Shannon Forde is a local historian and genealogist from Kinsale. She studied Law and History in Maynooth University where she also completed a masters in Irish History in 2019. Her thesis focused on the Great Famine in the Kinsale district from the perspective of the landed gentry. During the covid lockdowns of 2019 she began researching Kinsale during the War of Independence. Inspired by the discovery of her own family’s involvement which was previously unknown; Shannon decided to compile the stories of the men and women of Kinsale who contributed to Ireland’s independence. Many of these stories had never been told before. The title quote of the resulting book ‘Don’t forget me now’ is taken from a letter written by Shannon’s great grandmother Margaret Forde who was a member of Cumann na mBan.
Her book Don’t forget me now – Stories from the War of Independence in Kinsale was launched in 2021. Shannon is currently the Manager of the Lusitania Museum & Old Head Signal Tower and has her own business; Kinsale Heritage & Genealogy.