses on industrial archaeology, medieval and post-medieval technology, and colonial landscapes. He has authored/co-authored over eight books, including Industrial Ireland 1750-1930 and The Industrial Heritage of County Cork, and edited volumes such as Plantation Ireland: Settlement and Material Culture. His work examines water power systems, ironworking, and the colonial infrastructure of figures like Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of Cork. He has led interdisciplinary projects on Ireland’s industrial heritage, including studies of the Cork Butter Market and early medieval tide mills. Rynne is President of the Industrial Heritage Association of Ireland and has contributed to numerous conferences and editorial boards. His recent research explores sustainable energy technologies in 19th-century Europe and the archaeology of hydraulic energy in medieval landscapes.

Education: BA Archaeology (UCC, 1980); PhD Archaeology (UCC, 1988)

Key Research Projects:

• Irish Research Council-funded study of Richard Boyle’s colonial landscapes
• Butter Museum collaboration on Ireland’s dairying history
• International studies on tide mills and hydraulic engineering

Teaching: Modules include medieval agriculture, industrial archaeology, and heritage management. Co-coordinates the MA in Museums Studies.

Awards: 2008 Peter Neaverson Award for Outstanding Scholarship (Association for Industrial Archaeology).