Irish High Crosses—Scripture Carved in Stone

In this episode we unpack Art mac Cuinn—his name appears in early Irish king lists, annals, and genealogies, but what can we reliably say about a ruler who may lie on the edge of myth? We examine the manuscript sources, archaeological hints, and modern scholarly debate to separate contemporary evidence from later legendary embellishment. The episode clarifies how this figure illustrates the complexities of early Gaelic kingship and the politics of memory in Ireland. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the late eighteenth century, Irish merchants waged an economic campaign against the Navigation Acts that tethered their trade to Britain. The episode explores how this grievance evolved into a political push—'Free Trade or Else'—and the role of the Volunteer movement in confronting Westminster. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode examines how Confederate Ireland wrestled with whether to side with Charles I, who was losing the civil war, or turn to the rising Parliamentary power after his fall in 1649. We explore the diplomatic manoeuvrings, internal divisions among Catholic leaders, and the broader political context that forced a choice between monarchy‑aligned resistance and survival under a republican government. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We explore the legendary figure Amergin Glúingel, chief poet and judge whose 11th‑century manuscript song claims the land of Ireland for the Milesians. By tracing the poem’s language, manuscript tradition and legal context we ask how words were used as law in a pre‑written society and how later myth has reshaped our sense of early Irish sovereignty. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode we look at the Irish Brigade that fought for France at the Battle of Blenheim, examining who those soldiers were, how they came to be on the continent and what historians can reliably say about their contribution. We explore contemporary French, English and Irish sources, assess their reliability, and consider how the brigade’s legacy was shaped in later memory. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices