Irish History Podcast

Fin Dwyer
  • 4.8 (1.3K)
  • HISTORY
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

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

  1. Solidarity, Suspicion and Conspiracy: Jews and the Irish Revolution

    4D AGO

    Solidarity, Suspicion and Conspiracy: Jews and the Irish Revolution

    As the Irish Revolution broke out, Europe was gripped by political upheaval, fear of revolution, and rising antisemitism. In conservative and right-wing circles, the so-called “Jewish Question” loomed large. Claims that Jews were secretly fomenting revolution across the world became increasingly common, feeding conspiracy theories that shaped how many people interpreted events from Russia to Ireland. In this episode of Brothers in Pain, Dr Brian Hanley explores how these ideas influenced perceptions of the Irish Revolution. Leading British figures repeatedly claimed that Jews were secretly behind unrest in Ireland, reflecting the wider antisemitic beliefs circulating in British and European politics at the time. But the story was far more complex than conspiracy and prejudice. Jewish communities in Ireland and across the world responded to the Irish Revolution in different ways. Some Jewish figures, including Michael Noyek and Robert Briscoe, became prominent Irish republicans. Others were more cautious, concerned by political instability, violence, and antisemitism within parts of Irish nationalist politics. Brian also examines the uncomfortable reality that some leading Irish nationalist figures, including John Devoy and Arthur Griffith expressed antisemitic views. The result was a complicated history, shaped by solidarity, suspicion and racism. This is the seventh episode in the Brothers in Pain Series a groundbreaking Global history of the Irish War of Independence by Dr Brian Hanley Written, Researched & Narrated by Dr Brian Hanley. Check out Brian's publications here https://www.tcd.ie/history/staff/brian-hanley.php Producer: Fin Dwyer Sound: Kate Dunlea Note from Brian : In researching these episodes I have been indebted to the work of the following scholars; Anna Lively, Sam McGrath, Bruce Nelson, Terry Dunne, David Brundage, Niamh Coffey, Gerard Shannon, Maurice Casey, Kelly Anne Reynolds, Chris McNickle, Joe Doyle, Liz Gillis, FM Carroll, Patrick Mannion, Jimmy Yann, Niall Cullen, Pádraig Óg Ó Ruairc, Keith Jeffrey, Arthur Mitchell, John Borgonovo, Kate O’Malley, Michael Doorley, Robin Adams, Kevin Kenny, Fearghal McGarry, Catherine M. Burns, Síobhra Aiken, Patrick J. Mahony, Darragh Gannon, Matthew Pratt Guterl and James R. Barrett. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    29 min
  2. Drogheda & Beyond: The Terrifying Reality of Siege Warfare in Ireland

    6D AGO

    Drogheda & Beyond: The Terrifying Reality of Siege Warfare in Ireland

    Between 1641 and 1653, Ireland was engulfed by devastating war. It was a period of extraordinary violence, famine and social collapse. The death toll was staggering. As many as 25% of the population may have perished. At the heart of this conflict was siege warfare. Across Ireland, towns, castles, forts and fortified houses came under attack. Some were taken by storm, while others were blockaded until starvation and disease did their work. Defenders faced cannon fire, tunnelling, psychological warfare and the terrifying prospect of what might happen if the walls were breached. Meanwhile, thousands of civilians had no escape and suffered appallingly. In this episode, I’m joined by historian Padraig Lenihan to explore the brutal reality of siege warfare in 17th-century Ireland. We look at why these conflicts were so destructive, how sieges were fought, and why warfare in Ireland was often more violent than in Britain during the same period. We also examine the infamous massacre at Drogheda, placing it in the wider context of the wars in Ireland and Britain, and asking whether it was exceptional or part of a broader pattern of violence. You can get Padraig’s book, Siege Warfare in Ireland, 1641-1653 which offers a fascinating insight into one of the darkest periods in Irish history:  https://www.fourcourtspress.ie/books/2025/siege-in-ireland-1641-53 Sound: Kate Dunlea Request: My guest on the last episode, James Doherty, is looking for photographs of Irish Army soldiers in Kilkenny Castle during the Emergency. If you have any information, please get in touch at info@irishhistorypodcast.ie Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    44 min
  3. Forgotten Allies: How Egypt and India Supported the Irish Revolution

    MAY 1

    Forgotten Allies: How Egypt and India Supported the Irish Revolution

    During the Irish War of Independence, republicans in Ireland looked far beyond Britain and America for support. In Egypt and India, they found allies. Secret meetings took place between IRA representatives and Egyptian revolutionaries, while Irish republicans also made contact with Indian nationalists who were waging their own struggle against British rule. Across the Empire, activists began to see their causes as connected, bound together by a common enemy and a shared desire for freedom. But this was never a simple story of solidarity. For generations, Irish people had also served the British Empire in India and the Middle East as soldiers, policemen and civil servants. This episode explores the forgotten links between Ireland, Egypt and India, revealing how the Irish Revolution was shaped not only by events at home, but by anti-colonial struggles unfolding across the wider world. Support the show and get ad-free early episodes at patreon.com/irishpodcast The series is researched, written, and presented by Dr Brian Hanley. Brian is a historian at Trinity College Dublin and has written extensively on the Irish Revolution, republicanism, and radical politics in the twentieth century. You can find a list of his publications here: https://www.tcd.ie/history/staff/brian-hanley.php Written, Researched and Narrated by Dr Brian Hanley Producer: Fin Dwyer Sound: Kate Dunlea Note from Brian: In researching these episodes, I have been indebted to the work of the following scholars: Anna Lively, Sam McGrath, Bruce Nelson, Terry Dunne, David Brundage, Niamh Coffey, Gerard Shannon, Maurice Casey, Kelly Anne Reynolds, Chris McNickle, Joe Doyle, Liz Gillis, F. M. Carroll, Patrick Mannion, Jimmy Yann, Niall Cullen, Pádraig Óg Ó Ruairc, Keith Jeffrey, Arthur Mitchell, John Borgonovo, Kate O’Malley, Michael Doorley, Robin Adams, Kevin Kenny, Fearghal McGarry, Catherine M. Burns, Síobhra Aiken, Patrick J. Mahony, Darragh Gannon, Matthew Pratt Guterl, and James R. Barrett. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    32 min
  4. Operation Green: Hitler's Plan for Ireland

    APR 29

    Operation Green: Hitler's Plan for Ireland

    In 1939, Ireland declared itself neutral in the Second World War. But neutrality did not mean the island was safe. Indeed, both Germany and Britain developed plans to occupy the entire island. This episode focuses on Operation Green, Hitler's secret invasion plan for Ireland, and Plan W, the Irish government's defensive strategy. Historian James Doherty joins me to explain this intriguing aspect of the Second World War in Ireland. We begin by exploring why Ireland was important to both sides in the war. Then James details the German invasion plan and the why the British were determined to stop them. He also explores the controversial Irish Army defence plans and whether they would have worked. Sound by Kate Dunlea. James Doherty is a historian based in Waterford with interests in Military History and the history of smuggling in Ireland in the 18th and 19th centuries. He is currently researching Ireland during the Emergency. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    39 min
  5. Divided Loyalties: The Irish Who Fought for Britain

    APR 24

    Divided Loyalties: The Irish Who Fought for Britain

    The Irish War of Independence & Revolution saw the IRA pitted against Crown forces across the island. However, on the ground in Ireland, allegiance was often more complicated than is sometimes remembered. Ireland had a long tradition of service in the British Army, and during the conflict thousands of Irishmen served not only in British military ranks but also in the police forces sent to crush the revolution. Even the Black and Tans, remembered as outsiders and occupiers, included surprising numbers of Irish recruits. This episode explores the uncomfortable and often forgotten story of the Irish who fought for Britain. Who were these men? Why did they serve the Crown, in Ireland and across the Empire? What drew them into the British Army, the Royal Irish Constabulary, and even the ranks of the Black and Tans? And what does their story reveal about Ireland’s deep and complicated relationship with the British Empire? This is Episode 5 of Brothers in Pain, a global history of the Irish Revolution. The series is researched, written, and presented by Dr Brian Hanley. Brian is a historian at Trinity College Dublin and has written extensively on the Irish Revolution, republicanism, and radical politics in the twentieth century. You can find a list of his publications here: https://www.tcd.ie/history/staff/brian-hanley.php Written, Researched and Narrated by Dr Brian Hanley Producer: Fin Dwyer Sound: Kate Dunlea Note from Brian: In researching these episodes, I have been indebted to the work of the following scholars: Anna Lively, Sam McGrath, Bruce Nelson, Terry Dunne, David Brundage, Niamh Coffey, Gerard Shannon, Maurice Casey, Kelly Anne Reynolds, Chris McNickle, Joe Doyle, Liz Gillis, F. M. Carroll, Patrick Mannion, Jimmy Yann, Niall Cullen, Pádraig Óg Ó Ruairc, Keith Jeffrey, Arthur Mitchell, John Borgonovo, Kate O’Malley, Michael Doorley, Robin Adams, Kevin Kenny, Fearghal McGarry, Catherine M. Burns, Síobhra Aiken, Patrick J. Mahony, Darragh Gannon, Matthew Pratt Guterl, and James R. Barrett. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    30 min
  6. The Irish Language: Why Ireland Became English-Speaking

    APR 22

    The Irish Language: Why Ireland Became English-Speaking

    How did Ireland become an English-speaking country? Was it colonialism, the Great Hunger, the education system or emigration that drove the shift from Irish to English? In this episode, I am joined by Dr Nicholas Wolf to explore one of the biggest questions in Irish history: how Irish, once the dominant language of the island, lost ground over the centuries.  Nicholas explains how this is a multifaceted story, beginning in the wars of the seventeenth century but continuing through the Great Famine of the 1840s and beyond. While he explores the impact conquest, plantation and emigration, Nicholas also explains why English became so necessary in everyday life in Ireland. About Nicholas Wolf Nicholas Wolf is a historian and librarian at New York University, where he is co-head of NYU Library’s Data Services department and associate director of research and publishing initiatives at Glucksman Ireland House. He is the author of An Irish-Speaking Island (2014), a social and cultural history of Ireland’s Irish-language community in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries that was awarded the Michael J. Durkan Prize for Books on Language and Culture and the Donald Murphy Prize for Distinguished First Books. His research into the social and cultural history of the Irish language, Irish Catholicism, and Ireland’s population history has received grants and fellowships from the Gardiner Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Newberry Library, and Newman College at the University of Melbourne. Get An Irish-Speaking Island (2014) https://uwpress.wisc.edu/Books/A/An-Irish-Speaking-Island Nicholas’s website: https://nmwolf.net LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholas-wolf-204a24335 Check out this digitisation project Nicholas was involved in, focusing on the bilingual historical newspaper An Gaodhal: https://www.universityofgalway.ie/angaodhal Sound by Kate Dunlea Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    36 min
  7. A White Mans Nation? The Irish Revolution & Black Radicals

    APR 17

    A White Mans Nation? The Irish Revolution & Black Radicals

    “The Irish fight for liberty is the greatest epic of the modern age… those suffering together under British imperialism must learn to coordinate their effort before they can hope to be free.” These words from the Black radical Cyril Briggs captured how many people of colour viewed the Irish War of Independence. Today, the Irish Revolution is usually remembered as a struggle shaped by empire, nationalism and religion. But race also haunted this history. As Ireland fought for freedom, racial tensions were erupting across the world. In 1919, the United States was convulsed by the Red Summer, when white mobs launched brutal attacks on African American communities. At the same time, many opponents of Irish independence portrayed the conflict in Ireland as a racial struggle. Yet the relationship between Irish republicans and Black radicals was never straightforward. While Black activists looked to Ireland with hope, many Irish leaders were slow to support Black struggles and some even argued that Ireland deserved freedom precisely because the Irish were white. This episode uncovers the forgotten story of solidarity, suspicion and betrayal between Irish and Black radicals and reveals how deeply the politics of race shaped the Irish War of Independence. This is the fourth episode in Brothers in Pain a groundbreaking Global history of the Irish War of Independence by Dr Brian Hanley Written, Researched & Narrated by Dr Brian Hanley. Check out Brian's publications here https://www.tcd.ie/history/staff/brian-hanley.php Producer: Fin Dwyer Sound: Kate Dunlea Note from Brian : In researching these episodes I have been indebted to the work of the following scholars; Anna Lively, Sam McGrath, Bruce Nelson, Terry Dunne, David Brundage, Niamh Coffey, Gerard Shannon, Maurice Casey, Kelly Anne Reynolds, Chris McNickle, Joe Doyle, Liz Gillis, FM Carroll, Patrick Mannion, Jimmy Yann, Niall Cullen, Pádraig Óg Ó Ruairc, Keith Jeffrey, Arthur Mitchell, John Borgonovo, Kate O’Malley, Michael Doorley, Robin Adams, Kevin Kenny, Fearghal McGarry, Catherine M. Burns, Síobhra Aiken, Patrick J. Mahony, Darragh Gannon, Matthew Pratt Guterl and James R. Barrett. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    34 min
  8. From the Banshee to Burial: The Strange History of Irish Funerals

    APR 15

    From the Banshee to Burial: The Strange History of Irish Funerals

    Irish funerals and wakes are one of the more famous aspects of our culture. Often taking the form of a celebration, it has been said we do death well. However the modern Irish funeral is not the timeless tradition we often imagine. In this episode of the Irish History Podcast I explore the strange history of Irish funerals and the lost world of 19th-century death customs. Drawing on folklore and first-hand accounts, I explore the history behind the banshee (bean sí) and other less well known death omens. I also trace the strange and unsettling rituals, superstitions and wake traditions that once surrounded death in Ireland - customs that can be difficult to relate to today. From the banshee to the grave, this is a journey into a lost world of grief, ritual and belief. Written, researched, and presented by Fin Dwyer Sound: Kate Dunlea Voice Actors: Aidan Crowe and Therese Murray If you want to learn more about wakes, check out this episode recorded in the Irish Wake Museum https://shows.acast.com/irishhistory/episodes/the-irish-wake-a-history Sources * Patricia Lysaght, The Banshee: The Irish Death-Messenger https://archive.org/details/bansheeirishdeat0000lysa * St. John Seymour, True Irish Ghost Stories https://archive.org/details/trueirishghostst00seymiala Duchas.ie, the National Folklore Archive https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4602737/4599804/4634242 https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4427971/4362341/4466724 https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4649683/4646384/4650807 https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4427866/4351921/4435336 https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4649683/4646384/4650807 https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4758475/4747226/4779806 https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/5008831/4959379/5072669 https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4623003/4622767/4630843 https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4742070/4732588/4819790 https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4922035/4920905/4955848 https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4922258/4864961/5021036 https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4706331/4703491/4726094 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    31 min
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Hosts & Guests

4.8
out of 5
1,299 Ratings

About

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

Information

  • Creator
    Fin Dwyer
  • Years Active
    2010 - 2026
  • Episodes
    463
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Fin Dwyer
  • Show Website
    Irish History Podcast

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