Ireland’s Wolf Hunters

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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