Irish Life & Lore - Voices from the Archive

An Irish Olympic champion for the ages, Ronnie Delaney won Gold in the 1500m at the Summer Olympics in Melbourne in 1956.  He was recorded for Irish Life and Lore in 2019 at the RDS in Dublin. This podcast features details of his young life, leading up to that memorable gold medal win.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Muriel McCarthy was indeed an institution at Marsh's Library, having worked there for 44 years. She was responsible for the upkeep and survival of a national treasure. Muriel was recorded at the Library in 2012. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Vincent tells a fascinating story about his father, his naval experiences during WWI, and being unable to settle after returning to his farm in Kerry. His subsequent migration to Meath, leaving his family behind, is discussed in detail. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A descendant of the Guinness brewing family, Desmond Guinness was a conservationist who achieved much in helping to save some of our fine Irish Georgian buildings from falling into ruin.  His legacy is extraordinary. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This podcast features sound clips of an oral history recoding we compiled with Andrew Kavanagh, a descendant of the ancient Irish McMorrough Kavanagh family who retained possession of their lands at Borris, Co. Carlow since the 16th century. The podcast also includes the voice of Pat Murphy, who farmed the land as did his people before him, near the Borris Estate. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/pr...

Using sound clips from the Irish Life and Lore Archive, in this podcast, Kerryman Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty and his extraordinary and dangerous work is recalled by Sr. Noreen Dennehy who speaks for the first time about her experiences of working with him in helping to shelter Jews from the Nazis in Rome during WW11. Monsignor O'Flaherty's nephew, also named Hugh O'Flaherty, is also included in thi...

In a gripping recording compiled at his Dublin home, Dr. James Sheehan recalls and describes exciting in medicine in the 1960s and 70s in Ireland. He grew up in Kerry and in adulthood he became fascinated with bioengineering artificial joint improvement. Working in the U.K.under Sir John Charnley, recognised as the founder of modern hip replacement, in the U.K., he brought back to Dublin his...

John Bellingham was a remarkable man. He lived at Glencara, Mullingar and in a 19th century cottage on the Hill of Howth, Co. Dublin.  This podcast includes excerpts of recordings compiled in both locations. John was a wonderful conversationalist and his recent passing marked the end of an era among the Irish Landed Gentry.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more info...

Madoline O Connell has some brilliant stories to recall about the social history of old Cork’s elite society. She relives those years when the City was alive with the preforming Arts and other activities.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This recording was compiled at Maureen Mullins' home in 2012 for inclusion in the Horseracing Ireland Oral History Collection. She worked with her husband Paddy and their family in one of Ireland's most successful thoroughbred horse breeding and training businesses, based in Goresbridge, Co. Kilkenny. Maureen passed away, aged 94, on 14th February 2024. Hosted on Acast. See aca...

The Siege of Kinsale, Co. Cork, also known as the Battle of Kinsale of 1601 was the ultimate battle in England's conquest Gaelic Ireland. This historic and remarkable event is relived in 2004 on location at the site with local historian, John Thullier, who recounts the entire story.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 2009 Maurice O'Keeffe travelled to the Falkland Islands in the remote South Atlantic Ocean to compile recordings for Irish Life and Lore with members of the small population living there at that time. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the first section of this podcast, members of staff at the Long Room at Trinity College discuss their experience of working in one of Ireland's oldest libraries. Also, The story of emigrants from Ireland to Britain in the 1960s is related in this podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This podcast is packed with stories and memories which reveal the strength and toughness of competitors in grass track races, and what it took to win the biggest race of the year - The Rás Tailteann in the 1950s. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This podcast features the voice of Sean O Duinn and Fr. Brian Murphy recorded in The Bible Garden at Glenatal Abbey in Co. Limerick.  You will learn how the plants, trees and herbs are interwoven with the old Celtic beliefs, and the pre Celtic calendar is described. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Steeped in several genres of music, playing saxophone and clarinet throughout his life, Tralee's Billy Curtin was born into a musical family, and from the young age of 12 he was performing with a band. In this podcast he describes working with many showbands and dancebands, playing jazz, rock, blues and country and western. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Gaisford St. Lawrence family lived at Howth Castle for 800 years.  This long connection was brought to an end with the death of Christopher Gaisford St. Lawrence on 29th October 2023. We compiled recordings with Christopher in 2020; with his wife Meryl in 2014 and with his son Julian in 2020. This is their story... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This podcast features the voices of many well known families who discuss their German origins, their ancestors' arrival in Ireland in 1709, and reveal the common threads which run through their recordings for the  irishlifeandlore.com  Rhineland Palatine Irish Heritage Oral History Collection. Themes include: Strangers in a Strange Land; Irish Palatine Identity; immigrants who staye...

Drishane House in Castletownshend in West Cork is the home of the Somerville family for nine generations. The present owners are Tom and Jane Somerville who have a deep and abiding affection for their old home. The oral history recording was compiled with tom's father Dan Somerville in 2010 at his home in England, and he spoke at length about his life experiences, his father De...

We were saddened to hear of the recent death of Liam Connellan with whom we were privileged to compile an oral history recording some years ago. This is riveting testimony by a man who played a pivotal role in the development of the Confederation of Irish Industry, having come from the IMI in 1972 in the aftermath of the tragic Staines air disaster which claimed the lives of twelve of the cou...

Heritage Week 2022 brought us to Kilcormac, Co. Offaly for the launch of an oral history project entitled "Capturing Their Story". Recordings were compiled with a selected number of the local residents who provided wonderful and descriptive testimonies of life down through the years. The project came about due to a collaboration between Creative Ireland Community Grant allocation and&nbs...

The Landed Gentry in Ireland Oral History Project was undertaken to provide an in-depth study of the current position of the Irish landed gentry. With introductions by Maurice O’Keeffe, representative segments from the collection are included in this week’s podcast.  Included:  Lord Bellew The Duke of Leinster  Earl of Bessborough Earl of Donoughmore Charles and Mary Cooper Sandy Pe...

Enniscoe House, on the shores of Lough Conn in North Mayo was built in the 1740s. One of Ireland's historic Georgian Houses, the estate now includes the Heritage Centre recently visited by US President Joe Biden. This podcast reveals the story of the history, management and upkeep of this historic house and estate. The voices you will hear include those of owner Susan Kellett and her bro...

This podcast tells the story of the old Gaelic families who survived centuries of conflict and wars waged by invaders. You will hear the voices of the descendants of some of those enduring families, people such as the late Conor O'Brien who died this month; Durcan O'Hara; Nicholas MacGillycuddy; Madam Felicity McDermott and Patience and Ann O'Conor. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more...

In 1709, several hundred families from the German Palatinate were settled in Ireland. These Palatines established roots in Limerick, Kerry, Tipperary and Wexford. "In came the brass-coloured Palatine from the ancient bank of the Swabian Rhine" P.W. Joyce. Their story is fascinating, and can be related to the immigrants from Ukraine to Ireland today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy...