Irish History Podcast - Fin Dwyer - TopPodcast.com

View Top 200 Chart

Back to Rankings Page

Irish History Podcast – Fin Dwyer — History
Irish History Podcast – Fin Dwyer

From the Norman Invasion to the War of Independence, the Great Famine to the Troubles, the Irish History Podcast takes you on a journey through the most fascinating stories in Ireland’s past. Whether it’s the siege of Dublin in 1171 or gun battles in the 1920s, the podcast vividly recreates a sense of time and place. Each episode is meticulously researched, creating character-driven narratives that are engaging and accessible for all.
Since the first episode was released back in 2010, the podcast has covered scores of captivating stories. Major multi-part series have explored the Great Famine, the Norman Invasion, and Irish involvement in the Spanish Civil War. If you are looking for standalone episodes, there are lots of great interviews with leading Irish historians covering topics from medieval sex magic to Irish connections in the Jack the Ripper murders!
Why not start with ‘Three Days in July’, an acclaimed mini-series from the summer of 2024. It explores the early years of the Troubles and the forgotten story of a young Londoner who was shot dead by the British Army in Belfast in 1970.

Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/irishhistory.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Copyright: © Fin Dwyer

Latest Episodes:

Endgame Part I Feb 21, 2022

Show notes

This is the first of three episodes which will be released over the next 8 days to conclude the War of Independence Series. Endgame I is a fast moving show that takes you back to Cork in the opening weeks of 1921. The war develops a new ferocity with the declaration of martial law. The episode is based around one of the enduring controversies of the war - the kidnapping of the widow Maria Lindsay. The episode also looks at the IRA's worst defeat - the Clonmult ambush and the largest battle of the war - Crossbarry. Then we move to Dublin and finish with the IRA assault on the Customs House.

Sound by Jason Looney

Additional Research Sam McGrath

Additional Narrations by Aidan Crowe and Therese Murray

Hand painted pewter figures of Irish Revolutionary - https://irishhistory.bigcartel.com/category/handcrafted-historic-models

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From Kerry to Antarctica - The Life of Tom Crean Feb 14, 2022

Show notes

Tom Crean was born outside Anascaul, Co. Kerry in 1877. One of eleven children from a small farming family, Crean grew up in a world where Antarctica was still a largely unknown continent.

Although overlooked by history, Crean went on to become one of the most distinguished Antarctic explorers of his age. Over the course of his life he would play a key role in several attempts to reach the South Pole. With very limited protective clothing he frequently found himself battling temperatures of -60 C(-76 F). Through these trials he emerged as a tenacious and courageous figure. The stories of Crean's endurance and will to survive are at times unbelievable.

In this episode I interview Michael Smith. His book An Unsung Hero: Tom Crean - Antarctic Survivor brought the remarkable life of Crean to public attention after nearly a century in obscurity.

Sound by Jason Looney

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Radio News from Black 47 Jan 31, 2022

Show notes

Imagine radio had existed during the Great Famine. What would it sound like if you could go to an archive and listen to news reports from 1847?

To mark the 150th Anniversary of the Great Hunger in 1997, BBC Merseyside created news reports as if their journalists were reporting live from 1847. With the permission of BBC Merseyside I am delighted to share some of these reports with you in this special episode. Given each report is based on actual events from Liverpool in 1847, this is history like you have never heard it before.

Thanks to Pauline McAdam for talking to me about the making of the reports, Mick Ord for sharing them with me and BBC Merseyside for permission to republish them.

Sound by Jason Looney

Apologies for the delay in getting this show out - I got Covid-19 :(

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nixie Boran - An Underground Rebel Jan 17, 2022

Show notes

The life of Nicholas Boran was extraordinary. Known as 'Nixie', he was born outside Castlecomer in Co Kilkenny in 1904. At the age of 18 he fought in the Civil War alongside Dan Breen in Tipperary. The harrowing violence he witnessed in the conflict permanently scarred him and challenges the romanticised myths that often surround the life of Dan Breen. While this had an enduring legacy, Nixie would gain a national reputation for his actions following the Civil War.

After the conflict he returned home but soon found himself in another struggle in Castlecomer. The town was built around coalmines and many of the mine workers toiled in appalling conditions.

The pay was poor, the hours were long and conditions were extremely dangerous. With limited legal protections, children as young as 14 were sent to work in the mines. From the 1920s Nixie set about changing this. This began a decades long struggle with the Catholic Church, the Irish government and the local mine owners.

In this episode I interview Nixie's daughter, Anne Boran. Anne has recently published a fascinating biography of her late father. In this episode she provides fascinating details about life in the Castlecomer Coalfields and how the Civil War changed her father. Perhaps most interesting of all is how his attempts to improve life in Castlecomer resulted in the Catholic Church attempting to excommunicate him. Its a fascinating story.

The history of Castlecomer and its coalmines up until 1921 is the focus of this series https://irishhistorypodcast.ie/category/podcast/communism-coal/

Anne's book "Challenge to Power: Nixie Boran (1904-1971), Freedom and the Castlecomer Coal Miners" is available here http://www.geographypublications.com/product/challange-power-nixie-boran-1904-1971-freedom-castlecomer-coal-miners/

Sound by Jason Looney.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Inside the Vault - Behind the Scenes in the National Museum Jan 10, 2022

Show notes

One of the most important buildings in terms of Irish history or archaeology is located in North County Dublin. Strange as it may sound, this building is not very old. It actually only dates from the later 20th century and it was originally an electronics factory.

However it is now owned by the National Museum of Ireland and houses millions of artifacts amassed over the decades. This fascinating complex, which measures over 200,000 sq feet, is not open to the public. However last Autumn when I was organising the upcoming Irish History Summit in association with the National Museum I got an exclusive tour.

In this podcast recorded behind the scenes at the museum you will hear the stories behind some incredible artifacts. Nigel Monaghan tells the story behind a 4000 million year old meteorite that was an ornament in an Irish farmhouse for decades. Later in the episode Brenda Malone explains the remarkable story of an Irish man who served in the RAF during the World War II and captured some pivotal moments of the conflict on camera.

Get your tickets to the Irish History Summit (Saturday Jan 15th)

https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/irish-history-summit-2022-tickets-194400466027

National Museum links

https://www.museum.ie/en-IE/Collections-Research/Natural-History-Collections/Collections-List/Meteorites-and-Space

https://twitter.com/NMIreland

https://www.instagram.com/nationalmuseumofireland

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Mary Celeste of Medieval Ireland Dec 20, 2021

Show notes

The Mary Celeste is one of the great mysteries of modern times. The ship was found abandoned in the Atlantic in 1872 and the ten people who had been onboard the vessel were missing. However everything else appeared normal. It has never been satisfactorily explained what provoked the crew to abandon the ship in mid winter far from any coast.

This episode is recorded in a very Irish unusual castle with echoes of the Mary Celeste - Ballymoon Castle. It too has a somewhat mysterious history. It was abandoned around the year 1300 for reasons that are not entirely clear. In this show I investigate this fascinating building and speculate what may have happened...

This is the last show of 2021. I hope you and yours have a great holiday season.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Ladies of Llangollen Dec 15, 2021

Show notes

The Irish women Eleanor Butler and Sarah Ponsonby are known to history as the Ladies of Llangollen. In 1780 the two aristocrats caused controversy when they rang away together. They would spend the rest of their lives in Llangollen, a town in north Wales.

For nearly 250 years their relationship has been the source of intense speculation. Some claim they were Ireland’s first openly lesbian couple. Others insist they just kindred spirits.

Last October I visited Plas Newydd, their home in Llangollen and recorded this special episode of the show about these remarkable women.

Thanks to Garth A.P. Thomas for his time.

Lori Moriarity’s lecture mentioned in the show can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMEiZKFESNg

Get your tickets for the history summit at irishhistorysummit.eventbrite.com

Visit Plas Newydd at https://www.denbighshire.gov.uk/en/leisure-and-tourism/museums-and-historic-houses/plas-newydd-llangollen.aspx

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Growing up Black & Irish - A personal history of Liverpool Nov 29, 2021

Show notes

Last month I recorded a show at the Liverpool Irish Festival with Teresa Hill. Teresa is really passionate about her fascinating family history. Her father from was from Freetown in Sierra Leone while her mother's family were from Ireland.

In this interview Teresa spoke candidly about her life. She grew up in a Liverpool where racism was common and many Irish families ostracised mixed race family members. However her grandfather Luke Bernard was very different as Teresa explains he was 'a forward thinking man'. She also talked about how sectarianism was a major feature of life in Liverpool and how the Troubles impacted her life. It was a really fascinating discussion about Irish communities in Britain in the 1960s and 70s. I hope you enjoy it.

Get your tickets to the Irish HIstory Summit - https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/irish-history-summit-2022-tickets-194400466027

Get Irish history themed Christmas presents - www.irishhistorypodcast.ie/shop

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Reprisals, Concentration Camps or ‘Indian measures’ - British paths to victory in 1921? (The War of Independence Part XXII) Nov 24, 2021

Show notes

Following on from the collapse of the Clune Peace talks in December 1920, the British Government adopted an even more aggressive attitude to the war.

However as they prepared to escalate the conflict in 1921 some leading figures in the British military and political establishment suggested extreme measures. This episode reveals what were deeply alarming debates taking place about how the war should be escalated.

To this end we hear from men who would go on to become some of the most famous British generals of the 20th century - Bernard Montgomery and Arthur Percival both of whom served in Ireland in 1921.

The episode also looks at the growing tensions between Eamon DeValera and Michael Collins and the problems this created for the republican movement in 1921.

Check out the new shop at www.irishhistorypodcast.ie/shop

The Irish History Summit 2022 early bird offers end next week - Irishhistorysummit.eventbrite.ie

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Peace, Partition & Christmas 1920 (The War of Independence Part XXI) Nov 15, 2021

Show notes

Over the last three episodes of the War of Independence Series, we saw the Republican movement demonstrate an ability and willingness to fight on despite recent setbacks. This episode looks at how the British authorities reacted to these developments. While the immediate reaction was to declare martial law across the South West, there was also murmurings of peace.

While indirect talks between republican leaders and the British Authorities started in early December these faced huge challenges. As we will see the republican movement suffered from a lack of cohesion while hardliners in Britain were opposed to any settlement with the IRA.

Meanwhile this all took place as the House of Lords passed the most far reaching Irish legislation in a century - the Government of Ireland Act. This legislation which partitioned Ireland had a lasting impact right up the present day.

The Irish History Summit is coming in January 2022. No matter where you live you can participate in this day long event from the comfort of your home. https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/irish-history-summit-2022-tickets-194400466027

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Related Podcasts