D. W. Hayton is a Visiting Professor in the School of English and History at the University of Ulster. He was previously Professor of Early Modern Irish and British History at Queen's University Belfast, where he remains Professor Emeritus. He has written widely on Irish and British history, 1680-1750, and co-edited The House of Commons 1690-1715, 5 volume set (Cambridge, 2002) for the History of Parliament Trust. He is a Member of the Royal Irish Academy.