In this episode, the 1798 Rebellion moved into a new and deadly phase as the south of Ireland erupted in revolt. Rebel forces swept through the countryside in Co Wexford as loyalist strongholds fell. As the violence escalated carefully laid plans quickly unravelled, 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

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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.

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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.

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)

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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.

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This episode returns to the story of the 1798 Rebellion, but also stands alone as its own story.

In 1793, war broke out between the British Empire and Revolutionary France. This episode explores what happened when a French spy, William Jackson, is caught in Ireland. After his capture, the authorities learned that Irish radicals in the Society of United Irishmen were in contact with Britain’s enemy, Revolutionary France.

In this episode how the dramatic fallout pushed Ireland to the brink of rebellion. As sectarian violence and government repression escalate, Irish society polarises and radicalises at a breathtaking pace...

Written, narrated and produced by Fin Dwyer

Sound: Kate Dunlea

Additional Research: Stewart Reddin

Voice Actors: Aidan Crowe & Therese Murray

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

This week, we’re taking a break from our series on the 1798 Rebellion for a fascinating conversation about the Great Famine in Dublin and why this key chapter in the city’s history has been largely forgotten.

When most people think of the Great Hunger, they picture rural Ireland and the suffering along the Atlantic coast. For years, it was widely believed that Dublin escaped the worst of the Famine. But is that really the case?

In this episode, I’m joined by Dublin historian Maria Ball, who shares her unique insights into how the Famine impacted the capital and why its story has faded from memory. Drawing on her own family’s history in the Smithfield tenements, Maria reveals the hidden struggles faced by Dubliners during the 1840s. She also explains how institutions like the city workhouses and the Lock Hospital (which treated venereal disease) were overwhelmed during the crisis.

Maria is also involved in organising a history festival in Cabra this week - you can find out more here.

Sound by Kate Dunlea.

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While this episode fits into a bigger series on the 1798 Rebellion, it’s also designed to stand on its own.

The French Revolution of 1789 electrified Ireland, inspiring hope and fear in equal measure. It would lead to the establishment of Ireland’s republican movement in 1791.

Exploring the profound impact of the revolution in Ireland, this episode opens with the dramatic story of Henry Edgeworth, an Irish priest living in Paris, who would participate in one of the most famous executions of the revolution - an event with profound effects at home in Ireland.

We then explore how the spread of revolutionary ideas led to the foundation of the Society of United Irishmen, who would spearhead Ireland’s revolution in 1798. As old certainties crumble, Ireland stood on the brink of a new, exciting but dangerous age.

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 episode is part of a wider series on the 1798 Rebellion, but you can enjoy it as a stand-alone story.

When the American Revolution broke out in the 1770s, it sent shock waves across the Atlantic, transforming Irish politics and society. To explore this enthralling story the episode begins with the arrival of Benjamin Franklin in Dublin - a visit that would have unexpected consequences for Ireland’s future.

We explore how revolutionary ideas, economic hardship, and the threat of invasion combined to spark new demands for change in Ireland. The episode goes on to trace Ben the rise of the Patriot movement and the revolution of 1782, as Irish society starts to cleave apart.

This is Episode 2 in my series on the 1798 Rebellion. The next installment, Part 3, will be available early and ad-free for show supporters next Monday.

Become a supporter today and get exclusive early and ad-free access at:

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Irishpodcast

Supercast: 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.