Bill O'Brien

Lost songs of Ireland Podcast

Arts EN ↓ 16 episodes

Here I will be collecting and sharing old songs I have recovered from folklore and history archives, piecing them back together and telling their stories. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Author

Bill O'Brien

Category

Arts

Podcast website

shows.acast.com

Latest episode

Feb 12, 2026

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Episodes

The Rescue of Sean Hogan at The Station of Knocklong 12.02.2026

The epic story of the rescue of IRA man of the Tipperary 3rd Battalion man Sean Hogan in 1919. Sean Hogan along with Dan Breen, Seamus Robinson and Sean Treacy were known as the Big Four and highly active in the Irish War of Independence. This story tells of how they rescued Hogan from the RIC while in transit to Cork after his arrest for taking part in the Soloheadbeg ambush which left two RIC me...

Hunting The Wren 26.12.2025

A few songs and stories about the ancient custom of hunting the wren after midwinter, echoes of which still exist today around the country. Songs include: The Wren Song (Altar Co Cork) and When We Hunted The Wren In Tipperary written by George Denny of Ballypatrick. Take a look at my Kickstarter campaign to get my book Lost Songs of Tipperary printed https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/billthebar...

The Burning of Bridget Cleary 31.10.2025

Discussing the awful murder of Bridget Cleary known as the last woman burned as a with in Ireland in 1895. Told alongside court records, newspaper articles, songs and poems written around the time. Including the ballad The Witchcraft Murder, a woman roasted alive in Country Tipperary composed by Bridget Healy recorded for the first time. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Historic Persecution of Irish Artists by the British State 05.07.2025

A brief overview of the historical persecution of Irish artists, singers, balladeers and song writers by the British state and it's crown forces. In recent news the Irish rap group Kneecap have been grabbing headlines and social media discussions for their unapologetic and unrelenting support for the people of Palestine as well as holding governments around the world to account for their funding a...

Fee and Flanagan - The Clones Murder Ballad 05.06.2025

One day in April 1903 a young trader named John Flanagan arrived in Clones town with eggs to sell and to pay a debt to the local butcher John Fee. After following Fee to his slaughterhouse he was not seen again until 8 months later his body was found buried in a dung pile. These are the ballads of the murder of John Flanagan from Clones Co Monaghan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more...

Irish Courting Customs 26.05.2025

This episode we talk a little about folklore and songs about old Irish courting and marriage rituals and beliefs. Songs: McBreen's Heifer Tipperary Mans Courtship I Wish They'd Do It Now My Own Irish Rose Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The 1867 Uprising 29.08.2024

The 1867 uprising was another failed uprising across Ireland organised by the Irish Republican Brotherhood. These few songs are about men who fell during the uprising including Peter O'Neill Crowley and a young lad by the name of Ned Kelly from Kilcash in Co. Tipperary. Both borrowed the air from Charles Kickam's Poor Blind Patrick Sheehan, based on an older Celtic air to which many laments for fa...

Sarsfield's Ride to Ballyneety 14.07.2024

An account of Sarsfield's ride to Ballyneety leading to the Siege of Limerick with a few poems and revived ballads Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Songs of Slievenamon 21.04.2024

This episode looks at the folklore surrounding the mountain of Slievenamon in south Tipperary made famous but the Charles Kickham ballad The Maid of Slievenamon about which many poems and songs have been written. Songs include The Moon Behind the Hill by William Kennealy, The Old House in the Glen by Thomas Ryan aka Drangan Boy and I Love You Tipperary but Brian O'Higgins aka Brian NaBamba. Hosted...

Darby Ryan - The Ashgrove Bard pt2 13.03.2024

A recital of Darby's epic 47 verse long masterpiece Ireland's Lament which covers almost 1000 years of Irish history. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Darby Ryan - The Ashgrove Bard pt 1 08.02.2024

Darby Ryan was a bard from Bansha in Co. Tipperary around the mid 1800s. Most famous for The Peeler and the Goat, a satire of the system of Penal Laws in act at the time, Darby composed many songs and ballads across numerous topics not least Irish nationalism. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Ballagh War Pipers 05.01.2024

The Ballagh War Pipers were a military band associated with the IRB and the Irish volunteers and came from a small village in Tipperary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A dive into product placement in Irish ballads 04.12.2023

This week we're taking a look at the tradition of using ballads a forms of advertising and product placement from the early 1800s up until the 1970s in Ireland. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Songs and Stories about Cows 20.11.2023

This episode explores the place the cow occupies in Irish folklore, mythology and history through a few short stories and songs. I've mentioned the Cattle Raid of Cooley and if anyone is interested to hear this in full I recommend the reading from the Irish Pagan School here: Táin Bó Cúailgne by Laura O'Brien Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Murder of Richard Ealy 05.11.2023

In this episode we'll be visiting a story from 1858 where a tenant shoots his landlords agent and talking a little about the landlord - tenant relationship in Ireland at the time. The story is told in two ballads collected from folklore resources. Patreon is now live at: www.patreon.com/BauldBill Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Introduction to Lost Songs of Ireland 01.11.2023

Just a quick introduction to layout the scope of this podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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