Cullen was posted to the Irish embassy in
Paris as a
diplomat, and he developed an interest in the former trading links between Ireland and
France.[citation needed]
In 1963, he joined the history department at Trinity College as a lecturer. He was made a Fellow in 1968.[5] In 1972, he was appointed professor of Irish History. In 1970 he was a co-founder of the Economic and Social History Society of Ireland.[6] He was later a Senior Fellow.[7] A speaker of
Japanese, he has also written a history of Japan between 1582 and 1941. His book "An Economic History of Ireland Since 1660" has been reprinted and used widely as a textbook for students of Irish history.[citation needed]
Cullen's close study of economic trends has led to a more nuanced understanding of aspects of Irish life in 1700–1850. A traditional view had been that the economic decline of Dublin from 1801 was linked to the 1800
Act of Union with Britain, and the loss of the
Parliament of Ireland and local political control. Cullen considered that the decline was inevitable, given the new steam-powered
industrial revolution, and would have happened even if no union had occurred, and if
Grattan's Parliament had managed to secure a high level of Irish autonomy.[8]
Selected works
In an overview of writings by and about Cullen,
OCLC/
WorldCat lists roughly 70+ works in 150+ publications in 7 languages and 4,600+ library holdings.[9]
This list is not finished; you can help Wikipedia by adding to it.
Anglo-Irish Trade 1600-1800, 1968
The Formation of the Irish Economy, 1969
An Economic History of Ireland Since 1660, 1972
Négoce et industrie en France et en Irlande aux XVIIIe et XIXe siècles: actes du Colloque franco-irlandais d'histoire, Bordeaux, mai, 1978, 1980
The Emergence of Modern Ireland 1600-1900, 1981
The Hidden Ireland: Reassessment of a Concept, 1988
Culture et pratiques politiques en France et en Irlande XVIe-XVIIIe siècle: actes colloque de Marseille 28 septembre-2 octobre 1988, 1990
A History of Japan 1582-1941: Internal and External Worlds, 2003
"Japan in a changing Asia:achievements and opportuities missed", in: ¿Qué es Japón? Introducción a la cultura japonesa/coord. por Fernando Cid Lucas, Cáceres, Servicio de Publicaciones de la Universidad de Extremadura, 2009, ISBN 9788477238850, pp. 237-254.