How difficult was life in the Middle Ages? This is something archaeologists and historians have debated for decades. In recent years, new techniques, including genetic analysis, have given us new insights into the lives of our distant ancestors in the Medieval Era. Their findings are unsettling. Life in the Middle Ages was far more difficult than we imagine. My guest in this episode is Prof. Eileen Murphy from Queen's University Belfast. Eileen has recently published groundbreaking research...

The camera never lies or does it? In this episode, I take a trip to the National Photographic Archive in Temple Bar, Dublin. Joining me is the archivist, Nora Thornton. Nora not only leads you through the history of photography from its earliest days but also delves into the murky history of image manipulation. It's much older than modern photoshopping. From your great-grandmother, who was eager to alter her figure, to more significant political editing, there's a fascinating history that...

In 1170, the Norman Lord Strongbow landed an army in Ireland. The following day, he launched a deadly assault on the nearby city of Waterford. Before the day was out, Strongbow had not only conquered Waterford in a brutal assault but also made time for his wedding. This marriage changed Ireland forever. Discover how the marriage of Aoife, a seventeen-year-old, and Strongbow, a man in his mid-forties, altered the course of Irish history. I also explore how it elevated Aoife to one of the most...

The 1930s stood out as one of the most dramatic decades in modern history. Fascism was on the rise, and Europe was hurtling towards the Second World War. However, it was a peculiar time in Ireland. The Revolutionary Era was firmly in the rearview, and the optimism and hope it once inspired had long faded. Irish society was increasingly dominated by the Catholic Church and conservative political forces. This podcast delves into life in Ireland during the 1930s by examining the experiences of a...

In 1851 there were nearly 90,000 orphans in Irish Workhouses. Many of these children had lost their parents to hunger and disease. Others had been abandoned. This podcast explores the lives of these resilient children as they turned into young adults and rebelled against a world that had forsaken them... Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/irishhistory. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Telling the time in hours and minutes seems so natural that we don’t even question where it came from. However it is a pretty recent development. For most of history our ancestors didn’t have clocks and understood time itself in a very different way. In this podcast we will journey back through the centuries to explore how our ancestors measured time. Its an intriguing story. In the medieval world the length of an hour changed every day while Dublin in the 1870s had two separate time...

On April 13th, 1922, three IRA volunteers chased a man through Central Park in New York. In front of dozens of witnesses, they shot him four times before escaping. This event marked the culmination of an international manhunt as the IRA tracked an informer across the world. In this episode, I am joined by New York Times Senior Editor Mark Bulik. During the interview, Mark shares the intriguing story of Patrick 'Cruxie' O'Connor and why he was hunted by the IRA in 1920s New York. Follow up on...

During the Great Hunger of the 1840s, vast sums of money were sent to Ireland by people across the world. One of the most remarkable stories is that of the First African Baptist Church in Richmond, Virginia. Even though many of the congregants were slaves, they still sent a donation. In this podcast, I interview Anelise Shrout, who shares this and other stories of remarkable generosity. Anelise also reveals why people chose to give money to Ireland above other causes and crises. We also...

Through most of the 20th century, authorities in Ireland operated a strict censorship regime when it came to film. At its height, around one in every three films was censored in Ireland. The reasons for this are often hard to fathom today. Scenes that showed a dancer's legs or even a long kiss were often edited out. Allusions to sex were considered far too racy. And this was all before they even got into the films that strayed into politics or religion In this episode, I am joined by Aoife...

In the late 1960s, Northern Ireland erupted into major violence, marking the opening phase of The Troubles. Over three decades, this conflict would claim thousands of lives and continues to dominate life in Ireland today. In my new exclusive supporters series, I am joined by Dr. Brian Hanley to explore how and why The Troubles began. This fascinating history begins in the 1920s when Northern Ireland was forged amid intense violence. Over six episodes, the series explores the rising tensions...

In the mid 19th century Mormonism was one of the fastest growing religions in the world. However when Mormon missionaries arrived in Ireland in 1840 they failed to establish a foothold. Over time Ireland gained a reputation as the most hostile country on earth for Mormons. This podcast explores why this was the case. The answer is the complexities of Irish identity, our relationship with Catholicism and scandals surrounding the 19th century Mormon practice of polygamy. The show starts however...

The story of the Samson is one most bizarre shipwrecks in Irish history. When this enormous sea crane ship crashed into the Irish coast, it's owners got more than they bargained for. While an RAF helicopter rescued the crew, a local man battled mountainous seas to climb aboard and claim the ship as his own! This began a 40 day saga… Check out pictures of wreck the Samson on new channels WhatsApp Irish History Channel Telegram Irish History Channel Support the show at:...

In the 1780s work began on a new city in Ireland. Called New Geneva it was designed to provide a new home for exiled revolutionaries from Switzerland. Today there are few traces of this now lost city. This masks a fascinating and dark history. When New Geneva failed, life there descended into barbarism and brutality. I have posted images of New Geneva to my new WhatsApp and Telegram channels WhatsApp Irish History Channel Telegram Irish History Channel  Key sources Whatmore, R....

We've been on an extraordinary journey since the show launched 14 years ago. From medieval battlefields to revolutions we've shared ringside seats to some of the greatest moments in history. My plan for 2024 is to embark on an even more ambitious journey with you. All is explained in this short episode... Become a supporter www.patreon.com/irishpodcast Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/irishhistory. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

New York, Boston, and Chicago dominate the history of Irish migration to the United States. However by 1900 one of the most Irish cities in the US was Butte Montana. Situated high in the Rocky mountains, Butte was just one of hundreds of Irish communities dotted across the American West.  Beginning back in the California Goldrush of the 1850s, tens of thousands of Irish immigrants ventured into the American West. Seeking opportunity, they were often greeted with racism and distrust. This...

In the past decade, podcasting has taken the world by storm. The advent of smartphones and the ground-breaking podcast 'Serial' would see podcasting surge in popularity. In 2020 alone over a million new shows were launched. But does it have a future? Some are not convinced. In the second and final part of my series on the history of podcasting I look at how podcasting became so popular and where it’s heading. The show features Blindboy, Jennifer Forde, Sam Bungey, Brian Greene and Sinead the...

‘You might not be a revolutionary, but you are living through a revolution.’  Podcasting is much older than you might imagine. A decade before the true crime show Serial took the world by storm, creators were making some of the earliest shows.   This podcast is a nostalgic trip through the early days of the internet in Ireland when podcasting emerged. Brian Greene who was making shows in the mid 2000s shares his memories of the early days of podcasting. I also interview some of your...

It’s a dark evening in early November 1847. A carriage makes it's way through lawless starving countryside in North Roscommon. A gun shot rings out, a man falls dead. A family mourns but a community rejoices. While the Great Hunger of the 1840s resulted in one million deaths, this one murder encapsulated the stark choices facing that generation of Irish people in a one gripping story. It is retold in this episode. Assassinated: A Story of Vengeance & Murder in the Great Hunger is the...

In the mid 1860s, Andersonville became one of the most feared places in America. This sleepy corner of Georgia gained notoriety in the later stages of the US Civil War when the Confederacy opened a prison camp there. Nearly one third of all prisoners who entered Andersonville never left.  Among their number were hundreds of Irish men. This podcast tells their stories. I am joined by historian Damian Shiels who runs the Andersonville Irish project. An expert on Irish involvement in the US...

Writing histories of people who led secret lives is difficult because they leave few records. Yet that is precisely what my guest in today’s show has done. In this podcast, Dr Maurice Casey, shares the fascinating history of Rose McKenna and Sydney Arnold and how he uncovered their secret lives. In the early 20th century, this Latvian-Irish couple participated in two revolutions in Ireland and Russia. While Rose tried to arms for the IRA in London, they were also contemporaries of Ho Chi Minh...

As we prepare to celebrate Halloween, this episode is a timely exploration of the history of the supernatural in Ireland. Ghosts have long played an important role in Irish history and culture. In this podcast I am joined by Dr Clodagh Tait, a historian of the supernatural. Our conversation focuses on a specific type of ghost referred to as a crisis apparition. These usually appeared far from home, often informing an emigrant about an imminent death in their family. We discuss where these...

I have come down with a cold so rather than subject you to me coughing and spluttering through a show I have selected a classic from the archives.  As I explain, I recently listened back to this episode after a chance meeting with my guest Cormac Leonard. The episode on the history of the Deaf community is the definition of forgotten history. Until recently the community was largely ignored by historians.  In this episode Cormac explains how the deaf community shaped Irish history. He also...

In the 1920s and 30s Irish emigrants in Britain faced widespread racism and discrimination. Labelled drunks, subversives, and a threat to society, right wing politicians whipped up fear and hatred against the community.This podcast tells the forgotten stories of these emigrants. The episode begins with humorous story of Martin King whose drunken escapades after downing half a bottle of whiskey revealed the racism at the heart of British society. The show goes on to look at what was often the...

In 1923 as the Irish revolution came to an end, large parts of the North Roscommon town of Arigna lay in ruins. While war and revolution had swept across Ireland over the previous years few places shared Arigna’s unique experience. When workers occupied local coalmines demanding better working conditions this began years of intense and bitter conflict with the authorities. This is the story of the Arigna Soviet You can find Oisín Ó Drisceoil's essay on the Arigna Soviet in Labour HIstory in...