“In every generation the Irish people have asserted their right to national freedom and sovereignty; six times during the past three hundred years they have asserted it in arms.”
The proclamation of the Irish Republic, delivered by Patrick Pearse in Dublin, marked the beginning of the Easter Rising in 1916.
Looking at the Anglo-Irish relationship leading up ... Show More
Today
620. The Nazis at War: Hitler Strikes West (Part 1)
What was Adolf Hitler’s next move, after occupying Czechoslovakia in March 1939, and brutally invading Poland that September? Why did the Allies fail to act, despite the Nazis shocking offensive? And, would an assassination plot from within Germany itself prove to be Hitler’s und ... Show More
1h 12m
Nov 20
619. Elizabeth I: The Virgin Queen (Part 4)
How was Elizabeth I finally crowned Queen of England, after long years of perilous waiting? Why was her early reign so fraught with danger? Who was William Cecil, Elizabeth’s new secretary, and the key political player of her rule? And, why was she so determined to remain the unm ... Show More
1h 9m
Nov 17
618. Elizabeth I: The Shadow of the Tower (Part 3)
Why did Elizabeth I’s brother, Henry VIII’s heir, Edward VI, choose his cousin Jane Grey to succeed him, rather than either of his wily Tudor sisters? Later, how did Elizabeth survive the reign of her once dear Catholic sister, “Bloody Mary”, given Mary’s growing resentment? And, ... Show More
1h 12m
Mar 2024
Exiled: Irish Writers in the 1930s
<p><br></p><p>The 1930s stood out as one of the most dramatic decades in modern history. Fascism was on the rise, and Europe was hurtling towards the Second World War.</p><p>However, it was a peculiar time in Ireland. The Revolutionary Era was firmly in the rearview, and the opti ... Show More
28m 1s
Jan 2023
The Irish Rebellion of 1798
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the momentum behind rebellion in Ireland in 1798, the people behind the rebellion and the impact over the next few years and after. Amid wider unrest, the United Irishmen set the rebellion on its way, inspired by the French and American revolutiona ... Show More
55m 25s
Jan 2023
The Irish Rebellion of 1798
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the momentum behind rebellion in Ireland in 1798, the people behind the rebellion and the impact over the next few years and after. Amid wider unrest, the United Irishmen set the rebellion on its way, inspired by the French and American revolutiona ... Show More
55m 25s