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…
The archive
133 episodes.
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Season 3 — The Mythology
Newgrange, the Tuatha Dé, and the stories underneath it all · 20 episodes · Read the Irish Mythology guide →
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…
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…
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…
The Scholars on the Edge of the World
The Fate of the Children of Tuireann Pt. 3
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…
Ireland's First Psychopath?
In the latest episode we dive into the Fate of the Children of Tuireann, a story from the 15th century that builds on The Second Battle of…
Honour Price & Fidchell
In this episode we explore the concept of honour price and how it was one of the most important legal concept in early medieval Ireland. We…
The Kings of Early Medieval Ireland Meet Étain
In this episode we look at how early medieval Ireland was ruled through a series of different kings and over kings, as well as continue our…
The Unique Oddness of Irish Mythology
In this episode we get back into The Wooing of Étain, exploring her life as a fly and witness how she is reborn 1000 years later...
How Patrick Became Our Patron Saint
In this episode we look at how a Welsh bishop with fringe apocalyptic ideas became the patron saint of Ireland – defeating a whole load of…
How Druids Learned To Read The Moon Through Story
Did Étain represent the moon? And did The Wooing of Étain teach druids how to read the moon's movement over decades? In this episode we…
A Lost Story of how the God's Fought Over Newgrange
In this episode we look at the history behind how The Wooing of Étain was uncovered and then dive into the story itself — as the Dagda…
Were the Fomorians a Metaphor for Vikings?
In this episode we finally get to the big clash between the Fomorians and the Tuatha Dé. It's a brutal and beautiful piece of literature.…
Why is Ireland's Father Deity So Different?
In this episode we follow one of the strangest (and maybe raunchiest) moments in ancient Irish stories as the Dagda prepares for battle.
How Lugh shows what the Irish cared about
In this episode we greet the arrival of Lugh as the Tuatha Dé prepare for battle. We also dive into what the characters of Lugh and Bres…
How Bres the Beautiful came to be
In this episode we look at life in Ireland under the rulership of Bres the Beautiful and learn who is father was, as well as explore what a…
The Coming of the Tuatha Dé
In this episode we dive into the First Battle of Moytura, telling the story of how the Tuatha Dé came to Ireland. If you'd like to dive…
The Filí
In this episode we look at the people behind the Irish mythological stories and explore how the stories we have today are a fascinating…
Newgrange, The Celts & The People of the Sídhe
It's a whole new season and we're doing something a little different – diving into the rich tapestry of Irish mythology. But before we jump…
Season 2 — The Civil War
The painful birth of the Irish nation · 30 episodes · Read the Irish Revolution guide →
The Aftermath of the Irish Civil War
In this episode we look at the aftermath of the Irish Civil War and how it's still influencing Irish politics to this day.
How The Free State Failed Women
In this episode, we look at how Maggie Doherty and the McCarthy sisters were totally and utterly failed by the Free State and how their…
The End of the Irish Civil War
In this episode we look at the last dying gasps of the Irish Civil War and dive into the psychological genius of De Valera's order to dump…
The Death of Liam Lynch
"I'm glad one of the old crowd got me" is what Liam Lynch said after he was shot in the Knockmealdown Mountains and in this episode we look…
Kerry's Month of Terror
Irish men blowing each other to smithereens – there's a reason March 1923 is often referred to as the month of terror. In this episode we…
A Guerrilla Winter
In this episode we look at the winter of 1922 into 1923 – time when the Civil War became increasingly bitter and the anti-Treaty side…
The Life & Times of Harry Boland with Shite Talk History
In this episode we join forces with Shite Talk History to tell the story of the amazing Harry Boland.
Best Friends & Executions
In this episode we explore a friendship that ended in executions that was said to have "killed the new State at its birth.“
The History of Halloween
In this episode we celebrate 1,000,000 downloads by going down the supernatural rabbit hole that is the history of Halloween. From druids…
The Irish Free State Is Born & A TD Is Murdered
In this episode we look at December 6th, the day the Irish Free State official came into being.
The First Attempt At An Irish Constitution
In this episode we look at the creation of Irish Free State constitution which was brought into law on December 6th 1922. Here's the…
Weaponising the Sacraments
In this episode we look at how the Catholic Church worked to bring about peace in 1922, choosing the Treaty and turning against the…
The Executions Begin
In this episode we look at the first series of executions carried out by the Free State in November 1922. The image used for this episode…
Roadside Murders
In this episode we tell the sad story of Tadhg Kennefick and try to make sense of the horrific violence of the Irish Civil war.
The Special Powers Act
In this episode we look at what has been described as one of the most draconian pieces of legislation ever to be passed in a liberal…
How Collins Approached Northern Ireland
In this episode we look at the second failed Craig-Collins pact and try to untangle the complicated web that was Michael Collins's approach…
The McMahon Murders
In this episode we look at the failed attempts to bring peace to Northern Ireland in 1922 and how this affected one poor family in…
Drawing the Border
What's this? A new episode! Finally! Thanks so much for baring with me. Happy to say the show is back and raring to go. This episode takes…
Young Lawlor & The Legalities of Conflict
In this episode we investigate how the anti-Treaty IRA were coping, as well as the Army Emergency Power Resolution and its ramifications.
The Man Who Wasn't Collins
In this episode we take a look at WT Cosgrave – the conservative witty Dubliner who replaced Arthur Griffith and Michael Collins to become…
The Funeral of Michael Collins
In this episode we examine the ramifications of Michael Collins death — his funeral the reprisals that followed, and who would take his…
Béal na Bláth
In this episode we explore one of the most tragic (and hotly debated) moments of the Irish Civil War, the death of Michael Collins.
The Limerick Line, Rochestown & Griffith's Last Days
A jam packed episode as we explore what was going on in and around the first week of August 1922.
The Battle of Dublin
After the Four Courts was blown to smithereens fighting continued for several days in and around Dublin. In this episode we imagine what it…
The Bombing of the Four Courts
In this episode we look at the event traditionally viewed as the start of the Irish Civil War. These first unsteady and unwilling steps…
The Assassination of Sir Henry Wilson
The death of Sir Henry Wilson is a complicated affair that gives us a fascinating insight into the intersectional nature of the Ireland at…
Packs & Politics
In this episode we look at the election of 1922, which despite Sinn Fein's best efforts set a positive democratic tone for Irish politics…
Wade Through Irish Blood
In this episode we look at the anti-Treaty IRA and ask whether Éamon de Valera could have done more to stop the Irish Civil War.
Sister Against Sister
In this episode we look at how the Treaty split Cumann na mBan and the implications this had for Irish women's movement in the new Irish…
How To Start A Country
The start of a new season! We continue our story and see how we moved slowly from the end of The War of Independence into the Irish Civil…
Season 1 — The Revolution
From the Home Rule crisis to the Treaty debates · 75 episodes · Read the Irish Revolution guide →
The Treaty Debates: Part 3
In this episode the Dail finally takes a vote on the Treaty. We look at the speeches that came before and after the vote, and how they set…
The Treaty Debates: Part 2
In this episode we look at the Romantic Moralists versus the National Pragmatists and explore the reason why those against the treaty, were…
The Treaty Debates: Part 1
In this episode we see how the Second Dail reacted to the Anglo-Irish Debates, covering the first half of the Treaty Debates.
Dev's Inferno
In this episode we look at the immediate aftermath of the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty, specifically looking at how Eamon De Valera…
2am on a Tuesday PT2
In the second part of our episode on the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty we look at the very last moments of the treaty negotiation and…
2am on a Tuesday PT1
In this episode get comfortable as the fly on the wall for the last of the Anglo-Irish Treaty negotiations. Ready yourself for a long day…
One Last Dash Home
In this episode we race back to Dublin for what turned out to be the last Dail Cabinet meeting before the signing of the treaty.
Wrestling with a Wizard
In this episode we see how the pieces started slowly falling into place for the final treaty. We also look at one of the most controversial…
Squabbling On All Sides
In this episode we explore the internal conflict on both the Irish and British sides of the negotiation table. Check out Gretchen Frieman's…
The First Two Weeks of Negotiations
Be warned, this is a whopper of an episode. Today we get deep into the nitty gritty of the first two weeks of the treaty negotiations.…
Butter & Beautiful Eyes
In this episode we introduce the British delegation and kick off the Anglo-Irish Treaty negotiations.
The Myth of Michael Collins
Of all the figures of the Irish War of Independence none has been mythologised as much as Michael Collins. Today, we examine why...
Who Where The Plenipotentiaries?
In this episode we continue our examination of the plenipotentiaries, who they were and why Dev chose them. Image: George Gavan Duffy,…
Plenipotentiaries & The Players Left Off The Pitch
In this episode we introduce the men that would be sent over to London to negotiate with the British, and ask the question why did Éamon de…
On A Merry Go Round With Dev
Today we continue our look at the political negotiations that went on between Dev and Lloyd George in the build up to the treaty…
The Fighting Men Sit Still
In this episode we ask what did the men of the IRA and their leaders got up to during the Truce period? The answer starts to shed light on…
Dev Sits Down With The Welsh Wizard
In this episode we follow Eamon De Valera as he steps into 10 Downing Street to negotiate with David Lloyd George, as the two men try to…
The Truce
Exactly one hundred years ago today, at 12 o'clock in the afternoon a truce between British forces and the Irish Republican Army came into…
The Burning of the Custom House
In this episode we ask whether the only military operation discussed and approved by the Dail was a propaganda masterstroke or a military…
Ambushes, Elections & Stalemates
In this episode we look at everything going on in March, April and May of 1921. These last months were the bloodiest of the war and both…
The Biggest Lie of the Irish Revolution Pt. 2
In the second part of our episode on violence against women during the Irish War of Independence we look sexual violence and why it was…
The Biggest Lie of the Irish Revolution Pt. 1
In the first of a two part episode we explore violence against women during the Irish War of Independence.
Spies & Informers Beware
In this episode we interrogate the relationship between the IRA and the Irish public. From farmers happily donating their hard earned cash…
The Battle at the Farm House
In this episode we explore how the violence War of Independence ramped up in 1921 and explore how one safe house in Clonmult turned out to…
Guess Who Just Got Back Today?
In this episode Eamon de Valera finally returns to Ireland and we look at the effect this had on the movement...
Is There Anything To Be Said For Saying Another Mass?
In today's episode we look at the very first tentative steps towards a truce. Spoiler alert, it all falls a part and paves the way for…
The Burning of Cork
In this episode drunken arsons come face to face with courageous fire fighters in one of the most cataclysmic reprisals of the war. It…
The Kilmichael Ambush
We are back people! After a little bit of a Christmas break we're ready and raring to go. In this episode we take a detailed look at how a…
Pt 3. The Evening of Bloody Sunday
In this the last of our series on Bloody Sunday 1920 we look at what happened in Dublin Castle on the evening of the 21st, try and uncover…
Pt 2: The Evening of Bloody Sunday
Today we look at one of the most brutal reprisals carried out by the British so far in the War of Independence. One that left a distinct…
Pt 1: The Morning of Bloody Sunday
In this the first of a three parts, we look at how Ormond Winter took the intelligence fight to the IRA and how in retaliation they carried…
The Ballad of Kevin Barry
In the last episode we look at the Irish approach to the war in quite broad strokes. Today we dive into the specifics, detailing a raid on…
The Men & Women of the Revolution
In this episode we look at the structure of the IRA and Cumann na mBan, and how they worked against the British in the later half of 1920.
The Sack of Balbriggan
In this episode we look at how a few pints of a Monday night turned into one of the most infamous reprisals events of 1920. For further…
Seventy Four Days
In this episode we introduce Terence MacSwiney, the Lord Mayor of Cork who became famous all over the world after he went on a hunger…
The Connaught Rangers Mutiny
This week we travel to India and look at the complex interactions between the Irish and India, all through the lens of a remarkable (but…
Tudor's Beasts: The Auxiliaries Arrive
In this episode we discuss the second paramilitary force set up in Ireland to combat the IRA. An elite squad of veteran officers the Auxies…
The Belfast Boycott
In this episode we look at how the Dail met to decide what to do about the sectarian violence raging through Ulster in the summer of 1920.…
A Summer of Riots
Bang on 100 years ago on July 21st 1920, riots erupted in the Belfast shipyards. This week we investigate what was the cause and continue…
The Ulster Question
The Ulster Question, as it was known, is a tough one to crack. In this episode we try and unpack the complexities of the region and explain…
The Listowel Mutiny
The summer of 1920 was not all that different from 2020. In this episode we kick off that scary summer with a look at the Listowel Mutiny…
Will The Real John Jameson Please Stand Up?
Mustaches, mistaken outbursts and the truth behind John Jameson. In this episode we look at how the Irish intelligence network bested one…
John Jameson
In this episode we delve back into the Intelligence side of the war to investigate how Michael Collins and his men went about recruiting…
The Munitions Strike
In this episode we look at the Irish Labour movement in 1920 an how a few stubborn train drivers brought the country to a standstill in a…
The Kidnapped General
In this episode we see how a friendly day of fishing turned into a high profile kidnapping and a PR win for the IRA. As well as explore why…
The Flying Columns
In this episode we look at how a walk through the Limerick countryside led to a revolutionary new kind of unit that were vital in the IRA's…
Theory & Instinct
In this episode we look at some the factors that influenced how the IRA developed their fighting style against the British. To do this we…
29 – The Murder of Tomas Mac Curtain
In this episode we hold an imaginary trial to decide who should be held responsible for the murder of Tomas MacCurtain, the Lord Mayor of…
Who Were The Black & Tans?
In this episode we examine the men who made up the notorious Black & Tans and the impact they had when they first arrived in Ireland.…
The Men Behind The Black & Tans
This episode we ask the question, who created the Black and Tans? The men behind the British policy in 1919 and 1920 did not want to…
Burning Down The Barracks
It's 1920 and The War of Independence is really heating up. We look at how the IRA up the ante and took the fight to the RIC, while also…
Fascists & County Councils
1920 was a year that really saw The Irish War of Independence tilt into full swing. But just as important as the military aspect, was the…
An Ambush at Ashtown
In this episode we explore the ambush of Lord French in December 1919. It shook the country and set the scene for the escalation in the…
Not The 1919 News
First off, I'm so sorry that this episode has taken so long. As life gets a little more hectic in the real world I'll be shifting towards…
We Did Not & Do Not Know How To Act
In this episode we explore the British confused Irish policy throughout 1919 and explore what finally convinced them to ban the Dáil.…
The Squad & The Dog
In this episode we discuss the founding of The Squad, the IRA's team of professional assassins, and look at how they botched their very…
The Spy In The Castle
This week we finally introduce David Nelligan, one of the Irish Intelligence networks most successful spies and learn how Michael Collins…
A Night In The Barracks
In this episode we introduce the spy Ned Broy and tell the story of how he snuck Michael Collins into the G Divisions headquarters one…
Librarians & G Men
In this, the second episode on the the Irish intelligence network we meet the men who became undercover operatives inside the G Division,…
Spying Secretaries
How does a small island go about defeating one of the biggest empires in the world? By outsmarting them, over and over again. In this…
Courts, Loans and the Counter State
In this episode we explore the nitty gritty of getting a government off the ground. You need propaganda, money and proof that you can run…
Back In The USS Limerick
This is the second part of our two part episode on the Limerick Soviet. After the death of Bobby Byrne things really kicked off, with…
The Breakout of Bobby Byrne
In this, the first of two episodes looking at the Limerick Soviet we follow how one angry postman kicked off a strange and short lived mini…
Coming To America
In this episode we follow Eamon De Valera after his breakout from Lincoln Gaol. What does he do now that he can return to Ireland, well he…
Going Solo
The War of Independence is finally kicking off. In this episode we look at the moment that's gone down (rightly or wrongly) as the first…
Are We At War Yet?
In this episode we study the structure of the Irish Volunteers, charting how their increase aggression in 1918 and 1919 eventually led to a…
The Big Fellow
Wild. Studious. Angry. Playful. Friendly. Violent. Michael Collins was a series of contradictions. In this episode we explore the early…
The Long Fellow
In this episode explore the formative years of Eamon de Valera – one of the most influential men in modern Irish history. From prayer boy…
The First Dáil
Sinn Fein had won the election and now it was time to start taking control of the country. Even if almost half of them were locked up. The…
On The Campaign Trail
In this episode we go all West Wing on 1918 and look at the election that would completely transform the Irish political landscape.…
Boy Oh Boy A Boycott
After successfully stopping conscription Sinn Fein and the Irish Volunteers started increasing pressure on the British. This led to an…
Oh No We Won't Go
By 1918 Sinn Fein were on the rise. Home Rule had come to a stand still and the population had become more and more radicalised. All Sinn…
Poorly Managed Mayhem
Cartoonists in love, tricksy Welsh wizards and a fickle public. In this episode we look at how the plucky little 1916 Rising went from…
Two Very Different Approaches
Not dissimilar to Brexit and arguments over the backstop, the Home Rule Crisis was one of the biggest political nightmares of its day. In…
Setting The Scene
In this the inaugural episode the parties, players and movements bouncing around Ireland in the early 1900s are introduced. Subscribe for…
Bonus & specials
Interviews, wren boys, and the odd announcement · 8 episodes
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…
Interview – Alexander Poots On The Writing Northern Ireland
From CS Lewis's bourgeois Protestant upbringing to Seamus Heaney's beautiful attempts at understanding his home, this episode I interview…
Interview – The Lives of Liam Lynch & Rory O'Conner with Gerard Shannon
Loved this chat with Gerard Shannon, a fascinating historian currently writing a book on Liam Lynch. Over the course of the interview we…
Interview – The Diaries of Michael Collins with Anne Dolan & Will Murphy
Today on the centenary of the death of Michael Collins I'm sharing excerpts from an interview with Anne Dolan and Will Murphy authors of…
Podcast Announcement — Bonus Content, Ad Free listening & more
After chatting to a whole heap of listeners I've decided to bite the bullet and start a Patreon page . Though I'm dubious of podcasts…
Celebrations, Illustrations & Snazzy Merch
We've hit over 150,000 downloads and to celebrate I've teamed up with the amazing Luke Healy to put together some kick ass merch. It's a…
Questions & Answers
So I've had a few episodes about the show, and a few random ones, so I thought I'd answer them all in one episode before we get back into…
Pagans, Christians & Wrens
Did someone say special Christmas episode? In a fortuitous coincidence it's the 26th episode on the 26th of December, which happens to be…
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