Daily Life in a Medieval Irish Castle: What was it really like?

Each February Ireland celebrates St Brigid, one of the most beloved figures in Irish history. She is woven into the landscape, the calendar and the culture, yet a simple question hangs over her story. Did she ever really exist? You may recall a very short episode on this topic last year. Since then, I have rethought the evidence, changed my view and this episode takes a much deeper look at the history. For centuries St Brigid has been remembered as a saint who stood alongside St Patrick at the dawn of Irish Christianity. In recent decades, however, a growing argument has claimed she was never a historical figure at all, but a pagan goddess transformed into a Christian saint. This episode is a journey through the turbulent fifth century to examine the evidence. Drawing on early medieval sources, folklore, ritual, and modern research to explore St Brigid the woman, Brigid the goddess, and try and determine where the truth lies. Support the show at www.patreon.com/irishpodcast Sources and Further Reading:  Dictionary of Irish Biography Brigit: https://www.dib.ie/biography/brigit-brighid-brid-bride-bridget-a0961  Johnson, Elva Making St Brigit real in the early middle ageshttps://muse.jhu.edu/verify?url=%2Fpub%2F423%2Farticle%2F941740&r=972076 Lawrence, Lisa Pagan Imagery in the Early Lives of Brigit: A Transformation from Goddess to Saint? Proceedings of the Harvard Celtic Colloquium, Vol. 16/17 (1996/1997), pp. 39-54 Zacharias Anna Brigid, Ireland’s Anti establishment Saint https://newlinesmag.com/essays/brigid-irelands-antiestablishment-saint/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode includes discussion of sex and is not suitable for younger listeners. Sex has always been a key part of Irish life. Yet given its intimate and private nature it often leaves little trace in the historical record. One rare exception comes from the Presbyterian Kirk Session, a church court that kept detailed accounts of behaviour it considered sinful. These records open a unique window into how people in eighteenth century Ireland navigated desire, shame, romance and rule breaking. In this episode I am joined by Dr Leanne Calvert whose book Pious and Promiscuous: Life, Love and Family in Presbyterian Ulster uncovers the hidden sex lives of ordinary men and women in the 18th century. The conversation explores beliefs about sex, the reality of everyday relationships, courtship, affairs, pregnancy and the ways communities tried to control intimacy. Get your copy of Leanne's book Pious and Promiscuous: Life, Love and Family in Presbyterian Ulster herehttps://shop.ria.ie/products/pious Leanne's Blog: https://promiscuouspresbyterian.wordpress.com/ Work profile: https://pure.ul.ie/en/persons/leanne-calvert/ Sound by Kate Dunlea. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The forgotten story of the Irishman forced to work on Japan's Railway of Death which inspired the film The Bridge over the River Kwai. In 1942 Britain suffered one of its worst defeats when Singapore fell to the Japanese Army. Tens of thousands were taken prisoner including the Dubliner Don Kennedy. This began a brutal ordeal. Don was forced to help build what became known as Japan’s Railway of Death through the jungles of South East Asia. In this episode Don’s son Fergus tells the remarkable story of how his father became involved in constructing the notorious River Kwai railway. Fergus shares how his father endured starvation, disease and brutality in the jungles of South East Asia. Fergus has published Don’s story in his recent book From Ballybunion to the Kwai. You can get your copy here https://www.gillbooks.ie/history/history/ballybunion-to-the-river-kwai Sound by Kate Dunlea. Support the show at www.patreon.com/irishpodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the final episode of this series we follow the 1798 rebellion into its most dramatic and desperate days. As fear grips Dublin and battles erupt across Wexford and Ulster the future of Ireland hangs in the balance. The story details the major clash on the Avoca River at Arklow and then finally brings us to the slopes of Vinegar Hill where the fate of the rising is decided. This episode also sees the exiled rebel leader Wolfe Tone return as a French invasion force finally arrives altering events in unexpected ways. This all sets the stage for one of the darkest summers in Irish history as the island is subjected to a reign of terror that echoes the violence that swept through Paris in the bloodiest days of the French Revolution. Support the show: Patreon.com/irishpodcast Find a comprehensive reading list for the 1798 series: https://www.patreon.com/posts/138580354 Map of key locations: https://www.patreon.com/posts/143849510 Sound by Kate Dunlea Additional narration by Aidan Crow and Therese Murray Additional research by Stewart Reddin Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Battle of New Ross was one of the bloodiest clashes of the 1798 Rebellion and within hours it was followed by the horrific Scullabogue Massacre. Together these events created a day long remembered for fire, terror and unimaginable suffering. In this episode we follow the rebels to New Ross, a strategically crucial town where the fighting would shape the course of the revolt. In the aftermath of the battle we examine the notorious Scullabogue massacre. This battle and the killings that followed would cast a shadow far beyond the 1798 rebellion and this episode reveals the complicated and uncomfortable truth behind them. As we continue the story of the 1798 rebellion we also travel to Belfast to explore how the revolt unfolded in the heartland of the revolutionary movement. A map showing the key locations is available here https://www.patreon.com/posts/143849510 (this is not paywalled) Check out this comprehensive list of texts and sources used in the series here https://www.patreon.com/posts/138580354 (this is not paywalled) Sound is by Kate Dunlea. Additional research is by Stewart Reddin with additional narrations from Aidan Crowe and Therese Murray. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.