Circumnavigation of Ireland

Turtle was the principal speaker on board Island Sky during three circumnavigations of Ireland in 2022 and 2023.

‘It was our pleasure to have Turtle embarked as Guest Speaker for our programme of Ireland cruises this year.  His presentations are superb and his insight and knowledge as well as his unique style of presentation enhanced our guests’ enjoyment of their holiday.  He easily fitted into our on-board routines and was taken to heart by our talented expedition team who quickly adopted him as one of their own.  His unrivalled knowledge and powers of presentation make him a huge asset to our product.’
Mike Deegan – Head of Fleet Operations.

‘We all thoroughly enjoyed Turtle being on board with us! He is a fantastic addition to the team and I would be more than grateful to have him again on any cruise. His lectures are almost always full and he has a wonderful way of speaking to the guests and having them learn things without realising they are!’
Reba Minnett – Cruise Director, Noble Caledonia 

Cercle Littéraire Irlandais 2022

‘A wonderful presentation. People thoroughly enjoyed it. An Irish friend of mine present at the event, who is not a history lover, told me it was the first time she ever enjoyed a conversation around history, and she’s ordering “The Irish Diaspora”. Having the French perspective was also terrific.’
Patricia Killeen
Turning Points, World Radio Paris

MGI UK & Ireland Conference 2022

‘We started our conference in Dublin with an introduction to Ireland’s history from Turtle. It was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made in conference planning as delegates were enthused to learn about their conference host country. Turtle’s presentation was fabulous, brilliantly delivered, with just the right balance of education and entertainment. The feedback from the delegates was very positive.’
Paul Winder
MGI UK & Ireland Regional Coordinator

New York & Chicago Galas, 2022

‘Your talk last night was terrific and the room was highly entertained by it.’
Martin Bellingrath Sullivan, IGS

‘An excellent presentation!’
Andrew Byrne, Deputy Consul General,

Hibernian Society of Savannah

‘Your St Patrick’s Day talk was very much enjoyed as obvious by the loud applause and prolonged standing ovation that you received. Your research into the history of Savannah kept us all enthralled from start to finish. Know that you have made many new friends and followers in this area.’
Dr Francis P. Rossiter, Jr.
Chair, Speakers Committee

Circle of Champions

Turtle led a 50-strong walking tour through the streets of Kilkenny City when the Allstate Corporation brought their prestigious Circle of Champions to Ireland in 2018 as part of the largest Incentive Program ever realised in the country.

Of Chloroform & Ether

Turtle was awarded the 2021 Gilmartin Medal by the College of Anaesthesiologists of Ireland. He gave a talk to mark the occasion.

‘A tour de force. There was much excitement about your talk at Council and more generally in the hospitals over the past few days. It’s been grim in anaesthesiology and intensive care medicine in recent times, so it’s particularly nice to have colleagues coming together to hear some history (especially when it is delivered with so much enthusiasm and joy!) instead of more lectures about Covid-19!’

Dr Niamh Hayes
Honorary Clinical Senior Lecturer RCSI

History Teachers Symposium

Turtle chaired a panel discussion on ‘History & Research in Partnership’ during the first annual symposium for Junior Cycle History Teachers at Collins Barracks, Dublin, in May 2019.

‘Many thanks again for doing such an amazing job … a rich and engaging closing session; the feedback is overwhelmingly positive.’

Angela Hanratty
Junior Cycle for Teachers (JCT) Support Service

Harvard Allyship Series: Indigenous Peoples

Turtle was a keynote speaker at a Harvard alumni event in 2021 to mark the relationship between the people of Ireland and the Indigenous Peoples of North America.

Douglass Week 2021

Turtle presents ‘The World in 1845-1847 : Contextualizing Douglass’s Ireland.’

Web Summit

‘Turtle somehow managed to captivate a group filled with some of the most creative and accomplished entrepreneurs on the planet.’

Paddy Cosgrave
Founder and former CEO

European Insurance Forum

‘Turtle’s piece was particularly thoughtful for our overseas visitors, with its mix of history and whimsy, bringing events to life through characters and personalities. He is as at ease entertaining international audiences as a local, domestic one. This is history made accessible, enjoyable and interesting. Turtle is a pleasure to deal with; responsive and flexible. I would thoroughly recommend him for such events.’

Una Coleman
Conference Manager

Pegasus Lecturer

‘Turtle is an engaging, entertaining and erudite speaker. As a popular author and TV personality, he has added hugely to the attractiveness of various Pegasus lecture tours. Pegasus is happy to recommend him to both general and academic audiences.’

John O’Keeffe, MD,
Pegasus Consulting

Hinterland Ireland

‘A real eye-opener in a hugely entertaining and informative talk from a consummate pro.’

The Anglo Celt, June  2022

‘Turtle’s presentation went down a treat, as did his genial presence.’

Myles Dungan
Festival Curator

Butler Aboo!

‘Highly entertaining … their interest in the topics covered will doubtless continue when they return to their daily lives. This in no small part stems from the captivating way Turtle delivers his presentations.’

Brenda Butler
Hon. Secretary, Butler Society

Friend of the National Gallery

‘A most entertaining and hugely informative talk … interesting and witty presentation … putting all into context, which holds one’s interest and obviously the result of extensive research.’

Maureen Beary Ryan
Friends of the National Gallery of Ireland

Transatlantic Connections

‘We were delighted to have Turtle as one of our keynote speakers. Our delegates were treated to an enlightening and entertaining talk, and the consensus by all was that it was one of the highlights of the conference.’

Niamh Hamill
Director, Institute of Study Abroad Ireland

Mansion House Talk

‘A rich tapestry of enthralling tales, in turn scholarly, anecdotal, serious and light hearted but always entertaining: his audience loved it and left asking for more. It was a privilege as well as a pleasure to be able to listen to such a natural and accomplished story teller. He is truly a ‘National Treasure’.’

Colonel Richard Kinsella-Bevan
President, SSAFA

1916 Commemorative Event

‘An excellent presentation at the Chicago Cultural Center, catering to an audience ranging from those who knew little of Irish history to descendants of participants in the Rising – a difficult feat, managed with aplomb.’

Orla Mc Breen
Consul General of Ireland to Chicago & US Midwest

Huguenots in Ireland

‘A wonderful talk and presentation. We received a great response from the audience.’

Martina Lewis,
Office of Public Works, Emo Court, County Laois

Courts Centenary Commemoration

‘A successful, most interesting and enjoyable event.’

Susan Denham
Chief Justice of Ireland

Distillery Launch

‘A great talk … informative and, most importantly, entertaining.’

Bernard Walsh
Managing Director

Lola Montez in Munich

‘A wonderful presentation … it was really well-done & obviously appreciated by the crowd.’

Michael Collins
Irish Ambassador to Germany

‘You are a brilliant story teller … you also created a bridge to our English, US, Australian and Bavarian friends in Munich.’

Ann Dempsey
Munich Irish Network

Incentive Talk

Turtle delivered a series of talks for Guardian Life’s top tier at both the K-Club and Cliff at Lyons in County Kildare, as well as the Parade Tower in Kilkenny Castle.

Half Moon Festival

‘Thank you for such wonderful mastery in this events success. I cannot get over how incredible it all turned out, and it is all thanks to you! What an excellent show.’

T. C. Crawford
Festival Organizer

West Cork History Festival

Turtle is interviewed by Simon Kingston about Cork highlights from ‘Ireland’s Forgotten Pasts.’

Bangor Rotary Club

‘Very many thanks for your wonderful talk today, regarding which I have received only praise.’

James O’Fee
Bangor Rotary Club

Butlers of the World

Turtle delivered a Zoom talk to 300 global members of the Butler family in March 2021.

Poésie & Prose Literary Festival, Paris, France

‘Wonderful.’

Nora Hickey M’Sichili
Directrice, Centre Culturel Irelandais, Paris, France

Chicago iBAM!

‘I was very impressed. I admired Turtle’s rapport with the audience, and his lively, focused presentations. He was friendly and pleasant and the audience felt this. People paid close attention and nobody left early. ’

Frank West
Irish American News

Festival of Writing & Ideas, Ireland

Turtle chaired a panel discussion on ‘Remarkable Years’ with Rick Stroud, Rowan Somerville and Margaret MacMillan.

‘Absolutely perfect.’
Hugo Jellett
Festival Director

The Norman Invasion, Ireland

Turtle delivered one of the two keynote addresses on the origin, impact and legacy of the Cambro-Norman invasion of Ireland in 1169 at a festival to mark its 850th anniversary in May 2019.