One of our greatest weaknesses when reading and studying history about Ireland is often our failure to contextualise Irish history in comparison to what was happening elsewhere in the world. I have written a lot about the revolutionary period in Ireland, which covers our War of Independence and Civil War […]

I have a flavour of the Dublin Festival of History coming up on www.westcorkfm.ie next month. The annual event, which runs from October 1 for three weeks serves up feast of historical events; from talks to walks, panel discussions to screenings and all for free, thanks to Dublin City council and […]

History teaches us the Conservative Party better watch out says Kieran Doyle I finally got Dr Martin O’Donoghue’s lecture on the 1918 general election, up on www.westcorkfm.ie  I’ve mentioned him a little while back as one of the keynote speakers of the inaugural ‘History Scoops’ talks in De Barras. Since […]

Engraved across the World War Two monument, in the Commonwealth cemetery in Bayeux, Normandy, are the Latin words, ‘NOS A GULIELMO VICTI VICTORIS PATRIAM LIBERAVIMUS.’ The translation reads: ‘We, once conquered by William, have now set free the Conqueror’s native land.’  The French ancestors of William, the conqueror of England […]