The Irish History Boys

This week’s episode of The Irish History Boys explores pivotal moments from 1926 and 1976, focusing on Ireland’s evolving sovereignty and security. We discuss how the Irish Free State and other dominions like Canada began loosening the ties of the British Empire, eventually leading to full independence through agreements like the Statute of Westminster. The episode revisits a biting 1926 critique that deemed Éamon de Valera’s political future "hopeless" just as he was founding Fianna Fáil. Shifting to 1976, we examine the Ulsterization of security and the British strategy to criminalise the IRA by treating the conflict as a policing issue rather than a war. Balancing high-stakes politics with local lore, we also share humorous accounts of egg smuggling across the border and highlight Sinn Féin’s 1976 efforts to internationalise their struggle through links with global movements like the PLO and the ANC. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Irish History Boys, we delve into the "lost memoir" of Seán Lemass, drawing on newly discovered tapes that provide a blunt and candid look at the man who transformed a failing state.  We reflect on Lemass’s rise as the "power behind the throne" during Éamon de Valera’s final years, a period where he transitioned the country away from an "existential threat" and the despair of mass emigration. We examine Lemass’s radical shift in economic policy, moving Ireland from the "sterile arguments" of protectionism toward a modern, open economy. This includes a look at the First Programme for Economic Expansion and his partnership with TK Whitaker, which replaced "fantasy land" policies with a pragmatic plan for growth that doubled the size of the Irish economy. Additionally, we explore Lemass’s groundbreaking approach to Northern Ireland. We discuss the historic 1965 meeting with Terence O’Neill—the first time the leaders of the North and South had met in 40 years—and his realistic assessment that partition could only end through reconciliation, not military force or British coercion.  We also highlight his remarkably "prescient" views on Britain's relationship with Europe, including his 1960s warning that the British might only join the EEC to "slow down its development". To conclude, we tackle the domestic legacy of the Lemass era, specifically the revolutionary introduction of free secondary education, which sought to remove what was called the "darkest stain" on the country. We also address his complex relationship with his son-in-law, Charles Haughey, and his final, unsentimental reflections on a career that, unlike most in politics, did not end in failure. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Irish History Boys, we continue our harrowing exploration of the Kincora Boys' Home scandal with award-winning journalist Chris Moore, uncovering the "rotten" truth beneath one of Northern Ireland’s most disturbing institutional cover-ups.We delve into the tragic testimony of survivor Arthur Smith, who recounts his journey from a broken home to Kincora at just 11 years old—a place where his initial hope for safety was met with "horrendous" abuse at the hands of housewarden William McGrath.We further examine the "astonishing allegation" involving the Queen’s cousin, Lord "Dicky" Mountbatten, whom multiple survivors identify as a key abuser within the home. Through Moore’s investigative lens, we trace a disturbing pattern of predatory behaviour that allegedly extended from Kincora to Lambeth and various hotels across Ireland, highlighting the paradox of shame felt by the victims while their high-profile abusers remained protected.Additionally, we tackle the institutional wall of silence erected by the British state. We discuss the role of MI5 in allegedly covering up these crimes to "protect the sovereign," including the shocking revelation that intelligence officers discussed providing "false files" to official investigations to stymie the truth. This episode highlights the systemic obstruction faced by the RUC and journalists alike when attempting to hold powerful figures accountable.To conclude, we reflect on the personal stakes of Moore's decades-long investigation, from being "warned off" and threatened with prison by MI5 to the ongoing struggle to bring the "Lost Boys" of Kincora into the light. We address the enduring silence from the British media and the disturbing possibility that the networks of abuse described 45 years ago may still cast a shadow over the present day. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Irish History Boys, we examine a pivotal moment in the Troubles: the 1976 shift in American diplomacy that forever altered the conflict's trajectory.We discuss how John Hume bypassed the "internal UK issue" blockade to engage the "Four Horsemen"—including Ted Kennedy and Tip O’Neill—effectively bringing the weight of Washington D.C. to bear on the search for peace. We reflect on these diplomatic maneuvers within the context of 1976’s grim violence, the second worst year of the Troubles in terms of deaths. We explore the "muscular Christianity" of the era through Cardinal William Conway’s staunch 1976 defense of denominational schools, where he argued that only a religious "supportive framework" could prevent the youth from being "rudderless" in a sectarian society. Additionally, we travel back to 1926 to witness the "rapid and alarming" collapse of the Irish railway network following partition.  We explore how the "big tentacles" of a system that once reached every corner of the island were severed by a "hard border," customs barriers, and the failure of the Council of Ireland to maintain an all-island service. To conclude, we tackle a bizarre instance of "human idiocy" from May 1926: the appearance of the Ku Klux Klan in London.  We examine the scathing editorial response of the time, which prophetically warned against "naves or fanatics" who lead the directionless—a sentiment that continues to resonate a century later Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Irish History Boys, we reflect on the momentous and tragic final year of Rory O’Connor, culminating in the "completely illegal" reprisal executions of O’Connor, Liam Mellows, Joe McKelvey, and Dick Barrett in December 1922. We examine these state-sanctioned killings—described as an act of "literal revenge" for the assassination of TD Seán Hales—as a pivotal and controversial moment in the birth of the Irish state.We examine O'Connor's role within the context of the Irish Civil War's escalating bitterness, tracing his journey from the IRA's head of engineering to the "most public face" of anti-Treaty opposition. We discuss the "split within a split" that saw former comrades turn their guns on one another and the ways in which the 1916 tradition of martyrdom influenced the fateful decision to occupy the Four Courts.Additionally, we explore the Irish Free State's struggle to legitimise its authority through the controversial "Army Special Powers Resolution". We discuss the tactical decision to avoid formal legislation—which would have required the British monarch's signature—in favour of a resolution that empowered military courts to hand down death sentences to Republican prisoners. This highlights the stark tension between the burgeoning state’s democratic aspirations and its descent into what some critics viewed as a "military dictatorship".To conclude, we tackle the deeply personal tragedy of the conflict, specifically the haunting story of Kevin O’Higgins sanctioning the execution of his own best man, Rory O’Connor. We reflect on the "moral" cost of the 81 state executions, debating whether the Free State's pursuit of stability through "vengeance" allowed it to win the war while ultimately "losing the peace". Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Irish History Boys, we examine the poignant death and funeral of Anthony Reavy in 1976—the third brother in one family to perish following a loyalist shooting. We place this tragedy within the broader context of the era's relentless sectarian violence and the prevailing "political vacuum" of the time.Additionally, we highlight the growth of indigenous Irish commercial entities, such as IPB Insurance, as symbols of burgeoning statehood and the drive to move away from British-run systems.To conclude, we address a listener's strategic question regarding the partition of Ireland: specifically, whether the unionists' decision to secure six counties instead of four ultimately created the demographic conditions for a future reunification. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we explore the pivotal year of 1926 for the Gaelic Athletic Association, as delegates from Louth and Tipperary pushed for the removal of the compulsory ban on "foreign games" such as soccer, rugby, cricket, and hockey. We look at the systemic issues regarding the enforcement of these rules, including the 1938 removal of Ireland's first president, Douglas Hyde, as GAA patron and the deployment of vigilante committees to ensure members did not attend rival sporting events. We also discuss why Northern members were the strongest advocates for maintaining these bans, as they felt abandoned by the Free State and faced continued obstruction and British rule within the six counties. Finally, we chat about the controversial "bandit country" label applied to South Armagh in the 1970s, while examining a local citizen’s poignant letter protesting the "blackening" of their peace-loving community’s name. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tim McGarry and Dr Cormac look back at the significant news stories of 1925 and 1975. Regarding 1925, they delve into the Boundary Commission, which established the permanent border of Northern Ireland and was seen as a "triumph for unionism" under James Craig, alongside social issues like the emancipation of women smoking in public and a largely "forgotten" famine in the West of Ireland. Moving to 1975, they reflect on a "miserable year" defined by a political vacuum, horrific sectarian violence such as the Miami Showband murders, and the unexpected political conversion of hardliner William Craig to the idea of power-sharing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.