The Irish History Show

We have reached a very special milestone on the Irish History Show as this is our 100th episode! We discussed setting up the show and how it has evolved over the years. Our thanks to Near FM for originally broadcasting the show and our special thanks to all the amazing guests we've had over the years. We remember our favourite episodes and subjects we've returned to time and again. Most importantly we want to thank you the listeners for all the support over the years and hopefully it won't take as long to reach 200 episodes! We have started a Patreon page for The Irish Story website and The Irish History Show. Please follow the link and your support is greatly appreciated. https://www.patreon.com/user?u=29204818 Intro / Outro music “Sliabh” from Aislinn. Licensed under creative commons from the free music archive.

On this episode of the show, we discussed the Irish Civil War Fatalities Project. The Irish Civil War Fatalities Project, supported with funding from the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, seeks to identify all of the conflict-related fatalities in Ireland between the opening shots of the Civil War on 28 June 1922 and the ceasefire and dump arms order on 24 May 1923. For decades, historians of the Civil War have resorted to estimates when surveying the human cost of Ireland's Civil War. Now, for the first time, UCC historian Dr Andy Bielenberg, assisted by John Dorney, has enumerated the civilian and combatant fatalities, allowing for a wide-ranging, sometimes surprising, analysis of the nature and geographic distribution of the casualties and their impact. In collaboration with UCC's Atlas of the Irish Revolution Team, the research findings have been cartographically represented in a searchable, interactive Civil War Fatalities map. The project can be accessed here. Our own John Dorney discussed his time working on the project and what information is contained on the new site. We have recently started a Patreon page for The Irish Story website and The Irish History Show. Please follow the link and your support is greatly appreciated. https://www.patreon.com/user?u=29204818 Intro / Outro music “Sliabh” from Aislinn. Licensed under creative commons from the free music archive.

On this episode of the Irish History Show we looked at the Plantation of Ulster. The Plantation was the colonisation of Ireland's northern province of Ulster by people from Britain during the reign of James VI and I. The official plantation began in 1609 in six of Ulster's nine counties, Donegal, Coleraine, Tyrone, Fermanagh, Armagh and Cavan. Lands in counties Antrim, Down and Monaghan were privately planted with Crown support. We have recently started a Patreon page for The Irish Story website and The Irish History Show. Please follow the link and your support is greatly appreciated. https://www.patreon.com/user?u=29204818 Intro / Outro music “Sliabh” from Aislinn. Licensed under creative commons from the free music archive.

The Nine Year War in Ireland took place in Ireland from 1593 to 1603. The rebellion was led by Hugh O'Neill and Red Hugh O'Donnell and was a response to the Tudor Conquest in Ireland. The rebellion began in Ulster but eventually spread throughout the whole country. There were some significant Irish victories such as Clontibret and Yellow Ford but the Battle of Kinsale saw the English win a pivotal victory against the Irish and their Spanish allies. (Unfotunately, when we were discussing the marriages of Hugh O'Neill, we referred to Mabel Bagenal as the former wife of Henry Bagenal. She was Henry's sister and she eloped with Hugh O'Neill, much to the anger of Henry Bagenal.) We have recently started a Patreon page for The Irish Story website and The Irish History Show. Please follow the link and your support is greatly appreciated. https://www.patreon.com/user?u=29204818 Intro / Outro music “Sliabh” from Aislinn. Licensed under creative commons from the free music archive.

The Desmond Rebellions occurred in 1569–1573 and 1579–1583 in the Irish province of Munster. They were rebellions by the Earl of Desmond, the head of the FitzGerald dynasty in Munster, and his followers, the Geraldines and their allies, against the threat of the extension of the English government over the province. The rebellions were motivated primarily by the desire to maintain the independence of feudal lords from their monarch but also had an element of religious antagonism between Catholic Geraldines and the Protestant English state. They culminated in the destruction of the Desmond dynasty and the plantation or colonisation of Munster with English Protestant settlers.  Two articles here from the Irish Story website on the Desmond Rebellions: The First Desmond Rebellion. The Second Desmond Rebellion. We have recently started a Patreon page for The Irish Story website and The Irish History Show. Please follow the link and your support is greatly appreciated. https://www.patreon.com/user?u=29204818 Intro / Outro music “Sliabh” from Aislinn. Licensed under creative commons from the free music archive.

On this episode of the Irish History Show we discussed the 1923 General Election in the Irish Free State. The election for the fourth Dáil was held on the 27th of August 1923. It was the first general election held since the establishment of the Irish Free State on the 6th of December 1922. The election was held in aftermath of the Irish Civil War, which had only ended a few short months before. UCD Press has recently published a new book on the 1923 election called Vying for Victory. The book is edited by Mel Farrell, Elaine Callinan and Thomas Tormey and we were very pleased to be joined by Mel and Elaine on the show. Both Dr. Elaine Callinan and Dr. Mel Farrell lecture in Irish history at Carlow College, St. Patrick's. We have recently started a Patreon page for The Irish Story website and The Irish History Show. Please follow the link and your support is greatly appreciated. https://www.patreon.com/user?u=29204818 Intro / Outro music “Sliabh” from Aislinn. Licensed under creative commons from the free music archive.

On this episode of the Irish History Show we discussed the Irish Army Mutiny of 1924. In March 1924 about 50 officers of the Free State's National Army, who were set to be demobilised in the post- Civil War reduction of the Army, seized weapons and abandoned their posts. Led by erstwhile Army Director of Intelligence Liam Tobin and Charles Dalton, they delivered an ultimatum to the government, demanding that the Army Council, headed by Richard Mulcahy, resign and that they and their associates be given prominent commands. They also demanded that the Army be purged of former British Army officers and that progress be made towards Michael Collins' ideal of an all-Ireland Republic. Some contacts were made with interned anti-Treaty IRA prisoners to make common cause against the Free State government, though they were generally rejected by the anti-Treatyites, Civil War wounds being very fresh at the time. Today the mutiny is often dismissed as a mere farce. These were however very dangerous men. Most had served in Collins' IRA Squad and Intelligence Department in the War of Independence. We have recently started a Patreon page for The Irish Story website and The Irish History Show. Please follow the link and your support is greatly appreciated. https://www.patreon.com/user?u=29204818 Intro / Outro music “Sliabh” from Aislinn. Licensed under creative commons from the free music archive.

On this episode of the Irish History Show we discussed the Civil War in Kerry. We discussed Kerry during the War of Independence and the situation in the county at the time of the Truce, the reaction to the Anglo - Irish Treaty by the Republican movement and how the Civil War progressed in the county. We covered the atrocities that were carried out in Kerry during the Civil War and the personalities involved. Here is a link to a recent article by John Dorney about reprisals during the Civil War. Apologies as there are some issues with the audio during the podcast. We have recently started a Patreon page for The Irish Story website and The Irish History Show. Please follow the link and your support is greatly appreciated. https://www.patreon.com/user?u=29204818 Intro / Outro music “Sliabh” from Aislinn. Licensed under creative commons from the free music archive.

On this episode of the Irish History Show we were joined by Gerard Shannon to discuss his new biography of Liam Lynch. During the War of Independence, Liam Lynch was the officer in command of the Cork No. 2 Brigade of the IRA and later commander of the First Southern Division. He opposed the Anglo - Irish Treaty and during the Civil War he was Chief of Staff of the Anti - Treaty IRA. Gerard Shannon is a historian from Skerries in Co. Dublin. In 2019 he wrote his MA thesis, for the School of History and Geography in Dublin City University, on Liam Lynch. Gerard has also written numerous articles for the Irish Story website. We have recently started a Patreon page for The Irish Story website and The Irish History Show. Please follow the link and your support is greatly appreciated. https://www.patreon.com/user?u=29204818 Intro / Outro music “Sliabh” from Aislinn. Licensed under creative commons from the free music archive.

On this episode of the Irish History Show, John Dorney was joined by Dr. Terry Dunne to discuss the land question and agrarian radicalism during the revolutionary period. Dr. Terry Dunne is a sociologist and historian and was Laois County Historian in Residence in 2021 and 2022. He is the host of the Peelers and Sheep podcast which is available here. We have recently started a Patreon page for The Irish Story website and The Irish History Show. Please follow the link and your support is greatly appreciated. https://www.patreon.com/user?u=29204818 Intro / Outro music “Sliabh” from Aislinn. Licensed under creative commons from the free music archive.Audio Player

On this episode of the Irish History Show we looked at executions carried out by the Free State government during the Irish Civil War. The executions were made possible by legislation known as the Public Safety Bill, which was passed in the Dail on September 27, 1922. The emergency legislation gave to the National Army powers of punishment for anyone ‘taking part in or aiding and abetting attacks on the National Forces', having possession of arms or explosives ‘without the proper authority' or disobeying an Army General Order. Military Courts could impose the sentence of death, imprisonment or penal servitude on those found to be guilty of such offences. The Provisional Government, which was in place only to enact the Treaty and oversee the handover from the British administration to the Irish Free State, technically had no legal right to enact new legislation without assent of the Governor General, but this post had yet to be filled. Indeed, the Free State itself did not formally exist until December 7, 1922. So, the Public Safety Bill was technically not a law but simply a resolution passed in the Dáil. It was not until August 1923 that the Free State would pass an Act of Indemnity for all actions committed during the Civil War and also passed new, formal legislation that it would retrospectively legalise what it had enacted in 1922. John Dorney wrote an article on the executions for the Irish Story which is available here. We have recently started a Patreon page for The Irish Story website and The Irish History Show. Please follow the link and your support is greatly appreciated. https://www.patreon.com/user?u=29204818 Intro / Outro music “Sliabh” from Aislinn. Licensed under creative commons from the free music archive.

On this episode of the Irish History Show we discussed the current commemorations of the Irish Civil War and how it is being remembered 100 years on. We covered: How the  Irish Civil War is being commemorated (or not) 100 years on.How the conflict is interpreted today – democrats vs dictators or the unfinished revolution?The enduring mythology surrounding Michael CollinsThe difficulty in commemorating 1922 in an all-Ireland contextHow atrocities of that era can be remembered today. We have recently started a Patreon page for The Irish Story website and The Irish History Show. Please follow the link and your support is greatly appreciated. https://www.patreon.com/user?u=29204818 Intro / Outro music “Sliabh” from Aislinn. Licensed under creative commons from the free music archive.

In the wake of the February 24, 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, much attention has focused on the history of Ukraine. Nadia Dobrianska is a Ukrainian lawyer  and human rights activist as well as a scholar of modern Irish history. She is also currently (August 2022) a refugee in Ireland, fleeing war in Ukraine. Here we talk about the history of Ukraine and the parallels (and many differences) with Irish history. Both countries have an important Viking medieval past. Both were largely peasant nations, in which religion and language intertwined in traditional identity. Both experienced Wars of Independence in the wake of the First World War, though in Ukraine's case unsuccessful. Both experienced catastrophic famines that are also remembered in part as attempts to exterminate the nation. We have recently started a Patreon page for The Irish Story website and The Irish History Show. Please follow the link and your support is greatly appreciated. https://www.patreon.com/user?u=29204818 Intro / Outro music “Sliabh” from Aislinn. Licensed under creative commons from the free music archive.

On this episode of the Irish History Show, John Dorney was joined by Dr. Críostóir Mac Cárthaigh to discuss the Civil War Memory Project, an oral history project in association with the National Folklore Collection (UCD), RTÉ and Scratch Films. For many years the Irish Civil War of 1922-23 was a taboo topic in Ireland, rarely raised in public, except in a partisan manner. Now 100 years on a project is underway to collect family and local memories of the conflict to recover how it was remembered at the local and family level. The National Folklore collection is mounting a major project to collect such memories and these will also be recorded in a documentary, currently in production by Scratch films. Those who are interested in the project and who wish to contribute can contact the National Folklore Collection at bealoideas@ucd.ie or Scratch films at history@scratchfilms.com Críostóir Mac Cárthaigh is an Archivist for the National Folklore Collection at University College Dublin. His research interests are vernacular architecture, traditional boats and fishing, the cultural landscape (especially those of Atlantic island communities), as well as folk drama and oral literature. He is joint editor of New Survey of Clare Island: v. 1: History and Cultural Landscape (1999). Intro / Outro music “Sliabh” from Aislinn. Licensed under creative commons from the free music archive.

On this episode of the Irish History Show John Dorney was joined by John Joe McGinley to discuss the Irish American Mob and orgainised crime from the 19th century onwards. We speak about: the early gangs from the influx of Irish immigration after the Great Famine. The Prohibition era when many Irish gangsters made fortunes and also their conflict with Italian crime organisations. Famous Irish American criminals such as Vincent ‘Mad Dog' Coll and Owney Madden. The relationship of the ‘Irish mob' with the broader Irish American community. Later Irish gangs such as the ‘Westies'. The demise of organised crime in the era of the RICO Act. John Joe McGinley is a Donegal historian and a regular contributor to the Irish Story, Irish Central and Ireland's Own. His book Irish Wise Guys is available here. Intro / Outro music “Sliabh” from Aislinn. Licensed under creative commons from the free music archive.

On this episode of the Irish History Show we were joined by journalist and author Ed Moloney to discuss the life of Ian Paisley. Reverend Ian Paisley was the founder of the Free Presbyterian Church and the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party from 1971 to 2008. In 2007 he became the First Minister of Northern Ireland. We discussed Paisley's rise to prominence in Northern Ireland during the 1960s; the political and religious traditions he came from; his American influences; his opposition to ecumenism, liberalism and the Civil Rights Movement; his relationship with Loyalist paramilitaries; his longevity and popularity in Northern Irish politics; power sharing with Sinn Féin, and the end of his leadership of both the DUP and the Free Presbyterian Church. Ed Moloney is the former Northern Editor of both the Irish Times and the Sunday Tribune. He has published work in a variety of newspapers and magazines in Ireland, the UK, and the United States, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The New York Daily News, The New York Post, The Economist, The Independent, The Guardian and The New Statesman. Moloney is the author of three books dealing with aspects of the Irish Troubles,  A Secret History of the IRA (2007), Paisley: From Demagogue to Democrat? (2008) and Voices from the Grave: Two Men's War in Ireland (2010). He has also helped to produce documentaries for the BBC, Channel Four, London Weekend Television and a recent RTÉ documentary, Voices From the Grave, which was based on his book and was shortlisted for best documentary prize by the Irish Film and Television Academy. Ed Moloney's website is available here.

On this episode of the Irish History Show we were joined by Cían Harte to discuss Irish Army deserters during the Second World War. When the Second World War began the Irish government declared neutrality. As many neutral European nations were to find out, neutrality was no guarantee to avoiding invasion. In the episode we discussed the state of the Irish Defence Forces at the outbreak of war; the massive recruitment campaigns undertaken by the state forces; the conditions and morale of soldiers; reasons for desertion; serving soldiers deserting and joining the British military and the repercussions for these deserters after the war. Cían Harte is an historian, a serving officer in the Irish Defence Forces and self-published author of works such as 'Heroes Or Traitors? Irish Deserters of WWII', 'Soldiers of Sligo' & 'The Lost Tales: Riverstown's Great War, 1914-1918' among others. https://www.cianhartehistorian.com/ Intro / Outro music “Sliabh” from Aislinn. Licensed under creative commons from the free music archive.

On this episode of the Irish History Show we were joined by Liz Gillis and James Brady to discuss the IRA in Dublin during the War of Independence. Liz Gillis is an historian and researcher on RTE's History Show. She is the author of seven books covering the Irish Revolutionary period 1916-23 including 'Ireland Over All', 'The Fall of Dublin', 'Revolution in Dublin', 'Women of the Irish Revolution', 'The Hales Brothers and the Irish Revolution', 'May 25: The Burning of the Custom House 1921' and co-author of 'Richmond Barracks We Were There: 77 Women of the Easter Rising'. James Brady is a local historian of republicanism in south County Dublin. His book 'With the Sixth Battalion, South County Dublin and the War for Independence 1916-21', was published in 2020 by Litter Press, Wexford. Intro / Outro music “Sliabh” from Aislinn. Licensed under creative commons from the free music archive.

On this episode of the Irish History Show we were joined by Gerard Shannon to discuss Seán Russell, the former Chief of Staff of the IRA. Russell continues to be a deeply controversial and divisive figure to the present day and his statue in Fairview Park, near Dublin's city centre, has been frequently vandalised, and at one stage decapitated. Russell joined the Irish Volunteers in 1913 and fought in the Easter Rising. After being interned in Frongoch, he fought in the War of Independence, rising to become IRA Director of Munitions in 1920. He fought with the Anti - Treaty IRA in the Civil War and was interned by the new Irish government. He remained with IRA after his release and became Quarter Master General. It was his actions during the Second World War that would lead to his continuing notoriety. As chief of staff he oversaw the ill fated bombing campaign in British cities in 1939. In 1940, following a tour of the United States, he travelled to Genoa and then onto Berlin where he held discussions with German military intelligence and received explosives training with the Abwehr. As he was travelling back to Ireland aboard a German U - Boat he suffered a burst stomach ulcer and died. Gerard Shannon is a historian from Skerries in Co. Dublin and a graduate of the School of History and Geography in DCU. He is currently working on a biography of the IRA Chief of Staff during the Civil War, Liam Lynch for Merrion Press. You can find his website at gerardshannon.com Gerard has written two articles on Russell for the Irish Story website which are available here: https://www.theirishstory.com/2020/07/02/the-only-irishman-that-was-incorruptible-sean-russell-and-the-ira-part-one-1893-1930/#.YL_5tvlKjIU https://www.theirishstory.com/2020/07/13/worthy-successor-of-tone-and-casement-sean-russell-and-the-ira-part-two-1931-40/#.YL_52_lKjIU Intro / Outro music “Sliabh” from Aislinn. Licensed under creative commons from the free music archive.

On this episode of the Irish History we were joined by Dr. Brian Hanley to discuss one of the biggest political scandals in 20th century Irish history, the Arms Crisis. On the 6th of May 1970 the Taoiseach, Jack Lynch, sacked two of his most senior ministers, Charles Haughey and Neil Blaney and another minister, Kevin Boland, resigned in protest. Haughey, Captain James Kelly, John Kelly and Albert Luykx were put on trial and charged with illegally importing arms into the state for northern nationalists. After the first trial collapsed, the defendants were all acquitted at a second trial. The crisis was to cause deep divisions within Fianna Fáil for the following twenty years. With the recent 50th anniversary of the trials many of the accepted narratives of the crisis are being challenged and in particular the role of Jack Lynch and what he knew about the plans to import arms at the time. Dr. Brian Hanley lectures in 20th century Irish History in Trinity College, Dublin. He has written several books including The IRA 1926 – 36, The Lost Revolution: The Story of the Official IRA and the Workers' Party and Boiling Volcano – The impact of the Troubles on the Republic of Ireland 1968 – 79. Intro / Outro music “Sliabh” from Aislinn. Licensed under creative commons from the free music archive.

2021 marks 100 years since the creation of Northern Ireland.  To discuss this, and the events that led up to the partition of Ireland, we were joined by Dr. Cormac Moore.  Cormac is a historian in residence with Dublin City Council.  His previous works include The GAA vs. Douglas Hyde, The Irish Soccer Split, and his most recent work, Birth of the Border - The impact of partition in Ireland. On this episode of the Irish History Show we discussed the Home Rule Crisis of 1912 - 1914, proposals to partition Ireland, reactions to partition proposals from northern nationalists, the Long Committee, the Government of Ireland Act 1920, the founding of Northern Ireland, the Anglo - Irish Treaty, the Boundary Commission, and the tangible effects of partition. Intro / Outro music “Sliabh” from Aislinn. Licensed under creative commons from the free music archive

On this episode of the Irish History Show we were joined by the president of the White House Historical Association, Stewart D. McLaurin, to discuss the life of the White House architect, James Hoban. James Hoban was born in 1755 in Kilkenny and trained at the Dublin Society Drawing School in Grafton Street in Dublin. Following the American Revolutionary War he emigrated to the United States and worked as an architect in Philadelphia and South Carolina. In 1792 Hoban won a competition to design the president's residence in the new federal capital. On the show we discussed the work of the White House Historical Association; the new anthology published by the association on the life of Hoban, his education in Dublin and the type of architecture he would have seen and worked on; the Irish influences on his design for the White House; his ownership of slaves and the role of slave labour in building the White House; and Hoban's membership of the Freemasons. Stewart D. McLaurin has been president of the White House Historical Association since 2014. He leads the Association's non-profit and non-partisan mission to support conservation and preservation at the White House with non-government funding. Mr. McLaurin has held leadership roles with national non-profit and higher education organizations such as the American Red Cross, Georgetown University, and the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation. James Hoban: Designer and Builder of the White House is available here. Intro / Outro music “Sliabh” from Aislinn. Licensed under creative commons from the free music archive

On this episode of the Irish History Show we were joined by Anne Chambers to discuss her book, The Great Leviathan, The life of Howe Peter Browne, 2nd Marquess of Sligo, 1788 - 1845. His story moves from Westport House in county Mayo to Eton, into the staid family world of King George III at Windsor Castle; through wild student days at Cambridge, on to Regency London and the scandalous world of celebrity, gambling clubs, bawd houses and theatres, to the sophisticated salons of Paris. Horse racing at Newmarket and the Curragh (he was a founder member of the Irish Turf Club) treasure-seeking with his college friend Lord Byron in Greece and Turkey, some of his ‘finds' are on view in the British museum. A sensational trial at the Old Bailey in 1812 led to his imprisonment in Newgate goal. There is a hint of double-espionage about his time at the court of Joachim Murat, King of Naples and with Napoleon Bonaparte on the island of Elba, while his sleuthing in Italy on behalf of the ‘prince of pleasure' George IV, (godfather to his eldest son) on the King's equally debauched consort, Caroline, is in the realm of high comedy. A passionate advocate of Catholic Emancipation, multi-denominational educationand reform of the nefarious legal system, he did his best to alleviate the desperate circumstances of his numerous tenants, aggravated by a rapid rise in population and by the ‘curse of sub-division'. He established manufacturing outlets in Westport as an alternative to the over dependence on land and encouraged trade, mining, fishingand kelp harvesting. As famine engulfed the west in 1831 he imported food, built a hospital and raised money for relief and public works. In 1834 Sligo was appointed Governor General of Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. As owner of two plantations, Kelly's and Cocoa Walk, which he inherited from his grandmother, Elizabeth Kelly, daughter of Galway-born Denis Kelly, former Chief Justice of Jamaica, the planters expected the new governor to be on their side.Sligo's stated objective on his arrival on the island ‘to establish a social system absolved forever from the reproach of slavery' however, set them on a bitter collision course.Sligo found slavery personally abhorrent. From the flogging of field workers with the dreaded cart-whip, branding with hot iron, to the whipping of female slaves, ‘I call on you to put an end to conduct so repugnant to humanity' he ordered the Jamaican House of Assembly. To restrain the worse excesses he personally monitored the activities of the sixty special magistrates appointed to investigate charges of brutality in the 900 plantations throughout the island. Much to the derision of their masters ‘he [Sligo] gave a patient hearing to the poorest Negro who might carry his grievance to Government House'.He advocated the building of schools for the black population, two of which he built at his own cost on his property. He was the first plantation owner to initiate a wage system for black workers and later, after emancipation in 1838, to divide his lands into farms leased to the former slaves. The Planter-dominated Assembly accused Sligo of ‘interpreting the law in favour of the negro' and, as he wrote, ‘set out to make Jamaica too hot to hold me.' They withdrew his salary and started a campaign of vilification against him in the Jamaican and British press which, backed by powerful vested commercial interests, resulted in his removal from office in September 1836.

On this episode of the Irish History Show, we looked at Ireland's involvement in the Anglo - Zulu War of 1879. We looked at British involvement in South Africa from their formal annexation of the Cape Town Colony in 1806; British immigration into the region throughout the 19th century; The complicated relationship between the British and the mainly Dutch colonists, the Boers; The rise of the Zulu nation to become the predominant native ethnic group in the east of what is now South Africa; Zulu society and their military prowess; The local British administration provoking a war with the Zulus so as to neutralise the power of Zululand; The war itself; Reactions to the war in Ireland, and the role of Irish people during the war. John Dorney's article on Ireland and the Anglo - Zulu War is available here https://www.theirishstory.com/2021/02/15/ireland-and-the-anglo-zulu-war-1879/#.YFXUGp37TIU Intro / Outro music “Sliabh” from Aislinn. Licensed under creative commons from the free music archive.

On this episode of the Irish History Show, we were joined by Dr. Mary McAuliffe and Liz Gillis to discuss the role of women during the Irish Revolution. We look at the radical political organisations for women in Ireland before the First World; Cumann na mBan; women's role in 1916, the War of Independence and the Civil War; and women's rights in the new Free State. Dr. Mary McAuliffe is assistant professor in Gender Studies in University College Dublin. She has published widely on aspects of Irish women's history, gendered and sexual violence in war, and social, political and public history. Her most recent works include a biography of 1916 veteran Margaret Skinnider and as a consultant and contributor on the TG4 documentary Cogadh ar Mhna. Liz Gillis is an historian and researcher on RTE's History Show. She is the author of such books as Women of the Irish Revolution, Revolution in Dublin and The Fall of Dublin. Intro / Outro music “Sliabh” from Aislinn. Licensed under creative commons from the free music archive.

On this episode of the Irish History Show we discussed the upcoming commemorations in 2021 for the Decade of Centenaries. 2021 will mark the centenary of many important events in Irish history such as the Truce, the founding of Northern Ireland and the Anglo - Irish Treaty.

On this episode of the Irish History Show we were joined by Dr. Laura McAtackney and Dr. Brian Hanley to discuss the controversies surrounding the Decade of Centenaries. Dr. Laura McAtackney is an associate professor in the Department of Archaeology and Heritage Studies at Aarhus University in Denmark. In her work she explores the historical and contemporary archaeologies of institutions and colonialism of post conflict Northern Ireland. Some of her previous work includes Walling in and Walling Out, An Archaeology of the Troubles - The dark history of Long Kesh / Maze Prison and Kilmainhamgaolgraffiti.com, which explores female experiences of imprisonment during the Irish Civil War. Dr. Brian Hanley lectures in 20th century Irish History in Trinity College, Dublin. He has written several books including The IRA 1926 - 36, The Lost Revolution: The Story of the Official IRA and the Workers' Party and Boiling Volcano - The impact of the Troubles on the Republic of Ireland 1968 - 79. Intro / Outro music “Sliabh” from Aislinn. Licensed under creative commons from the free music archive.

On this episode of the Irish History Show we discussed the Kilmichael Ambush. The Kilmichael Ambush occurred on the 28th of November 1920 when a flying column of the IRA, led by Tom Barry, ambushed a company of the Auxiliary Division of the Royal Irish Constabulary. The Auxiliaries lost 17 members in the engagement, including one who had escaped and was subsequently captured and killed. We also looked at the career of Tom Barry. Hi service with the British Army in the First World War, his actions in the War of Independence and Civil War and his recently released Military Service Pension application. We also looked at the controversies surrounding Kilmichael and the disputes regarding Barry's claim of a false surrender by the Auxiliaries which led Barry not to take prisoners during the engagement. Intro / Outro music “Sliabh” from Aislinn. Licensed under creative commons from the free music archive.

On this episode of the Irish History Show we were joined by Mike Chinoy to discuss his new book, Are You With Me? Kevin Boyle and the rise of the Human Rights Movement, published by Lilliput Press. Kevin Boyle was one of the founders of People's Democracy in Queens University Belfast and was one of the leading figures in the civil rights movement in Northern Ireland. As a human rights lawyer he embraced causes such as freedom of speech and expression, anti - apartheid, gay rights and the treatment of Kurds in Turkey. In an Irish context he represented internees who had been subject to abuse in custody and mediated during the Hunger Strikes in the H- Blocks. His work during the New Ireland Forum and the Anglo - Irish Agreement eventually led to the Good Friday Agreement of 1998. Mike Chinoy is a former foreign correspondent for CNN and is an Emmy, Peabody and Dupont award winning journalist. Intro / Outro music “Sliabh” from Aislinn. Licensed under creative commons from the free music archive.

On this episode of the Irish History Show, we looked at the Middle East and the Brtish Empire in the period after the First World War.  We discussed how the British Empire dealt with their new mandates in the region and how their dealings with these countries compared and contrasted with their treatment of Ireland during Ireland's War of Independence.  We looked at issues such as the use of military forces to suppress rebellions, political initiatives, reprisals, attitudes towards sovereignty and the evolution of colonialism.  We also look at British regiments and officers who ended up in Ireland after being involved in actions in the Middle East. Intro / Outro music “Sliabh” from Aislinn. Licensed under creative commons from the free music archive.

On this episode of the show we were joined by Dr. Pádraig Óg Ó Ruairc to discuss the historic East Clare by - election of 1917. The by - election was held on the 10th of July 1917 following the death of the incumbent MP, Willie Redmond, of the Irish Parliamentary Party. The by - election saw the leader of Sinn Féin, Éamon de Valera, face Patrick Lynch of the Irish Parliamentary Party. The Home Rulers had held the seat since it was first created in 1885. Sinn Féin ended up winning the seat by a more than two to one majority.

On this episode of the show we were joined by Michael Foley to discuss his book, The Bloodied Field, about the events in Croke Park on the 21st of November 1920. That day would become known as Bloody Sunday. On that morning, the IRA killed or mortally wounded 16 people in a co - ordinated series of assassinations directed against British intelligence officers in Dublin. That afternoon Dublin were due to play Tipperary in a challenge match in Croke Park. British troops, the Royal Irish Constabulary and Auxiliaries surrounded the ground. Crown forces began shooting into the stadium and 14 civilians were killed, including Tipperary player Michael Hogan. Michael Foley is a sportswriter for the Irish edition of The Sunday Times. He is a three-time GAA McNamee award-winner and winner of the 2007 BoyleSports Irish Sports Book of the Year. Michael has been nominated three times as Irish Sports Journalist of the Year.  He is a member of the GAA's history committee and is involved in the GAA's commemoration of Bloody Sunday. Michael's book, The Bloodied Field, has been re-released by O'Brien Books in a special updated 100th anniversary edition. Intro / Outro music “Sliabh” from Aislinn. Licensed under creative commons from the free music archive.

On this episode of the show we were joined by Mick O'Reilly. Mick's recently published autobiography 'From Lucifer to Lazarus - A life on the left,' is now available. Mick talked about his lifetime of activism as a socialist and trade union official. Intro / Outro music “Sliabh” from Aislinn. Licensed under creative commons from the free music archive.

On this episode of the show we were joined by Dr. Brian Hanley to discuss his recent article for Irish Historical Studies entitled ‘The Irish and the Jews have a good deal in common': Irish republicanism, anti-Semitism and the post-war world. In the episode we discuss the Irish Jewish Community, casual anti - Semitism in Ireland in this period, Irish republican attitudes towards Jews, the relationship between Jews and Irish republicanism outside Ireland and British and unionist conspiracy theories regarding Jewish influence over events happening in Ireland at the time.

On this episode of the show Dr. Pádraig Óg Ó Ruairc talks about 'The Disappeared' who were killed and secretly buried during the Irish Revolutionary Period. This is the fruit of a research project carried out by Pádraig himself and Andy Bielenberg of University College Cork into forcible disappearances during the Irish revolution. Pádraig has previously written extensively on the killing of alleged informers by the IRA and Andy Beilenberg has compiled a register of fatalities in County Cork from 1919-1921. By their figures 108 people were killed and their bodies disposed of in secret by the IRA and seven by British forces. This is a far larger figure than the sixteen people 'disappeared' during the Northern Ireland conflict in the 1970s  and 80s, whose recovery remains a political issue today. We discuss: Why some victims of political violence were ‘disappeared'Why County Cork accounted for a disproportionate number of the disappeared people.Why the practice was relatively common in the War of Independence but not a feature of the Civil War.How reliable oral traditions and rumours are as to the presence of these unmarked graves.

On this episode of the Irish History Show, John Dorney interviewed Dr. Joseph Quinn about Ireland's role in World War 2. They discussed: Why Ireland remained neutralHow successive British governments made offers of Irish unity in return for the use of Ireland's Atlantic ports during the war and why these offers were ultimately rejected.In what numbers Irishmen and women served in Allied forces and other Irish aid to the allied powers, notably in naval intelligence.The prospects for the invasion of neutral Ireland by one or more of the belligerents.Ireland's uneasy relationship with the United States during the war.Éamon de Valera's infamous condolences to German ambassador Hempel on the death of Adolf Hitler. Dr. Joseph Quinn is a Second World War Research Associate at the UK National Archives and secretary and co - founder of the Irish Military Heritage Foundation. Intro / Outro music “Sliabh” from Aislinn. Licensed under creative commons from the free music archive.

On this episode of the Irish History Show we were joined by Paddy Cullivan. You may know Paddy from the Camembert Quartet, the Late Late Show, Callan's Kicks, the Leviathan Political Cabaret and Kilkenomics.  Paddy's historical live shows, 10 Dark Secrets of the Irish Revolution and 10 Dark Secrets of 1798 have toured all over Ireland and been a huge success. We discussed the public's engagement with history, his live shows, history as entertainment and how we commemorate historical events. https://www.paddycullivan.com/ Intro / Outro music “Sliabh” from Aislinn. Licensed under creative commons from the free music archive.

On this episode of the show we were joined by Alan Kinsella of the Irish Election Literature Blog. Alan talked about how he began collecting material relating to elections and referenda as a child and how this led to a lifetime of accumulating Irish political ephemera. Alan also discussed his new podcast "The Others" dealing with small political parties and single issue campaigns over the years. We also discussed some of the more unusual candidates and parties that have graced the Irish political landscape. https://irishelectionliterature.com/ Intro / Outro music “Sliabh” from Aislinn. Licensed under creative commons from the free music archive.

On this episode we were joined by Dr. Marion McGarry and Dr. Fiona Gallagher to discuss the Sligo Cholera Epidemic of 1832 and how this inspired Dracula. Sligo was the worst effected town in Britain and Ireland by the Cholera epidemic of 1832. The town was devastated by the outbreak. A young Charlotte Thornley lived through the events in Sligo and would later regale her son, Bram Stoker, with tales of live burials and the undead. Marion and Fiona explain what happened in Sligo during the epidemic and the effects it had on the town. They also go through the parallels in Dracula with the events in Sligo at that time. Was Stoker inspired by the mythology of Eastern Europe when he created Dracula or did the Sligo Cholera epidemic, and Stoker's interest in Irish folklore, provide the basis for the vampire count? More articles on the subjects covered in the podcast can be found at Marion and Fiona's blogs: https://www.drmarionmcgarry.com/ https://www.drfionagallagher.com/ https://sligobramstoker.weebly.com/ Intro / Outro music “Sliabh” from Aislinn. Licensed under creative commons from the free music archive.

On this episode of the show, we were joined by Dr. Gareth Mulvenna to discuss his research into the Tartan Gangs, the Red Hand Commando and his upcoming biography of the PUP's Billy Hutchinson. Gareth is the author of Tartan Gangs and Paramilitaries: The Loyalist Backlash. His podcast, Hidden Histories of the Northern Ireland Troubles, is available on most podcast platforms and his blog is available here: https://gmulvenna.wordpress.com/

On this episode of the show, we look at the 1641 Rebellion in Ireland. The Rebellion broke out in October of 1641 and would begin a conflict that would last for the next eleven years. The events in Ireland would form part of the War of the Three Kingdoms and were brought to a close by Oliver Cromwell's conquest of Ireland with his New Model Army. Intro / Outro music “Sliabh” from Aislinn. Licensed under creative commons from the free music archive.

On this episode of the show we were joined by Dr. Ruth McManus, Associate Professor of Geography in the School of History and Geography in Dublin City University, to discuss housing in Dublin in the 20th century. We discussed Dublin Corporation's early attempts to provide housing in the late 19th century; the 1913 Lockout and how it brought into sharp focus the poor quality of housing so many of Dublin's citizens lived in, the response of the new Free State government, Marino and the Garden City movement, subsequent developments in Drumcondra and Cabra, the role of housing co - ops and the large scale housing schemes in Crumlin, Kimmage and Drimnagh,

On this episode of the show, John Dorney talks to Dr. Jonathan Fennell from King's College, London. They discuss his book Fighting the People's War - The British and Commonwealth armies in the Second War.

King James II On this episode of the show we were joined by Dr. Pádraig Lenihan of NUI Galway to discuss the 1689 Irish Parliament. The Patriot, or Jacobite, Parliament was called by King James II during the 1689 to 1691 war in Ireland. It was the first Irish Parliament called since 1666 and held only one session, from 7 May 1689 to 20 July 1689. We discussed the grievances felt by the Catholic population over land ownership and penal laws; the role of James' Lord Deputy, the Earl of Tyrconnell; the key pieces of legislation passed by the parliament and how it was remembered by nationalists and unionists in Ireland. Intro / Outro music “Sliabh” from Aislinn. Licensed under creative commons from the free music archive.

On this episode of the show we are joined by Dr. Ida Milne to discuss the Spanish Flu and its effects on Ireland in 1918 and 1919. The Spanish Flu, and related infections from pneumonia, claimed 23,000 lives and infected some 800,000 people in Ireland over a 12-month period.

On this episode of the Irish History Show we are joined by author and researcher Dr. Conor McCabe. We looked at recent Irish economic history from the Celtic Tiger to the 2008 banking collapse. We also looked at the decade of austerity in the wake of the 2008 crash and Conor talked about what possible effects the Covid 19 pandemic could have on the Irish economy. Intro / Outro music "Sliabh" from Aislinn. Licensed under creative commons from the free music archive.

On this episode we are joined by Dr. Brian Hanley to discuss Republicans and Crime. We look at the law and order situations in Ireland before the revolutionary period and how the War of Independence meant that the Royal Irish Constabulary and Dublin Metropolitan Police were unable to maintain law and order as the war progressed. As police barracks were abandoned or destroyed the Republican Movement aimed to fill the gap with the Irish Republican Police. We look at the rise of armed crime, particularly bank robberies, and how long before relatively normal conditions returned to the country.

On this episode we are joined by Dr. Pádraig Lenihan from the National University of Ireland, Galway to talk about Sieges in 17th Century Ireland. We talk about the evolution in sieges in the 17th century; new tactics employed by combatants; how cities and towns improved their defensive measures to cope with new munitions developed by attacking armies; the effects on the civilian populations; disease and lack of access to clean water and sanitation within besieged cities; and we look at some notable Irish examples of sieges such as Derry, Limerick, Drogheda and Clonmel.

On this episode, we are joined by Kieran Glennon to talk about the sectarian conflict in Belfast from 1920 to 1922, and the Northern IRA and the Civil War. Kieran is the author of From Pogrom to Civil War: Tom Glennon and the Belfast IRA.   Vicious sectarian conflict broke out in Belfast in 1920 during the Irish War of Independence and continued on for two years with almost 500 people losing their lives. In this episode we cover what led up to the violence in Belfast; the shipyard expulsions; why Belfast Catholics referred to the violence as a pogrom; the actions of the RIC / RUC and the Special Constabulary; the Truce between the Republican movement and the British government; reaction to the conflict in Dublin; how the creation of the Northern Ireland state and its eventual control of security powers effected the violence and reaction to the Anglo - Irish Treaty among Northern Republicans.

On this episode we are joined by Barry Sheppard from History Now on NVTV to talk about the political cartoons of Victor Brown in The Irish Press. Previous episodes of History Now are available here: http://www.nvtv.co.uk/ondemand/community-2/history-community-2/

On this episode we discuss Deputy John Jinks and his role in the short lived fifth Dáil. Despite lasting just 98 days, it was one of the most historic. As Fianna Fáil agreed to drop abstentionism and take their seats in the Dáil, the parliamentary arithmetic meant that a new government was possible. With a Labour / National League coalition agreed, with support from Fianna Fáil, W.T. Cosgrave's administration looked set to fall. John Jinks was about to throw a spanner in the works. An article on John Jinks and the fifth Dáil is available here:https://www.theirishstory.com/2014/09/08/john-jinks-and-the-collapse-of-the-fifth-dail/#.XoikC4hKjIU