Irish History Tales - A chronological history of Ireland from the years 1169 to 1923

In this episode, the Norman Conquest of Ireland reaches perhaps its most dangerous moment. Following the disastrous campaign at Thurles, Strongbow retreats to Waterford believing he has reached safety. Instead, he finds his authority collapsing around him. Inspired by the Norman defeat, the Ostmen of Waterford rise in rebellion, killing much of the English garrison and forcing Strongbow into one o...

Episode 14 of Irish History Tales explores the Battle of Thurles in 1174, one of the greatest Norman defeats of the early conquest of Ireland. Following the Gaelic rebellions of 1173, Strongbow returns to Ireland determined to restore Norman authority and punish Donal Mór O’Brien of Thomond. But with Raymond Le Gros absent after the death of his father, Strongbow marches west without his most capa...

In this episode, the Norman Conquest of Ireland hangs in the balance once again. With Henry II's trust restored, Strongbow returns to Ireland to suppress the Gaelic uprisings that have swept across the island. But his first decision proves disastrous. Refusing both the office of Constable and the hand of his sister Basillia to his most talented commander, Raymond Le Gros, Strongbow triggers a cris...

In this first Irish History Tales showcase biography, we step away from the main narrative to explore the early life of Richard de Clare, better known to history as Strongbow. Long before the conquest of Ireland, the marriage to Aoife MacMurrough, and the capture of Dublin, Richard was a young Norman noble growing up in the turbulent world of the Welsh Marches. The episode examines Strongbow's...

Episode 12 of Irish History Tales explores the Great Revolt of 1173–1174 and the profound impact it had on the Norman Conquest of Ireland. While Henry II battles rebellion across his Angevin Empire including revolts led by his own sons, the intervention of King Louis VII of France, and the invasion of England by William the Lion of Scotland, makes the Norman position in Ireland suddenly vulnerable...

Episode 11 explores the rise of Hugh de Lacy and the Norman conquest of Meath following King Henry II’s departure from Ireland in 1172. Determined to prevent Strongbow from becoming too powerful, Henry grants the vast and strategically important Kingdom of Meath to his trusted lieutenant Hugh de Lacy, creating a new Norman lordship at the very heart of Ireland. The episode examines why Meath was o...

Episode 10 of Irish History Tales explores the arrival and impact of King Henry II in Ireland in 1171–1172, marking a major turning point in the Norman Conquest. After the victories of Strongbow (Richard de Clare) and the growing power of the Norman lords, Henry lands in Ireland to bring the invasion under direct royal control and prevent Strongbow from creating an independent kingdom. The episode...

In this bonus episode, we step away from the main narrative to examine one of the most important sources for the Norman Conquest of Ireland: The Song of Dermot and the Earl . This Anglo-Norman French verse chronicle gives us some of the most vivid details of the invasion — from Dermot MacMurrough’s exile and the arrival of the Normans, to the capture of Waterford, the fall of Dublin, Rory O’Connor...

In this episode, the Norman Conquest of Ireland enters another unstable and violent phase. After breaking Rory O’Connor’s siege of Dublin, Strongbow turns south towards Wexford, hoping to rescue Robert FitzStephen, one of the first Norman leaders to arrive in Ireland. But Wexford has rebelled, FitzStephen remains a prisoner, and Strongbow quickly discovers that victory at Dublin has not secured hi...

In this episode, the Norman Conquest of Ireland reaches one of its most dramatic turning points. After Dermot MacMurrough’s death, Strongbow’s position in Ireland becomes dangerously unstable. His claim to Leinster is resisted, Dublin is isolated, and Rory O’Connor, the High King of Ireland, gathers a great Gaelic coalition to drive the Normans out. As Rory’s forces surround Dublin from several di...

In this episode, the Norman Conquest of Ireland enters a dangerous new phase. Dermot MacMurrough is dead, but the consequences of his choices are only beginning to unfold. Strongbow now claims Leinster through his marriage to Aoife, but that claim is rejected by many within Leinster and viewed with alarm by Irish kings across the island. We also reflect on Dermot’s dark and divisive reputation in...

In this episode, the Norman Conquest of Ireland reaches a pivotal turning point. After reclaiming the Kingdom of Leinster and launching a vengeful campaign against his bitter rival, Tiernan O’Rourke, Dermot McMurrough’s ambitions for the High Kingship are cut short. We explore the dramatic final months of MacMurrough’s life, his controversial life ending at Ferns in 1171, and the "insufferable dis...

This episode explores the pivotal opening chapter of the Norman invasion of Ireland. While the story of the conquest is often oversimplified as "Strongbow came and conquered," the actual history is far more specific and complex. We dive into the critical years of 1167–1170, a period defined by the High King Rory O’Connor’s missed opportunities to crush the invasion before it truly began. Twice, th...

A chronological journey through Ireland’s past — from the Gaelic world and Viking Ireland to the Norman invasion and beyond. If you are familiar with Mike Duncan's History of Rome, you'll be familiar with the format. Each episode breaks down complex events into short, accessible lessons, separating myth from reality. If you’ve ever wanted to properly understand Irish history, this series i...

In Episode 4, we begin the story of the Norman invasion of Ireland , moving from background and context into the key events that set everything in motion. This episode focuses on one of the most controversial figures in Irish history — Diarmait Mac Murchada , King of Leinster — and the decisions that would ultimately change Ireland forever. We examine the long-standing feud between Diarmait and Ti...

In Lesson 3, we explore the world of Gaelic Ireland in the 12th century and examine how power really worked before the Norman invasion. This lesson looks at the major Irish kingdoms, the tanistry system, the rivalries between powerful dynasties, and the real meaning of the High Kingship of Ireland. Rather than a traditional monarchy, Gaelic Ireland was a complex patchwork of regional powers, compe...

This episode dives into the fascinating, often misunderstood history of Viking Ireland, peeling back the layers of myth that have defined the era for generations. We explore how the arrival of the "heathen" Norsemen transformed a rural, cattle-based Gaelic society into a hub of international trade and urbanization. From the first terrifying raids on wealthy coastal monasteries to the establishment...

Welcome to my new series that explores the rich tapestry of Irish history. This ambitious project is setting out to tell the history and tales of Ireland in chronological order from the years 1169 to 1923. From the Norman conquest of Ireland, the defiant stand of Hugh O’Neill in the Nine Years War, through the fiery chaos of the 1641 Rebellion, and onto the monumental clashes of the Williamite War...