Rory Sweetman

Dr Rory Sweetman, an Irish-born New Zealander, whose secondary education was undertaken at St Peter’s College Auckland, has been appointed to write the Sesquicentennial Celebration Book for the Otago Boys High School 150th Celebration in 2013.

Dr Sweetman is excited about the challenge of writing the School’s sesquicentennial history, given its huge role in both the educational and social development of Dunedin and the history of education in New Zealand. He is looking forward to the next two years of research and writing and especially to discovering from those who were shaped by OBHS what the School meant and means to them.

While he will author the resultant publication (400 plus pages with illustrations), it will be drawn largely from the reminiscences and testimony of generations of old boys.

Rory studied at Auckland University, before completing an honours degree in History at Trinity College, Dublin. His doctorate, from Cambridge University, on ‘New Zealand Catholicism, War, Politics and the Irish Issue 1912-22’, was awarded in 1991.

He is the author of several books, most notably ‘A Fair and Just Solution’? A history of the integration of private schools in New Zealand (Dunmore Press, 2002).

He has lived in Dunedin for thirteen years, the last six of which have been spent teaching Irish history at the University of Otago.

Rory is interested to hear from any Old Boys’ who could give him an informative recollection of the School their school days. He can be contacted by email rsweet@ihug.co.nz.