Irish Lives in Victorian London: History and Influence

Over the past three decades, the Catholic Church has been engulfed by numerous sexual abuse scandals and accusations of power abuse. This has prompted many to question how it initially gained such influence in Ireland. In this podcast, I delve into the history of the Catholic Church within modern Irish society. While its influence is often linked to the post-Irish Independence era of the 1920s, the foundations of Catholic power extend much further back. This episode charts the Church's dramatic rise since the 1780s, when it emerged from the Penal Laws and decades of repression. I reveal how it skillfully navigated through rebellions, the Great Hunger, and the struggle for independence, growing stronger with each crisis. Additionally, I explore the complex relationship between the Church and the British Empire, where bitter enmity in the 1700s transformed into a strategic partnership—a marriage of convenience that reshaped Irish history. Support the show at Patreon.com/irishpodcast Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/irishhistory. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Winston Churchill is one of the most famous figures of the 20th century. Hailed in Britain as the man who won the war, his legacy in Ireland is far more complex. In this episode, I delve into history behind the celebrated war hero who saved Britain who was also a staunch imperialist with a controversial past. Join me as I navigate the contrasting narratives and attempt to reconcile these two sides of a towering historical figure. Support the show at patreon.com/irishpodcast Let me know what you think at info at Irishhisitorypodcast.ie Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/irishhistory. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

During the Great Hunger of the 1840s, one million Irish perished from starvation and hunger-related diseases. However, Ireland is surrounded by some of the best fishing grounds in Europe. This begs the question: why didn't the Irish turn to the sea to survive? Some have argued that our ancestors didn't know how to fish or that they didn't like fish. The answer is, unsurprisingly, a little more complicated. This podcast delves into the complex historical, economic, and social factors that contributed to the tragic paradox of people starving in a sea of plenty. All 23 chapters of my book Life in Medieval Ireland is available for show supporters on Patreon here https://www.patreon.com/posts/life-in-medieval-116757407. (If you support the show on Acast+ I will post the book tomorrow. Its a little tricky to post 23 chapters without clogging up your feed!) Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/irishhistory. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Life expectancy in Ireland has doubled over the past 200 years, but why was it so low for so long? In this podcast, I delve into the factors that kept life expectancy down in Ireland's history and what those numbers truly mean. Did people really only live to 40 in the past? During the Great Hunger, life expectancy plummeted to just 20 years—what does this reveal about society at the time? Join me as I explore these questions and discuss what I believe to be one of humanity's greatest achievements: the remarkable doubling of life expectancy in recent times. Support the show at https://patreon.com/irishpodcast Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/irishhistory. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 1719, the 17-year-old Polish Princess Maria Clementina Sobieska was seized by the Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI. While the move shocked many in Europe, in the following months a group of Irish exiles plotted a daring rescue of Maria Clementina. This led to a dramatic 400-kilometer chase across 18th-century Europe. In this episode, I am joined by historian Richard Maher, an expert in the area, who explains why Irish exiles, known as the Wild Geese, risked their lives to rescue this Polish princess and how they hoped she might change the course of Irish history. You can follow Richard on Linkedin at https://ie.linkedin.com/in/richard-maher-a5ab8068 Subscribe to my new podcast with historian Damian Shiels. Its called Transatlantic - An Irish American History Podcast. You can hear the latest episode here https://linktr.ee/transatlanticpod Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/irishhistory. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.