Irish History Podcast

What did Dublin sound like in 1320? What was the news of the day? Who were the people who lived there? In this episode you will experience the world of late medieval Dublin. The podcast takes the form of a walk through the city as it was in 1320 where we encounter everything from pigs roaming the streets to the city hangman Philip of Colchester. Become a supporter & access dozens of exclusive...

Lambert Simnel's life must be one of the most unusual stories from medieval history. Born the son of a carpenter he became embroiled in a conspiracy to overthrow Henry VII and before he knew what was happening he became the only english King crowned in Ireland and was on his way to invading England... Become a supporter & access dozens of exclusive podcasts Patreon www.patreon.com/irishpodcast...

This podcast is based on this article I wrote on my blog (irishhistorypodcast.ie) about Cristiana la Sadelhackere, a woman who worked as a prostitute in medieval Ireland. Her story is an intriguing account of a precarious life on the fringes of medieval society struggling against the authorities of the day. The podcast also takes a fascinating look at why women became prostitutes in medieval Irela...

The year is 1310. Ireland was gripped by a severe economic, military and political crisis - pretty much everything that could go wrong had gone wrong for the Norman colonists. In October, a man called Jordan the Chaplain made his way to Drogheda, a major port in medieval Ireland. However not long after arriving he got involved in a dispute with one of the townspeople - Robert the Tailor. What star...

This show returns to the story of Gaelic Ireland in the final decades prior to the Norman Invasion. Ireland is being torn apart by long running tensions between the kings of Munster and Ulster. The show begins in 1101 with Donal McLochlainn the king of the O'Neills on his knees. His great rival Muirchertach O'Briain, the king of Munster had just invaded and ravaged his kingdom. However Donal is by...

This podcast concludes our journey through the Top 5 turning points of Medieval Ireland. This show focuses on one of the most intriguing events of our medieval past, the Battle of Athenry in 1316. This conflict occurred during one of the most fascinating wars in Irish history - the Bruce Invasion of 1315-18. In May 1315, a Scots army led by Edward Bruce, brother to the King of Scotland, invaded Ir...

This episode is a whistlestop tour through medieval Ireland stopping off at battlefields along the way, taking a look at the top five turning points as I see them. This podcast will introduce some of the key characters from Irish history, some of whom are well known such as Strongbow and Brian Boru, others less well-known but equally fascinating such as Flann Sinna and William 'Liath de Burgh...

Honour was all important in Ireland in 1300 A.D. Unsurprisingly when a miller, Walter de Capella, insulted the mistress of John Thebaud it sparked a row between the two men. This row escalated and within a few short weeks a vicious and ultimately violent feud broke out. This podcast tells the story of the previously untold, hair-raising story of medieval honour, violence and justice... Become...

Today, the long forgotten ruins of the medieval fortress and town of Castlekevin, are situated in a remote valley in the Wicklow mountains. In the early 14th century this was the epicentre of a ferocious struggle between Gaelic Irish and Norman Colonists in the Wicklow Mountains. This podcast charts the long and bloody battle for survival at Castlekevin when the surrounding region became a warzone...

During the high summer of 1235 the west of Ireland witnessed one of the most violent chapters in its history when the Normans launched their conquest of the west. This campaign culminated in the storming of an Island fortress using siege engines on floating platforms and fire-ships. Need I say more? Become a supporter & access dozens of exclusive podcasts Patreon www.patreon.com/irishpodcast A...

In February 1317 Dublin faced its greatest crisis. A huge army lead by Robert the Bruce, king of Scotlan d was making its way to lay siege to the city. With no army to defend the city, Dubliners were effectively on their own. However everyone in the city could not be trusted, a few days earlier the Earl of Ulster who also happened to be Bruce’s father in law arrived. Within weeks most of Dublin wo...

This episode looks at the fascinating story of Dennis Doherty. Born in Derry in 1814, Doherty would spend most of his life in Australian prisons. His story is remarkable – he was flogged 3,000 times and spent years in solitary confinement but yet he continually struggled for freedom. Become a supporter & access dozens of exclusive podcasts Patreon www.patreon.com/irishpodcast Acast https://plu...

After the Norman conquest of Ireland, the Wicklow region was surprisingly peaceful. Despite the fact the Gaelic Irish had been dispossessed, many appeared to be getting on with life. This was deceptive and in 1270 a massive rebellion broke out deep in the Mountains that would see settlement after settlement raided and burned. This is the story of that rebellion... Become a supporter & access d...

In 1303 the Earl of Ulster, Richard de Burgh, amassed a large army in Dublin which was destined for Scotland. In the podcast we look at a forgotten story of medieval Dubliners who had to undertake what now seem as strange, unusual and often chaotic preparations to get a medieval army to the battlefield and the chaos this caused for people in early 14th century Dublin. Become a supporter & acce...

In 1090 Muirchertach O Briain, grandson of Brian Boru, faced the darkest moment of his rule as King of Munster. Defeated and vanquished by his rival the king of Ulster, Domnal McLochlainn, he faced two options; either accept his fate or try to claw his way back to power. As grandson of Brian Boru giving up wasn't in his DNA. Become a supporter & access dozens of exclusive podcasts Patreon www....

In 1072 the aging King of Leinster Diarmait Mc Mael na mBó died. His death saw the descendents of Brian Boru try to follow in the footsteps of their famous ancestor and dominate Ireland but there was a queue of people waiting to stop them. Although initially Ireland witnessed a certain amount of stability, the rise of the O Briains sparked a ferocious struggle as several kings sought to domin...

The year is 1067. Godwin Godwinson the son and heir to the dead Saxon king Harold Godwinson fled to Ireland after the Norman Invasion of England. This podcast looks at the world he found in Ireland. How did he travel to Ireland? What did Dublin look like, sound like and smell like? What did people eat? What did they look like? What weapons did people use? What was the Brehon law? All this and much...

Episode 15 is a story of murder and injustice, set in 19th century Ireland. In a country struggling to recover from the famine tenants despised landlords and their agents who had treated them brutally during the famine. When an agent John Ellis was assassinated in north Tipperary in 1857 almost everyone in the area became a suspect. Find out what happened next... Become a supporter & access do...

Episode 14 sees Gaelic Ireland struggle to deal with the crisis and chaos that followed the death of the high king Maelseachnaill Mac Domnaill. In a highly uncertain world where war was frequent and life had little value as several kings battled to control the island. We will see many try and fail to emulate the great high kings of the past This show also includes a close look at the strange place...

In 1597 Dublin was ripped apart by a massive explosion which killed over 1% of the city’s population. This podcast looks at the background to the incredible events of March 1597. The 9 Years War was raging and tensions ran high in Dublin as an English Army used the city as a logistical base. In March a huge shipment of gunpowder arrives in Dublin and the rest is history! Hear the full story... Bec...

Brian Boru is without doubt Ireland’s most well known medieval king, while a battle he fought in 1014, the Battle of Contarf, is Irelands most famous medieval conflict. In this podcast we look at the real story behind Brian and the Battle of Clontarf. How did he become high-king? Was he really the first man to unify Ireland? What happened after Brian Boru died? Become a supporter & access doze...

Episode 10 sees a titantic struggle between the two most powerful Iirsh Kings of the early medieval Ireland - the O Neill High King, Maelseachnaill II and Brian Boru, the King of Munster. In a story full of intriguing naval attacks, sieges and deceit the superpowers of 10th century Ireland, unleash their devastating military power on each other with fascinating consequences.... Become a supporter...

Medieval Ireland stands on the edge of a precipice. A rootless struggle for control of the O'Neill kingdom breaks out in the North, while in Munster a new comer to the podcast – the Dal Cais challenge the King of Munster for power in the South. With Ireland on the verge of chaos we look at how war impacted the lives of ordinary people as they had to battle famine, hard winters and an out break of...

This episode charts a fascinating story that wil finish with the rise of Brian Boru. Gripping, ruthless and at times blood curdling this history is full of twists and turns. Over the next three shows we will see the O Neill kingdom challenged by the Dal Cais (the family of Brian Boru). This will see many challengers rise and fall as these two families battle it out for supremacy in medieval Irelan...

Each year on March 17th, millions of people attend St Patrick’s day parades in memory of the man who reputedly converted the Irish to Christianity. He is a figure shrouded in myth but in this podcast we examine the truth behind the one time slave and famous bishop Patrick… Become a supporter & access dozens of exclusive podcasts Patreon www.patreon.com/irishpodcast Acast https://plus.acast.com...