Irish History Podcast

Cork is known as the rebel county. From late 1919 it earned this adage as some of the most bitter fighting in the War of Independence took place in Cork city and county. This episode begins with the story of Eilis MacCurtain whose husband Tomas was Cork's first republican Lord Mayor and the Commander of the Cork No.1 Brigade of the IRA.  In the second part of the show we head to West Cor...

The story of the War of Independence in the North of Ireland is often overlooked. This obscures the fact that Belfast was the most violent place in Ireland during the conflict. However it was a very different war when compared to the experience of other parts of the island.  This podcast explains the war in the north and why, contrary to popular misconceptions, the IRA were not the force they...

In the latest installment of the War of Independence series I am joined by historian Liz Gills to talk about women and the Irish revolution. While numerous Irish women from revolutionaries to unionists have been covered in the series to date, in this fascinating interview, Liz provides wider context to their involvement in the conflict. She explains how women were pivotal in establishing Ireland’s...

As Easter approached in 1920 many politicians in Britain feared a major uprising in Ireland along the lines of the 1916 Rising. While the IRA had a major operation planned it was one that took the authorities off guard. Indeed the Spring of 1920 saw a surge in republican activity as prisoners across Ireland and Britain went on hunger strike which in turn lead to a general strike. Meanwhile the sca...

To date the War of Independence series has focused largely on the republican movement. This episode however looks at how the British government and their representatives in Ireland viewed the conflict.  While the show follows those in the highest office in the land, this is not stuffy office politics. By December 1919 the IRA were preparing an attack on the most powerful British figure o...

In this episode we move south to the Cork town of Fermoy. While most clashes in the war to date have seen the IRA pitted against police constables, this episode will see British Army soldiers enter the fray. These battle hardened veterans from the First World War pose a very different threat to Royal Irish Constabulary. The show also introduces some famous figures including Liam Lynch arguabl...

This episode returns to the story of Seumus Robinson, Dan Breen, Sean Hogan and Sean Treacy. Known as the Big Four, these IRA volunteers had come to prominence after playing a leading role in the Soloheadbeg Ambush often considered the opening shots of the war. After five months on the run, the police captured Sean Hogan. Given the eighteen year old almost certainly faced a death sentence, Ro...

There was no episode this week and here's why.... Become a supporter & access dozens of exclusive podcasts Patreon www.patreon.com/irishpodcast Acast https://plus.acast.com/s/irishhistory 📢June 2023 Update - New Walking Tour 📢 I am thrilled to announce my brand new walking tour in Ireland's oldest city, Waterford. Join me and explore 1,000 years of history from the Vikings to Cromwell &...

*There was an audio issue on an early version of this episode. This was resolved and a new issue was uploaded on Monday 15 March at 21:00 - Fin*. In April 1919 the focus of the War of Independence shifted to the city of Limerick. In response to an IRA raid, the British Army effectively besieged the city for over a week leading trade unions to launch a general strike. These events would become know...

Last weeks episode looked at the story of the Soloheadbeg Ambush, often considered the opening shots of the war. A few weeks later one of the most audacious IRA operations of the entire war took place in England. This saw three high profile republican prisoners attempt a daring escape from Lincoln Jail . Following on from the Soloheadbeg ambush if successful it would serve as a stunning propa...

In the latest installment of the War of Independence series we look at the famous 1918 election from the perspective of a forgotten Sligo woman Sarah Garvey who started a riot on election day!  The results of this election lead to the historic meeting of the first independent Irish parliament - the Dáil.  Then to conclude the episode we travel to rural Tipperary, and a place called Soloh...

An ambush at Soloheadbeg, Tipperary in January 1919 is often cited as the opening shots of the War of Independence. However as early as 1917 political tensions were leading to violence across Ireland. Several people were killed in 1917 and 1918. This podcast looks at this descent into war.  The episode is based around the story of Edward Murray, a young Dubliner who played a key role in these...

The story of the War of Independence continues with the 1916 Rising. The episode begins by looking at the how the revolt unfolded and explains why it was limited to Dublin. It then follows the rebels into captivity in the famous prison camp of Frongach in Wales. The second half of the show turns to the legacy of the Rising. The dramatic transformation of attitudes towards militant republicani...

This is the first episode in a 24 part series on the War of Independence. Today's show focuses on the First World War and how it destablised Irish society, following the lives of several people in one Irish town - Castlecomer, Co Kilkenny (where I grew up). It includes never before published letters from soldiers at the Front and accounts from life back in Ireland at the time. The episode also rev...

The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire of 1911 was pivotal moment in US history. The deadly workplace disaster in the heart of Manhattan detailed in the last two episodes, exposed the way many poor immigrants were exploited in the city. This podcast, the third and final installment in the series, looks at the profound legacy of the fire. Following the later lives of the two immigrants featured in the series...

This is the second episode in the miniseries on the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire of 1911. Its worth checking out episode 1 before listening to this show. In the first installment of this series, we chronicled the lives of Annie Doherty & Celia Walker and the often grueling experience of emigrants to the USA at the turn of the 20th Century. This podcast follows these two women into one of...

On March 25th 1911 a fire ripped through a sweatshop in Lower Manhattan where hundreds of immigrants worked long hours in dangerous conditions. The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire would prove a pivotal moment not only in the history of New York but also the United States. This podcast, the first of three episodes on the fire, looks at the early lives of two women Annie Doherty and Celia Walk...

Through 2021 the podcast will be focusing on the story of the Irish War of Independence. It starts on February 1st but check out this short podcast to find out what you can expect... www.twitter.com/irishhistory www.instagram.com/irishhistory Become a supporter & access dozens of exclusive podcasts Patreon www.patreon.com/irishpodcast Acast https://plus.acast.com/s/irishhistory 📢June 2023 Upd...

Through the mid 20th century John Charles McQuaid, the archbishop of Dublin was one of the most influential people in Ireland. McQuaid has come to symbolise not only the power of the Catholic Church at the time but also for many the abuse of that power. He exerted huge influence over successive Irish governments and was also in a position to censor what films and literature Irish people had access...

One of the first major challenges facing the Irish government after Independence in 1922 was how to police the country. The Royal Irish Constabulary which had existed under British rule was a highly discredited force so they established the Civic Guard which later developed into An Garda Síochána. In this episode, I interview Dr Vicky Conway who reveals the complex history of An Garda Síochán...

Women are all too often overlooked in history. The Daughters of Dun Iascaigh, written by the Cahir Womens History Group, addresses this imbalance by profiling the lives of over 20 women from this Tipperary town. The book highlights some fascinating but previously overlooked stories. In this podcast I interview three contributors Josephine O'Neill, Maurice Casey and Annette Condon who reveal i...

Conspiracy theories seem more popular than ever. Increasing numbers of people are turning to what are unorthodox understandings of the world. This is not a new phenomemum. In this episode I examine the Lepers Plot, one of the more bizarre chapters in medieval history. In 1321 the Kingdom of France was gripped by rumours lepers were plotting a coup. This had deadly consequences as you are about to...

The first Irish History Summit takes place on January 19th 2021. The summit is an exclusive one day online event where leading Irish Historians will present talks on the Leaving Cert history curriculum. While the summit will be a great advantage for students sitting the taking Leavin Cert History Exams in 2021 the summit will appeal to anyone with a love of Irish History. www.historysummit.eventbr...

It's very human to wonder how we will be remembered. However few have a legacy like that of the victim from Oldcroghan. It was certainly one neither he nor his contemporaries could have envisaged. Sound by Jason Looney Artwork by Keith Hynes Visit the National Museum - https://www.museum.ie/ Check out the shop - www.irishhistorypodcast.ie Become a supporter & access dozens of exclusive podcast...

Several theories have been forwarded to explain the brutal murder that came to light in a bog at Oldcroghan in 2003. Through meticulous research, the former Keeper of Antiquities in the National Museum of Ireland Eamon Kelly has developed the most convincing explanation. In this episode he reveals who exactly the victim was and why he died. Sound by Jason Looney Artwork by Keith Hynes Check o...