Show Notes
Seán T. O’Kelly brought political savvy and international flair as head of a newly-fledged nation trying to figure out its place in the world. It was during O’Kelly’s terms in office that the Áras became the party-spot for high-flying night-owls. But behind the scenes, his two terms were not without their controversies. How did this diplomat manage to massively annoy both the Pope and Joseph Stalin in one fell swoop? And did this presidency mark the start of Ireland’s great grá for US presidents? In this second episode of Think You Know...The Presidents, our dynamic duo Flor Mac Carthy and Lise Hand present a twist on the life and times of Seán T.O'Kelly with the help of historian Liz Gillis.
More from Think You Know... The Presidents?
A president of poetry, passion, and politics, Michael D Higgins bows out of his two term presidency next month. For some, he leaves a national treasure who spoke from his head and his heart and who, along with his wife Sabina, made the Áras a house of welcome and inclusion. For others, he was a head of state who sometimes pushed too vigorously against the boundaries of his office. But everyone loved his Bernese Mountain dogs. In this final episode of Think You Know...The Presidents?, our dynamic duo, Lise Hand and Flor Mac Carthy take us through the years of 2011 to the present day and look at the life and times of Michael D Higgins.
From the Ardoyne to two stints in the Áras, Mary McAleese's presidency was shaped by her Northern upbringing and driven by a mission to unite communities. But her efforts to build bridges were often met with anger from some political and religious quarters, while Ireland itself went from the boom-time Celtic Tiger riches to an era of financial bail-outs and austerity. Lise Hand and Flor Mac Carthy are joined once again by Matt Cooper to look at our eighth president, her highs and lows and some of the more memorable events during her term, including Queen Elizabeth II's state visit and those cúpla focail that made all the difference.
Mary Robinson didn't just win the presidency in 1990, she blew the dusty doors off Áras an Uachtaráin. That win was a seismic day for Ireland - we had our first woman president, and Ireland was on the cusp of great change, culturally, socially and economically. Mná na hÉireann finally had a voice. In this episode of Think You Know...The Presidents?, presenters Lise Hand and Flor Mac Carthy get to grips with their own 'girl crush' as they recall Robinson's rocky road to the Áras, when she encountered sexism and misogyny along the campaign trail. She also paved the way for her female successor, who between them shared 21 years as Ireland's heads of state.
Patrick Hillery's two-term presidency is often dismissed as largely uneventful - he played golf, travelled the world on state visits and flew under the radar on home affairs. But in this episode of Think You Know...The Presidents?, Lise Hand and Flor Mac Carthy find just the opposite. Did you know that Hillery was forced to deal with scurrilous rumours of an extramarital affair at a time when the Pope was visiting Ireland? Or that he was embroiled in political controversy when senior members of Fianna Fáil made calls to Áras an Uachtaráin to try and persuade the president not to dissolve the Dáil?
Meddling or misunderstood? These are just some of the questions that surround Cearbhail Ó Dálaigh's controversial (and short) term as president. The legal eagle managed to ruffle the feathers of many government officials during his time with one minister branding him a "thundering disgrace". But why was he so divisive? In this episode, Lise Hand and Flor Mac Carthy get colourful in both their language and learning of this presidency that ended in a very public insult, and uncover some very interesting letters that show Ó Dálaigh wanted out long before his resignation. And don't forget you can catch up on all the earlier episodes wherever you get your podcast - or better still, hit the follow button!