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Irish Lives in Victorian London: History and Influence
44:45|Victorian London was a city of immense wealth, but also shocking poverty. The historian Jerry White described it as "a metropolis of wealth, grandeur, culture, and sophistication alongside a hell of starving, degrading, and heart-rending poverty." The largest city in the world at the time, London was also home to tens of thousands of Irish emigrants. While there was a wealthy Irish elite, the vast majority were poor labourers.While surviving the daily grind of life in the slums of the Victorian city, they also faced suspicion and racism.In this podcast, historian Breda Corish shares their stories based on her research in the Whitechapel area of the city.A graduate of University College London, Breda's research focuses on the Irish in London over the centuries. You can read her work on her website www.irishlondonhistory.com. Follow her on social media at @N16Breda on Twitter and BlueSky @n16breda.bsky.social.Support the show at www.patreon.com/irishpodcast
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Why Didn't Irish People Eat Fish During the Great Hunger?
30:54|During the Great Hunger of the 1840s, one million Irish perished from starvation and hunger-related diseases. However, Ireland is surrounded by some of the best fishing grounds in Europe. This begs the question: why didn't the Irish turn to the sea to survive?Some have argued that our ancestors didn't know how to fish or that they didn't like fish. The answer is, unsurprisingly, a little more complicated.This podcast delves into the complex historical, economic, and social factors that contributed to the tragic paradox of people starving in a sea of plenty.All 23 chapters of my book Life in Medieval Ireland is available for show supporters on Patreon here https://www.patreon.com/posts/life-in-medieval-116757407. (If you support the show on Acast+ I will post the book tomorrow. Its a little tricky to post 23 chapters without clogging up your feed!)
Why Was Life Expectancy So Low in Ireland Until 1900?
37:25|Life expectancy in Ireland has doubled over the past 200 years, but why was it so low for so long? In this podcast, I delve into the factors that kept life expectancy down in Ireland's history and what those numbers truly mean. Did people really only live to 40 in the past? During the Great Hunger, life expectancy plummeted to just 20 years—what does this reveal about society at the time? Join me as I explore these questions and discuss what I believe to be one of humanity's greatest achievements: the remarkable doubling of life expectancy in recent times. Support the show at https://patreon.com/irishpodcast
1719: The Irish Rescue of the Polish Princess Bride
32:12|In 1719, the 17-year-old Polish Princess Maria Clementina Sobieska was seized by the Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI. While the move shocked many in Europe, in the following months a group of Irish exiles plotted a daring rescue of Maria Clementina. This led to a dramatic 400-kilometer chase across 18th-century Europe.In this episode, I am joined by historian Richard Maher, an expert in the area, who explains why Irish exiles, known as the Wild Geese, risked their lives to rescue this Polish princess and how they hoped she might change the course of Irish history.You can follow Richard on Linkedin at https://ie.linkedin.com/in/richard-maher-a5ab8068Subscribe to my new podcast with historian Damian Shiels. Its called Transatlantic - An Irish American History Podcast. You can hear the latest episode here https://linktr.ee/transatlanticpod
Societal Collapse: Did It Happen in Irish History?
31:52|In this episode, I explore the ruins of a Temple and the intriguing concept of societal collapse and its relevance to Irish history. Often depicted as dramatic and apocalyptic, societal collapse is a topic that has captured the imagination of historians and the public alike. But how accurate is this narrative especially when applied to Ireland's past? Join me as I explore if events like the Great Hunger can be considered a societal collapse!Check out my new podcast 'Transatlantic: An Irish American History Podcast' with Damian Shiels https://linktr.ee/transatlanticpod
Your Prehistoric Ancestors: More Sophisticated than you think!
31:16|Check out my new podcast 'Transatlantic: An Irish American History Podcast' with Damian Shiels https://linktr.ee/transatlanticpodIn this captivating episode, I explore the enigmatic world of prehistoric Ireland. I am joined by Professor Gabriel Cooney to discuss the lives of Ireland's earliest inhabitants. Our conversation challenges the stereotypes that often cloud our understanding of this distant past. We discuss what megalithic tombs can reveal about the societies that built them and what the latest DNA analysis has uncovered about life in prehistory.Spanning an incredible 8,000 years, this episode sheds light on the sophisticated societies that thrived long before the advent of written records. Drawing insights from Professor Cooney's acclaimed book, "Death in Irish Prehistory," this conversation offers a fresh perspective on what is often an overlooked aspect of our history.Gabriel's book Death in Irish Prehistory is available here https://shop.ria.ie/products/death-in-irish-prehistory https://shop.ria.ie/products/death-in-irish-prehistory
Stigma, Famine & Emigration: A History of Mental Health in Ireland
32:54|By the late 1950s, over 20,000 individuals in the Republic of Ireland were confined in asylums—a staggering figure equivalent to 1 in every 133 Irish people at the time. This episode delves into how such a situation arose. Were Irish people inherently more susceptible to mental health issues, or was there something else at play?Centered around a single incident—a murder in Kilkenny in 1890—this episode uncovers how the Great Famine, emigration, and Victorian attitudes toward mental health created a society where anyone deemed to be suffering from mental ill-health was institutionalized.Originally released as Chapter 8 of my Irish Times bestseller, "A Lethal Legacy: A History of Ireland in 18 Murders," this episode marks the release of the book's paperback edition. I'm thrilled to share the audio of one of my favorite chapters with you. While it focuses on a murder, it offers profound insights into past and present attitudes toward mental health in Ireland.If you enjoy this episode, you can get your copy of "A Lethal Legacy" at linktr.ee/alethallegacy.