Edel Bhreathnach is a medieval historian with an interest in interdisciplinary studies in archaeology, history and literature. She wrote Ireland in the medieval world 400–1000 ad: landscape, kingship and religion (Four Courts: Dublin, 2014) and co-edited Monastic Europe: communities, landscapes and settlements (Brepols: Turnhout, 2019). She served as CEO of The Discovery Programme 2013–19.