Beginner’s pluck: Historian Maurice J Casey

'Hotel Lux' is a fascinating, highly readable account of women’s role in Russia’s revolution

Maurice J Casey's research for his debut began as his PhD thesis.

Maurice’s love of history started at an early age.

“I was a curious kid, and as mum is a retired history teacher, I was always surrounded by history books.

“She had a particular interest in Jewish and Russian history, and in Cahir, there was a large Eastern European population. I heard Russian being spoken.”

His research for his debut began as his PhD thesis: “In my first year I discovered May O’Callaghan from letters I received from an American university.

“I was immediately taken with her voice — it was so striking, and I kept unravelling her story, and that of her friends.”

Eventually I realised the Hotel Lux provided a natural hook for the story.

During this time, Maurice learned Russian, receiving weekly Zoom classes from Ukraine.

He has since spent a month in Moscow and a further month in Ukraine.

After taking his PhD Viva in February 2020, he gained work as the historian for the Irish Emigration Museum.

“I was there until 2022, but the museum was closed a lot during lockdown.”

Who is Maurice J Casey?

Date/place of birth: May 1993/ Cahir, Co Tipperary.

Education: Coláiste Dún Iascaigh, Cahir; Trinity College, Dublin, English and History; Cambridge University, MPhil in modern European history; Oxford University, PhD.

Home: Belfast.

Family: Wife Ciara.

The day job: Research Fellow at Queen’s University, Belfast: “And I do freelance work as a historian and contribute to podcasts.”

In another life: “I’d be a video game designer. I’ve always been into technology, and that would combine it with storytelling. I may do it one day.”

Favourite writers: Eugene Vodolazkin; Kazuo Ishiguro; Patricia Lockwood; Naomi Klein; Rebecca Solnit; Sally Rooney.

Second book: “I’m working on a history of a vegetarian restaurant in the 1930s.”

Top tip: “For historians, keep researching until you can hear the people speak.”

Website: www.mauricejcasey.com

Instagram: @maurice.j.casey

The debut

Hotel Lux: An Intimate history of Communism’s Forgotten Radicals

Footnote, €17.99/ Kindle, €12.04

In 1920s Moscow, those fleeing capitalism gathered at the Hotel Lux. These included Irishwoman May O’Callaghan, a suffragette who became the Comintern’s head of English translation.

The verdict: This is a fascinating, highly readable account of women’s role in Russia’s revolution. The author’s passion, and eye to detail, shine through.