1 9 7 0 , ▁and ▁ 1 9 7 8 . ▁Her ▁research ▁focused ▁on ▁individuals , ▁such ▁as ▁her ▁contributions ▁to ▁on ▁the ▁women ▁of ▁the ▁Wild ▁Ge ese , ▁Irish men ▁in ▁the ▁imperial ▁service , ▁and ▁on ▁Hugh ▁O ' Ne ill ▁in ▁The ▁Irish ▁S word , ▁journal ▁of ▁the ▁Military ▁History ▁Society ▁of ▁Ireland . ▁She ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁council ▁of ▁the ▁Military ▁History ▁Society ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 0 , ▁and ▁became ▁the ▁society ' s ▁first ▁woman ▁vice - pres ident ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 . ▁ ▁She ▁published ▁ 1 1 ▁articles ▁with ▁the ▁journal ▁of ▁C umann ▁Se anch ais ▁Ar d ▁M h ach a , ▁Se anch as ▁Ar d ▁M h ach a , ▁on ▁the ▁O ' Ne ills ▁and ▁other ▁Irish – Span ish ▁connections . ▁The ▁society ▁published ▁her ▁book ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 , ▁Dest ruction ▁by ▁peace : ▁Hugh ▁O ' Ne ill ▁after ▁K ins ale . ▁At ▁a ▁wel coming ▁ceremony ▁for ▁the ▁king ▁and ▁queen ▁of ▁Spain ▁at ▁St ▁Patrick ' s ▁College , ▁May no oth ▁in ▁July ▁ 1 9 8 6 , ▁Ker ney ▁Wal sh ▁presented ▁a ▁copy ▁of ▁her ▁book ▁to ▁King ▁Juan ▁Carlos . ▁For ▁her ▁work ▁on ▁the ▁historic ▁links ▁between ▁Spain ▁and ▁Ireland , ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 8 ▁she ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁Irish ▁woman ▁to ▁be ▁awarded ▁the ▁decor ation ▁Order ▁of ▁Isabel la ▁the ▁Catholic