Irish History Podcast Fin Dwyer

In this episode I delve into the lasting impact of the Great Hunger on Ireland. Its often said that the Famine was a taboo subject and a 'Great Silence' surrounded the 1840s. In this podcast I challenge this myth and explore how grief, guilt, and trauma were expressed and processed by the survivors. Join me as I uncover the untold stories and voices that defy the myth of an unspoken past. I also argue that it was revisionist historians and official Ireland who shut down debate on this crucial topic.
As always the history is structured around a story so the show begins with an unlikely person - the descendant of an Irish rebel living in India.
If you want to hear my thoughts on whether the Great Famine was an act of genocide, check out this episode: Was the Great Famine Genocide? - Irish History Podcast
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Within the space of a few years following the Great Hunger, hundreds of thousands of Irish emigrants settled in New York quickly becoming one of the largest communities in the city.
These Irish emigrants are synonymous with slums, starvation, and misery; however, groundbreaking new research challenges this one dimensional stereotype.
While poverty was central to the lives of many Irish immigrants in the 19th century, it did not define their experience of New York.
In this episode, Prof. Tyler Anbinder from George Washington University shares stories from his research that reveals a very different history than we often imagine.
Based on his latest book, Plentiful Country, this interview will change your understanding of what New York was like for Irish emigrants in the later 19th century.
Check out Tyler's new book Plentiful Country 
Plentiful Country to buy here
There is an excellent audio version available as well
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In 1879 Vere Goold was a celebrity in Ireland. After winning Ireland’s first tennis championship, he reached the prestigious Wimbledon final later in the year.
Exactly 30 years later he would die in the most notorious prison in the world – Devil’s Island.
Known as the 'dry guillotine' the conditions in the French penal colony were horrendous.
However few had sympathy for the Irish aristocrat.
His crime had been unspeakable and shocked the world.
This is the Life & Crimes of Vere Goold.
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Arthur Henri Poole was one of the most celebrated photographers in early 20th-century Ireland. An Englishman by birth, he was also most well-known figures in the city of Waterford where he lived for over four decades.
In 1928 Poole disappeared almost without trace. 
Even though he was well known in Waterford, it would be almost three years before many people in the city realised he was missing.
Adding to the intrigue, his disappearance eerily mirrored that of another person connected to the Poole family two decades prior. 
This podcast explores the mystery surrounding Arthur Poole.
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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 on daily life in early medieval Ireland, based on her analysis of human remains excavated in Co. Roscommon. In this podcast, she answers all your questions on what life was like.
Eileen shares her discoveries on how people survived in a hard and difficult world. It's not for the faint of heart.
This episode is not suitable for children.
Our interview is based on the book "The Forgotten Cemetery: Excavations at Ranelagh, Co. Roscommon," available for free at https://www.tii.ie/technical-services/archaeology/publications/tii-heritage/.
Eileen is the deputy head of the School of Built & Natural Heritage at Queen's University Belfast: https://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/NBE/.
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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 unfolded behind the scenes.
You can visit the National Photographic Archive - its located on Meeting House Square in Templebar. You can also check out thousands of images from their collection that have been digitised here https://www.nli.ie/collections/our-collections/photographs
These are the images mentioned in the show
No.1 https://catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000188503
No.2 https://catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000188275
No.3 https://catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000183831
No.4 https://catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000354193 
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