Rory Carragh has a deadly reputation. He hunts wolves, and he’s very good at it.

Now he faces his toughest challenge yet. Two large wolves keep taking sheep in a remote mountain village, and the people are getting desperate. These elusive wolves are said to be among the last in County Tyrone. For Carragh, success means reward and status. But failure could cost him everything.

In this episode, we journey back to a time when wolves and humans coexisted across Ireland, before the violent upheaval of the 17th century. Under Oliver Cromwell, forests were destroyed and bounties placed on wolves, pushing them toward extinction.

Join Michelle and expert guest Dr Kieran Hickey to unpack the gripping story of Ireland’s wolf hunters, and the cultural legacy of these lost magnificent beasts.

Discover more:

Check out Dr Kieran Hickey's book Wolves in Ireland:

https://www.fourcourtspress.ie/books/2013/wolves-in-ireland

Read an account of wolf hunter Rory Carragh's famous case in the Irish Penny Journal:

https://www.jstor.org/stable/30001398?seq=1

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It’s 1901. Writer Arthur Conan Doyle is on holiday when he first hears whispers of a chilling local legend - spectral hounds said to tear across the wilds of Dartmoor under cover of darkness.

A tale of an evil squire. A cursed family. And a pack of demonic dogs haunting the moors.

We’re delving into the story of how this eerie West Country folklore inspired one of the greatest gothic thrillers of all time: The Hound of the Baskervilles - and why its creation posed a huge dilemma for Doyle and his most famous character, Sherlock Holmes.

Joining Michelle is dark heritage expert Dr Romany Reagan to dig into folklore, fear, and the beasts that stalk our minds.

Get ready for a spine-tingling first ever episode of Beastly History!

More Beastly:

Follow Beastly History on Instagram @beastlyhistory

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Welcome to Beastly History – the podcast where you’ll hear the most thrilling tales of people and the wild.

Perilous polar expeditions. Unbelievable survival stories. The true origins of animal myths and legends. And natural history’s heroes, villains and oddballs.

Join me, wildlife producer Michelle Douglass as we investigate the juicy, mysterious and gripping history of our planet and our place on it.

The world is full of brilliantly beastly stories.

Come and explore with Beastly History, landing 27 February 2026.

Follow Beastly History wherever you get your podcasts

And find me on Instagram @beastlyhistory

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