In 1898, tens of thousands of people paraded in Dublin for the unveiling of a foundation stone to a Wolfe Tone statue. So why did it not happen? Only in 1967 did Edward Delaney’s tribute to Tone appear on St Stephen’s Green. In this podcast, celebrating the fact the Tone monument is part of Dublin City Council’s Dublin Winter Lights, Delaney’s son and biographer joins me at the memorial to talk about one of my favourite Dublin statues. For more see: https://www.dublinwinterlights.ie/

These are exciting times at the Collins Barracks branch of the National Museum of Ireland. This week, the first Harry Clarke display at the museum opens, showcasing six works by Ireland's most beloved stained glass artist. The Museum is also taking part in the Dublin City Council 'Dublin Winter Lights' for the first time. Dónal Maguire, Keeper of Art & Industry at the National Museum of Ireland, gave me a sense of the museum and its collections. Tickets and more information from www.dublinwinterlights.ie.

The story of Michael Healy is one that tells us much about the Dublin of his time. Born into a working class inner-city family in 1873, Healy was shaped by the artistic and cultural movements of the time, becoming a central figure in the stained glass studio An Túr Gloine. The work of that studio is still to be found across Dublin today. His biographer David Caron joined me in Dublin’s Hugh Lane Gallery to discuss Healy and his time. Be sure to check out the Hugh Lane Gallery's fantastic After Hours programme. With thanks to the gallery and Sherpa events.

In the heart of Dublin’s north inner-city, the SFX was one of the defining venues of Dublin’s music scene. U2, The Smiths, New Order, Siouxsie and the Banshees and The Pogues are just some of the acts to have taken to the stage in the Jesuit hall that enjoyed a remarkable second life. I’m joined by David Bell (who experienced the venue as a fan, reporter, merchman and band manager) and Paul Page (Whipping Boy). Thanks to Laura Williams, Jackie Trulock and all at the Annesley Bridge House.

Bram Stoker’s life and career was shaped by the strong women around him. Charlotte Stoker, his mother, raised him on folklore and stories of her own youth, while Speranza (Lady Jane Wilde, the mother of Oscar) was a key influence in expanding his knowledge of Ireland’s folklore and mythology. 

I’m joined by Marion McGarry, author of the acclaimed book Irish Customs and Rituals and an authority on Charlotte Stoker to discuss some of the women central to Stoker’s life and work. Live readings by actor Eva Jane Gaffney bring their words to life.

Marion's book is available from: https://www.orpenpress.com/books/irish-customs-and-rituals/

Irish Food History: A Companion is an extraordinary thing - a moment in Irish publishing history. Coming in around 800 pages, it covers everything from archaeology and food to the pub grub of today. Full of archival images, poetry, recipes and more besides, the book captures the best of what is happening in Irish food research. On this episode, editors Dorothy Cashman and Máirtín Mac Con Iomaire join me to go through this collection.

The book is available from: https://booksupstairs.ie/product/irish-food-history-a-companion/

Paula Meehan is a poet for whom history is a constant source of inspiration. In this discussion at the Dublin Festival of History, she reads a number of poems written throughout the Decade of Centenaries, as well as other work shaped by the past. Paula’s collection, The Solace of Artemis, is available from: https://booksupstairs.ie/product/the-solace-of-artemis/

Lee Miller is best recalled now for her defining images of the Second World War. With Kate Winslet playing the role of Miller in a new film, it seems a good time to explore Miller’s visit to Dublin in the winter of 1946. Sent by Vogue to photograph James Joyce’s Dublin, her images capture scenes like Barney Kiernan’s public house and Belvedere College.

Catriona Crowe is former Head of Special Projects at the National Archives of Ireland. She is Ireland’s most recognisable archivist, and someone to whom all historians of modern Ireland are indebted. At the recent Seán Corcoran Series (www.seancorcoranseries.com/) we discussed archives, oral history and much more.

Clodagh Finn and John Morgan have produced an important history of the involvement of Irishmen and women in the anti-fascist movements of the Second World War. One of the most extraordinary stories they have uncovered is Catherine Crean, a woman in her sixties originally from Dublin’s Moore Street. She would give everything in defence of democracy and in opposition to Hitlerism. The Irish in the Resistance is out now (Gill Books.)