A. T. Q. Stewart facts for kids

Anthony Terence Quincey Stewart, often called A. T. Q. Stewart or Tony Stewart, was a well-known historian from Northern Ireland. He was born in 1929 and passed away in 2010. Tony Stewart was a teacher and a university professor. He also wrote many popular books about the history and politics of Ulster and Northern Ireland. He taught history at the Belfast Royal Academy and later at Queen's University, Belfast.

Tony Stewart's Early Life and Education

Tony Stewart was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, in 1929. He went to school at the Royal Belfast Academical Institution. After that, he studied history at Queen's University Belfast.

Becoming a Historian

After university, Tony Stewart became a history teacher. While teaching, he continued his studies and earned a master's degree. His research looked at how political ideas changed in Northern Ireland after the Irish Rebellion of 1798.

Later, he became a lecturer at Queen's University Belfast. He taught about Irish political history. He eventually became a "Reader," which is a senior academic position. Tony Stewart married Anna Robinson, who was also a teacher. They had two children together. He retired from Queen's University in 1990 and passed away in Belfast in 2010.

Tony Stewart's Academic Work

Tony Stewart believed that Irish history was often told with a bias. He felt that some historical accounts favored one political side too much. He once said that Irish history was "too short, too narrow, upside down and it leans all over to one side." This showed his desire for a more balanced view.

Important Books

In 1968, Tony Stewart wrote a book called The Ulster Crisis. This book was about the creation of the Ulster Volunteer Force. It was also the work he submitted for his PhD degree.

His book The Narrow Ground, published in 1977, became very popular. Even Reverend Ian Paisley, a famous political and religious leader, praised it. He called it "a great book which tells us the truth about the history of Ulster." Tony Stewart, however, preferred his work to stay out of politics.

Some people criticized Tony Stewart, saying he supported unionism too much. But he explained that Irish nationalism was not only for Catholics. He aimed to show a wider view of history.