Irish History Podcast

The last show on the Norman Invasion ended in somewhat dramatic circumstances with the death of Strongbow, the leader of the Norman Invasion. As you can imagine the fall out from this was immense. The episode begins with a group of Normans lead by Raymond le Gros who hear the news when they are deep in Gaelic territory. No one knows how the kings of Gaelic Ireland will react when they hear the news. Some will surely take the chance to revolt. Raymond tries to keep the news secret while he attempts to escape back to the safety of Dublin. Meanwhile other Norman knights in Ireland, seize the opportunity to launch new conquests. This results in one of the most dramatic events of the entire invasion - the conquest of Eastern Ulster. You can find a map of medieval Ireland here http://irishhistorypodcast.ie/1176-77-the-norman-invasion-xiv-new-blood/  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Many of the foods you will eat on Christmas day were unknown to medieval Europeans. Turkey, cranberries and even potatoes only arrived in Europe after the conquest of the Americas began. This podcast looks at the world of medieval food to see at what was available . You will be surprised at the variety of food in medieval Ireland (if you had the money). This show also looks at the strange, lethal and somewhat scary world of takeaway food in medieval Ireland.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This podcast takes the story to a pivotal year in the Norman Invasion of Ireland - 1176. The episode begins where part XII left off - the aftermath of Raymond le Gros' successful siege of Limerick. Raymond makes his way back to Dublin where he receives the shock of lifetime. He is not welcomed by his fellow Normans but instead faces accusations of treachery. This show sees the Normans turn on each other and then ends in the most dramatic of circumstances! Listen to find out more about these intriguing events    See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In 1173 Strongbow returned to Ireland after fighting in Normandy for his king Henry II. Within months he faced one of the biggest crises since the invasion had begun as Gaelic resistance to the Invasion surged. Not only was his castle at Kilkenny destroyed but west of the Shannon Ireland's most powerful king Rory O'Connor was planning a major assault on the colony. The Norman presence in Ireland teetered on the brink of potential annihilation. Listen to the podcast to find out what happened.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In the Spring of 1925 newspapers around the world carried stories that a famine had broken out in Ireland. The Manchester Guardian reported 750,000 people were at risk, a figure repeated by the Soviet Union's daily Pravda. However there is no mention of this "famine" in Irish history books so in I went to the National Archives in search of evidence. What I found was tragic details of yet another cover up. Listen to the show to find out what I discovered. If you have any questions or queries about this show you can mail me at history@irishhistorypodcast.ie or find me at Irishhistory on twitter and Irishhistorypodcast on facebook.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This is a brief update on whats coming next in the Norman invasion series.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The year is 1174, much of Ireland is reeling from 5 years of warfare since the Norman Invasion began in earnest in 1169. The island is gripped by sweeping change and chaos. This podcast is an enthralling journey through this land ravaged by conflict.  Before I continue the story of the invasion this episodes stops and takes stock of how the invasion so far was changing life in Ireland. Taking the form of a tour around Ireland it looks at the varying impacts across the Island from war-torn Meath and Leinster to Ulster and Connacht revealing a population traumatised, living in uncertain times with only more chaos and upheaval on the horizon. The show looks at Ireland through eyes of Marcus Judeus one of the earliest Jews recorded in Ireland who had probably arrived in Dublin in the aftermath of the conquest.Find out more about my upcoming book at www.irishhistorypodcast.ie/book  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

On November 2nd 1324, Petronilla of Meath, one of 12 people charged with witchcraft in Kilkenny was burned at the stake in the town. She was the first person to suffer this horrendous fate in Irish history. In this festively themed podcast I trace the story behind this fascinating case and those accused and convicted of witchcraft. What actually happened in Kilkenny in 1324? Was Petronilla of Meath a witch? And what were medieval witches supposed to have done anyway?Contact me with any questions, queries and suggestions for future shows at history@irishhistorypodcast.ie    See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The story of protest in medieval Ireland is a forgotten but fascinating chapter in our history. While forthright and often violent these protests voiced the concerns of ordinary people so often excluded from written records. In this podcast I look at five protests from late medieval Ireland including a water tax in 1244 and Ireland's first recorded strike in 1299. The intriguing stories behind these protests are brought to light for the first time in centuries in this podcast. To get more free podcasts from my new series on the black death subscribe to my mailing list at www.irishhistorypodcast.ie  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

At Easter 1172 Henry II left Ireland, having spent six months on the island. Before departing he conferred the Kingdom of Meath onto the Norman baron Hugh de Lacy. However Meath already a king, in fact it had several. Through most of the 12th century numerous Irish kings had been laying claim to what was one of the oldest territories in Ireland. Naturally when de Lacy tried to claim what Henry II had no right to give him he faced opposition. However nothing is simple and his attempted invasion of Meath took a most unusual direction. This show also sees Henry II return home to face rebellion not only from his sons but also his wife Eleanor of Aquitaine. This revolt has massive consequences for Strongbow, Hugh de Lacy and the Normans in Ireland who are soon embroiled in one of the bitterest family disputes in history. You can contact me at www.twitter.com/irishhistory, www.facebook.com/irishhistorypodcast or email at history@irishhistorypodcast.ie  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

On October 17th 1172 Henry II became the first King of England to set foot in Ireland. Henry had come in the hope to proclaiming himself lord over the entire island. Awaiting him were not just his own Norman subjects who had been fighting in Ireland since 1169 but also dozens of Gaelic kings. How these kings in particular would react to Henry's claims would be crucial. The King however had prepared for all eventualities bringing an army of over 4,000 warriors and even prefabricated siege towers. In the show I look at how Henry was received, why he had come and what a medieval royal visit like this looked like. If you want to receive my exclusive podcast series on the Black Death Subscribe at www.irishhistorypodcast.ie/blackdeath/    See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Despite their victory at the siege of Dublin (covered in Part VII), Strongbow and his Normans followers in Ireland are by no means in a secure position. In Wexford their comrade-in-arms Robert FitzStephen is being held prisoner. Meanwhile across Leinster they face widespread opposition. The man who invited them to Ireland Diarmait McMurrough is dead and his brother is hostile to the Normans. Meanwhile the neighbouring king of Ossory, Gillapatrick, is a constant threat. If these aren't enough problems, King Henry II in England is demanding answers as to what is happening in Ireland and decides he will come in person to investigate. This podcast takes us through a hectic three months period in late 1171 as Strongbow tries to stabilise his presence in Ireland but the odds are he will fail.... You can subscribe to the my podcast series on the Black Death at www.irishhistorypodcast.ie/blackdeath    See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This podcast sees the Normans suffer a ferocious backlash after their conquests in the year of 1170. A Norse army including beserkers - feared viking warriors - attack Dublin before a vast host lead by the king of Connacht - Rory O'Connor besieges the town. The Norman presence in Ireland hangs by a thread as they lose the few friends they had. This episode also sees tensions ramp between Strongbow and his king back home Henry II who is increasingly fearful Strongbow is about to establish a rival kingdom in Ireland. At the end of the episode I have an exciting announcement about how you can get more exclusive podcasts on Irish history and how you can have your say over my next book. You can find out more at www.irishhistorypodcast.ie/blackdeath.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

After their brutal conquest of Waterford, Diarmait McMurrough and his Norman allies marshaled their forces and marched on Dublin. If the most important town in medieval Ireland fell into their hands it could be a game changer. The claims of Rory O'Connor of Connacht to be Ireland's most powerful king would be in tatters. This scenario set up a major conflict over Dublin as Rory marched west, reaching the town before the Normans and digging in. Listen to the show to find out what happened.... In the show I ask for your feedback on this series on the Norman Invasion @irishhistory on twitter, Irishhistorypodcast on facebook or if email works better you'll find me at history@irishhistorypodcast.ie  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In the summer of 1170, Ireland stood on a precipice. After the arrival of several hundred Norman mercenaries in 1169 the fortunes of Diarmait McMurrough had changed. He had reconquered his lost power in the kingdom of Leinster and re-established himself as a major player in Irish politics. However this was only the beginning, a violent prelude to Diarmait’s main ambition. He was still waiting for the main force of his mercenaries lead by the Norman Lord Strongbow to arrive and when they did they in the summer of 1170 they did not fail to make their mark. The arrival of the Norman lord and 1200 men signaled the beginning of a dark period in Irish history fittingly preceeded by the battle of Baginbun in May and then followed by the siege of Waterford in August. These crucial encounters form the basis of this episode. Let me know you thoughts on the show @irishhistory on twitter or www.facebook.com/irishhistorypodcast  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.