Talking History with Patrick Geoghegan
Episodes
Samurai: the legendary Japanese warriors
29 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Featuring: Dr Rosina Buckland, Curator of Japanese Collections in the Department of Asia at the British Museum and Lead Curator of the Samurai exhibit...
Rasputin
24 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Rasputin rose from obscurity to become the most controversial figure at the court of Tsar Nicholas II. This episode features: Sir Anthony Beevor, writ...
Mary, Queen of Scots
24 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode: An Accidental History of Tudor England - From Daily Life to Sudden Death, with historian Prof Steven Gunn; Exile: The Captive Years o...
Emily Brontë and Wuthering Heights
18 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode: we hear from Dr Claire O’Callaghan, Senior Lecturer in English at Loughborough University and Editor-in-Chief of Brontë Studies, t...
What Did Anne Boleyn Look Like?
10 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode: to mark International Women's Day, we discuss a number of prolific women across history - 'A History of France in 21 Women', by Kathe...
Steinbeck's Life and Times
01 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode: Dr Danica Cerce from the Steinbeck Review; Dr Susan Shillinglaw, Director of the Steinbeck Center, California; Dr Nicholas P Taylor, ...
De Valera And His Time In America
24 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Featuring: Dr Bernadette Whelan, professor emeritus at the School of History and Geography at the University of Limerick; Dr Colum Kenny, Professor Em...
Michael Davitt, Land League Founder
17 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode: Nationalist Michael Davitt and how he inspired reform movements around the world; the aristocrat who became a champion of Catholic em...
Best of February Books
10 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, the 125th anniversary of the birth of Brendan Bracken, the Irish born adventurer who became Winston Churchill's greatest supporter, w...
America's Infamous Traitor, Benedict Arnold
01 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
We're looking at the life and legacy of one of the American Revolution's greatest villains, Benedict Arnold, and we'll find out how his name became sy...
The Plough And The Stars: 100 Years On
28 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we find out about the first staging of Seán O'Casey's play The Plough and The Stars 100 years ago and why it provoked such furious d...
Ancient Egypt's Innovation
28 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we're finding out about the making of Ancient Egypt - the makers, materials, and remarkable innovations of one of the most iconic civ...
David Bowie
28 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
10 years on from David Bowie's death, we reflect on the life and music of one of the most influential cultural figures of our age, and assess his rema...
1066 and The Norman Conquest
13 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we're going back to 1066 as we debate the Norman Conquest and what it meant for England and indeed Ireland. Featuring: · Prof Judith...
Best of January Books
05 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode: The History of the DPP with UCD's Niamh Howlin; Siege in Ireland, 1641-53, by Pádraig Lenihan; and Irish Food History: A Companion, ...
Celebrating Jane Austen at 250
14 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Marking the 250th anniversary of the birth of Jane Austen, we'll discuss her life and legacy. Featuring: Lizzie Dunford, director of the Jane Austen H...
The Anglo-Irish Agreement: 40 Years On
17 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Featuring: Dáithí O'Ceallaigh, former Irish diplomat who served as Irish Ambassador in London, involved in framing and operating the agreement; Eoin...
Best of November Books
16 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode: 'Mitchell - Father of the Spitfire' by Paul Beaver; 'Wolfpack' by Roger Moorhouse; and 'Summer of Fire and Blood: The German Peasants...
Plato
05 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we look at the life, legacy and ideas of one of the most influential philosophers in human history, Plato, as we get to the heart of ...
Best of October Books
05 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Featuring: 'The First King of England: Æthelstan and the Birth of a Kingdom' by David Woodman, Professor and Fellow in History at Robinson College, U...
Orson Welles
21 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We discuss one of the greatest figures in film history - Orson Welles - on the 40th anniversary of his death. We'll explore his genius, the myths arou...
Nelson and The Battle of Trafalgar
12 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
On its 220th anniversary, we're debating The Battle of Trafalgar, as we find out about strategy, sacrifice and victory on the high seas.Featuring Dr K...
Ireland and the American Revolution
07 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
On the 250th anniversary of the start of the American Revolution, we'll discuss the Irish involvement in the conflict and the impact it had on our his...
Irish STEM Lives
28 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We explore Ireland's journey through science, engineering, technology and mathematics over the last four centuries.Featuring Dr Eoin Kinsella, managin...
Best of September Books
23 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode: Dublin’s Industrial Heritage by Rob Goodbody; the Voices of the Showmen exhibition at the University of Galway; The Great Reversal ...
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
14 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We assess the life and legacy of US Supreme Court judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the fifth anniversary of her death.Featuring: Kelsi Brown Corkran, Supr...
Interrogating Historical Interpretation
07 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we're exploring how individuals experience history, and how lives are lived against the backdrop of conflict and revolutions.Featurin...
Iconic Irish Presidential Elections: 1990 and 1997
31 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we'll be exploring two of the most iconic Irish presidential elections, 1990 and 1997.Featuring Dr John Walsh, School of Educati...
Thomas More
24 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Talking History, we discuss the life, death and legacy of author and statesman Thomas More, who was beheaded by Henry VIII.Featurin...
Best of August Books
21 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Featuring: Landscapes of Kingship in Early Medieval Ireland AD 400-1150, by Dr Patrick Gleeson, Senior Lecturer in Early Medieval Archaeology at Queen...
Ellen Hutchins
21 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we hear about the remarkable life and legacy of Ireland's first female botanist, Ellen Hutchins.Featuring: Madeline Hutchins, wh...
Limerick and the British & Irish Lions
03 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The life and legacy of one of Ireland's most influential historians, with Neasa MacErlean, author of ‘Telling the Truth is Dangerous: How Robert Dud...
Thomas Cromwell: His Final Years
27 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Talking History, we'll discuss the man who helped make Henry VIII, until Henry VIII turned on him - as we bring you the real Thomas...
The Irish Lumières
20 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode: Ireland's forgotten film pioneers, the Horgan brothers of Youghal, and how three visionary siblings captured a rapidly changing Irela...
Daniel O'Connell: 250 Years On
15 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
To mark the 250th anniversary of the birth of Daniel O'Connell, Newstalk's Talking History debates his life, his legacy and how he should be remembere...
How The Free State Won The Irish Civil War
29 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode: a profile of Ireland's longest-serving Minister for Justice, Gerald Boland, with Prof Stephen Kelly, Professor of Modern History and ...
Best of June Books
26 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode: Crusader Criminals - the knights who went rogue in the Holy Land, with Dr Steve Tibble, honorary research associate at Royal Holloway...
Jane Austen: 250 Years On
15 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
On the 250th anniversary of the birth of Jane Austen, we'll discuss her life and legacy.Featuring: Lizzie Dunford, director of the Jane Austen House m...
Early Medieval Manuscripts
09 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Talking History: a roundup of exciting new exhibitions on the island of Ireland, including: the Irish manuscripts returning to the ...
From That Small Island: The Story of the Irish
01 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode: from our earliest ancestors to today's global diaspora, we take a trip through 10,000 years of Ireland's history.Featuring Professor ...
85 Years On: Operation Dynamo and the Battle of Dunkirk
25 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Talking History, we're debating one of the most dramatic episodes of the Second World War: Operation Dynamo, the incredible evacuat...
Celebrating 10 Years of Marriage Equality in Ireland
20 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Talking History, we're going back in time 10 years to remember how Ireland became the first country in the world to legalise same-s...
Best of May Books
11 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Talking History:The social history of death and dying, with historian and bereavement counsellor Molly ConisbeeVietdamned: How the ...
The Most Unusual Conclaves
04 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Talking History is searching for white smoke as we explore the history of the most unusual conclaves, including the one that lasted almost three years...
Best of April Books
27 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we bring you a roundup of history books: we explore how New York was invented in the 17th century, with Russell Shorto, director of t...
JMW Turner: 250 Years On
20 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week is the 250th anniversary of the birth of JMW Turner, so we are playing back our show on one of the greatest landscape artists of all time.Jo...
Anne Frank's Annex Recreated
13 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we explore some fascinating new historical exhibitions and curations taking place around the world.The recreation of Anne Frank's ann...
The Great Gatsby's Centenary
06 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we mark 100 years since the publication of F Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby and explore how its themes are still relevant ...
Best of March Books
30 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode: this month's round-up of history books - 'Travellers in the Golden Realm' by Lubaaba Al-Azami, 'The Brutish Empire' by Des Ekin, and ...
King James VI and I: His Life and Loves
23 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode: our panel reflects on King James I & VI of Scotland - his life and loves - on the 400th anniversary of his death.Featuring histor...
Arthur Guinness
16 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we meet the descendant of Arthur Guinness to discuss the early history of the brewery; we speak with Catherine Healy from Epic Irish ...
Ireland & The Death Penalty
09 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Talking History: the history of Ireland's non-political executions, as we bring you the story of Annie Walsh, the only woman execut...
The Oscars: The Early Days
02 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Talking History:The early days of the Oscars, with Cara O'Doherty, film critic and arts reporterIn search of Ireland's national poe...
40 Years On: Contraceptives Legalised In Ireland
16 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We're marking the 40th anniversary of the legalisation of the sale of contraceptives in Ireland in this episode of Talking History. Our panel features...
Peter The Great
09 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
On the 300th anniversary of his death, we'll explore the life and legacy of the man who made Russia - Peter The Great - and how he got that title.Our ...
The Princes In The Tower
02 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It's one of the greatest murder mysteries in British history - the disappearance of the Princes in the Tower - and we'll debate whether they were kill...
Best of January Books
26 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode: the unhappy early life and dangerous ambition of Eamon De Valera, with Colum Kenny; power and change in Rural Ireland, with editor To...
Churchill: His Life and Legacy
19 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
On the 60th anniversary of his death, we're debating whether Winston Churchill was an inspirational hero who led Britain through its darkest hours, or...
JMW Turner
12 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We mark the 250th anniversary of the birth of visionary artist JMW Turner. We debate his life and legacy and how he transformed the way we view art an...
Elvis at 90
05 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Dr Mark Duffett, Associate Professor in the Division of Communication, Screen & Performance at the University of Chester, and editor of the u...
Gustav Mahler
29 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We're looking at the life, legacy and music of the composer Gustav Mahler and how he tried to capture the breadth of human experience in his works.
Newgrange
22 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode: how Newgrange and the winter solstice have captivated the imagination for centuries, and the monument's connections to Irish mytholog...
Best of December Books
15 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Patrick Geoghegan chats to Prof Diarmaid Ferriter on how Ireland was transformed over the past 25 years, as told in his new book The Revelation of Ire...
Notre Dame
08 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
As Notre Dame reopens after its catastrophic fire, Patrick Geoghegan looks at the construction and re-construction of one of the most iconic cathedral...
Roman Emperor Septimius Severus
01 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Talking History - the story of Caracalla and Geta, the two emperors who share power in the new Gladiator 2 film, how their father S...
Oscar Wilde: His Rise And Fall
24 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
From Decadence To Despair: in this episode we discuss how Oscar Wilde went from the heights of literary fame to the depths of public scandal, as we de...
The History of Gladiators
17 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Marking the release of Gladiator 2, in this episode we explore the brutal world of gladiators - and how they rose from captivity to become icons of th...
The Fall Of The Berlin Wall
10 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We're marking the 35th anniversary of one of the most seismic events of the 20th century: the fall of the Berlin Wall. We'll find out why it was built...
Best of November Books
03 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode:Captive Queen: the Decrypted Story of Mary, Queen of Scots, by Dr Jade ScottWhen Courage Calls: Josephine Butler and the Radical Pursu...
Bram Stoker and The Petty Sessions
27 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This special Talking History episode, live from the Supreme Court in Dublin, in conjunction with Dublin City Council Bram Stoker Festival, centres on ...
Best of October Books
20 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Talking History, our October books special: when Britain became a republic and why it ended in failure, with Prof Alice Hunt of the...
The History of Modern Sinn Féin
13 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Patrick Geoghegan explores the history of modern Sinn Féin, alongside Prof. Agnès Maillot, Head of the School of Applied Language a...
The Most Iconic US Presidential Debates
06 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We're looking at the history of American presidential debates as we explore some of the worst mistakes and iconic quips candidates have made and debat...
Oliver Cromwell and Ireland
29 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This episode of Talking History centres on the life and legacy of Oliver Cromwell and the massacres in Ireland. Featuring Prof John Morrill, emeritus ...
Berthe Morisot and the Impressionists
22 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We're shining a spotlight on one of the most significant yet overlooked figures in art history, Berthe Morisot, and we'll find out how she became a fo...
Alexander Hamilton
15 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
As the iconic musical comes to Dublin, we explore the life and legacy of one of America's most influential founders, Alexander Hamilton.
Best of September Books
08 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Talking History, the kaleidoscopic history of London from the Swinging 60s to the 1980s, with John Davis, emeritus fellow in modern...
Ireland and World War Two
01 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
To mark the 85th anniversary of the start of the Second World War, we'll find out about the Irish men and women who fought in the Resistance, with aut...
The History of Fine Gael
25 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we'll continue our series on Ireland's major political parties, as we look at the history of Fine Gael, and debate its successes and ...
Best of August Books
18 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode: a new look at the Irish Civil War and how many were killed, with Donal Ó Drisceoil of UCC; ritual and belief in Pagan Ireland, with ...
50 Years On: Nixon's Resignation
11 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Talking History, we're investigating the resignation of President Nixon 50 years ago, the only time an American president has been ...
Six Lives: Henry VIII's Queens
04 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Talking History: the women who married Henry VIII have come to be encapsulated in a six-word rhyme - divorced, beheaded, died, divo...
Best of July Books
28 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode: Irish First Ladies & First Gentlemen, 1919-2011, by Dr Bernadette Whelan; Cartomania: Celebrity & Photography in the 19th Cen...
Presidential Shootings
21 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In the aftermath of the assassination attempt on former US president Donald Trump, we will be looking at shootings in American presidential history as...
The Early History of the Olympics
14 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Patrick and his panel reflect on the early history of the Olympic Games, from ancient Greece to the revival in more modern times, discussing their his...
The Yeats Sisters
07 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Joining Patrick Geoghegan to delve into the lives and works of the Yeats sisters are: Dr Róisín Kennedy, Assistant Professor, School of Art History ...
Notre Dame
30 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Ahead of the reopening of Notre Dame later this year, Patrick Geoghegan looks at the construction and re-construction of one of the most iconic cathed...
Women and the Irish State
23 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
From the marriage bar to unequal pay - we're finding out about the status and position of women in the independent Irish state and the long fight for ...
Best of June Books
16 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Newstalk's Talking History: From Tudor to Stuart: The Regime Change from Elizabeth I to James I, by Susan Doran, Professor of Early...
100 Years of the Leaving Cert
09 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Talking History on Newstalk, we're looking at the history of the Leaving Certificate - 100 years old this year - and debating its i...
D-Day: 80 Years On
02 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this D-Day special, Talking History explores the D-Day landings on the 80th anniversary of the Longest Day, and how they changed the course of the ...
William The Conqueror
26 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Patrick Geoghegan and his panel explore the life, times and legacy of William The Conqueror. Was he a hero who instituted great changes, brought in le...
Best of May Books
19 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we're telling the story of Ireland through its records with Orlaith McBride, Director of the National Archives of Ireland; we'll also...
Tchaikovsky
12 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Talking History, we're looking at the life and music of Tchaikovsky and debating his remarkable artistic legacy. Joining Patrick Ge...
The Library of Alexandria
05 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we're exploring the Library of Alexandria and finding out how it became the ancient world's greatest repository of knowledge. Joining...
The History of Fianna Fáil
28 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In a new mini-series over the next year, Talking History explores the history of Ireland's political parties, from their achievements in office, to th...
100 Years of Surrealism
21 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Marking the international touring exhibition 'Imagine: 100 Years of International Surrealism', Patrick Geoghegan finds out what this movement meant to...
April Books Special
14 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this April Books Special, we'll find out how the Oxford English Dictionary was crowdsourced from a surprising and diverse group of people from astr...
Abba: 50 Years Since Eurovision
07 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Talking History, we're remembering Abba's Eurovision win 50 years ago and finding out how the song Waterloo helped to propel them t...
The Creation of the Irish Courts
31 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this week's Talking History, we're looking at the creation of the Irish courts system 100 years ago and exploring how our legal system came about. ...