Judicial Robes and Jazz Panics

Judicial Robes and Jazz Panics

From The Irish History Boys by The Irish History Boys

February 19, 2026 · 45 min

About this episode

This episode reflects on the 1976 murders of Mary Sloan, May Sloan, and Doris McGrath, and explores the Irish Free State's judicial struggles and the moral panic surrounding jazz in the 1920s.

In this episode of the Irish History Boys, we reflect on the barbaric 1976 murders of Mary Sloan, May Sloan, and Doris McGrath—a tragedy described at the time as a "new low in barbarity".  We examine these senseless killings within the context of 1976's grim violence and the ways in which such horrific events were often "hazed over" by the relentless cycle of conflict during the Troubles. Additionally, we explore the Irish Free State's struggle to "unshackle" itself from the British judicial yoke in 1926. We discuss the debate over judges’ wigs and gowns as a symbol of burgeoning statehood and the tension between adopting the inherited British system versus the more egalitarian, indigenous Dáil court system. To conclude, we tackle the "moral panic" of the 1920s, examining how both Catholic and Protestant leaders waged a social crusade against the perceived evils of jazz, modern dancing, and "evil literature". We also address 1926 proposals for border tolls on heavy lorries, highlighting how economic disputes further cemented the reality of partition. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Topics covered

  • 1976 murders
  • Irish Free State
  • British judicial system
  • moral panic
  • jazz
  • modern dancing
  • partition

Keywords

  • barbarity
  • Troubles
  • judges’ wigs
  • Dáil court system
  • Catholic leaders
  • Protestant leaders
  • border tolls

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