The stories of transgender people are rarely recorded. The bigotry of wider society has garunteed few records are left as many transgender people have lived their lives in near total secrecy. The Dubliner Patrick McCormack c.1821 – 1871 is the first transperson I have ever come across in records. Born around 1821 most of his… Read more »
My Name is Fin Dwyer, a 36 year old historian, author and blogger. Having studied Archaeology and Greek and Roman Civilisation I completed an M.A. in archaeology in 2004. After working in archaeology for several years in the Dublin region a combination of the recession and ill-health ended my aspirations to become Indiana Jones. Since… Read more »
This weekend was in a word bleak. The confirmation that the mass grave in the Tuam Mother and Baby Home dated to the mid 20th century confirmed our worst fears about these institutions. This has lead to intense debate around life and sadly death rates in other similar institutions. It is inevitable that there will… Read more »
St Mary’s Church and graveyard has a long and chequered history. Built around 1205, it was the heart of medieval life in Kilkenny for centuries. Throughout the Middle Ages town meetings were held here while generations of townspeople were buried in the crypts, ornate tombs or mass graves (depending on what you could afford). … Read more »
Between 1920 and 1933 alcohol was banned in the U.S.A. Almost immediately the sale of illegal alcohol – bootlegging – soared and the ban became increasingly ineffectual. While the likes of Al Capone made a fortune bootlegging, ordinary folks, including one Irish nun also turned their hand to it. In 1926 my grandaunt, Sister Genevieve… Read more »
Limited by very few restrictions, advertisers in 1916 could do what they liked. Tonics, elixors and pills were offered as the cure to all ills, while cigarettes and alcohol were advertised freely. I took a quick look at the bizarre, often hilarious and even some strangely familiar advertisements from the Irish Independent on October 6,… Read more »
While visiting a World War II cemetery in Bayeux recently I stumbled across this grave of a certain P. McGowan, an Irish man killed less than a week after D-Day. Since then I have been intrigued by his story. A google search quickly reveals him to be Patrick McGowan from Mayo, but there is not… Read more »
Falaise has a history any tourist board would pay for. The seat of the Dukes of Normandy, it was the birthplace of William the Conqueror. The castle that overlooks the town endured and survived seven sieges in the late Middle Ages. It’s more recent history made Falais world famous. In 1944 one of the most… Read more »
London’s Crystal Palace is world famous. However few know Dublin had its own Crystal Palace in the 19th century. Find out what it looked like, why was it built and what was it for in this video.
Dublin’s Sheriff’s Prison, built in 1794, is one of the city’s oldest prisons. Closed to the public until recently when it was squatted by housing activists, this video takes a look around one of Dublin’s oldest surviving prisons.
Dublin's Sheriffs Prison, Halston street, Green Street, Dublin history, squat
Heritage Week is almost upon us. Running from the 20th -28th August it will see hundreds of historical and cultural events taking place across Ireland. I am delighted to announce I am speaking at three events. Castlecomer On Tuesday August 23 p.m. I will be launching my book and presenting a talk on the Black Death… Read more »
The following maps and text explains some of the important places and people mentioned in the Fatal Feuds Series. This map illustrates the important factions in Ireland around 1290. While there were dozens of powerful families in Ireland this podcast is primarily interested in Connacht and Ulster. The Lordship of Connacht and the Earldom of… Read more »
Richard de Burgh, Athankip, O'Connor, Aed O'Connor, Domnal O'Neill, John Fitzthomas, The Red Earl, battle of Down, Sligo Castle
Venue: The Cobblestone Pub, Smithfield Date: Thursday 19th May Time: 7:30 pm The launch of my new book 1348: A Medieval Apocalypse – The Black Death in Ireland is on this Thursday, May 19th in the Cobblestone Pub, Smithfield Dublin 7. The book will be available along with copies of my first book Witches, Spies… Read more »
Historian and podcaster Fin Dwyer has released his second book ‘1348: A Medieval Apocalypse – The Black Death in Ireland’. Exclusively for sale through this site it’s available in audio, hard back and eBook. 1348: A Medieval Apocalypse will immerse you in a fascinating and forgotten world. Late medieval Ireland was a land ravaged by… Read more »
ireland, Irish history, medieval Ireland, The Black Death, Audio, A Medieval Apocalypse – The Black Death in Ireland, The plague, 14th century
‘There was scarcely a house in which only one died, but commonly man and wife with their children and family crossing to death’ – John Clyn Kilkenny 1349 Our 14th century ancestors were survivors if nothing else. Between 1315 and 1350 they endured, struggled and in many cases survived against the odds. There was scarcely… Read more »
Having already published a book Witches Spies & Stockholm Syndrome, Life in Medieval Ireland I was keen to involve the podcast audience as much as possible in this project. Rather than use traditional methods of publishing, in October 2014 I launched a crowdfunding campaign to fund this project. This saw over one hundred thirty six… Read more »
An Irish History of Coffee Part I
Preparing for a Pandemic in 1900
Voices from a Vanishing World – The Aran Islands 1901