Blockchain Research
Dr. O’Mahony was actively researching the use of cryptographic techniques to effect electronic payment over the internet in the period before Bitcoin and blockchain came to the fore. He deigned a number of early payment systems and also delivered tutorials in the technology to interested audiences around Europe
He co-wrote Electronic Payment Systems, published by Artech house in 1997. This book described a variety of cash-like, check-like and micropayment systems that were used at the time – some of them contained elements of Bitcoin-like functionality. The book went to 2nd edition in 2001 and was renamed Electronic Payment Systems for Ecommerce. It became an Amazon.com best seller in its category. Even though the books did not discuss Nakamoto-consensus – the key innovation within Bitcoin – O’Mahony was nevertheless credited by some as being the 7th most likely person to be Bitcoin’s pseudonomous creator Satoshi Nakamoto.