Felix Ó Murchadha – Irish Fulbright Scholar Award Winner 2010-2011

Fulbright Project: Lecturing and researching the re-discovery of Skepticism in Europe during the 16^th and 17^th Centuries at Fordham University.

Felix Ó Murchadha is Senior Lecturer in Philosophy at the National University of Ireland, Galway. He spent his Fulbright year at Fordham University researching and teaching. His research project concerned the re-discovery of Skepticism in Europe during the 16^th and 17^th Centuries. Dr. Ó Murchadha taught two undergraduate courses at Fordham. He also gave public Lectures at Fordham and at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada and was a visiting professor for a Graduate Seminar course at SUNY Stonybrook.

“My Fulbright year was a remarkable experience, academically, culturally and personally. The whole world either is in Manhattan or comes here in any given year! I was lucky to get access to a scholars’ room at the New York Public Library, one of the few truly quiet places in the city – and during lunch I could pop uptown a few blocks to an exhibit at the MOMA.

“I was there with my wife and son and his experience in school – he was in fourth grade – exposed me to the strengths of the American education system (he was at a Jesuit school). I attended many One to World events from conversations at the Foreign Policy Institute to a visit to FDR’s library to watching the Knick’s play at Madison Square Gardens, all of which were memorable and enriching experiences.

“What I learned here above all – not just through my academic work but also attending cultural events, talking to American friends, dining in NYC restaurants - is that good enough is never good enough.”