Episodes

  • Newgrange
    Dec 22 2024

    In this episode: how Newgrange and the winter solstice have captivated the imagination for centuries, and the monument's connections to Irish mythology. Featuring Jessica Smyth, Associate Professor at the School of Archaeology at UCD; Leontia Lenehan, Supervisor Guide at Brú na Bóinne; and Anthony Murphy, mythologist and author of ‘Newgrange - Monument to Immortality’.

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    51 mins
  • Best of December Books
    Dec 15 2024

    Patrick Geoghegan chats to Prof Diarmaid Ferriter on how Ireland was transformed over the past 25 years, as told in his new book The Revelation of Ireland, 1995-2020; we also hear the untold story of the women on Wall Street and the misogyny they faced, from Paulina Bren's new book She Wolves: The Untold History of Women on Wall Street; and how the IRB changed the course of Irish history, with John O’Beirne Ranelagh.

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    48 mins
  • Notre Dame
    Dec 8 2024

    As Notre Dame reopens after its catastrophic fire, Patrick Geoghegan looks at the construction and re-construction of one of the most iconic cathedrals in the world. Joining him are: Dr Emily Guerry, Senior Lecturer in Medieval European History at the University of Kent, Dr Caroline Bruzelius, Professor Emerita of Art and Art History at Duke University, Dr Jennifer M. Feltman, Associate Professor of Art History and Medieval Art at the University of Alabama, and Dr Meredith Cohen, Associate Professor of Medieval Art and Architecture at UCLA.

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    52 mins
  • Roman Emperor Septimius Severus
    Dec 1 2024

    In this episode of Talking History - the story of Caracalla and Geta, the two emperors who share power in the new Gladiator 2 film, how their father Severus transformed Rome, and how their dynasty ended in violence and murder. Patrick Geoghegan is joined by Dr David Woods, Head of the Department of Classics at UCC; Prof Mark Humphries, Professor of Ancient History, Swansea University; and Dr Rebecca Usherwood, Assistant Professor in Late Antique and Early Byzantine Studies at Trinity College Dublin.

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    53 mins
  • Oscar Wilde: His Rise And Fall
    Nov 24 2024

    From Decadence To Despair: in this episode we discuss how Oscar Wilde went from the heights of literary fame to the depths of public scandal, as we debate his remarkable legacy.

    Joining Patrick Geoghegan is Caoimhe Ní Ghormáin, Manuscripts Curator, the Library of Trinity College Dublin; Martin Burns, creative director, Oscar Wilde House; and Jarlath Killeen, Head of the School of English at Trinity College Dublin.

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    49 mins
  • The History of Gladiators
    Nov 17 2024

    Marking the release of Gladiator 2, in this episode we explore the brutal world of gladiators - and how they rose from captivity to become icons of the Roman Empire.

    Featuring: Dr Jerry Toner, Director of Studies in Classics at Churchill College, University of Cambridge, Kathleen M. Coleman, James Loeb Professor of the Classics, Harvard University, and Dr Andrew Fear, Lecturer in Classics, University of Manchester.

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    48 mins
  • The Fall Of The Berlin Wall
    Nov 10 2024

    We're marking the 35th anniversary of one of the most seismic events of the 20th century: the fall of the Berlin Wall. We'll find out why it was built, how it fell, and how it brought an end to the Cold War.

    Joining Patrick Geoghegan is: Prof Patrick Major, Professor of Modern History at the University of Reading; Katja Hoyer, historian, author of ‘Beyond the Wall: East Germany, 1949-1990', and visiting Research Fellow at King’s College London; and Frederick Taylor, historian, author of ‘The Berlin Wall: A World Divided, 1961-1989' and a fellow of the Royal Historical Society of Great Britain.

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    50 mins
  • Best of November Books
    Nov 3 2024

    In this episode:

    • Captive Queen: the Decrypted Story of Mary, Queen of Scots, by Dr Jade Scott

    • When Courage Calls: Josephine Butler and the Radical Pursuit of Justice for Women, by Dr Sarah C. Williams

    • and Embers of the Hands: Hidden Histories of the Viking Age, by Dr Eleanor Barraclough

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    49 mins