The 18th century was a golden age of Irish smuggling. It's estimated that as many as one third of all luxury goods entering Ireland were brought in by smugglers. Far from being a fringe activity, smuggling was woven into the wider economy and remarkably was often a community enterprise with entire villages involved. It's very different than we imagine: while perhaps less glamorous, it was far more lucrative and important to the Irish economy. In this episode I'm joined by historian James Doherty to explore why smuggling boomed in the 18th century, who was involved and why entire communities along the Irish coast got in on the act.
My guest James Doherty is a historian based in Waterford with interests in Military History and the history of smuggling in Ireland in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Sound by Kate Dunlea
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