Hidden Histories

You may have heard this week about the death of Argentina’s Ambassador to Ireland, Laura Bernal, who was laid to rest a few days ago. 

Of course given the current circumstances her funeral was much more muted and reserved than it might otherwise have been for a foreign diplomat.

But even still, the circumstances of her burial are unusual - because she was not returned to Argentina to be laid to rest in her home country… she was instead buried in Foxford in Mayo.

Why’s that? Well it’s because Foxford holds a special place in the history of Argentina… so much so that the Argentinian Navy even marched through the town last year.

Donal Fallon is here to explain all.

 

On The Record with Gavan Reilly

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We heard the news this week about the closure of Bewley’s on Grafton Street - a café that has been a Dublin institution almost as long as it has been open.

Most of us will probably be familiar with its Quaker roots and the core of its history, but Bewley's is just one part of the broader, and fascinating history of coffee shops - and tea and coffee consumption - in Ireland.

Probably now more than ever, we’re drinking plenty of tea and coffee in lock-down, but the story of these beverages is truly international, connecting Ireland to the world beyond these shores.

Donal Fallon joins Gavan for another episode of Hidden Histories.

On The Record with Gavan Reilly

Listen and subscribe to On The Record with Gavan Reilly on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify.

    

Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.

  

You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.

As the GAA is one of the things so many of us are going to miss from our summer calendars, it’s fitting to look back at what might have been the greatest GAA upset of all time.

A final behind closed doors would be one thing, but an All Ireland Final won by London? That was truly once in a lifetime.

Donal Fallon joins Gavan Reilly for the last edition of Hidden Histories.

‘How Green Was My Valley’ was released in 1941 and got nominated for 10 Academy Awards - winning four of them, including Best Picture.

Today is Easter Sunday and that means there could be no better time to explore the strange story of two Easter Rising veterans who ended up acting side by side in this Hollywood blockbuster.

And if that wasn’t already remarkable, they were on different sides of the Rising.

Gavan is joined by Donal Fallon for another episode of Hidden Histories to tell us more.

Covid-19 has claimed more than 8,000 lives in the United States of America thus far - including the life of Tarlach Mac Niallais.

Born in Belfast, Mac Niallais was one of the most significant players in the LGBT campaigning community in New York City, and a veteran of campaigning for LGBT equality in Northern Ireland before emigrating there.

Donal Fallon joins Gavan Reilly for another episode of Hidden Histories to reflect on the impact Tralach's life had on so many and explore a past which touches on Ian Paisley’s DUP, the New York Saint Patrick’s Day parade, and the early history of Pride on the island of Ireland.

The 8th of March is International Women’s Day. While widely marked around the world today - as a day that honours womanhood and its achievements - the day has a somewhat surprising and divisive history, including here in Ireland. Donal Fallon joins Gavan O'Reilly to talk about the origins and history of the day.

2020 will mark the fiftieth anniversary of the Arms Crisis, a political scandal that rocked Fianna Fáil to its very core. High profile names like Haughey and Blaney, so central to 20th century Irish politics, were in the firing line, as accusations were made that Government Ministers - with the help of an Irish Army Officer - were attempting to arm the fledgling republican movement in the North. Reputations were both made, and destroyed, in the affair.  Donal Fallon joins Gavan Reilly to reflect on the story behind it.

Earlier this week, a Dublin City Councillor proposed bringing the body of James Joyce back to Ireland, on time for the centenary of the publication of Ulysses in 1922. Donal Fallon discusses the idea with Gavan on this week's episode of Hidden Histories.

Donal Fallon joins Gavan Reilly to take a look at some of the lesser known stories of the iconic Irish rock group Thin Lizzy for this week's installment of hidden histories

Donal Fallon talks us through the forgotten history of Dublin hurling, their last All Ireland success more than 80 years ago, and why the much loved sport never quite took off in Ireland's capital.