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Saturday 3 June 2023 Dublin: 18°C

# Irish History

This week
28th May 2023 - 3rd June 2023
# Garden of Remembrance
Taoiseach and Tánaiste to attend national Civil War commemoration in Dublin today
Last Wednesday marked 100 years since the end of the Irish Civil War.
This year
2023
# What To Know
“A celebration of the rich working-class culture”: A look at 2023’s James Connolly Festival
An interview with Aaron Nolan, festival organiser of the James Connolly Festival, about this year’s excellent programme taking place this May.
# gfa 25
Brian Rowan: The magic of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998 was how a firm 'no' became 'yes'
The former BBC correspondent says the peace process needs the British and Irish Governments again, it needs strong leadership.
# Curious Eye
Paranormal activity and a 900-year-old omen: The haunted history of Charleville Castle
Do you dare read about the spooky tales of wandering ghosts and a deathly Oak tree synonymous with a famous Tullamore estate?
# Civil War
The hurt remains: Ballyseedy and the story of a bomb blast that still roars 100 years later
This weekend marks 100 years from the massacre of eight IRA anti-treaty men at Ballyseedy.
# Curious Eye
Celtic Goddess and protector of livestock: The story of The Mother Saint of Ireland, St Brigid
As we celebrate the festival of Imbolc with the arrival of February, we look at the many myths surrounding the life of St Brigid.
Voices
Bad Bridget: Uncovering the secret lives of Ireland's emigrant women
Elaine Farrell and Leanne McCormick, authors of the book Bad Bridget, share the story of an Irish emigrant who was sent to prison for seven years for stealing a watch and money.
Last year
2022
# Culture Magazine
Sink your Claus into the story of Saint Nicholas and his burial site in Kilkenny
The fascinating history of the figure who inspired Santa Claus and his final resting place in an Irish medieval burial grounds
Voices
Analysis: Let's hear it for Ireland's success on our 100th birthday - we’ve come a long way
On the centenary of the formation of the Irish State, author Mark Henry says Ireland is one of the very best countries in which to live today.
Voices
Opinion: What colourised images can teach us about the Irish Civil War
Michael Barry, co-author alongside John Byrne of The Irish Civil War in Colour, explains more. The book is nominated in the An Post Irish Book Awards.
Voices
Donal Fallon: The Castle, the intrigue and the Italians - welcome to old Dublin's Ship Street
One of Dublin’s most intriguing locations is examined by the historian.
# Eamon De Valera
Ó Cuív donates gun owned by Éamon de Valera to museum
The revolver was gifted to de Valera in June 1919.
Voices
David McCullagh: 'The vote on the Anglo-Irish Treaty in 1922 was tense to say the least'
The RTÉ journalist looks at the events of 7 January 1922 which are analysed in a TV special tonight.
All time
# Heritage Week
From dark skies to Dublin's lost prisons: Sixteen events to check out this National Heritage Week
The annual heritage week takes a hybrid approach this year, with events in-person and online.
Voices
Opinion: RTÉ's GunPlot looks back at the 1970 Arms Crisis with 2021 vision
GunPlot is a new TV Documentary and podcast series from RTÉ on the Arms Crisis of 1970. Researcher on the TV documentary, Róisín O’Dea looks at the crisis fifty years on …
Voices
Opinion: From aristocrats to revolutionaries - No 6 Harcourt Street was at the centre of Irish history
Cuan Ó Seireadáin discusses 6 Harcourt Street, which is the subject of a TG4 documentary tonight.
Voices
The story of the Irish who fought for Republican Spain
There was no escaping the Spanish question in Ireland in the twelve months after the summer of 1936, write Barry McLoughlin and Emmet O’Connor
Voices
They were called 'dirty Irish bloodhounds'. Life as an emigrant servant in the early 20th Century
Catherine Healy is hoping to gather the stories of domestic servants who worked abroad in the lead up to WW II.
# Irish History
Quiz: Michael Collins is on TV again tonight - how well do you know the movie?
Test your knowledge of the 1996 classic.
# Irish History
Another lost World War II ÉIRE sign has been discovered at Wexford’s Hook Head
A local group discovered the image, after searching based on an old aerial photo.
Voices
Opinion: 'Taoiseach, discussing a united Ireland is still possible - despite the RIC debacle'
Caoimhín de Barra looks at the possible compromises we would face if a united Ireland became a reality
# Irish History
'Does my Granny hold the secret to who stole the Crown Jewels from Dublin Castle?'
Filmmaker Oisín Mistéil set out to answer that question in a new documentary to be aired tomorrow.
# Civil War
Tributes to Professor Séamus Lawless, who died on Mt Everest, as project to restore Four Courts documents launched
Historical records destroyed by fire at Dublin’s Four Courts at the beginning of the Irish Civil War have been restored digitally.
Voices
Hanna Sheehy Skeffington: 'The ablest of all the fearless women who worked for Ireland’s freedom'
Sheehy Skeffington fought for equality and the republican cause – but why wasn’t she put forward as a candidate in the crucial 1918 election?
# Irish History
FactCheck: No, hundreds of thousands of Irish people were not sold as slaves in the 17th century
Posts on social media have stated that Irish ‘slaves’ were treated as poorly as African slaves during this period.
# Double Take
Double Take: The hidden Dublin graveyard that's more than 1,000 years old
The many plots of Bully Acre’s incredible past.
# Double Take
Double Take: The bench in St Stephen's Green celebrating a little-known married couple
The story of social reformers, Anna and Thomas Haslam.
# NLI
Bullets, ballots and a flu pandemic: Life in Ireland was very turbulent 100 years ago
The National Library of Ireland has launched its latest exhibition, which will run until May 2019.
# Double Take
Double Take: The street in a Sligo town mysteriously named after Buenos Aires
Don’t cry for Strandhill, Argentina.
Voices
David McCullagh on Eamon de Valera: 'People tended either to love him or to loath him'
It’s difficult to be even-handed about someone who arouses such strong emotions, four decades after his death, writes David McCullagh.
# atlas of the irish revolution
This 1,000 page, 5kg atlas challenges the usual story of Ireland's revolutionary history
We spoke to one of its editors.
# national treasures
10 truly priceless Irish objects discovered by the lovely National Treasures project
Torcs and lanulas are great, but what about an Italia 90 tea tin?
# all the facts
FactFind: One year in, is this really a "do-nothing" Dáil?
We take a deeper look at how the 32nd Dáil compares to its predecessors.
# Remembrance
Ireland looks set to get a national commemoration day for the Great Famine
The day put forward is the second Sunday in May every year.
Voices
Soldiers, sailors, diplomats: The forgotten Irish who changed Latin America
In this extract from his book Paisanos, Tim Fanning tells the story of army officer Alexander O’Reilly.
# Family Fortunes
Hunt for family of 1916 hero who created iconic tricolour
Thomas Meldon was one of three men who created the tricolour which flew at Jacob’s factory during the Easter Rising.
# factcheck
FactCheck: Has no government minister ever gone before the Public Accounts Committee?
Will Michael Noonan be the first sitting minister to go to the PAC? Or is Leo Varadkar wrong?
# window into the past
A Nazi programme and GAA medals are among pieces of Irish history soon to go on sale
The auction in Kilkenny features over 800 lots.
# History Repeating
Only True Irish History Buffs Will Get Over 80% In This Quiz
Get your thinking caps on.
# factcheck
FactCheck: No, "Irish slaves" did NOT build the White House
FactCheck debunks a false claim that has gone viral after a major speech by Michelle Obama, last night.