Highlights From Talking History

In this episode of Talking History, we'll be looking at the challenges facing American Liberalism from the 1960s to the 1990s through the prism of the political career and presidency of Bill Clinton, and we'll be debating whether it should be viewed as a success or a failure. Joining host Patrick Geoghegan for this debate is: • Nelson Lichtenstein, Research Professor in History at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and his book A Fabulous Failure: The Clinton Presidency and the Transformation of American Capitalism will be published in September 2023 • Dr Daniel Geary, Mark Pigott Associate Professor of U.S. History at Trinity • Prof Patricia Sullivan, William Arthur Fairey II Professor of History at the University of South Carolina • and Prof Mary Ellen Curtin, Associate Professor at the American University in Washington DC, and historian of modern African-American and women's social and political history.

On this episode of Talking History: we explore Spike Island in Cork - a monastery, island fortress and convict prison, on the 85th anniversary of it being handed back to Ireland as one of the treaty ports. Featuring: John Goulding, Assistant Manager, Spike Island; Dorota Gubbins, curator, Spike Island; and Eric Curtis, Spike Island volunteer - a past resident who grew up on the island.

In this episode of Talking History, we're finding out about the history of the first public library in Ireland, Marsh's Library in Dublin, from caged readers to a mummy discovered there in the 19th century. Joining Patrick Geoghegan to discuss are: Dr. Jason McElligott, Director of Marsh’s Library, Dr Janée Allsman, IRC Enterprise Partnership Scheme Fellow at the Department of French and Francophone Studies at University College Dublin, post-doctoral researcher who is working on French collections in Marsh's Library and also on the use of AI technology to examine this material, and Amy Boylan, Assistant Librarian at Marsh’s Library.

In this episode of Talking History, Patrick Geoghegan speaks with authors of exciting new historical releases. Featuring: Dr Agnes Arnold-Forster, writer and historian of medicine, on her book 'Cold, Hard Steel: The Myth of the Modern Surgeon'; Dr Michelle McGoff-McCann on her book 'The Irish Coroner: Death, murder and politics in Co. Monaghan, 1846-78'; and Dr Mark Jones, Lecturer/Assistant Professor in Global History at University College Dublin, author of '1923: The Forgotten Crisis in the Year of Hitler’s Coup'.

In this episode of Talking History, Patrick Geoghegan reflects on 240 years of the Bank of Ireland, the milestones in its history, its governors, and how the old parliament building in College Green came into the possession of the bank. He's joined by Newstalk Business Editor Joe Lynam; John McGrath, premises manager, Bank of Ireland; and Mick O’Farrell, employee with Bank of Ireland and published historian.

In this episode of Talking History, we're looking at the history of Irish wakes, and exploring Irish beliefs and practices about death over the centuries. Featuring: Éamonn McEneaney, Director of Waterford Treasures Museums, Donnchadh O Ceallachain and Rosemary Ryan, Curators at Waterford Treasures Museum, and John Thompson of Thompson Funeral Homes (established in Waterford in 1786), former President and founder of the Irish Association of Funeral Directors.

On this week’s Talking History, Patrick looks at the life and legacy of Katherine Mansfield, the New Zealand-born modernist writer, whose haunting and powerful works helped redefine the modern short story. Joining Patrick to discuss is: Sir Vincent Gerard O'Sullivan, Professor Emeritus, at Victoria University of Wellington, one of the world’s foremost Mansfield scholars and President of the Katherine Mansfield Society. He has edited, with Margaret Scott, the five-volume edition of Katherine Mansfield’s Collected Letters, published by Oxford University Press. He is also widely published as a poet, fiction writer, playwright, and biographer; Dr. Adrian Paterson who lectures in English at the University of Galway and has published widely on eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth-century literature with a particular interest in the artistic interactions of modernism and Irish literature; and Dr. Gerri Kimber, Visiting Professor in the Department of English at the University of Northampton and co-editor of Katheri

In this episode of Talking History: this summer marks the 225th anniversary of the outbreak of the 1798 Rebellion, a massive uprising inspired by the revolutions in France and America which attempted to create an independent Irish Republic, inspiring Irish nationalists up to 1916 and beyond. Patrick Geoghegan looks at what happened in Wexford in 1798 and how it is being commemorated this year, alongside Bernard Browne, author and vice-chair of the National 1798 Historical Centre, Mico Hassett, Enniscorthy Castle manager, and Michael Fortune, folklorist.

In this episode of Talking History: how Ireland became a founding member of the European Space Agency with space commentator Leo Enright; we'll explore Europe's old towns and find out what they hide about our continent's history with author Marek Kohn; and we'll hear about the 300 men, women and children buried in Dublin's Glasnevin Cemetery who died during the War of Independence and Civil War, from author Conor Dodd.

In this episode of Talking History, we meet 'The Last Viking', legendary warrior King Harald Hardrada, with author Don Hollway; we explore the history of watchmaking with designer, watchmaker, and historian Rebecca Struthers; and we'll learn about 'The Ugly Duchess' and how a Renaissance portrait challenges our views about beauty with the UK National Gallery's Emma Capron.

On this episode of Talking History, we'll preview a new film on the life and career of 18th century classic composer and violinist Joseph Bologne, with Julia I. Doe, Assistant Professor of Music at Columbia University; we'll hear the story of the first woman artist in Europe to achieve commercial success, Lavinia Fontana, from Dr. Aoife Brady, curator of the exhibition on her at the National Gallery of Ireland; and we'll discover the history of tea with Nisha Tandon, Chief Executive of the Arts EKTA cultural organisation.

In this episode of Talking History, Dr Patrick Geoghegan looks at the life, death and legacy of the first English monarch to bear the name Charles and finds out how he ended up losing his throne and his head. Joining us are David Prior, Head of Public Services & Outreach at the UK Parliamentary Archives; Leanda de Lisle, author of “White King: Charles I – Traitor, Murderer, Martyr”; and Erin Griffey, Associate Professor of Art History at the University of Auckland and the author of "Henrietta Maria: Piety, Politics and Patronage".

Coming up on this episode of Talking History: we're exploring entertainment, culture, religion and society in Ancient Rome, with Dr Jonathan Coulston, Senior Lecturer at the School of Classics at The University of St Andrews; Dr Rebecca Usherwood, Assistant Professor in Late Antique and Early Byzantine Studies, at the Department of Classics, Trinity College Dublin; and Paul Chrystal, historian and author of ‘When in Rome: A Social Life of Ancient Rome’, ‘Women in Ancient Rome’ and ‘Wars & Battles of the Roman Republic’.

On this episode of Talking History: when did Shakespeare become known as The Bard, and why does Macbeth still exert such a powerful hold on audiences hundreds of years later? Join Dr Patrick Geoghegan as he discusses witchcraft, murder and the influence of the Gunpowder Plot on the play with Prof Sandra Clark from the Institute of English Studies at the University of London, Dr. Abigail Rokison-Woodall from The Shakespeare Institute, Stratford-upon-Avon, Prof Emma Smith, Professor of Shakespeare Studies, Hertford College Oxford, and Prof Farah Karim-Cooper, Professor of Shakespeare Studies, King's College London and Director of Education & Research at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre.

On this episode of Talking History, we discuss a number of new history titles, including 'Wedded Wife: A Feminist History of Marriage' by curator Rachael Lennon; 'Travels with Tocqueville Beyond America' by Jeremy Jennings, Professor of Political Theory at King’s College London; and 'Law and the idea of liberty in Ireland from Magna Carta to the present' by coeditor Peter Crooks. Presented by Dr Patrick Geoghegan.

In this episode of Talking History, Dr Patrick Geoghegan reflects on the life and legacy of British prime minister Margaret Thatcher. Featuring: Clive Bloom, author of Thatcher's Secret War; June Purvis, Professor Emerita of Women's and Gender History at the University of Portsmouth; Richard Vinen, Professor of History at King's College London and the author of Thatcher's Britain; and Charles Moore, journalist and biographer of Thatcher.

On this episode of Talking History, as part of our series on the history of totalitarian dictators, we're looking at the rise and fall of Adolf Hitler and finding out why he lost the Second World War so spectacularly. Featuring: Prof Frank McDonough, specialist on the history of the Third Reich; R.T. Howard, author of the book 'Spying on the Reich: The Cold War Against Hitler'; and Prof Devin Pendas of Boston College, co-chair of the Contemporary Europe Study Group at the Center for European Studies at Harvard University and author of 'Democracy, Nazi Trials and Transitional Justice in Germany, 1945-1950'.

In this episode of Talking History, we are looking at the history of The Tudors and finding out why the most notorious of all English dynasties continues to exert such a hold on the popular imagination. Dr Patrick Geoghegan is joined by Prof Richard Rex, Professor of Reformation History, University of Cambridge; Dr Natalie Mears, Reader/Associate Professor in Tudor and Early Stuart History at Durham University; Prof Christopher Maginn, Professor of History and Associate Chair for Undergraduate Studies at Lincoln Center, Fordham University, New York; Siobhan Clarke, Guide Lecturer, Historic Royal Palaces; and Eleri Lynn, Head of Exhibitions at National Museum Wales, fashion historian, author, and former Curator of the dress collection at Historic Royal Palaces.

In this episode of Talking History, Dr Patrick Geoghegan looks at the story of St Patrick through the centuries and finds out about the iconography and the legends surrounding the patron saint of Ireland with journalist Alannah Hopkin; he also investigates why civilisations collapse with archaeologist John Darlington, and hears about the copper beech tree Lady Gregory used to ask her guests to autograph, with historian William Henry.

In this episode of Talking History, Dr Patrick Geoghegan and his panel are looking at the history of the most famous film awards in the world - the highs, the lows, the triumphs and the controversies of the Academy Awards. Featuring Dr Conn Holohan from the University of Galway, Gwenda Young, Lecturer in Film Studies at UCC, Dr Aaron Hunter, Teaching Fellow in Film Studies at Trinity College Dublin and Sunniva O’Flynn, Head of Irish Film Programming at the IFI.