History Ireland Podcasts
Kilkenny in the Revolutionary Decade
Kilkenny was described by Ernie O’Malley as ‘slack’ during the War of Independence. Was this really the case? Kilkenny has a notable revolutionary history—as crucible of the Tithe War (1830s), birthplace of one the founders of the IRB, James Stephens (1858), and a rebel turnout, albeit small (1916). Also, the attack and capture of Hugginstowm…
Read MoreThe Truce
A century ago, at noon on 11 July 1921, a truce came into effect in the Anglo-Irish war between theIRA and Crown forces. Why did it happen then—and why had peace feelers in late 1920 failed? What motivated each side to sue for peace? What were their expectations? To address these and other questions tune…
Read MoreGeorge V’s opening of the Northern Ireland parliament
On 22 June 1921 King George V officially opened the Northern Ireland parliament, thusconfirming the existence of Northern Ireland as set out in the 1920 Government of Ireland Act.Moreover, since the formation of the Ulster Special Constabulary in autumn 1920 it also had themeans to defend itself. To discuss these and related matters tune in…
Read MoreMayo in the revolutionary decade
Despite a notable revolutionary pedigree—scene of a French invasion in support of the 1798 Rebellion and cradle of the Land League in 1879—Mayo was a ‘slow starter’ in the War of Independence, with major IRA engagements with Crown forces only starting in the spring of 1921. It was also the scene of major agrarian unrest.…
Read MoreThe burning of the Custom House, 25 May 1921
On 25 May 1921, Dublin’s Custom House, headquarters of the Local Government Board of Ireland,was occupied and then burnt in an operation involving over 100 IRA volunteers. It has long beenregarded as a propaganda coup but a military disaster for the IRA. But are either of these assumptions correct? Did it disrupt British administration? Did…
Read MoreWexford in the Revolutionary Decade
While not in the vanguard of armed activity during the War of Independence, Wexford has the distinction of being one of the few counties outside Dublin that saw action during the 1916 Rising. On the other hand it was also one of the few places where John Redmond’s (a native of the county) Irish Parliamentary…
Read MoreCrossbarry, Co. Cork—the biggest engagement of the War of Independence
At Crossbarry, Co. Cork, on 19 March 1921 over 100 IRA volunteers, under the command of Tom Barry, were almost surrounded by a combined force of regular British Army and Auxiliaries of at least ten times that number. What happened? What were its consequences? And what does it tell us about the conduct of the…
Read MoreClare in the revolutionary decade
New History Ireland Hedge School PODCASTClare in the revolutionary decade Despite its apparent geographical isolation, with the Atlantic Ocean to the west and north, and the River Shannon to the south and east, County Clare has been centre stage in Irish political life, from the election of Daniel O’Connell in 1828, to the equally ground-breaking…
Read MoreLimerick Curfew Murders
A new History Ireland podcast about the Limerick Curfew Murders. On the night of the 6/7 March 1921, the Mayor of Limerick, George Clancy, his predecessor, Michael O’Callaghan, and IRA Volunteer Joseph O’Donoghue, were shot dead by an Auxiliary death squad lead by Maj. George Montagu Nathan. (In an ironic twist Nathan was later killed…
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