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 arms. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

S2 EP27 – The Death of Liam Lynch

Mar 20th, 2024 17m 29s

"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 at the dying breaths of both the anti-Treaty IRA and it's iron willed leader Liam Lynch. Hosted on Acast

S2 EP26 – Kerry's Month of Terror

Feb 26th, 2024 15m 8s

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 explore the Ballyseedy Massacre and the other similarly gruesome events that occurred in Kerry towards the

S2 EP25 – A Guerrilla Winter

Feb 4th, 2024 13m 12s

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 became more and more desperate. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

S2 EP24 – The Life & Times of Harry Boland with Shite Talk History

Dec 17th, 2023 1h 6m

In this episode we join forces with Shite Talk History to tell the story of the amazing Harry Boland. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

S2 EP23 – Best Friends & Executions

Dec 1st, 2023 17m 11s

In this episode we explore a friendship that ended in executions that was said to have "killed the new State at its birth.“ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

S2 EP22 – The History of Halloween

Oct 31st, 2023 20m 10s

In this episode we celebrate 1,000,000 downloads by going down the supernatural rabbit hole that is the history of Halloween.From druids to evil spirts, from Christianity to capitalism, Halloween is a fascinating mix of ancient folk traditions,

S2 EP21 – The Irish Free State Is Born & A TD Is Murdered

Oct 5th, 2023 13m 30s

In this episode we look at December 6th, the day the Irish Free State official came into being. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

S2 EP20 – The First Attempt At An Irish Constitution

Sep 4th, 2023 16m 45s

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 Radiolab episode on the Irish electoral system that I mention in the show:https://radiolab.org/podcast/tweak-vo

S2 EP19 – Weaponising the Sacraments

Aug 10th, 2023 12m 53s

In this episode we look at how the Catholic Church worked to bring about peace in 1922, choosing the Treaty and turning against the anti-Treaty Republicans. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

S2 EP18 – The Executions Begin

Jul 25th, 2023 16m 51s

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 is of Erskine Childers and his wife Molly, on their yacht the Asgard. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privac

S2 EP17 – Roadside Murders

Jun 30th, 2023 13m 57s

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

S2 EP16 – The Special Powers Act

Jun 6th, 2023 15m 37s

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 democracy and see how the Special Powers Act was just one of the many ways that Ulster Unionists held on to pow

S2 EP15 – How Collins Approached Northern Ireland

May 12th, 2023 13m 27s

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 to the North in 1922. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Interview – Alexander Poots On The Writing Northern Ireland

May 10th, 2023 23m 23s

From CS Lewis's bourgeois Protestant upbringing to Seamus Heaney's beautiful attempts at understanding his home, this episode I interview Alexander Poots author of The Strangers' House: Writing Northern Ireland and ask what Northern Irish write

S2 EP14 – The McMahon Murders

Apr 23rd, 2023 14m 21s

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 particular. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

S2 EP13 – Drawing the Border

Apr 4th, 2023 16m 16s

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 a look at how the Northern Irish border was drawn and explains how we landed on the six counties. Hosted

S2 EP12 – Young Lawlor & The Legalities of Conflict

Dec 23rd, 2022 15m 51s

In this episode we investigate how the anti-Treaty IRA were coping, as well as the Army Emergency Power Resolution and its ramifications. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

S2 EP11 – The Man Who Wasn't Collins

Dec 9th, 2022 15m 17s

In this episode we take a look at WT Cosgrave – the conservative witty Dubliner who replaced Arthur Griffith and Michael Collins to become the leader of the fledgling state. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

S2 EP10 – The Funeral of Michael Collins

Nov 21st, 2022 16m 53s

In this episode we examine the ramifications of Michael Collins death — his funeral the reprisals that followed, and who would take his place. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

S2 EP09 – Béal na Bláth

Oct 26th, 2022 27m 38s

In this episode we explore one of the most tragic (and hotly debated) moments of the Irish Civil War, the death of Michael Collins. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

S2 EP08 – The Limerick Line, Rochestown & Griffith's Last Days

Oct 11th, 2022 16m 17s

A jam packed episode as we explore what was going on in and around the first week of August 1922. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Interview – The Lives of Liam Lynch & Rory O'Conner with Gerard Shannon

Sep 26th, 2022 15m 39s

Loved this chat with Gerard Shannon, a fascinating historian currently writing a book on Liam Lynch. Over the course of the interview we get deep into the minds of the two leading figures of the anti-Treaty IRA. As ever the full hour long inter

S2 EP07 – The Battle of Dublin

Sep 16th, 2022 20m 42s

After the Four Courts was blown to smithereens fighting continued for several days in and around Dublin. In this episode we imagine what it must have been like for those hold up in the hotels, shops and homes transformed into military bases — a

S2 EP06 – The Bombing of the Four Courts

Aug 31st, 2022 23m 34s

In this episode we look at the event traditionally viewed as the start of the Irish Civil War. These first unsteady and unwilling steps into civil war paved the way for the brutality that would soon follow. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privac