Resisting Empire: A History Podcast

I am very excited to be joined by historian Gerard Shannon and we discuss all things Liam Lynch and Rory O'Connor. Gerard Shannon is a public historian with a Masters in History in the School of Geography and History from Dublin City University (DCU) and the author of two biographies: Liam Lynch: To Declare a Republic and Rory O’Connor: To Defend the Republic . Both of which are available to p...

In this final episode of season three, I discuss the 1924 Army Mutiny. In early 1923, the Cosgrave Administration tasked Richard Mulcahy with shrinking the National Army through demobilization. As he set about his task, he invoked the ire of former IRA men turned National soldiers who felt they weren't being properly rewarded for their service. In Mulcahy's attempts to quash the mutiny rev...

During the Irish Civil War, Kevin O'Higgins had a reputation of being an acerbic, elitist, imperialist who was responsible for the execution of 81 anti-treaty IRA men. Who was he during the Irish War of Independence? ⁠⁠Transcript⁠⁠  Support this podcast by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠joining my Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow me on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠...

It is early 1923 and many anti-treaty commanders believe they cannot win this war militarily. However, Liam Lynch, the anti-treaty chief of staff and commander, believes victory is just around the corner, despite the government's use of state-sanctioned executions and growing number of atrocities. ⁠Transcript⁠ Support this podcast by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠joining my Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠...

Eamon de Valera is probably the most famous Irish person of the 20th century. Listen to this episode to learn how he became involved in Sinn Fein and the fight for Irish liberation and how he set the stage for the Irish Civil War. Transcript Support this podcast by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠joining my Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow me on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

In this episode I discuss some of the most well-known atrocities that occurred during the Irish Civil War such as the murders of Edwin Hughes, Brendan Holohan, and Joseph Rogers, three teenagers for putting up posters and the death by mine at Ballyseedy, Countess Bridge, and Cahirciveen. Transcript Support this podcast by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠joining my Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

After the first phase of the Irish Civil War ended with the National Army holding major cities all over Ireland, the anti-treaty IRA switch to guerilla tactics. However, the anti-treaty IRA find these tactics as difficult to maintain as the Free Irish state finds them difficult to counter. Transcript Support this podcast by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠joining my Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join my newsl...

Richard Mulcahy was the IRA's chief of staff during the Irish War of Independence and retained his role as Minister of Defense as well as Chief of Staff of the Irish Free State army after Michael Collins died. He would propose and manage the controversial state sanctioned execution policy and kept the army together to win the war. Learn about the pivotal, but often overshadowed role Mulcahy pl...

It's a new year and after an unexpected and unwanted hiatus I'm back! While it feels awkward to discuss state executions considering what's happening in the world, but it's also important to understand how the Irish Free State implemented and justified government sanctioned and military managed executions against their enemies. ⁠Transcript⁠  Support this podcast by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠j...

A repost from my new podcast: Women Resisting Empire. Constance Markievicz is one of those legends from the fight for Irish Independence that seems bigger than life. She was born into an Anglo-Irish landowning family and, by all accounts, she should have ended up a Unionist married to some English soldier or lord. Instead, she turned into a bohemian artist, socialist, suffragist, officer in the Ir...

When the anti-treaty IRA were not fighting the Free State Army, they were fighting the Free State prison system. Learn about conditions in the Free State prisons, prison escapes, and the horrors anti-treaty women went through. Transcript Support this podcast by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠joining my Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join my newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and stay up to date on all my projects ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

Michael Collins and Arthur Griffith are dead, Britain is making it no secret that they think they Provisional Government doesn't have a chance in hell of surviving without Collins, and the Postal Workers are going on strike. These are just some of the problems facing the Cosgrave administration as they build an Irish State in the middle of a civil war. Transcript Support this podcast by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

William T. Cosgrave took over the Provisional and later Free State government after the death of Arthur Griffith and Michael Collins. But who was he? Transcript Support this podcast by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠joining my Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Join my newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠ and stay up to date on all my projects ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow me on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow me on Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit my web...

Just when things seem to be going well for the Provisional Governments, Michael Collins and Arthur Griffith, two giants in the Irish Liberation Movement die just days of each other. What chance does the Provisional Government have at winning the civil war without either of their beloved leaders? Support this podcast by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠joining my Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Join my newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠...

Even though the Provisional Government cleared the anti-treaty IRA forces out of Four Courts, they still experienced guerilla warfare in Dublin City. Those who did not remain in Dublin traveled to Wexford, a quiet county during the Irish War of Independence. Could the anti-treaty IRA turn it into a hot zone during the Irish Civil War? Support this podcast by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠joining my Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

The Free State Army was able to take the city of Kerry through an amphibious landing. Can they repeated their success by taking the city of Cork? Not if the anti-treaty IRA Cork No. 1 Brigade has anything to say about it. Support this podcast by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠joining my Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Join my newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ and stay up to date on all my projects ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow me on Instagram⁠...

What does a brand new state do when it can't invade a port city by land? Well, it launches an amphibious landing of course. Learn how Paddy O'Daly invaded Kerry from the sea and the struggle he experienced in maintaining control over the rebellious county. Support this podcast by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠joining my Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Join my newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠ and stay up to date on all my projects ⁠⁠...

The National Army of Ireland proved itself by taking Limerick city, but now the anti-treaty IRA have fortified their positions in the neighboring city of Kilmallock. Worse, the terrain was practically designed in the anti-treaty IRA's favor. Support this podcast by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠joining my Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Join my newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠ and stay up to date on all my projects ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow me on...

The Provisional Government may have won control over Dublin, but the anti-treaty IRA hold several major cities in south Ireland, including Limerick. If the Provisional Governments takes Limerick, it will open a path into Cork, the heart of the anti-treaty IRA. If the anti-treaty IRA hold Limerick, Dublin is under threat once more. Support this podcast by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠joining my Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Joi...

I know I've been a bit MIA the past few months. Listen to this episode to find out what I've been working on and my plans for 2025 which include a new newsletter, two new sister podcasts, and merch! Support this podcast by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠joining my Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ Join my newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and stay up to date on all my projects ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow me on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow me on Tiktok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

Michael Collins was one of the pivotal members of the Irish delegation who went to London to negotiate a settlement between Ireland and England. The decisions he made in London continue to generate controversy and helped cause the Irish Civil War. Please support these Palestinian families: Mohammed , Ibrahim   Rula . Support this podcast by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠joining my Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Join my newslette...

Join me as we take a step back and discuss Michael Collin's role in the Irish War of Independence If you can, please donate to the following fundraisers: Mohammed , Ibrahim   Rula . If you can please volunteer/donate to the following houseless support organizations: City of Chicago Houseless Resources Housing Action Illinois Resource List   Chicago Coalition for the Homeless   SRHAC   LPCS   D...

Part 2 - the Provisional Government launched an artillery bombardment on the Four Courts but the anti-treaty IRA refused to surrender. Now they must launch an infantry assault on the Four Courts - many of its buildings mined and full of explosives. Support this podcast by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠joining my Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Join my newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠ and stay up to date on all my projects ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow...

The Provisional Government, focused on writing a constitution, building a police force and national army, and creating a functioning government, was content to let Rory O'Connor and his 100+ rebels to hold the Four Courts. However, British pressure and the kidnapping of J. J. "Ginger" O'Connell force the Provisional Government's hand. The Battle for Dublin is about to begin....

Michael Collins takes a novel approach to avoiding civil war: election rigging and writing a constitution that will undermine the Anglo-Irish Treaty. The British Government prefers direct action against the anti-treaty IRA members who took the Four Courts and may have assassinated Field Marshall Wilson. Which option do you think seems more likely to avoid civil war? Support this podcast by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...