Three Castles Burning

Did you learn much about yourself in Lockdown times? Dermot Bolger (poet, publisher, playwright and more besides) discovered some of the incredible people who lived in his locality in times gone by. These included the radical Grace Gifford Plunkett, architect Herbert Simms and the writer Patricia Lynch. In Other People's Lives, Dermot honours these people and captures a moment in time beautifully....

Geographer Joseph Brady is the co-producer of a new study of Dublin in maps. This journey begins with the earliest depictions of the Irish capital, but brings us through some fascinating oddities. Did you know that the Soviet Union produced a map of the city for intelligence purposes, or that mapping Dublin's postcodes has proven surprisingly divisive? Dublin: Mapping the City is available now.

There are few careers in Irish music as extraordinary as that of Dónal Lunny. His name will forever be connected with the groups Emmet Spiceland, Planxty, The Bothy Band and Moving Hearts. Yet beyond being a defining musician, he has made important contributions on the other side of the sound desk too. In this discusssion, recorded at Another Love Story, we pass through some of the greatest Irish...

A real privilege to talk to an artist who first emerged in the 1960s, and who is still making fantastic work today. Any discussion with Jim Fitzpatrick passes through subjects as diverse as Harry Clarke, Ernesto 'Che' Guevara, Phil Lynott, Sinéad O'Connor and the world of Marvel. Recorded at the Electric Picnic, thanks to those of you who came along. This episode touches on some serious issues inc...

Seán O'Casey had a turbulent relationship with the Abbey Theatre. Now, his Dublin trilogy is back on the stage of the national theatre. Championed with his arrival on the stage in 1923, and denounced in 1926 with The Plough and the Stars, O'Casey remains one of the most inspirational figures of twentieth-century Irish theatre. Did you know that Alfred Hitchcock tried his hand at bringing O'Casey t...

Peig McManus was born into a life in tenement Dublin in the late 1930s. In subsequent decades, she became one of Ireland's most recognisable voices for educational reform. In her brilliant memoir, I Will Be Good: A Dublin Childhood and a Life Less Ordinary , she talks about her childhood, her time in school, her activism over many decades and the various campaigns for educational reform. Recorded...

The body of Daniel O'Connell is at rest in Glasnevin Cemetery, an institution with which he is eternally linked. His heart? Well, that has been something of a mystery. Dublin artist Claire Halpin joins me this week to talk about her recent show in Rome, and a little intervention she made into the question of just what happened to the heart of 'The Liberator'. https://clairehalpin2011.wordpress.com...

This episode is dedicated to the memory of Sinéad O'Connor. The Foggy Dew is in itself a historic document. Written in 1919, this story of the Easter Rising and the contrasting World War has gone around the world. This episode of the podcast explores the song and its meaning, and how it came to bring together the incredible talents of The Chieftains and Sinéad O'Connor.   

The National Stadium on the South Circular Road has witnessed some really incredible nights. To some, it is the home of Irish boxing, a story that's connected to the sporting history of the Gardaí as well as the endless enthusiasm of the Irish Amateur Boxing Association. To others, it is a gig venue which recalls names like Planxty, Led Zeppelin and Leonard Cohen. Thanks for your memories!

In June 1963, President John F. Kennedy arrived into a city in crisis. As Dublin tenements seemed to be collapsing to the touch, the visit of a U.S President was a welcome distraction. In some ways, it was a distraction for him, too. History recalls New Ross, but in Dublin there were significant moments, captured brilliantly by reporters and writers like the poet Louis MacNeice.  Support TCB: www....

Sincere thanks to the Dalkey Book Festival for the invitation to interview Roddy Doyle. This was a chance to talk about things as diverse as Maeve Brennan, the impact of the 1974 Dublin bombings, Myles na gCopaleen and more. A language warning on this one.

Bloomsday as we know it owes its existence to Brian O'Nolan, otherwise Myles na gCopaleen, otherwise Flann O'Brien. In 1954, he was the catalyst for gathering together a number of Dublin McDaidsian types who embarked on an epic journey of their own in honour of Leopold Bloom, Buck Mulligan and the cast of Ulysses. They didn't make it too far.

This week, we got some data from the 2022 Census. It seems a good time to look into the past. The census has always given us unusual insights into Ireland. We can find humour and protest in it too.  See: http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/

The Phoenix Park assassinations of May 1882 shook British politics. All had heard of the Fenians, but who were the Invincibles? Today, a cross in the grass on Chesterfield Avenue marks the location where these events played out - but who put it there?

Thanks for your patience! This new episode explores the incredible life and influence of Peadar Kearney, a key figure in the Cultural Revival then, and the folk revival now. My guest is Macdara Yeates of 'The Night Before Larry Was Stretched', a monthly singing session in The Cobblestone. He's also co-producing 'One Hundred Years of Brendan Behan'. https://ilfdublin.com/whats-on/one-hundred-years-...

The Ragged-Trousered Philanthropists is a book that had a massive impact on British society. Some say it helped win a General Election, George Orwell called it essential reading. In Ireland, it is little known, despite the author coming from Wexford Street. This week, playwright Jimmy Murphy joins me to talk about the impact this book had on his own life and work.

The area between Smithfield and Capel Street has historically been known as 'The Markets'. A recent event gave some idea of what this area could be. Today, we're exploring it with a hopeful message for the future.

This week marks the fiftieth anniversary of the death of Archbishop John Charles McQuaid. I visited the studio of acclaimed artist Robert Ballagh, who has just painted the Archbishop. In the 1980s, Ballagh painted Noël Browne, the Minister for Health who clashed with McQuaid. These two works are connected in many ways.

The story of U2's emergence is connected to the broader story of late 1970s Dublin. From the Project Arts Centre to the explosive visit of The Clash to the unlikely setting of Trinity College Dublin's exam hall, this episode brings you behind the scenes of the recent documentary U2: A Sort of Homecoming. 

Arran Henderson of Dublin Decoded knows the streets of Dublin inside out. On a walk through streets I always think of as part of a different Dublin story, he showed me how Werburgh Street, Fishamble Street and others were all central to the story of early Dublin theatre. On this journey we meet some interesting characters, from a pioneering nationalist theatre director to the much-feared Lord Depu...

One of the most eagerly awaited books about the city in recent years, Dublin: A Writer's City is a triumph. In this edition of the podcast, presented as part of the Young Hearts Run Free series, author Chris Morash brings us on a journey across literary Dublin. (Event poster by Niall McCormack)

This episode of the podcast explores some of the most peculiar films shot in Dublin over many decades. From Fu Manchu to the Bogside, we're looking at times directors turned Dublin into somewhere else.

(Reupload, apologies due to podcast hosting gremlins!) Part II of the Brendan Behan centenary special, this journey brings us through some surprising places. From Littlewood's London to strange times in North America, this is the story of the fame and fall of Brendan Behan.

This week marks the centenary of the birth of Brendan Behan. Over two editions, Three Castles Burning will explore the life and times of this remarkable talent. In the first part, we look at Behan's revolutionary days and the impact of Borstal on him.

Musician Joe Chester has produced a beautiful musical tribute to Lucia Joyce, the dancer and illustrator. Daughter of James Joyce, Lucia was born in Trieste in 1907. She would spend more than four decades of her life in institutions after being diagnosed as schizophrenic in the mid-1930s. 'Lucia' by Joe Chester is his first major composition for classical guitar & strings, inspired by her journey....