Hidden Histories

There were some chuckles earlier this week when Jacob Rees-Mogg evoked the name of Charles Stewart Parnell in the House of Commons, but Parnell himself would have been delighted to see his name trend on Twitter - he was, afterall, a master at bringing attention to his political cause.

The Uncrowned King of Ireland brought the Westminster parliament to a standstill, but some of the leading British politicians of the day later admitted their deep respect for the father of filibustering.

Gavan Reilly is joined by Donal Fallon of the Come Here To Me! blog for another episode of  Hidden Histories.

Ireland has witnessed a craft beer and distilling renaissance in recent years.

Teeling Whiskey, Gunpowder Gin and more besides have emerged and made their mark on the whiskey world and more surprising is the re-emergence of Poitín.

No longer a bootlegged commodity, the once mysterious drink is now appearing in cocktail bars in London and New York. So, how did it all go mainstream?

Gavan Reilly is joined by Donal Fallon of the Come Here To Me! blog for another episode of  Hidden Histories.

Cork’s newest bridge carries the name of Mary Elmes, born on Leeside in May 1908.  Mary died in a French nursing home in 2002 at the fine old

age of 93, but few around here knew the remarkable story of her life.  During the years of the Second World War, Mary Elmes was

responsible for saving the lives of more than 200 Jewish children threatened by the Holocaust.  Hiding them and driving them to shelter

at great risk to herself.  Donal Fallon of the comeheretome blog told Gavan about the extraordinary life of  Mary Elmes.

You may not have heard of the name Marcus Garvey or his politics but he was effectively the father of Black Nationalism and known by some as ‘the Black Moses’, a man who inspired the likes of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr - who referred to him as the first man “to give millions of Negroes a sense of dignity and destiny.”

And while his name might be unknown to many Irish people, Irish politics was well known to him - because he named his HQ Liberty Hall, in honour of the Dublin version, and he even took sides in the Anglo-Irish Treaty!

Donal Fallon joins Gavan Reilly in studio for another installment of Hidden Histories.

Harland and Wolff is in the news for all the wrong reasons, as the iconic ship building institution seems set to close its doors. Once employing thousands of men, the company now has a mere 130 men on its books, and seems set to close. Remembered for the Titanic, there is much more to the story of one of Ireland’s most iconic and controversial industrial giants, whose giant cranes are a much-loved feature of Belfast’s skyline.

So it’s time for another edition of Hidden Histories; for which we’re joined by Donal Fallon.

Fifty years ago this week, Ireland - like the rest of the world - was transfixed by man landing on the moon. Moon fragments would be displayed at the American Embassy in the early 1970s, drawing thousands of curious onlookers, and Dublin streets were even renamed in honour of the men who set foot on the moon.

Donal Fallon talks us through Ireland's reaction to the moon landing all those years ago.

Donal Fallon takes a closer look at the storming of the Bastille on this day in 1789 and the ripple effect of the French Revolution.

In a time long before Panti Bliss, there was Danny La Rue. Born in Cork in 1927, La Rue - real name Daniel Patrick Carroll - paved the way for later drag performers, even receiving an OBE for his work in the entertainment industry. A pre-decriminalisation gay celebrity of Irish stock, it is a fitting weekend for Donal Fallon to look back at one of Ireland - and Britain’s - most beloved entertainers.

Donal Fallon joins Gavan Reilly for this episode of Hidden Histories to discuss Michael O'Shea, who was an Irish 70s experimental musician.

Donal Fallon looks ahead to the 100th edition of the Liffey Swim by examining its rich and vibrant history.