The History of Ireland

Kevin Dolan
  • 4.7 (148)
  • History
  • Updated Semimonthly

The story of how Ireland became Ireland: its revolution, its gods, and the myths in between. Learn more at www.thehistoryofireland.com or support the show through Patreon for bonus content and ad free listening! www.patreon.com/thehistoryofireland Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. 4d ago

    S3 EP21 – They're Making A Fairy Of Me

    In 1895, Bridget Cleary — young, educated, and a little too stylish for County Tipperary's liking — fell ill with a fever. Within days, her husband and neighbours had convinced themselves she'd been taken by the fairies and a changeling left in her place. What followed was a week of forced "cures," a hot poker, and a fire. Drawing on Angela Bourke's The Burning of Bridget Cleary, this episode traces how a community's belief in the good people curdled into horror — and sets up the trial that would follow. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    S3 EP21 – They're Making A Fairy Of Me

  2. Jun 30

    S3 EP20 – How the Tuatha Dé Evolved into Fairies

    The old gods of Ireland never really died — they went under the hills, and people learned not to say their name. We follow the Tuatha Dé into folklore, where they become the fairies, the Sídhe, the Good People — and take the first step towards the changeling and the 1895 killing of Bridget Cleary. The episode cover image is a hawthorn tree, famously associated with fairies in Ireland. (Wikimedia Commons/Robin Somes) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    S3 EP20 – How the Tuatha Dé Evolved into Fairies

  3. 12/23/2025

    S3 EP19 - The Children of Lír in the Classroom

    In today's episode we finish off the last section of The Fate of the Children of Lír and explore how really it was the Christian Brothers who cemented it in the Irish psyche. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    S3 EP19 - The Children of Lír in the Classroom

  4. 12/04/2025

    S3 EP18 — Why The Children of Lír Was The Perfect Story For 19th Century Nationalists

    In this episode we look at how the Children of Lír slowly gained popularity over the 19th century and see what happens when you turn someone's children into swans. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    S3 EP18 — Why The Children of Lír Was The Perfect Story For 19th Century Nationalists

  5. 11/06/2025

    S3 EP17 — The Lie Behind The Children of Lír

    In this episode we look at The Fate of the Children of Lír and explore how Ireland's most famous myth is not a myth at all. In fact, it's a Christian parable in a shape of myth. A bit like a child who's been turned into a swan. The artwork for this episode is THE CHILDREN OF LIR. THE ENCHANTMENT by Jim FitzPatrick. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    S3 EP17 — The Lie Behind The Children of Lír

  6. 10/09/2025 ·  Bonus

    The Black & Tans in Palestine

    A slight diversion from our current series on mythology to look at a unique connection between Ireland and Palestine. If you'd like to donate to support the people of Palestine you can do so here: https://www.savethechildren.org/us/where-we-work/west-bank-gaza As this could be a contentious episode, I wanted to ensure I shared all my sources. If it's something people find interesting, I'll keep doing for episodes moving forward. Seán W. Gannon, “The Formation, Composition, and Conduct of the British Section of the Palestine Gendarmerie, 1922–26,” The Historical Journal (2013). Cambridge University Press & Assessment Seán W. Gannon, “‘Our Irish Constabulary’: The British Palestine Gendarmerie, 1922–1926,” in The Irish Imperial Service Richard A. Cahill, “The Image of ‘Black and Tans’ in Late Mandate Palestine,” Jerusalem Quarterly 40 (2009). Richard A. Cahill, “Going Berserk: ‘Black and Tans’ in Palestine,” Jerusalem Quarterly 38 (2009). Palestine Studies UCC, The War of Words: Propaganda and Moral Force. University College Cork Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    The Black & Tans in Palestine

  7. 09/12/2025

    S3 EP16 — The Scholars on the Edge of the World

    The Fate of the Children of Tuireann Pt. 3 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    S3 EP16 — The Scholars on the Edge of the World

  8. 07/22/2025

    S3 EP15 — The Fines That Made Brehon Law Tick

    In this episode Lug issues a fine to the Children of Tuireann and we look at how fines were the bedrock of medieval Ireland's decentralised system of laws. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    S3 EP15 — The Fines That Made Brehon Law Tick
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4.7
out of 5
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About

The story of how Ireland became Ireland: its revolution, its gods, and the myths in between. Learn more at www.thehistoryofireland.com or support the show through Patreon for bonus content and ad free listening! www.patreon.com/thehistoryofireland Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

  • Creator
    Kevin Dolan
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    134
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 202024
  • Show Website
    The History of Ireland

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