Emyr Estyn Evans was educated at Welshpool County Grammar School, Montgomeryshire and University College, Aberystwyth, where he read geography and anthropology. In 1928 he was appointed lecturer in geography at Queen’s University, a position which involved establishing almost single-handedly a new department within the university (geography was not generally recognised as an honours subject in British and Irish universities at this time). In 1945 he was appointed professor of geography at Queen’s and remained in the post until 1968. In 1968 he retired from the chair of geography and became the first full-time director of the Institute of Irish Studies at Queen’s, a position he retained until 1970. He received a number of honorary degrees from universities in Britain and Ireland (Queen’s, Wales and Dublin) and was awarded the CBE in 1970.