Three Castles Burning

Latest Episodes:

Motorcades and Martyr Graves Jun 30, 2023

Show notes

In June 1963, President John F. Kennedy arrived into a city in crisis. As Dublin tenements seemed to be collapsing to the touch, the visit of a U.S President was a welcome distraction. In some ways, it was a distraction for him, too. History recalls New Ross, but in Dublin there were significant moments, captured brilliantly by reporters and writers like the poet Louis MacNeice.

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Roddy Doyle Interview: Taxi to Barrytown! Jun 20, 2023

Show notes

Sincere thanks to the Dalkey Book Festival for the invitation to interview Roddy Doyle. This was a chance to talk about things as diverse as Maeve Brennan, the impact of the 1974 Dublin bombings, Myles na gCopaleen and more. A language warning on this one.

1954: The Birth of Bloomsday Jun 15, 2023

Show notes

Bloomsday as we know it owes its existence to Brian O'Nolan, otherwise Myles na gCopaleen, otherwise Flann O'Brien. In 1954, he was the catalyst for gathering together a number of Dublin McDaidsian types who embarked on an epic journey of their own in honour of Leopold Bloom, Buck Mulligan and the cast of Ulysses. They didn't make it too far.

Tatters Cullen and the Vanishing Suffragettes Jun 04, 2023

Show notes

This week, we got some data from the 2022 Census. It seems a good time to look into the past. The census has always given us unusual insights into Ireland. We can find humour and protest in it too.

See: http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/

From Skin-the-Goat to Buckshot Forster: The Phoenix Park Assassinations May 25, 2023

Show notes

The Phoenix Park assassinations of May 1882 shook British politics. All had heard of the Fenians, but who were the Invincibles? Today, a cross in the grass on Chesterfield Avenue marks the location where these events played out - but who put it there?

Old Songs and New Revivals (with Macdara Yeates) May 18, 2023

Show notes

Thanks for your patience! This new episode explores the incredible life and influence of Peadar Kearney, a key figure in the Cultural Revival then, and the folk revival now. My guest is Macdara Yeates of 'The Night Before Larry Was Stretched', a monthly singing session in The Cobblestone. He's also co-producing 'One Hundred Years of Brendan Behan'. https://ilfdublin.com/whats-on/one-hundred-years-of-brendan-behan/

Ragged Trousers and Paint Brushes (with Jimmy Murphy) Apr 25, 2023

Show notes

The Ragged-Trousered Philanthropists is a book that had a massive impact on British society. Some say it helped win a General Election, George Orwell called it essential reading. In Ireland, it is little known, despite the author coming from Wexford Street. This week, playwright Jimmy Murphy joins me to talk about the impact this book had on his own life and work.

From the Ormond Market to the Hacienda Apr 17, 2023

Show notes

The area between Smithfield and Capel Street has historically been known as 'The Markets'. A recent event gave some idea of what this area could be. Today, we're exploring it with a hopeful message for the future.

Noël Browne and the Archbishop (with Robert Ballagh) Apr 06, 2023

Show notes

This week marks the fiftieth anniversary of the death of Archbishop John Charles McQuaid. I visited the studio of acclaimed artist Robert Ballagh, who has just painted the Archbishop. In the 1980s, Ballagh painted Noël Browne, the Minister for Health who clashed with McQuaid. These two works are connected in many ways.

A Sort of Homecoming Mar 26, 2023

Show notes

The story of U2's emergence is connected to the broader story of late 1970s Dublin. From the Project Arts Centre to the explosive visit of The Clash to the unlikely setting of Trinity College Dublin's exam hall, this episode brings you behind the scenes of the recent documentary U2: A Sort of Homecoming.

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