Irish History Podcast

During the Second World War Irish Military Intelligence stepped up their activities monitoring potential threats to the Irish state. Their targets included the family of the far right Irish American activist Aileen O’Brien. Through the course of this investigation Irish Military Intelligence collected a unique set of letters that provided a fascinating and unusual insight into this families experience of the Second World War. By 1941 they found their allegiances tested. While they were American citizens they had personal and possible political connections to Nazi Germany.  The letters were locked in an archive for decades but recently were opened the public by the Irish Military Archives and they give us a deeply personal account of the war, yet one that is at times uncomfortable given the people involved found common cause with fascists. Support the show www.patreon.com/irishpodcast www.irishhistorypodcast.ie/shop  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Over the last few weeks I have been paralysed by writers block. In the hope of clearing my mind, I headed off to explore an old stately home. While often crumbling ruins, buildings like this are absorbing places - they were once the houses of the wealthiest people in Ireland in the 18th & 19th century. The building I visited wasn't quite Downton Abbey but in its heyday this mansion was impressive. In this podcast we will explore this building looking for a secret tunnel that was supposedly in the basement (which I eventually found).   The resulting episode is a potted history of stately homes and and also what I found in that tunnel. Support the show www.patreon.com/irishpodcast. Check out the bespoke range of gifts now available at www.irishhistorypodcast.ie/shop  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Ireland remained neutral in the Second World War. However by the summer of 1940 a German invasion seemed increasingly likely. Having conquered Western Europe the Nazis prepared Operation Sea Lion, an invasion of Britain which would inevitably have led to an invasion of Ireland.  While preparations were made for a defence of the country, Ireland's intelligence community increased their surveillance on potential Nazi collaborators. Chief among these was Eoin O'Duffy who had fought for the fascists in the Spanish Civil War. This podcast is based on a dossier which remained secret for decades. Created by the Directorate of Military intelligence the reports in the dossier which feature in this podcast are a fascinating look inside the world Ireland's military intelligence agency during the Second World War.  The intelligence reports are read by Aidan Crowe. Support the show www.patreon.com/irishpodcast  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The diet of the rural poor in Ireland prior to the Famine is one of the most unusual in modern history. Adult males consumed as much as 14lb (6.35kg) of potatoes per day. Last week I tried this diet and in this podcast you find out what happened. The results make this the most unusual podcast I've made.  Regina Sexton, a food historian in University College Cork also explains how people ate these potatoes and what they used to flavour them. Support the show www.patreon.com/irishhistory  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This show look at a story related to the series Partisans. Its about the life of a Basque family briefly mentioned in that series - the Gallastegis - who moved to Ireland in the aftermath of the bombing of Guernica during the Spanish Civil War.  This show was produced and researched by Ignacio Irigoien and Steward Reddin. I was delighted to be asked to narrate it and I am very grateful to be given permission to share it you now. It includes interviews with the historians Kyle Mccreanor and Brian Hanley along with several members of the Gallastegi family. patreon.com/irishpodcast  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Through the 18th and 19th century, large numbers of Irishmen served in the British Army. However there were also many Irishwomen whose lives were interwoven with the military. While not soldiers they became part of the army through marriage to members of the regiments stationed in Ireland. This lead to unusual and captivating lives. In this episode I interview historian Dr Aoife Bhreatnach about a Cork woman called Bridget Kent who married a British Army soldier. Aoife gives great insights into the life of Bridget who was born in Fermoy in 1859 but after her marriage to a soldier her life changed dramatically. Aoife gives vivid details about the incredible travels she engaged in which took Bridget from Egypt to Bermuda, but also what life was like when she returned home to an Ireland where attitudes towards the British Army were changing during the First World War and the War of Independence.  Aoife has her own podcast Censored - which looks at the history of banned books in Ireland. Check out Censored here. She also has a great blog Garrison towns  Support the show www.patreon.com/irishpodcast www.irishhistorypodcast.ie/shop  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This is the final episode in the series Partisans. While the Spanish Civil War came to an end in 1939 and the Irish returned home for many Spaniards, Basques and Catalans the conflict would not end for decades. To conclude the series I interview the expert Nick Lloyd for his insights into what happened after Franco took power. Nick explains what the Franco's regime was like, who were the winners and losers and how people resisted. Nick who is based in Barcelona is starting virtual tours of the Spanish Civil War - find out more www.thespanishcivilwar.com. You can follow Nick on twitter - https://twitter.com/Civil_War_Spain  Support the show - patreon.com/irishpodcast Check out the Spanish Civil War memorabilia in the shop - www.irishhistorypodcast.ie/shop  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This podcast, the second last in Partisans, looks at the battle of the Ebro - the last major showdown in the Spanish Civil War. While the show looks at how the war ended for the Irish fighters, it also tackles one of the great mysteries of the Spanish Civil War - what happened to Frank Ryan. This intriguing story continues to perplex and divide historians today. Research - Stewart Reddin Additional Narration - Aidan Crowe  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The enduring images of the Spanish Civil War depict armed fighters of one kind or another. This podcast, however, follows the story of a different Irish experience - that of Hannah Ormsby, an Irish nurse who arrived in Spain in the summer of 1937. The savagery of the war ensured she would be treated no different than other antifascists. Hannah had to work in appaling conditions often under fire from snipers. This podcast also looks at the wider war from 1937 - 1938. After the War in the North, the conflict was clearly not going well for the antifascists. To make matters worse what had started with idealistic hope was turning into a living nightmare for some. This episode podcast looks at how the growing influence of the soviet dictator Joseph Stalin lead to extreme paranoia, conspiracy theories and assassinations behind antifascist lines. Research - Fin Dwyer & Stewart Reddin Additional Narration - Aidan Crowe and Muireann Hogan Support the show - www.parteon.com/irishhistory Shop - www.irishhistorypodcast.ie/shop  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The most notorious incident of the Spanish Civil War was the bombing of Guernica by the Nazi Condor Legion. Immortalised by Pablo Picasso's painting it was the first time in world history carpet bombing was deployed against a civilian population. It was part of an overall campaign called 'The War in the North'. This saw General Franco turn his forces agains the antifascist zone along the north coast of Spain. In this podcast we follow the story of the Dubliner Jack Prendergast, the only known Irish person to fight in this theatre of the war. The episode also looks at how Guernica influenced attitudes back in Ireland. Research by Stewart Reddin Additional Narrations: Aidan Crowe Support the show www.patreon.com/irishpodcast www.irishhistorypodcast.ie  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This episode continues Partisans - Irish Stories from the Spanish Civil War. In this podcast we follow the Irish in Spain into battle. The show begins with campaigns in Andalusia and takes you through one of the most famous battles of entire war - Jarama. We will see how the Blueshirts and the Antifascist International Brigaders fared when they faced the realities of war. This includes numerous first hand accounts of these battles. Research: Stewart Reddin Narrations: Aidan Crowe. Support the show patreon.com/irishpodcast Checkout the shop at irishhistorypodcast.ie/shop  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This episode returns to the series Partisans - Irish stories from the Spanish Civil War. This show looks at the two groups of Irish fighters who traveled to Spain - the Irish Brigade better known as the Blueshirts and the antifascist International Brigades. Over the last eight decades they have been among the most controversial figures of 20th century Irish history. The podcast seperates the fact from fiction looking at who they were, why they traveled and how they got there. Research: Stewart Reddin Narrations: Muireann Hogan & Aidan Crowe Check out the new Spanish Civil War merchandise in the shop: https://irishhistorypodcast.ie/product/flag/ Support the show at patreon.com/irishpodcast  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

St Peter’s Church in Drogheda Co Louth contains what has to be one of the most unsettling religious relics on display anywhere in the world. This is the head of an Irish man - Oliver Plunkett - who was hanged drawn and quartered in London in 1681. For religious catholics, the head of Plunkett, who was later declared a saint, is believed to have supernatural powers and can cure illnesses. The story of how the body of a man executed in the most barbaric manner imaginable was transformed into one of Ireland’s most popular religious relics in the mid 20th century is intriguing. It’s wrapped up in 17th century religious wars, Catholic Emancipation and Ireland’s struggle for independence in the 20th century. Support the Irish History Podcast at www.patreon.com/irishpodcast  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Deaf community are rarely mentioned in general histories of Ireland. Prior to making this episode I knew almost nothing about their rich history. In this podcast I interview the historian Cormac Leonard from Trinity College Dublin. Cormac reveals the fascinating history of the Deaf Community in Ireland. He provides vivid accounts of deaf people struggling against authorities in workhouses and prisons, to those who fought in IRA in the War of Independence. This episode will challenge preconceptions many of us have about the role deaf people have played in our history. Find out more about the history of Ireland's deaf community http://www.deafheritagecentre.com/ https://www.facebook.com/DeafIrishInstitutions/ http://deafirishinstitutions.blogspot.com https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPjp_Rw1AElO5Lp175XsK5g Support the show www.patreon.com/irishhistory www.irishhistorypodcast.ie/shop  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

How well do you know your Irish history? Nows the time to find out! In this podcast, I read out 63 history questions. As I read each question you select the correct answer from five options in the online answer sheet here www.irishhistorypodcast.ie/quiz. Once you submit your answers you will get your score and the correct answers automatically sent your email! The top score so far is 52/63. Can you beat it? This is based on an original quiz I hosted in aid of the Mater Foundation. The Foundation does incredible supporting the Mater Hospital in Dublin. Please give what you can at materfoundation.ie Support the show at www.patreon.com/irishpodcast  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.