Irish History Podcast

Bloody Sunday (The War of Independence part XIX)

25 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

November 21st, 1920 was one of the most violent days in the War of Independence. It has gone down in history as 'Bloody Sunday'. While this episode ex...

The Fernside Raid & the Execution of Kevin Barry (The War of Independence XVIII)

18 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This is the first of three back-to-back episodes that will take us through one of the most critical periods of the war. The Autumn of 1920 witnessed a...

The IRA Campaign in Britain (The War of Independence Part XVII)

04 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Although frequently overlooked, the IRA and the wider republican movement in Britain played an important role during the War of Independence. While th...

Revolutionary Justice (The War of Independence Part XVI)

27 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This episode introduces two forgotten but remarkable revolutionaries - Margaret and Rose Quinn. These two sisters operated a secret IRA prison fr...

The War of Independence (Part XV) - Daily Life during the War

20 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

After a break of three months, the War of Independence Series finally returns! This episode takes you back to Ireland in the grip of war in 1920. Give...

Human Skulls and Pagan Idols - The story of a sacred bog

06 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Until recently few people had heard of Gortnacranagh in Co Roscommon. Then, in early August, archaeologists announced they had made startling discover...

History off the beaten track - Ireland's top heritage sites (you've never heard of)

23 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Ireland has literally thousands of amazing historic and archaeological sites that stretch back thousands of years. Many of the best of these are off t...

Passage East - A Medieval D-Day on Ireland's Omaha beach

16 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Do beaches have a history? They very rarely feature in history books, however some of the most important chapters in our past began on beaches.This ep...

The History of the Knights Templar in Ireland

26 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

You've probably heard of the Knights but did you know they had a long history in Ireland lasting nearly two centuries?In this podcast I interview Maev...

Kylemore Abbey - Life in a Victorian Mansion in Connemara

19 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode you will step back a century to experience life in a Victorian mansion.Kylemore Abbey is a stunning mansion located in the wilds of Co...

Sieges, Luxury and Servitude - A Day in a 500 Year Old Castle

05 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What was it like to it live in a castle? Were they luxurious? How similar were they to modern houses? Last week I visited Clara Castle and record...

The Black Death vs Covid-19: A Social History of the Pandemic

28 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

673 years ago in Kilkenny, a Franciscan Friar John Clyn wrote one of the most famous accounts of the Black Death in Ireland. In this episode I am join...

5000 Year Old Tombs, Writers Block & Graveyards of Inspiration

20 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

I have writers block again, so I went on a hunt for inspiration in historic locations around Kilkenny. I ended up at a tomb that's over 5,000 years ol...

Terence MacSwiney's Hunger-Strike (The War of Independence XIV)

14 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Through 1920 Terence MacSwiney became the most well known Irish republican across the world. Elected as Lord Mayor of Cork in March, he was arrested i...

The Rebel County (the War of independence Part XIII)

31 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Cork is known as the rebel county. From late 1919 it earned this adage as some of the most bitter fighting in the War of Independence took place in Co...

Belfast, Derry & The War in the North (the War of Independence XII)

24 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The story of the War of Independence in the North of Ireland is often overlooked. This obscures the fact that Belfast was the most violent place in Ir...

Women & the Irish Revolution - The War of Independence Part XI

17 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In the latest installment of the War of Independence series I am joined by historian Liz Gills to talk about women and the Irish revolution. While num...

The IRA on the Offensive - Easter 1920 (the War of Independence Part X)

10 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

As Easter approached in 1920 many politicians in Britain feared a major uprising in Ireland along the lines of the 1916 Rising. While the IRA had a ma...

An Empire in Crisis (The War of Independence Part IX)

26 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

To date the War of Independence series has focused largely on the republican movement. This episode however looks at how the British government and th...

The Fermoy Army Riots (The War of Independence VIII)

19 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode we move south to the Cork town of Fermoy. While most clashes in the war to date have seen the IRA pitted against police constables, th...

The Knocklong Ambush (The War of Independence Part VII)

05 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This episode returns to the story of Seumus Robinson, Dan Breen, Sean Hogan and Sean Treacy. Known as the Big Four, these IRA volunteers had come to p...

The Podcast Has Run Aground in The Suez Canal

30 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

There was no episode this week and here's why....Become a supporter & access dozens of exclusive podcastsPatreon www.patreon.com/irishpodcastAcast...

The Limerick Soviet and The Russian Revolution (The War of Independence VI)

15 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

*There was an audio issue on an early version of this episode. This was resolved and a new issue was uploaded on Monday 15 March at 21:00 - Fin*.In Ap...

The Escape from Lincoln Jail (The War of Independence V)

08 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Last weeks episode looked at the story of the Soloheadbeg Ambush, often considered the opening shots of the war. A few weeks later one of the most aud...

The Soloheadbeg Ambush & the First Dáil (the War of Independence IV)

01 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In the latest installment of the War of Independence series we look at the famous 1918 election from the perspective of a forgotten Sligo woman Sarah ...

The Road to War (The War of Independence III)

15 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

An ambush at Soloheadbeg, Tipperary in January 1919 is often cited as the opening shots of the War of Independence. However as early as 1917 political...

The 1916 Rising (The War of Independence Part II)

08 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The story of the War of Independence continues with the 1916 Rising. The episode begins by looking at the how the revolt unfolded and explains wh...

The Irish War of Independence Part I - World War I

01 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This is the first episode in a 24 part series on the War of Independence. Today's show focuses on the First World War and how it destablised Irish soc...

(Part III) The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire of 1911: An Emigrant's Experience

25 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire of 1911 was pivotal moment in US history. The deadly workplace disaster in the heart of Manhattan detailed in the last tw...

(Part II) The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire of 1911: An Emigrant's Experience

18 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This is the second episode in the miniseries on the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire of 1911. Its worth checking out episode 1 before listening to this show. ...

The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire of 1911: An Emigrant's Experience

11 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

On March 25th 1911 a fire ripped through a sweatshop in Lower Manhattan where hundreds of immigrants worked long hours in dangerous conditions. The Tr...

The War of Independence

04 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Through 2021 the podcast will be focusing on the story of the Irish War of Independence. It starts on February 1st but check out this short podcast to...

John Charles McQuaid - A Ghost of Our Catholic Past

22 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Through the mid 20th century John Charles McQuaid, the archbishop of Dublin was one of the most influential people in Ireland. McQuaid has come to sym...

A History of the Police in Ireland

07 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

One of the first major challenges facing the Irish government after Independence in 1922 was how to police the country. The Royal Irish Constabulary w...

The Forgotten Lives of the Women of Cahir

30 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Women are all too often overlooked in history. The Daughters of Dun Iascaigh, written by the Cahir Womens History Group, addresses this imbalance by p...

The Lepers’ Plot - A Medieval Conspiracy Theory

24 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Conspiracy theories seem more popular than ever. Increasing numbers of people are turning to what are unorthodox understandings of the world. This is ...

The Irish History Summit 2021 – Calling LC History Teachers.

11 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The first Irish History Summit takes place on January 19th 2021. The summit is an exclusive one day online event where leading Irish Historians will p...

The Road to Oldcroghan #6 - An Afterlife

09 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

It's very human to wonder how we will be remembered. However few have a legacy like that of the victim from Oldcroghan. It was certainly one neither h...

The Road to Oldcroghan #5 Sacrifice

02 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Several theories have been forwarded to explain the brutal murder that came to light in a bog at Oldcroghan in 2003. Through meticulous research,...

The Road to Oldcroghan #4 The Crime Scene

26 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode we return to the the scene of the crime Clonearl bog in Croghan where the body was found. This will help us understand who exactly may...

The Road to Oldcroghan #3 Tír na nÓg - The Land of Youth

19 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Bogs are strange places. Their unique properties slow down the process of decay. They not only preserve bodies, but also evidence of what may have hap...

The Road to Oldcroghan #2- Identification

12 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Marie Cassidy the state pathologist arrives in Croghan to examine the remains of the victim. When Kevin Barry leads her to the corpse she makes a star...

The Road to Oldcroghan #1 - Murder in a Land Time Forgot

05 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Croghan, Co Offaly is a remarkable place. The scenery is stunning; the local community are friendly and welcoming. However their future is far from ce...

The Road to Oldcroghan Coming October 5th

28 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Episode 1 of the Road to Oldcroghan drops on October 5th. Exclusive early access available at patreon.com/irishpodcast.Become a supporter & access...

Ireland and the Anti Slavery Movement

14 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

From the 1790s onwards numerous Black anti-slavery activists visited Ireland to build support for the abolition of the slave trade and slavery itself....

An Enduring Graveyard (Part 7)

23 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Preban cemetery is not only where the communities in the surrounding region bury their dead, but it also has an important place in day to day life for...

The Empty Grave - Stories From a Living Graveyard (Part 6)

22 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The Great Famine haunts every graveyard in Ireland. Alongside victims of the Great Hunger, many graveyards include the names of those who were forced ...

The Big Snow Tragedy - Stories From a Living Graveyard (Part 5)

21 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Graveyards chronicle the history of the communities where we. At Preban, Co Wicklow one of the most tragic stories is that of the Mulhall family. In t...

The 1798 Rebellion - Stories From a Living Graveyard (Part 4)

20 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In the summer of 1798 large parts of Ireland were ravaged by one of the largest rebellions in Irish history. Numerous people in communities around Pre...

Pilgrimage - Stories From a Living Graveyard (Part 3)

19 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

St Aidan's well is located in the environs Preban graveyard. Rituals have been performed at this holy well for centuries possibly even longer. Althoug...

A History Through The Ages at Preban (Stories from a Living Graveyard Part 2)

18 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In part II of 'Stories from a Living Graveyard’ Damian and myself journey back into the earliest history of Preban. This takes us deep into the medi...

Preban Graveyard - Stories from a Living Graveyard (Part 1)

17 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The ancient graveyard of Preban is situated in the southern foothills of the Wicklow Mountains near the picteuresque town of Tinahely. While its histo...

Preban: A Living Graveyard

11 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This seven part series starting Monday August 17th, explores fascinating stories from a forgotten graveyard. Until 2010 Preban cemetery in Co Wicklow ...

Divided Loyalties: Letters from World War II

04 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

During the Second World War Irish Military Intelligence stepped up their activities monitoring potential threats to the Irish state. Their target...

Irish Farmers Don't Wear Cravats

20 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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. Whi...

Irish Spies in World War II

06 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Ireland remained neutral in the Second World War. However by the summer of 1940 a German invasion seemed increasingly likely. Having conquered Western...

Could You Survive on a Pre-Famine Irish Diet? I Tried...

22 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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) ...

Fleeing The War: Basques Refugees in Ireland

08 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 - ...

From Cork to Bermuda: An Irishwoman's Life in the British Army

02 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Through the 18th and 19th century, large numbers of Irishmen served in the British Army. However there were also many Irishwomen whose lives were inte...

The Legacy of the Spanish Civil War (Partisans X)

27 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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, ...

The Final Battle & the Mysterious Death of Frank Ryan (Partisans IX)

25 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 a...

Paradise Lost (Partisans VIII)

20 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 Iri...

The Bombing of Guernica & the War in the North (Partisans VII)

18 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 i...

Bleeding for Spain (Partisans VI)

13 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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...

The Blueshirts and the International Brigades (Partisans V)

11 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 trave...

Making a Martyr - The Story of Oliver Plunkett

05 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Ireland's Deaf Community - A History

27 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The Deaf community are rarely mentioned in general histories of Ireland. Prior to making this episode I knew almost nothing about their rich history. ...

Irish History Quiz: Test Your Knowledge

24 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

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 selec...

1000 Years from Home

20 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This show is 40 minutes of escapism from Covid-19. In the podcast I explore some of the history and historic places within two kilometres of my home i...

A History of Epidemics in Ireland

13 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Recently I discovered that my great great grandmother Catherine Murphy lost her sister and her daughter within two days of each other in February 1919...

The History of Coffee Part II (1845-2020)

06 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The Great Famine, the Sitcom Friends and Prohibition campaigners in 19th century Belfast all have one thing in common – in some way shape or fo...

ONLINE IRISH HISTORY QUIZ NIGHT

03 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Calling Irish History Fans!Test your knowledge against listeners from across the world on April 11th. I will be hosting an online history table quiz o...

The History of Coffee Part I (1000-1845)

30 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The Irish coffee industry generates hundreds of million of euros every year. This is a pretty recent development - when I was growing up in the 1980s ...

Preparing for a Pandemic in 1900

27 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We are all taking precautionary measures to avoid Covid-19, but this is not the first time humans have faced such threats. This short episode looks at...

Voices from a Vanishing World - The Aran Islands 1901

23 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Between 1898 and 1902, the Irish playwright John Millington Synge spent several summers on the Aran Islands. Shaped by the harsh environment of the No...

Murder Will Out - A Land to Die For (Part II)

16 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In the last episode (A Land to Die For Part I) we followed the story of William Sheehan. Raised in a community obsessed with land he had become involv...

A Land to Die For (Part I)

10 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Land has been the cause of some of the most vicious feuds and brutal murders in modern irish history. Often portrayed as the poor tenant farmer agains...

Dublin 1916: The Calm Before the Storm

26 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The year 1916 is known for one event in Irish history – the Easter Rising. However as that fateful weekend approached most Dubliners were oblivious ...

Nazi Loot & Soviet Spies - Ireland in the Summer of '63

03 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This podcast transports you back to Ireland during the summer of 1963. This was a fascinating time; JFK visited Ireland, 1% of the population were pri...

On the Lash! A History of Drinking in Ireland

27 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

First built in 1582, the Hole in the Wall pub in Kilkenny was the perfect location to record this episode. I was joined by DJ Walsh of the podcast Snu...

Dunmore Cave & Viking Massacres: A History From The Underworld

20 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This history of Dunmore cave is mysterious and gripping. Around the year 930 the Vikings massacred large numbers of people in a battle fought around t...

I Need Your Advice!

14 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

I have exciting plans for 2020. Amongst other things I will be starting a major series on the Irish War of Independence. However I need your advice on...

The Rise and Fall of Carrickmines Castle

17 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

When creating episodes I normally try to tell wider events in Irish history by focusing on the lives of an individual person. This podcast takes a dif...

An Irish Rebel in Spain (The War Begins) Partisans #4

09 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

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 Irish Communist Partisan (Partisans #3)

02 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

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 t...

The Irish Fascist Partisan (Partisans #2)

25 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

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'Bri...

Partisans#1 The Long Road to Stalingrad: The Origins of the Spanish Civil War

18 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Rescuing History: The Four Courts Explosion

14 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

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 Civi...

The Partisans Are Coming!

30 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

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...

The Mater Hospital: Where History is Made

21 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Muriel McSwiney: A Forgotten Revolutionary

11 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

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 th...

Winners & Losers - How the Great Hunger Ended

19 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

'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...

Jack the Ripper & Irish Connections

02 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

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 murd...

Brehon Law: From Divorce to Irish Sex Magic

16 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

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 an...

Was The Great Famine a Genocide? | The Great Famine XXXIII

31 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This subject needs little by way of an introduction. It is one of the most controversial debates in Irish history. It continues to overshadow relation...

Three Lives, Three Deaths & One Life Unlived

16 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

(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 meanti...

Landlords & Mass Evictions - Exploiting the Great Hunger | The Great Famine XXXII

05 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

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 d...

The Beginning of the End & Queen Victoria in Ireland (1849) | The Great Famine XXXI

17 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

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 Quee...

Tyranny, Cruelty & Inhumanity - Surviving the Workhouse | The Famine in Clogheen II | The Great Famine XXX

23 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This podcast (the second show on the town of Clogheen) introduces Richard Burke, a man who had a very unusual experience of the Great Famine. Between ...

Corn, Gunpowder & Class Conflict | The Famine in Clogheen I | The Great Famine XXIX

02 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This episode is a return of the Great Famine Series. Focusing on the town of Clogheen in South Tipperary, this two part episode follows the lives of t...