Irish History Podcast

In July 1936 Peadar O'Donnell, a veteran of the Irish war of Independence and civil war travelled to Spain on holiday. He was among those caught up in the opening stages of the Spanish Civil War. He witnessed the chaotic opening phase of the conflict providing gripping eye witness detail. As this podcast reveals O'Donnell was in Barcelona and was both inspired and horrified by what he saw. The city was convulsed by an attempted coup, a socialist revolution and extreme anticlerical violence all within one week! We also hear the perspective of the Irish priest Alexander McCabe who had very different political views and sympathies to O'Donnell. The famous writer english writer George Orwell also makes an appearance in what is a gripping story of war and revolution. Created by Fin Dwyer & Stewart Reddin Narrations by Oliver Farry, Paul Walker-Emig and Finbar Cafferkey Support the podcast: www.patreon.com/irishpodcast Social: @irishhistory on Insta and twitter email info@irishhistorypodcast.ie  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode we continue the story of the Irish people who fought in the Spanish Civil War. Our focus turns to the life of Bob Doyle. A member of the IRA and later a communist his life explains why people went on to fight against fascism in Spain. Beginning with his early childhood set to the backdrop of grinding poverty in Dublin slums, the podcast is an evocative and fascinating journey through one family's experience of the struggle for Irish Independence and the decades that followed. Along the way we will find ourselves in riots with fascists in the streets of Dublin and conflict within the IRA in the 1930s which led many of it's activists to Spain. Partisans is listener support history. You can support the show at patreon.com/irishpodcast Check out my new Irish history badges available at irishhhistorypodcast.ie/shop twitter & insta @irishhistory  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This is the second episode in the series Partisans - Irish Stories from the Spanish Civil War. In this podcast we meet our first partisan Aileen O'Brien, a 22 year old Irish American who moved to Ireland in 1935. O'Brien was always a mysterious figure - her contemporaries were never quite sure what to make of her. Some considered her a fascist, others thought her a naive catholic while intelligence agenices suspected she may have been a covert arms dealer.  Unsurprisingly not long after she arrived in Ireland Aileen's activities attracted the attention of the Irish police and eventually even military intelligence. Using never before seen archives this podcast follows O'Brien's life up until the summer of 1936. Her strange and intriguing life is an insight into far right activism in 1930s ireland and explains why many Irish people supported the fascist coup in Spain in July 1936. Support the show www.patreon.com/irishpodcast www.irishhistorypodcast.ie/shop Partisans is created by myself Fin Dwyer and Stewart Reddin.  Logo design - Keith Hynes  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This is the first episode of Partisans, a new weekly series created by myself and Stewart Reddin. While the series focuses on the experiences of Irish people in the Spanish Civil War, this episode sets the scene. It explains the backdrop of the Spanish Civil War, the crisis that consumed Spanish politics in the 1930s and the far reaching implications of that conflict not least for people in Ireland. The show starts however at one of the greatest battles in history... This series has taken months of research which has only been possible due to the support of listeners like you on patreon www.patreon.com/irishpodcast www.irishhistorypodcast.ie/shop @irishhistory Twitter & Insta  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

**My new weekly series 'Partisans: Irish Stories from the Spanish Civil War' launches on Monday Nov 18th** This bonus show looks at a famous event that haunts Irish history - the Four Courts Explosion. In June 1922 during the opening phase of the Irish Civil War, the Public Records Office was destroyed in a massive explosion that rocked Dublin City Centre. Several centuries of Irish historical records had been stored in the building, most of which were incinerated. In this episode I explain the background to the explosion and what was lost. Then in the second part of the podcast I visit the National Archives on Bishop Street where I meet Zoe Reid who works restoring items rescued from the site in the aftermath of the explosion. Thanks to Zoe Reid (twitter.com/NAIConservator) for taking the time to talk to me & Joanne Carrol in the National Library for her help in organising this episode. For more details on Explore Your Archive Week mention in the podcast check out www.araireland.ie Support the show www.patreon.com/irishpodcast twitter/Insta irishhistory  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

On November the 18th my new podcast series 'Partisans' begins. Created by mysef and Stewart Reddin it looks at the fascinating stories of Irish people who fought in Spanish Civil War. Tune in to find out more... Thanks to Keith Hynes for the Artwork Badges available at www.irishhistorypodcast.ie/shop  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Mater Hospital in Dublin first opened its doors in 1861. It has a fascinating although often forgotten history. From using cocaine as pain relief in the 19th century to treating the wounded of the 1916 Rising, the hospital has always been a fascinating place. Strange as it sounds, it is also where I first came up with the idea to start podcasting. In 2010 having been diagnosed with Crohn's disease I was unable to work and to keep myself occupied I started making this show. Fast forward ten years and nearly 20 operations, podcasting has now become my full time career. In this show I return to the Mater to look at the extraordinary history of the hospital. In what is a very special episode recorded in the old victorian wing, I look at what the hospital was like in the late 19th century. The archivist Helen Madden gives fascinating insights into - What was 19th century operations were like. - What was hospital food like in the early days? - How the Mater treated those injured in the 1916 Rising. - The story of the republican hunger-striker Thomas Ashe who died in the Mater in 1917. - How tensions rose between the hospital staff and the IRA during the War of Independence after a patient in a nearby hospital was executed! I also interviewed Prof Ronan Cahill about the extraordinary history being made in the Mater today through the use of robotics and AI. I would like to thank Helen Madden & Professor Ronan Cahill for taking the time to talk to me and Debbie Killeen for her work in making this episode possible. www.twitter.com/irishhistory www.patreon.com/irishpodcast www.materfoundation.ie  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Muriel McSwiney is a fascinating if tragic and forgotten figure in Irish history. Born in 1892 into one of Cork's wealthiest families, she rejected the privilege this life offered her. She first became a radical republican playing a key role in the War of Independence before becoming a communist in the 1920s. This podcast tells her story. -------------------------------------------------------------- I have just released a set of unique metal and enamel badges depicting some of the key figures in Irish history over the last 1000 years. They include Brian Boru Dermot MacMurrough Hugh O'Neill Grace O'Malley Michael Davitt Constance Markievicz Get yours today at www.irishhistorypodcast.ie/shop  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

'Winners & Losers' looks at the how the Great Famine came to an end. It's set to the backdrop of a News Year's Eve Ball held in Kilkenny Castle on December 31st 1850. The castle was home to the Marquis & Marchioness of Ormonde, who had invited what was considered the elite of Kilkenny to the ball.  However behind the finery and wealth on display we will see how the Great Famine continued to affect life in Ireland into the 1850s.  From guests at the ball to the impoverished weavers of Kilkenny, it would be several years before the Great Hunger truly came to an end. Support the podcast www.patreon.com/Irishpodcast Twitter @irishhistory Insta @irishhistory  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Jack the Ripper brutally murdered five women in the Whitechapel area of London in the Autumn of 1888. While his identity remains a mystery, these murders have haunted our imaginations ever since. The case has spawned an entire industry with countless books, films and podcasts along with a disturbing and crass tourist industry in London. In spite of all this coverage, most of us know very little history about the case. The lives of the women, why they were killed, even their names is often lost in the endless speculation around the identity of the killer. In this special podcast I interview the historian Hallie Rubenhold. Her latest book 'The Five - The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper' brings the stories of the victims to the fore. In this fascinating interview Hallie reveals a vivid account of working class life in Victorian England, along with the many Irish connections to the case. She also looks at how conspiracy theories have distorted the history of the murders. Get the book on a free trial - audibletrial.com/Ireland Get early access & ad-free versions at www.patreon.com/irishpodcast ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *Production of the final famine episodes has been delayed so I have changed the scheduled again!*  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Divorce and sex magic are not things we associate with medieval Ireland. However for over one thousand years Irish society was governed by a unique and radically different legal system called Brehon Law. In this podcast I interview Dr Gillian Kenny (twitter.com/medievalgill) who explains what Brehon Law was and how it worked. She challenges widely held misconceptions and explains how divorce existed in medieval Ireland given it was banned in modern Ireland until 1995!. And then of course there is the sex magic. Tune in to find out more. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I am currently writing the second last famine episode which looks at how the Great Hunger came to an end. It focuses on my hometown of Kilkenny and the famous Fenian James Stephens who grew up here. twitter.com/irishhistory patreon.com/irishpodcast  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This subject needs little by way of an introduction. It is one of the most controversial debates in Irish history. It continues to overshadow relations with our nearest neighbour - Great Britain. In the 1840s one million Irish people died and another million famine refugees fled the island. The Irish population fell by 25% in less than a decade. Over the past 25 years calls for the Great Famine to be defined as a genocide have gained in popularity. In this podcast I tackle the issue head on answering whether British government policy and their actions in Ireland in the 1840s were genocidal. Support my research at www.patreon.com/irishpodcast Contact@irishhistory on twitter Email info@irishhistorypodcast.ie  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

(I am currently researching the final episodes in the Great Famine series. The next show on the Great Hunger is still two weeks away but in the meantime I have this pretty special bonus podcast.) ----- One of the things that makes medieval history so interesting is that the very basics of life are astounding and fascinating in equal measure. We are endlessly intrigued by - What did people ate? - Life expectancy - How people died? - What was healthcare like In a few weeks a new exhibition opens in my hometown of Kilkenny in the Medieval Mile Museum. This exhibition is centred around skeletons of three people discovered during recent archaeological excavations in the city. This podcast interviews the team of experts behind the excavations in a warts and all look at the lives of our medieval ancestors. (Thanks to Colin O'Drisceoil, Dr Linda Lynch, Shiela Dooley & Grace Fegan for their time.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

During the Great Hunger over 250,000 people were evicted by their landlords. Most of these people were left destitute with little hope in an Ireland decimated by the Great Famine. In this podcast I look at the struggle that took place between tenants and landlords in the final phase of the Great Hunger. The show tries to understand why landlords and their agents acted in such a ruthless manner and why the government in London actually encouraged this process. This episode focuses in on the town of Kenmare and the surrounding Ring of Kerry to see how this played out in one community. ***My next live show in conjunction with Snugcast is on in Grady's Yard Waterford on July 13th. Tickets are free but are going fast - Get yours now at www.waterfordpodcast.eventbrite.ie***  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In August 1849 Queen Victoria arrived in a famine ravaged Ireland. Contrary to what we might expect there were no protests and in many places the Queen received a rapturous welcome. However this only tells part of the story. This podcast takes you on a journey deep into one of Dublin's most notorious slums - St Michan's. There we follow the lives of a poor couple George and Bridget Shea. Their experience of the Great Famine was in its own unique way intertwined with the Victorias visit.  This story provides us with an evocative, fascinating and revealing contrast to the royal visit while also explaining the strangely passive response to the monarch's arrival in Ireland. This episode also covers later 1849 as Dublin finally emerged from the Great Famine. **I have two live shows coming up** Dublin - The Stoneybatter Festival, June 22nd, 4.30 pm @ The Elbow Room, Stoneybatter Waterford - Grady's Yard July 13th Waterford with Snugcast.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.