1 9 4 7 ) ▁is ▁an ▁Irish ▁historian . ▁He ▁is ▁Professor ▁of ▁the ▁History ▁of ▁Christian ity ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Cambridge , ▁and ▁a ▁Fellow ▁and ▁former ▁President ▁of ▁Mag dal ene ▁College . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁D uff y ▁was ▁born ▁on ▁ 9 ▁February ▁ 1 9 4 7 , ▁in ▁D und alk , ▁Ireland . ▁He ▁describes ▁himself ▁as ▁a ▁" c rad le ▁Catholic ". ▁He ▁was ▁educated ▁at ▁St ▁Philip ' s ▁School ▁and ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁H ull . ▁He ▁under to ok ▁post grad uate ▁research ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Cambridge , ▁where ▁his ▁doctor al ▁advis ers ▁were ▁O wen ▁Ch ad wick ▁and ▁Gordon ▁Ru pp . ▁ ▁Academ ic ▁career ▁D uff y ▁special ises ▁in ▁ 1 5 th - ▁to ▁ 1 7 th - century ▁religious ▁history ▁of ▁Britain . ▁He ▁is ▁also ▁a ▁former ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Pont ific al ▁Historical ▁Commission . ▁His ▁work ▁has ▁done ▁much ▁to ▁over turn ▁the ▁popular ▁image ▁of ▁late - med ieval ▁Catholic ism ▁in ▁England ▁as ▁mor ib und , ▁and ▁instead ▁presents ▁it ▁as ▁a ▁v ibr ant ▁cultural ▁force . ▁On ▁week days ▁from ▁ 2 2 ▁October ▁to ▁ 2 ▁November ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁he ▁presented ▁the ▁BBC ▁Radio ▁ 4 ▁series ▁ 1 0 ▁Pop es ▁Who ▁Sho ok ▁the ▁World   – ▁those ▁pop es ▁featured ▁were ▁Peter , ▁Leo ▁I , ▁Gregory ▁I , ▁Gregory ▁VII , ▁In