logo
episode-header-image
Mar 2025
54m 50s

238. Ireland’s Fight For Freedom: The Ea...

Goalhanger
About this episode
The 1916 Easter Rising was a definitive moment in 20th-century Irish history. Its memory was evoked throughout The Troubles, with republicans wearing commemorative Easter Lily badges to honour the revolutionary martyrs that came before them.  On Easter Monday in 1916, amongst the backdrop of the ongoing First World War, Irish revolutionaries brought the ant ... Show More
Up next
May 31
364. Ancient Egypt: The Fall of Akhenaten (Ep 3)
**Unlock the entire Ancient Egypt series early and ad-free by joining the Empire Club at empirepoduk.com** Why did Akhenaten’s name get struck from the historical record after his death? Why did he build a new city in the sparse desert? Who ruled after he died? Anita and William ... Show More
53m 11s
May 27
363. Ancient Egypt: Destroyer Of Gods – Pharaoh Akhenaten (Ep 2)
**Unlock the entire Ancient Egypt series early and ad-free by joining the Empire Club at ⁠empirepoduk.com⁠** Why did Egyptian priests wear animal masks? Who was the goddess of hangovers? And how did the Pharaoh, Akhenaten, destroy the many Egyptian gods to worship the sun disc, t ... Show More
56m 38s
May 26
The Scandal That Shaped Partition: Heartbreak & Secret Deals
**Unlock the full episode and the complete members’ miniseries by joining the Empire Club at empirepoduk.com** How did the relationship between Nehru and Edwina Mountbatten tangibly change the course of Partition? What were the parting words that Nehru said to his love when the V ... Show More
6m 53s
Recommended Episodes
Jun 2025
578. The Irish War of Independence: Bloody Sunday (Part 3)
What occurred on Bloody Sunday on 21 November 1920 - a turning point in the Irish War of Independence and one of the bloodiest and most brutal moments in Irish history? How many British Army Officers were assassinated on the instructions of firebrand political leader, Michael Col ... Show More
57m 46s
Jun 2025
576. The Irish War of Independence: Rise of the IRA (Part 1)
What are the origins of the Irish War of Independence? What impact did the First World War have on Irish efforts for Home Rule? What was the mood in Ireland following the bloody Easter Rising of 1916? And, who was Éamon de Valera, the man who dominated the story of not only Irish ... Show More
1h 9m
Jun 2025
577. The Irish War of Independence: The Violence Begins (Part 2)
What was Sinn Féin’s totemic first move after winning a majority seat in 1917? Were the IRA’s methods during this early stages of the war as violent as they are commonly believed to have been? How sectarian was the IRA? What crucial strategy did the Irish adopt in order to overwh ... Show More
1h 3m
Sep 2025
The Rising Storm: The American War of Independence & Ireland
<p><em>This episode is part of a wider series on the 1798 Rebellion, but you can enjoy it as a stand-alone story.</em></p><br><p>When the American Revolution broke out in the 1770s, it sent shock waves across the Atlantic, transforming Irish politics and society. To explore this ... Show More
43 m
Sep 2025
1798: The Year Ireland Changed Forever
The 1790s remain one of the most important decades in modern Irish history. After years of rising tensions, the island was rocked by the 1798 Rebellion—the largest uprising in Irish history. In just a few months, more people perished than in all the conflicts of the 20th century ... Show More
6 m
Apr 2025
How Did the American Revolution Start?
<p>On 19th April, 1775, just over 250 years ago, the opening salvos of the American Revolutionary War were fired at the battles of Lexington and Concord. Elite British Redcoats went head-to-head with the famed provincial Minutemen in bloody skirmishes across the Province of Massa ... Show More
1h 18m
May 2025
The Battle of Clontarf
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss one of the best known events and figures in Irish history. In 1014 Brian Boru, High King of Ireland, defeated the Hiberno-Norse forces of Sigtrygg Silkbeard and allies near their Dublin stronghold, with Brian losing his life on the day of battle. S ... Show More
51m 40s
May 2021
Belfast, Derry & The War in the North (the War of Independence XII)
<p>The story of the War of Independence in the North of Ireland is often overlooked. This obscures the fact that Belfast was the most violent place in Ireland during the conflict. However it was a very different war when compared to the experience of other parts of the island.&nb ... Show More
34m 25s
Jun 2025
The Irish Wake: A History
The Irish funeral wake is a unique tradition where family and friends gather around the body of the deceased to share stories, remember their life, and celebrate their legacy. Often resembling a lively party with plenty of drink, this ritual is both a farewell and a celebration.P ... Show More
50m 11s
Aug 2025
595. The First World War: The Battle of the Frontiers (Part 2)
What was Britain's first military move following the outbreak of the First World War? Where did the French launch their initial attack on the Germans? Whose army was the biggest and best of all the participants in the war? And, what unfolded at the pivotal Battle of the Ardennes ... Show More
1 h