Irish History Podcast

Believe it or not, it was a crime to sell contraception in Ireland between 1935 and 1979. The Irish government also banned all literature on family planning for decades as well. This had a profound impact on life in Ireland. Couples couldn't plan families or engage in recreational sex without fear of pregnancy. This devastated relationships and left many people with a very limited understanding of sex and pregnancy. In this podcast I interview Dr Laura Kelly from the University of Srathcylde. Laura is a leading expert in this area and she explains the background to contraception in Ireland, why it was banned and the devastating consequences of the ban.  Find out more about Laura's research and publications here. Follow Laura on twitter here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

While Ireland remained neutral in the Second World War several Nazi agents were smuggled into the country. Their aims varied, some sought to establish contact with the IRA while others were spies. In this episode, I interview historian Marc McMenamin about the attempts of Irish Military Intelligence's to catch these spies and agents. Marc also explains the attitude of the IRA towards these individuals & the forgotten Irish code breakers in the war. Its a fascinating story. Marc has published two books on Irish Military Intelligence in the Second World War Codebreaker & Ireland's Secret War both of which are fantastic reads. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There is a photo essay to accompany this episode here Conwy castle in Wales in one of Europe's most spectacular medieval castles. Built in the 1280s by Edward I the castle has withstood sieges and the ravages of time. On Sat October 8th I organised a supporters trip to the castle. Early the following morning, as the sun rose over the medieval town I recorded this episode. Using the acoustics of the castle and the walls I explain the history, what the castle looks like today and how its elaborate and lethal defences worked in the middle ages. Deadly stuff in all meanings of the word!Support the show at www.patreon.com/irishpodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this final episode of Ireland's Last Aristocrat, you will hear how Olive Packenham Mahon adjusted to life in Ireland after the War of Independence. This follows her story through the chaotic early days of the Irish Free State, her futile attempts to budget as money ran out and how she would end up an eccentric living in a mansion that crumbled around her. There will be a bonus episode of recordings from Strokestown Park House for supporters at www.patreon.com/irishpodcast later this week. By becoming a supporter you will also get access to my upcoming series on the Irish Civil War. You can find out more about Strokestown Park House and how you can visit Olive Packenham Mahon's home a thttps://strokestownpark.ie/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Olive's unpublished diary and letters reveal a story of war, revolution and scandalous relationships in Ireland during the War of Independence.After being raised in splendour with servants taking care of her every need (see part I), this episode follows Olive Packenham Mahon through the Irish revolutionary era. After the outbreak of World War I everything changed. The Packenham Mahons and other aristocrats found themselves on the wrong side of history as revolution swept through Ireland. Olive recorded her experiences in an unpublished diary and letters which provide the basis for this episode. While these recount an unusual perspective on the Irish revolution, they also reveal a love affair that scandalised her family!There is also bonus episode with exclusive content for supporters here.Artwork - Keith HynesSound - Kate DunleaNarrations - Aidan Crowe and Therese Murray Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Olive Packenham Mahon was born into wealth and privilege in 1894, but the legacy of a secret funeral and the spectre of war and revolution defined her life. She was no ordinary aristocrat - Olive was the last of her kind...A special thanks to Oisin O'Driscoll, Martin Fagan & Tony Aspel and all the team at Strokestown Park House for their time.Olive Packenham Mahon's home Strokestown Park House is open to the public. You can find out more at https://strokestownpark.ie/.Sound by Kate Dunlea. Artwork by Keith HynesAdditional narrations by Aidan Crowe and Therese Murray.There is a bonus episode with exclusive content from Strokestown available later in the week for show patrons at Patreon - patreon.com/Irishpodcast Acast+ - https://plus.acast.com/s/irishhistory Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Olive Pakenham Mahon was one of Ireland's last Aristocrats. Haunted by a secret funeral in her families past, revolution and war defined her life. She was anything but normal...Subscribe to the Irish History Podcast where you listen to podcasts https://linktr.ee/irishhistory Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You may not recognise the name Bridget O’Donnel, but she is one of the most recognisable women in Irish history. In December 1849 her image (pictured in the episode artwork and here) appeared in The Illustrated London News. Over the following decades she became the face of the Great Famine. Today she is one of the most recognisable women in Irish history, but who was Bridget O’Donnel?Is it possible she never existed but was the creation of an artist called James Mahony?Hear the full story of the woman behind this iconic image.Additional narrations from Therese MurrayH/T to Mark Lagan for his help in this!The poster of Bridget mentioned in the episode is available here.Dont forget the supporters trip to Conwy Castle is fast approaching - we leave on October 8th! If you would like to join me on this trip to this amazing castle get in touch today at www.patreon.com/irishpodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special episode brought to you by NOW, I look into why humans are fascinated with dragons. Did you know mythology around dragons is older than organised religion and spiritual beliefs of any kind? Meanwhile images of dragons has been found on all continents in societies from ancient Ireland to China. In this podcast I look at why dragon myths are so old, where did this mythology came from and what does it mean? Additional narrations - Aidan Crowe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2022 has been stressful so this episode treats you to 15 minutes of escapism. It brings you back to Dublin in 1320 in a soundscape of the medieval city. Reconstructed by trawling through 700 year old records for distinctive sounds; it was originally released back in 2014 but is definitely worth another listen. I am currently binge editing audio for an upcoming series but I will be back next week with a fresh episode!Join me on patreon, get access to hours of bonus content and join me on my upcoming trip to the stunning Conwy Castle in Wales - www.patreon.com/irishpodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.