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Ireland's history is a tapestry of myth, rebellion, and resilience, stretching from the Neolithic tombs of Newgrange to the Good Friday Agreement of 1998. Lucas and Luna guide listeners through...
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Ireland's history is a tapestry of myth, rebellion, and resilience, stretching from the Neolithic tombs of Newgrange to the Good Friday Agreement of 1998. Lucas and Luna guide listeners through centuries of struggle, beginning with Celtic chieftains and the arrival of Christianity via Saint Patrick in the 5th century. They explore the Viking invasions, the Anglo-Norman conquest under Strongbow in 1169, and the subsequent centuries of English domination, marked by the brutal Penal Laws and the Great Famine of the 1840s. The podcast delves into key figures like Hugh O'Neill, Wolfe Tone, Daniel O'Connell, and Michael Collins, as well as pivotal events: the Battle of the Boyne (1690), the 1798 Rebellion, the Easter Rising of 1916, the War of Independence, and the tragic Irish Civil War. It examines the partition of Ireland, the Troubles in Northern Ireland, and the long road to peace, including the Sunningdale Agreement and the Belfast Agreement. Cultural touchstones—Gaelic sport, the Irish language, the poetry of Yeats and Heaney, and the music of the Chieftains—are woven throughout. This is a story of colonisation and resistance, of emigration and diaspora, of a small island that shaped the world. How did a nation forged in famine and revolution become a global symbol of cultural identity? Tune in to find out.
#IrishHistory #CliffsOfMoher #CelticKnot #HarpSilhouette #EasterRising #MichaelCollins #GreatFamine #BattleOfTheBoyne #WolfeTone #DanielOConnell #TheTroubles #GoodFridayAgreement #Newgrange #SaintPatrick #GaelicCulture #IrishDiaspora #History #FexingoHistory
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#IrishHistory #CliffsOfMoher #CelticKnot #HarpSilhouette #EasterRising #MichaelCollins #GreatFamine #BattleOfTheBoyne #WolfeTone #DanielOConnell #TheTroubles #GoodFridayAgreement #Newgrange #SaintPatrick #GaelicCulture #IrishDiaspora #History #FexingoHistory
The History of Ireland: Rebellion, Empire, and Independence — Fexingo History
The History of Ireland: Rebellion, Empire, and Independence — Fexingo History
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13 MAY 2026 · In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the life and legacy of Theobald Wolfe Tone, the father of Irish Republicanism, and the harrowing 1798 Rebellion that he helped inspire. They trace Tone's journey from a Dublin Protestant lawyer to a revolutionary in exile, his work with the United Irishmen, and the failed French invasion attempts that culminated in his capture and death. Along the way, they discuss the sectarian complexities of the rebellion, the brutal repression that followed, and how Tone's vision of a secular, non-sectarian Ireland shaped generations of nationalists. Specific figures like Lord Edward Fitzgerald, General Hoche, and General Lake appear, alongside key events like the Battle of Vinegar Hill and the Scullabogue Barn massacre. This episode offers a nuanced look at a pivotal moment in Irish history.
#1798Rebellion #WolfeTone #UnitedIrishmen #IrishHistory #IrishRepublicanism #VinegarHill #Scullabogue #LordEdwardFitzgerald #GeneralHoche #GeneralLake #SocietyOfUnitedIrishmen #BantryBay #BattleOfNewRoss #ProtestantNationalist #TheRising #History #FexingoHistory #Podcast #CliffsOfMoher #CelticKnot Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-history-of-ireland-rebellion-empire-and-independence-fexingo-history--6985246/support.
12 MAY 2026 · In 1816, Wildgoose Lodge in County Louth was torched in a gruesome attack that left nine people dead — including four children. This episode explores one of the most notorious sectarian massacres in 19th-century Ireland, set against the backdrop of the Ribbonmen secret societies, Orange Order tensions, and the bitter aftermath of the 1798 Rebellion. Lucas and Luna delve into the trial of Patrick Devan and eleven others, the controversial execution of the wrong man, and the enduring legacy of communal violence in Irish memory. Drawing on contemporary accounts and historian James S. Donnelly Jr.'s analysis, they examine how economic hardship, religious division, and local feuds erupted into atrocity. Was Wildgoose Lodge a premeditated act of sectarian terror or a tragic spiral of revenge? And why did this event fade from national memory while others endured?
#WildgooseLodge #Ribbonmen #CountyLouth #PatrickDevan #SectarianViolence #1816 #OrangeOrder #1798Rebellion #IrishHistory #SecretSocieties #JamesSDonnellyJr #Massacre #IrishMemory #19thCenturyIreland #History #FexingoHistory #Ireland #CrimeAndPunishment #CliffsOfMoher #CelticKnot Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-history-of-ireland-rebellion-empire-and-independence-fexingo-history--6985246/support.
Transcribed
12 MAY 2026 · This episode focuses on Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone, and his rebellion against English rule in the Nine Years' War (1594–1603). Unlike previous episodes on the Flight of the Earls or the Battle of Kinsale, we explore O'Neill's early life, his military innovations—like adopting Spanish-style tercios and pike-and-shot formations—and his diplomatic efforts to secure Spanish aid. We also examine the Battle of the Yellow Ford (1598), where O'Neill's forces crushed an English army, and the subsequent English counter-strategy under Lord Mountjoy, including the scorched-earth campaign and the construction of forts like Fort Charlemont and Fort Mountnorris. The episode highlights O'Neill's transformation from a Gaelic lord raised in England to a master of guerrilla warfare, and how his eventual defeat led to the collapse of the Gaelic order.
#HughONeill #NineYearsWar #BattleOfTheYellowFord #TyroneRebellion #ElizabethI #LordMountjoy #SpanishArmada #Tercio #GaelicIreland #IrishHistory #FortCharlemont #PikeAndShot #BattleOfKinsale #RedHughODonnell #TreatyOfMellifont #FlightOfTheEarls #IrishChieftains #History #CliffsOfMoher #CelticKnot Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-history-of-ireland-rebellion-empire-and-independence-fexingo-history--6985246/support.
Transcribed
11 MAY 2026 · In this episode of The History of Ireland: Rebellion, Empire, and Independence, Lucas and Luna explore the céilí — the social dance tradition that became a cornerstone of Irish cultural identity. They trace its origins from the Gaelic feasts of the 17th century to the Dance Halls Act of 1935, which sought to control rural gatherings. Lucas explains how the Gaelic League revived céilí dancing in the late 19th century, turning it into a nationalist symbol, and how the Irish Dancing Commission standardized steps in the 1930s. The conversation covers the role of the jig and reel, the ban on foreign dances by the Catholic Church, and the controversy over 'improper' dancing. Luna asks about the céilí's survival through the Great Famine and emigration, and Lucas discusses the impact of Riverdance in the 1990s. The episode ends with a reflection on how a simple social dance could become an emblem of resistance and community. Specific names include the Gaelic League, the Irish Dancing Commission, and the Dance Halls Act. Terms include céilí, sean-nós, jig, reel, and An Coimisiún Le Rincí Gaelacha.
#CIl #IrishDance #GaelicLeague #DanceHallsAct #Riverdance #SeanNS #Jig #Reel #AnCoimisiNLeRincGaelacha #IrishCulturalIdentity #Nationalism #19thCenturyIreland #20thCenturyIreland #CatholicChurch #Emigration #GreatFamine #History #FexingoHistory #IrishHistory #CliffsOfMoher Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-history-of-ireland-rebellion-empire-and-independence-fexingo-history--6985246/support.
Transcribed
11 MAY 2026 · In 1607, as the Nine Years' War ended and the English tightened their grip, Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone, and Rory O'Donnell, Earl of Tyrconnell, made a fateful decision. They boarded a ship at Rathmullan on Lough Swilly, leaving behind their lands, their people, and a way of life that had endured for centuries. This episode explores the events leading up to the Flight of the Earls, the political and military pressures that forced their hand, and the devastating aftermath for Gaelic Ireland. We trace the journey of O'Neill and O'Donnell across Europe, their exile in Rome, and the symbolic end of the old Gaelic order. The flight paved the way for the Ulster Plantation, reshaping Ireland's religious and political landscape for generations. With references to key figures like Lord Mountjoy, Chichester, and the Spanish court, we unpack the myths and realities of this pivotal moment. Why did they leave when they did? What did they hope to achieve? And why did their departure seal the fate of Gaelic Ireland? This episode offers a fresh look at a controversial chapter, revealing the complex motivations of men who were both rebels and lords, patriots and pragmatists.
#FlightOfTheEarls #HughONeill #RoryODonnell #NineYearsWar #Rathmullan #Tyrone #Tyrconnell #UlsterPlantation #GaelicIreland #Exile #Rome #LordMountjoy #Chichester #IrishHistory #EarlyModernIreland #Diaspora #History #FexingoHistory #CliffsOfMoher #CelticKnot Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-history-of-ireland-rebellion-empire-and-independence-fexingo-history--6985246/support.
Transcribed
10 MAY 2026 · In August 1913, Dublin ground to a halt. Jim Larkin and the Irish Transport and General Workers' Union faced down William Martin Murphy and the Dublin United Tramways Company in a clash that became the Dublin Lockout. Over 20,000 workers were locked out, families starved, and the city saw baton charges, soup kitchens, and the infamous 'Bloody Sunday' of 1913. This episode traces the origins of the lockout, the role of the Irish Citizen Army, the intervention of James Connolly, and the bitter aftermath that reshaped Irish labour politics. We explore the key figures, the violent clashes, and the legacy of a struggle that foreshadowed the Easter Rising.
#DublinLockout #JimLarkin #WilliamMartinMurphy #JamesConnolly #IrishCitizenArmy #BloodySunday1913 #ITGWU #IrishLabourHistory #Dublin1913 #Lockout #TradeUnionism #EasterRising #IrishHistory #FexingoHistory #20thCenturyIreland #SocialHistory #IndustrialConflict #History #CliffsOfMoher #CelticKnot Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-history-of-ireland-rebellion-empire-and-independence-fexingo-history--6985246/support.
Transcribed
10 MAY 2026 · In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the Penal Laws of 1695–1720, the legal structure that systematically dismantled Catholic life in Ireland after the Williamite War. Lucas explains how laws barred Catholics from owning land above a certain value, from voting, from serving in the military or legal profession, and from educating their children. He details the devastating impact on Irish society — the transfer of land from 90% Catholic ownership to 95% Protestant within a century, the rise of the 'hedge schools' as secret Catholic education networks, and the collaboration of the Catholic gentry who converted to keep their estates under the 'grace' of toleration. Luna asks about the role of the Church of Ireland and the 'parish priests' who were forced to register, and Lucas describes the capture and execution of the Franciscan friar Sylvester O'Hanlon. They discuss how the Penal Laws created a two-tier society that persisted into the 19th century, and how they ultimately backfired, unifying Catholic and Dissenter resistance. The episode ends with the question of whether a legal code can ever truly suppress a people.
#PenalLaws #IrelandHistory #CatholicEmancipation #WilliamiteWar #HedgeSchools #SylvesterOHanlon #ChurchOfIreland #PresbyterianDissent #LandOwnership #ReligiousPersecution #1695 #1709Registration #IrishCatholicism #ProtestantAscendancy #PoperyAct #TreatyOfLimerick #History #FexingoHistory #IrishHistory #CliffsOfMoher Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-history-of-ireland-rebellion-empire-and-independence-fexingo-history--6985246/support.
Transcribed
9 MAY 2026 · Before the Young Irelanders, before the Famine, there was Daniel O'Connell — the Liberator who won Catholic Emancipation through mass mobilization. In the 1840s, he launched a new campaign to repeal the Act of Union, using peaceful 'monster meetings' that drew hundreds of thousands across Ireland. This episode follows O'Connell's rise from a Catholic farming family to the leader of the Repeal Association, the enormous gatherings at Tara and Clontarf, and how British nervousness and a government ban broke the movement. We explore O'Connell's constitutional nationalism, his rivalry with the Young Irelanders, and the lasting legacy of nonviolent Irish politics.
#DanielOConnell #RepealAssociation #MonsterMeetings #CatholicEmancipation #Tara #Clontarf #ActOfUnion #ConstitutionalNationalism #YoungIrelanders #RobertPeel #OConnell #Ireland #19thCentury #Nonviolence #IrishHistory #FexingoHistory #History #Hibernia #CliffsOfMoher #CelticKnot Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-history-of-ireland-rebellion-empire-and-independence-fexingo-history--6985246/support.
Transcribed
9 MAY 2026 · When the potato blight arrived in Ireland in 1845, it triggered a humanitarian disaster that would change the country forever. In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the Great Famine—an Gorta Mór—from the blight's first appearance to the mass evictions, soup kitchens, and coffin ships that followed. They discuss the British government's laissez-faire policies under Lord John Russell and Charles Trevelyan, the cruel irony of food exports continuing from a starving nation, and the long-term demographic and cultural devastation that reduced Ireland's population by millions through death and emigration. The conversation touches on the workhouse system, the role of absentee landlords, and the enduring legacy of trauma in Irish memory. Specific figures like Trevelyan, Lord Clarendon, and the Quaker relief efforts are examined, alongside the policies that turned a natural disaster into a catastrophe. Previous episodes have covered the forgotten crisis of 1740-41 and the Young Irelander Rebellion; here they tackle the defining tragedy of 19th-century Ireland.
#GreatFamine #IrishHistory #PotatoBlight #AnGortaMor #CharlesTrevelyan #CoffinShips #Workhouses #IrishEmigration #LaissezFaire #LordJohnRussell #QuakerRelief #Skibereen #Black47 #FaminePolicy #IrishDiaspora #History #FexingoHistory #19thCentury #CliffsOfMoher #CelticKnot Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-history-of-ireland-rebellion-empire-and-independence-fexingo-history--6985246/support.
Transcribed
8 MAY 2026 · In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the Battle of Kinsale in 1601, a turning point that sealed the fate of Gaelic Ireland. They discuss the Nine Years' War, the alliance of Hugh O'Neill and Hugh O'Donnell, and the Spanish expedition under Don Juan del Águila. Lucas explains the disastrous Irish-Spanish coordination, the English forces led by Lord Mountjoy, and the brutal aftermath—the Flight of the Earls and the Ulster Plantation. The conversation covers the tactical blunders, the role of informers, and the cultural devastation that followed. Luna asks about the 'Red Hugh' escape from Dublin Castle, the Spanish perspective, and how the battle's memory fuels Irish nationalism. No prior knowledge needed, but context from earlier episodes on the Tudor conquest helps. This episode brings a pivotal, often overlooked battle to life, showing how one day changed Ireland forever.
#BattleOfKinsale #NineYearsWar #HughONeill #HughODonnell #RedHugh #SpanishArmada #LordMountjoy #FlightOfTheEarls #UlsterPlantation #GaelicIreland #TudorConquest #IrelandHistory #MilitaryHistory #1601 #DonJuanDelGuila #Kinsale #FexingoHistory #History #IrishHistory #CliffsOfMoher Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-history-of-ireland-rebellion-empire-and-independence-fexingo-history--6985246/support.
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Ireland's history is a tapestry of myth, rebellion, and resilience, stretching from the Neolithic tombs of Newgrange to the Good Friday Agreement of 1998. Lucas and Luna guide listeners through...
show more
Ireland's history is a tapestry of myth, rebellion, and resilience, stretching from the Neolithic tombs of Newgrange to the Good Friday Agreement of 1998. Lucas and Luna guide listeners through centuries of struggle, beginning with Celtic chieftains and the arrival of Christianity via Saint Patrick in the 5th century. They explore the Viking invasions, the Anglo-Norman conquest under Strongbow in 1169, and the subsequent centuries of English domination, marked by the brutal Penal Laws and the Great Famine of the 1840s. The podcast delves into key figures like Hugh O'Neill, Wolfe Tone, Daniel O'Connell, and Michael Collins, as well as pivotal events: the Battle of the Boyne (1690), the 1798 Rebellion, the Easter Rising of 1916, the War of Independence, and the tragic Irish Civil War. It examines the partition of Ireland, the Troubles in Northern Ireland, and the long road to peace, including the Sunningdale Agreement and the Belfast Agreement. Cultural touchstones—Gaelic sport, the Irish language, the poetry of Yeats and Heaney, and the music of the Chieftains—are woven throughout. This is a story of colonisation and resistance, of emigration and diaspora, of a small island that shaped the world. How did a nation forged in famine and revolution become a global symbol of cultural identity? Tune in to find out.
#IrishHistory #CliffsOfMoher #CelticKnot #HarpSilhouette #EasterRising #MichaelCollins #GreatFamine #BattleOfTheBoyne #WolfeTone #DanielOConnell #TheTroubles #GoodFridayAgreement #Newgrange #SaintPatrick #GaelicCulture #IrishDiaspora #History #FexingoHistory
show less
#IrishHistory #CliffsOfMoher #CelticKnot #HarpSilhouette #EasterRising #MichaelCollins #GreatFamine #BattleOfTheBoyne #WolfeTone #DanielOConnell #TheTroubles #GoodFridayAgreement #Newgrange #SaintPatrick #GaelicCulture #IrishDiaspora #History #FexingoHistory
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| Author | Fexingo |
| Organization | Fexingo |
| Categories | History , Society & Culture , Education |
| Website | www.fexingo.com |
| podcasts@fexingo.com |
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