Three Days in July Part II: The Battle of the Falls

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.

As my series on the 1798 Rebellion returns, this is a great point to dive in to the story... In this episode we see major fighting break out as the south of Ireland erupts in revolt. Rebel forces sweep through the countryside in Co Wexford as loyalist strongholds fall one after another. However as the violence escalates carefully laid plans quickly unravel, and the first major battles left irish society reeling. This podcast explores how ordinary people found themselves caught up in events beyond their control, as the hopes of an Irish republic collided with the brutal reality of rebellion. From the streets of Dublin to the fields of Wexford, this episode traced how the southeast fell to the rebels in events that would transform Irish history. Written, Produced and narrated by Fin Dwyer Additional Research: Styewart Reddin Voice Actors:Aidan Crowe and Therese Murray. Sound by Kate Dunlea Support the show Patreon.com/irishpodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In March 1844, the quiet community of Culdaff in north Donegal was rocked by the brutal murder of fourteen-year-old servant Mary Doherty. As the Great Hunger loomed on the horizon, Mary’s tragic death was soon overshadowed by famine and emigration, her story fading into fragments of local folklore. However, in recent years, historian Angela Byrne has brought renewed attention to Mary’s forgotten life and this dark chapter in our history. In this episode, Angela Byrne joins Fin Dwyer to discuss the history behind Mary’s murder, as detailed in her new book Finding Mary. Angela vividly reconstructs the community Mary grew up in, the background to her murder, and the reasons she was killed. The episode also explores the world of rural Donegal on the eve of the tragedy and asks why Mary Doherty’s story remained untold for generations. You can get Angela’s book, Finding Mary, at https://www.fourcourtspress.ie/books/2025/finding-mary. Sound by Kate Dunlea. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the early days of 1798, Dublin teetered on the edge of revolution. A shadow war raged between the United Irishmen and the British authorities, with the city’s fate hanging in the balance. This episode delves into the world of Edward Cooke, the spymaster at Dublin Castle, as he races to dismantle the revolutionary movement through a web of informers and secret agents. Meanwhile, leading rebels like Lord Edward Fitzgerald struggle to stay one step ahead, risking everything to keep the cause alive. As martial law is declared and terror sweeps across Ireland, the final days before the rebellion erupt into chaos, violence, and desperate gambles on both sides. Step into the heart of a city in crisis, where every shadow hides a secret and the first sparks of revolution are about to ignite. This is Episode 6 in my series on the 1798 Rebellion. The next installment, Part 7, will be available early and ad-free for show supporters next Monday week.Become a supporter today and get exclusive early and ad-free access at:Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/IrishpodcastSupercast: https://irishhistory.supercast.com/ Written, narrated and produced by Fin Dwyer Sound: Kate Dunlea Additional Research: Stewart Reddin Voice Actors: Aidan Crowe & Therese Murray Contact me with your questions at info(at)Irishhistorypodcast(dot)ie. A list of sources for the 1798 Rebellion is available here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/138580354 (the post is not paywalled) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This special episode of the Irish History Podcast is made in partnership with An Post. In Nazi-occupied Rome, the Irish priest Hugh O’Flaherty risked everything to save thousands from certain death. By running a secret escape line, O’Flaherty became a lifeline for those facing persecution so much so that he became a wanted man by the Gestapo. Despite the danger, he managed to save thousands from the Nazis. In this episode, I share his remarkable story, with insights from novelist Joseph O’Connor, author of the Rome Escape Line Trilogy, Jerry O’Grady of the Hugh O’Flaherty Memorial Society, and filmmaker and O'Flaherty's grandniece, Catherine O’Flaherty. To mark Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty’s extraordinary life, An Post, Ireland's Postal Service, has released a new commemorative stamp and First Day Cover. They are available at anpost.com/shop or at selected post offices. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.