In the fourth episode of our Conquest miniseries, we take on of the most defining moments in the history of Ireland: the mass-plantation of Ulster. We’ll see how the arrival of thousands of colonial settlers in this erstwhile Gaelic stronghold transformed the geopolitical dynamics of Ireland, Scotland, and England alike. We’ll look at how the Ulster project and the settlement of Virginia took inspiration from one another; we’ll explain why the redistribution of land in Ireland became so important to the emerging concept of “Britain”, and we’ll find out why local Gaelic populations were never fully “replaced”.
The texts from the Ulster Plantation Papers can be found here.
Patreon supporters enjoy early access to this episode and also have access to an exclusive after-show debrief where we delve into our topic in more detail. If you would like to support the continued making of the podcast and gain access to over 100 exclusive “halfpint” episodes along the way, you can sign up to be a Patreon supporter at www.patreon.com/theirishpassport
Halfpints: What the EU election results tell us about Ireland
/
RSS Feed
Share
Link
Embed
We have made this halfpint bonus episode freely available to all our listeners. If you want to access more than 100 extra-content episodes just like this, you can sign up to support the continued making of the podcast at www.patreon.com/theirishpassport.
In this edition of halfpints, we answer questions about the recent EU and local elections in Ireland, and break down what the major consequences might be for the Irish and European political landscape.
In February 2024, Michelle O’Neill assumed the position of first minister of Northern Ireland, making her the first person of an Irish-identifying, Catholic background to hold this most high-profile post in the devolved government. And yet, the difficulty O’Neill faced when trying to take her seat at Stormont highlighted the fact that, for a minority in the territory, Catholic nationalist are not seen as having a legitimate role in Northern Ireland’s society. In this episode we look at the phenomenon of “uppity” Catholics – people who have been perceived to rise too far above their station, and who have thereby become targets for abuse and even violence. We speak to Pr Colin Harvey from the Human Rights Centre at Queens University Belfast about becoming a political target in the wake of Brexit, and we hear from Irish Times journalist and Author Martin Doyle about growing up in an aspirational Catholic family during the Troubles whose successes in local business fostered dark resentments in the local community …
Martin Doyle’s award-wining memoir, Dirty Linen, was published by the Irish Academic Press in 2023, and can be purchased here.
Irish Passport Patrons have access to an exclusive extended reading of Martin’s essay, “A ghost estate and an empty grave”. If you would like to support the podcast and access over 100 pieces of extra content, you can become a patreon supporter at www.patreon.com/theirishpassport.
This episode featured ‘The Moon Got Tangled in the Branches’ by Aleksey Chistilin
The most expensive, most all-consuming war in Elizabethan England was not waged against France or Spain, but against Ireland. In the third instalment in our Conquest series, we see how the great clan chiefs of Ireland united under the banner of “Arch Traitor” Hugh O’Neill to stage a momentous uprising against the colonial English state. From Gaelic pirate ships sailing up the Thames to fearsome crowns of peacock feathers gifted by vengeful Popes, we follow the dramatic events that led to Ireland’s disparate clans combining to form an unprecedented front of resistance – one so seemingly unbreakable that it threatened the financial ruin of England itself.
Special thanks to Gráinne Smyth, who sang “Óró sé do bheatha abhaile” for this episode.
Thank you to our Patrons who keep this podcast running. You can find our Patreon debriefs and 100+ more episodes of extra audio content at www.patreon.com/theirishpassport.
Who is Ireland's incoming Taoiseach and why did Varadkar resign?
/
RSS Feed
Share
Link
Embed
In this political update, Naomi and Tim sum up the background of the incoming new Taoiseach Simon Harris and discuss the sudden resignation of Leo Varadkar and the different factors behind it.
One of them was Ireland’s two recent referendums aimed at changing some of the more Catholic-influenced conservative language in the 1937 constitution, which ended in a resounding defeat for the government. What were the proposed changes and why were they rejected by the public?
Finally, we look ahead to the bonanza of elections that are due in the coming year, and how the different parties sit in the polls.
What are your thoughts on the resignation of Leo Varadkar and the incoming Simon Harris? A bonus episode where we take listener questions is coming soon for supporters over on Patreon.
