Who was the first Irish person to cross the Atlantic Ocean?

By the late 1950s, over 20,000 individuals in the Republic of Ireland were confined in asylums—a staggering figure equivalent to 1 in every 133 Irish people at the time. This episode delves into how such a situation arose. Were Irish people inherently more susceptible to mental health issues, or was there something else at play? Centered around a single incident—a murder in Kilkenny in 1890—this episode uncovers how the Great Famine, emigration, and Victorian attitudes toward mental health created a society where anyone deemed to be suffering from mental ill-health was institutionalized. Originally released as Chapter 8 of my Irish Times bestseller, "A Lethal Legacy: A History of Ireland in 18 Murders," this episode marks the release of the book's paperback edition. I'm thrilled to share the audio of one of my favorite chapters with you. While it focuses on a murder, it offers profound insights into past and present attitudes toward mental health in Ireland. If you enjoy this episode, you can get your copy of "A Lethal Legacy" at linktr.ee/alethallegacy. Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/irishhistory. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 1900, the life expectancy in Dublin was a mere 49 years, a stark indicator of the city's dire living conditions. The Victorian city was notorious for its filth and disease, which proved an ideal breeding ground for Typhoid. This episode explores how Dublin battled with this deadly disease for decades. This journey takes you through the Victorian sewage system and explains why Dublin's shellfish was lethal. Based on an interview with Dr. Carly Collier, we uncover the reasons why Typhoid was rampant in Dublin. She details the appalling living conditions of the time, where overcrowding and contaminated food created a minefield of dangers and risks. We also discuss how Typhoid was eventually eradicated. This aspect of the episode begins with 19th-century medical treatments such as bloodletting and progresses to the development of effective vaccines and antibiotics in the 20th century. To finish what is a fascinating show, we also discuss Ireland's most famous Typhoid patient - Mary Mallon, AKA Typhoid Mary. Carly is one of the team behind the Typhoidland exhibition running in the Royal College of Physicians on Kildare Street. Check out the exhibition:https://typhoidland.org/exhibitions/dublin-2024/rcpi-exhibition/ Their free audio tour is available to download: https://typhoidland.org/walking-tour Subscribe to my new show Transatlantic: An Irish American History Podcast https://linktr.ee/transatlanticpod Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/irishhistory. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this captivating episode of the Irish History Podcast, Jackie Ni Chionna joins me to discuss the remarkable but forgotten Irish woman, Emily Anderson. Emily was an Irish code breaker who played a pivotal role at Bletchley Park during World War II. Despite her significant contributions to the Allied war effort, Emily has been forgotten in the wider history of the Second World War. In 2023, Jackie published "Queen of Codes," a biography of Anderson. In this episode, she shares the life and legacy of this extraordinary Irish woman, exploring her journey from the west of Ireland to the heart of Britain's top-secret code-breaking operations. Jackie vividly brings Emily Anderson's story to life, shedding light on her invaluable work and the challenges she faced in the male-dominated world of military intelligence. Tune in to discover the untold story of an unsung hero of World War II. You can get Jackie's book in audio, ebook, and hardcopy here. Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/irishhistory. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the 1850s, Portlaw was Ireland's most successful town. The population had grown tenfold in the previous 30 years. The local Cotton Mill, built by the Malcomson Family, provided work for thousands of people. However, by the early 20th century, everything had changed. The Cotton Mill was silent, and many of the houses had been abandoned. This episode explores the story of the Malcomson Family. Once known as the Kings of Cotton, they built one of the most successful business empires in the world in rural Ireland in the space of forty years. Their downfall was no less spectacular. This episode reveals the dramatic rise and fall of the Malcomson dynasty, showcasing their remarkable achievements but also uncovering the dark secrets of a company with controversial work practices that benefited from US slavery. Episode 2 of Transatlantic: An Irish American History Podcast is out now! You can hear the story of Ann Glover - The Irish Witch of Boston. Listen here. Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/irishhistory. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

John Keany, Monica de Wichfeld, and Delia Murphy are not well-known figures, yet they are some of the most extraordinary people in modern Irish history. During the Second World War, they found themselves in Nazi-occupied Europe and took extraordinary risks to resist the Nazis. Some paid with their lives. This podcast tells their stories. The episode is based around a conversation with John Morgan and Clodagh Finn. Their new book, The Irish in the Resistance: The Untold Stories of the Ordinary Heroes Who Resisted Hitler, details the lives of Irish people who fought the Nazis. You can find links to the book below. **My big announcement for podcast fans https://linktr.ee/transatlanticpod **   You can buy John & Clodagh’s book https://linktr.ee/irishintheresistance You can follow John & Clodagh on Socials  Clodagh  Insta https://www.instagram.com/clodaghfinnwrites Twitter https://x.com/FinnClodagh John Insta https://www.instagram.com/johnm436/ Twitter  https://x.com/maoilmordha Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/irishhistory. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.