Alice Kyteler and the Kilkenny Witch Tri...

Despite Pierre de Coubertin's vision of the Olympics being for male athletes only, women did participate in the games starting in 1900. But the road to equal participation was long and filled with disappointments. Research: Barker, Philip. “Women’s Sporting Pioneer Milliat Rememb ... Show More

"Fumifugium" was a treatise on air pollution written in 1661. In addition to warning about the dangers of coal smoke, John Evelyn wrote this work to improve the reputation of King Charles II. Research: Chambers, Douglas D. C. "Evelyn, John (1620–1706), diarist and writer." Oxford ... Show More

This 2019 episode shares how Hennig Brand discovered phosphorous by boiling pee. But he was really thought the secret to the philosopher’s stone might be found in urine. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 

Join Kendyl and Delaney as they explore the origins of witches and witch hunts across early modern Europe when bad weather, curdled milk, or a cranky neighbor could get you accused of serving the devil. We unpack what actually made someone a “witch,” who decided that, and how it ... Show More

In this episode, we dive into the legend and legacy of Ireland’s Pirate Queen: from her wild childhood as “Grace the Bald” to the rumors she gave birth on a ship and went back to battle within the hour. We chart her rise through maritime conquests, clan warfare, and a jaw-droppin ... Show More

<p>In 1711, a wave of terror gripped the Islandmagee peninsula in County Antrim. First there was the haunting and supernatural murder of a local clergyman's wife. Then 18-year-old Mary Dunbar suffered violent convulsions, levitation and vomiting of pins, feathers, and buttons, sp ... Show More

Hi friends, happy Wednesday!So the other night I was deep into my usual bedtime routine of doomscrolling, and I stumbled across this headline that said: “DID YOU KNOW: The Last Witch Trial Was in 1944.”And I was like… I’m sorry, what? 1944? Like while the rest of the world was fi ... Show More

<p>Long before witch trials, magic was the domain of ‘cunning folk’ who were part of the fabric of medieval and early modern life.&nbsp;Their charms, filters and spells - for personal advancement, aiding fertility, predicting the future, even exacting revenge - offered people sol ... Show More

<p>**This episode contains brief descriptions of tortures**</p><br><p>Between 1570 and 1630 there was intense persecution as thousands of people were accused of being witches in Lorraine, a small duchy on the borders of France and the Holy Roman Empire. Suspicion spread like a de ... Show More

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

<p><strong>&nbsp;</strong>June 10, 1692. Accusations of witchcraft spark hysteria in a town in Massachusetts, leading to the execution of Bridget Bishop – the first victim of the Salem Witch Trials.</p><p><br></p><p>You can listen ad-free in the Wondery or Amazon Music app. Or fo ... Show More

Charles I has been executed, and the English Parliament establish a new, kingless, government. The reaction to the Regicide sweeps across Europe and the fledgling English empire. For this episode, I found the following publications particularly useful: Philip Baker, 'The Regici ... Show More

<p>In County Kilkenny, Ireland, in an early year of a century not too long before our own, Alice Kyteler was accused of witchcraft. But the story doesn&apos;t end there. This week, Molly Aitken—author of BRIGHT I BURN—is here to tell us a tale where the more things* change, the m ... Show More