77 Ireland and the Anglo – Zulu War

On this episode of the Irish History Show, we looked at Ireland’s involvement in the Anglo – Zulu War of 1879. We looked at British involvement in South Africa from their formal annexation of the Cape Town Colony in 1806; British immigration into the region throughout the 19th century; The complicated relationship between the British and the mainly Dutch colonists, the Boers; The rise of the Zulu nation to become the predominant native ethnic group in the east of what is now South Africa; Zulu society and their military prowess; The local British administration provoking a war with the Zulus so as to neutralise the power of Zululand; The war itself; Reactions to the war in Ireland, and the role of Irish people during the war.

John Dorney’s article on Ireland and the Anglo – Zulu War is available here https://www.theirishstory.com/2021/02/15/ireland-and-the-anglo-zulu-war-1879/#.YFXUGp37TIU

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76 Irish Revolutionary Women

On this episode of the Irish History Show, we were joined by Dr. Mary McAuliffe and Liz Gillis to discuss the role of women during the Irish Revolution.

We look at the radical political organisations for women in Ireland before the First World; Cumann na mBan; women’s role in 1916, the War of Independence and the Civil War; and women’s rights in the new Free State.

Dr. Mary McAuliffe is assistant professor in Gender Studies in University College Dublin. She has published widely on aspects of Irish women’s history, gendered and sexual violence in war, and social, political and public history. Her most recent works include a biography of 1916 veteran Margaret Skinnider and as a consultant and contributor on the TG4 documentary Cogadh ar Mhna.

Liz Gillis is an historian and researcher on RTE’s History Show. She is the author of such books as Women of the Irish Revolution, Revolution in Dublin and The Fall of Dublin.

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75 Commemorations in 2021

On this episode of the Irish History Show we discussed the upcoming commemorations in 2021 for the Decade of Centenaries.

2021 will mark the centenary of many important events in Irish history such as the Truce, the founding of Northern Ireland and the Anglo – Irish Treaty.

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74 Commemoration & Discontent

On this episode of the Irish History Show we were joined by Dr. Laura McAtackney and Dr. Brian Hanley to discuss the controversies surrounding the Decade of Centenaries.

Dr. Laura McAtackney is an associate professor in the Department of Archaeology and Heritage Studies at Aarhus University in Denmark. In her work she explores the historical and contemporary archaeologies of institutions and colonialism of post conflict Northern Ireland. Some of her previous work includes Walling in and Walling Out, An Archaeology of the Troubles – The dark history of Long Kesh / Maze Prison and Kilmainhamgaolgraffiti.com, which explores female experiences of imprisonment during the Irish Civil War.

Dr. Brian Hanley lectures in 20th century Irish History in Trinity College, Dublin. He has written several books including The IRA 1926 – 36, The Lost Revolution: The Story of the Official IRA and the Workers’ Party and Boiling Volcano – The impact of the Troubles on the Republic of Ireland 1968 – 79.

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73 Tom Barry and the Kilmichael Ambush

On this episode of the Irish History Show we discussed the Kilmichael Ambush. The Kilmichael Ambush occurred on the 28th of November 1920 when a flying column of the IRA, led by Tom Barry, ambushed a company of the Auxiliary Division of the Royal Irish Constabulary. The Auxiliaries lost 17 members in the engagement, including one who had escaped and was subsequently captured and killed.

We also looked at the career of Tom Barry. Hi service with the British Army in the First World War, his actions in the War of Independence and Civil War and his recently released Military Service Pension application.

We also looked at the controversies surrounding Kilmichael and the disputes regarding Barry’s claim of a false surrender by the Auxiliaries which led Barry not to take prisoners during the engagement.

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72 Kevin Boyle & The Human Rights Movement

On this episode of the Irish History Show we were joined by Mike Chinoy to discuss his new book, Are You With Me? Kevin Boyle and the rise of the Human Rights Movement, published by Lilliput Press.

Kevin Boyle was one of the founders of People’s Democracy in Queens University Belfast and was one of the leading figures in the civil rights movement in Northern Ireland. As a human rights lawyer he embraced causes such as freedom of speech and expression, anti – apartheid, gay rights and the treatment of Kurds in Turkey.

In an Irish context he represented internees who had been subject to abuse in custody and mediated during the Hunger Strikes in the H- Blocks. His work during the New Ireland Forum and the Anglo – Irish Agreement eventually led to the Good Friday Agreement of 1998.

Mike Chinoy is a former foreign correspondent for CNN and is an Emmy, Peabody and Dupont award winning journalist.

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71 The British Empire, the Middle East and Ireland

On this episode of the Irish History Show, we looked at the Middle East and the Brtish Empire in the period after the First World War.  We discussed how the British Empire dealt with their new mandates in the region and how their dealings with these countries compared and contrasted with their treatment of Ireland during Ireland’s War of Independence. 

We looked at issues such as the use of military forces to suppress rebellions, political initiatives, reprisals, attitudes towards sovereignty and the evolution of colonialism.  We also look at British regiments and officers who ended up in Ireland after being involved in actions in the Middle East.

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70 1917 East Clare By – Election

On this episode of the show we were joined by Dr. Pádraig Óg Ó Ruairc to discuss the historic East Clare by – election of 1917. The by – election was held on the 10th of July 1917 following the death of the incumbent MP, Willie Redmond, of the Irish Parliamentary Party. The by – election saw the leader of Sinn Féin, Éamon de Valera, face Patrick Lynch of the Irish Parliamentary Party. The Home Rulers had held the seat since it was first created in 1885. Sinn Féin ended up winning the seat by a more than two to one majority.

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69 Croke Park and Bloody Sunday

On this episode of the show we were joined by Michael Foley to discuss his book, The Bloodied Field, about the events in Croke Park on the 21st of November 1920. That day would become known as Bloody Sunday. On that morning, the IRA killed or mortally wounded 16 people in a co – ordinated series of assassinations directed against British intelligence officers in Dublin.

That afternoon Dublin were due to play Tipperary in a challenge match in Croke Park. British troops, the Royal Irish Constabulary and Auxiliaries surrounded the ground. Crown forces began shooting into the stadium and 14 civilians were killed, including Tipperary player Michael Hogan.

Michael Foley is a sportswriter for the Irish edition of The Sunday Times. He is a three-time GAA McNamee award-winner and winner of the 2007 BoyleSports Irish Sports Book of the Year. Michael has been nominated three times as Irish Sports Journalist of the Year.  He is a member of the GAA’s history committee and is involved in the GAA’s commemoration of Bloody Sunday. Michael’s book, The Bloodied Field, has been re-released by O’Brien Books in a special updated 100th anniversary edition.

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68 Mick O’Reilly

On this episode of the show we were joined by Mick O’Reilly. Mick’s recently published autobiography ‘From Lucifer to Lazarus – A life on the left,’ is now available.

Mick talked about his lifetime of activism as a socialist and trade union official.

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