Three Castles Burning

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Stephen's Green Shopping Centre: Dandelions and Developers May 11, 2026

Show notes

It would seem everyone in the city has an opinion on the shopping centre at the top of Grafton Street. With that in mind, it seems a good time for a potted history of it and the site it occupies. Controversial in its own day, the project was overseen by the architect James Toomey, though it fell somewhat short of the original vision. What is to be done with this 1988 centre, and why has its proposed replacement irked so many?

Support TCB: www.patreon.com/threecastlesburning

Unquiet Ghost: The Bones of Roger Casement (with Rory Carroll) Apr 30, 2026

Show notes

In 1965, the body of Roger Casement was returned to Ireland. No longer condemned to the grounds of Pentonville Prison, he would be buried in Dublin's Glasnevin Cemetery, where he is one of the first graves a visitor encounters today. There were political questions around Casement's body in the 1960s, and his final request was not honoured. Rory Carroll, author of the bestselling 'A Rebel and a Traitor: A Fugitive, the Manhunt and the Birth of the IRA' joins me to discuss Casement, life and afterlife.

More Pricks Than Kicks: The Dublin of Samuel Beckett Apr 13, 2026

Show notes

Today marks the 120th birthday of Samuel Beckett. Inspired both by this milestone anniversary and by the wonderful new exhibition of the work of photographer John Minihan in the National Gallery of Ireland, this episode explores sites that are important to the story of Beckett and Dublin. Some, like Trinity College Dublin, will be familiar. Others, like the family business on Clare Street where he wrote some of his collection More Pricks Than Kicks are unmarked today. Our journey brings us to places as diverse as Elvery's sport shop and Kennedy's pub, as we get to walk in Beckett's footsteps across a city he did love, despite the challenges it put before him.

Quiet Revolutionary: The Life of Éamonn Ceannt Mar 30, 2026

Show notes

With the 110th anniversary of the Easter Rising upon us, it seems a good time to look at one of the less familiar figures of the story. Somewhat in the shadows, Éamonn Ceannt was a meticulous organiser, vitally important not only to the revolutionary movements of his time but traditional music too. His Dublin centred on Rialto, Dolphin's Barn, Crumlin and the surrounding areas, and in this episode we learn about Ceannt's importance to the story of 1916.

(Thanks for your patience as we move - and thanks to all Patreon supporters as always)

Drowning the Shamrock? The Gaelic League and the War on Pubs Mar 16, 2026

Show notes

In 1903, Saint Patrick's Day formally became a national holiday in Ireland, following a push from the Gaelic League. In the pages of their newspaper, An Claidheamh Soluis, a battle was waged for the closure of public houses on the day. Some publicans stood in opposition to this. This is the story of how a sober St Patrick's Day was achieved, and how it would take until the 1960s for change.

Little Wonder: David Bowie's Secret Gig at The Factory (with Ray O'Donoghue) Feb 27, 2026

Show notes

In 1997, David Bowie released Earthling, an album deeply influenced by the sound of drum and bass and industrial electronic music. Spending time in Dublin city, Bowie befriended the Quadraphonic collective, who brought the drum and bass sound to the city at venues like The Globe and The Kitchen. This led to a secret concert at The Factory venue in Ringsend. My guest Ray O'Donoghue is now the Night Time Economy Advisor to Dublin City Council, but was then part of Quadraphonic and opened for Bowie on the night.Contributions also come from John Brereton, Director of the DublinBowie Festival. This episode contains bad language.

Support TCB: www.patreon.com/threecastlesburning

Census City: Dublin 1926 Feb 15, 2026

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The release of the 1926 census from the National Archives of Ireland is now imminent. These returns should give us fascinating insights into a post-revolutionary Ireland. In this episode, we look at the capital in 1926. It was a defining year in Irish cultural history, with the birth of 2RN and O'Casey's Plough and the Stars, but it was also an austere time. Strikes were plentiful, with the General Strike in Britain grabbing the imagination of some, while the controversial IRA campaign against Moneylenders took up plenty of column inches. From the reconstruction of the city to the birth of Fianna Fáil, this is the story of the capital in a defining census year.

Before the Summer of Love: Emmett Grogan's Dublin Adventure Jan 28, 2026

Show notes

SERIES 4, EPISODE 1.

Welcome back to a new series. Emmett Grogan was one of the defining figures of American counterculture in the 1960s. Though his name is almost completely unknown in Ireland, the author of Ringolevio: A Life Played for Keeps is a man for whom Bob Dylan dedicated an album, and who was described by Abbie Hoffman (who he distrusted greatly) as "the hippie warrior par excellence." Yet before the Summer of Love took San Francisco, Grogan was in Dublin in the early 1960s. His accounts of the city are fascinating, from Neary's to Guinness, but how much of it is true?

You can read his account here: https://stealthiswiki.com/library/emmett-grogan-ringolevio

From Rutland to Parnell: The Story of a Dublin Square (With Elizabeth Kehoe) Dec 22, 2025

Show notes

One of Dublin's Historians in Residence, Elizabeth Kehoe has developed a walking tour of Parnell Square which shines a lot on many aspects of its history. Walking around it, we encounter things as diverse as symbolic weapons in the mosaic tiles of the Garden of Remembrance and the coat of arms of the Duke of Rutland. In recognition of the involvement of the Hugh Lane Gallery in Dublin City Council Dublin Winter Lights, Elizabeth took me on a walk around one of Dublin's most important squares. With thanks to Dublin City Council for supporting this edition of the podcast.

When Earley Met Gandon: Bringing Light to the Custom House Dec 19, 2025

Show notes

James Earley comes from a family rooted in the story of Irish stained glass. As an artist, his work often pays homage to Earley Studios and those who came before him. As part of Dublin City Council Dublin Winter Lights, he has brought an extraordinary show to James Gandon's Custom House. This offered an opportunity to talk about his career to date, stained glass broadly, and art in the public sphere. With thanks to Dublin City Council for supporting this edition of the podcast. For more information.

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