In early-20th century Belfast, the horrors of the first world war led to a growth in spiritualism, the belief that contact could be made with the dead. This was not only an exciting religious movement, it was also a chance for scientists to finally test the claims of the paranormal. In this environment, the young Kathleen Goligher emerged as one of the era's most talked-about mediums, championed by a respected man of science, William Jackson Crawford, who was utterly convinced that the phenomenon was genuine. In this episode, I'm joined by guest Reggie Chamberlain-King, who has all the details of this strange case.

Have a couple of beers with Cian and Chris as they return to the subject of Bram Stoker and his infamous novel Dracula. Our hosts discuss Stoker's glittering social circle, his role as an Irish author, Victorian literary London, the mysterious East, Van Helsing's cultural origins, while only occasionally stumbling over key plot points! So get stuck in - you'd have to be undead to want to miss this confection of blather, bats and blood (sorry).

Back in the days of Empire and adventure, one dirt-poor farmer named George Thomas left the town of Roscrea looking to improve his lot. Within a few years he had carved out a kingdom for himself in India, and became known as 'the Rajah from Tipperary'. From his exotic palace, he ruled hundreds of miles of territory, and commanded an army of Indian and European mercenaries. He fought wars, rescued queens in distress, fought, squabbled and loved some of the most extraordinary rulers in in India during the chaotic eighteenth century. Listen and learn the almost-forgotten story of the Tipperary Rajah. Sources: Military Memoirs of George Thomas, William Francklin, 1805 The Rajah From Tipperary, Maurice Hennessy, 1971 Dannydutch.com TheWildGeese.com Sound Credits: Ibn Al-Noor Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License Desert City Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License Sword and Gun Battle Sound Effect by N Beats www.youtube.com/c/nBeatsofficial?sub_confirmation=1 Island Beach Wave and Seagull Sounds – Sony Playstation Network

In 1897, a book written by a Dublin man introduced the world to perhaps the most famous, lasting and influential character in all of Gothic fiction: Dracula. In this first of a two-part concersation, Cian and Chris discuss their recent rereading (and re-listening) of Dracula. We delve into Stoker's own life to see how events in it might have contributed to the creation of such a macabre but memorable character. We reflect on memories of the various movie and audio versions, find out who Dracula's Guest was, puzzle over the mysteries of Renfield, hang bats from strings, and venture once again into the spooky neverland of Romania-as-imagined-by-Victorian-writers, all while enjoying a fine Dublin beverage. Main Sources: Dracula Agus Stoker, Dearcan Media, 2011 The Lost Journal of Bram Stoker, The Dublin Years, edited by Elizabeth Miller and Dacre Stoker, Biteback Publishing, 2013 Transylvania and Romania in Scholarly Editions of Bram Stoker's Dracula, Cristina Artenie, 2015 Music: Main Theme By Kevin Gill Dracula Theme by Wojciech Kilar Sound Effects: Pen sound: Free Stock Sounds

A one-eyed, one-handed warrior who preferred to lead from the front rather than sip champagne with the other aristocrats, Adrian Carton De Wiart charged, lied, and cursed his way through the Boer War, both World Wars, and a bunch of other almost-forgotten conflicts, leaving a trail of his own body parts behind him with nary a care. In this episode I chat with Andrew Byrne about the life of this extraordinary man and the times he lived in. Get ready to enter the trenches, earn your Victoria Cross, and do your best to get mentioned in dispatches! Sources: Happy Odyssey, Adrian Carton De Wiart, 1950 Music: Main Theme by Kevin Gill

On a wooded hill overlooking Dublin city sits a mysterious stone lodge shrouded in legend and lore. Dubliners know it as the haunt of the Hellfire Club, a secret group of devil-worshippers who carried out ghastly and terrible rites there in times gone by. Join me as I find out the truth and learn of the strange men who once shocked eighteenth-century Dublin with their wild escapades and hard living. A world of rakes and libertines drinking and whoring to excess; idle rich who lived for absurd bets and deeds. You won't hear a tale as strange anywhere else! Sources: The Hellfire Club: Accidental Satanists, Dave Walsh, Blather.ie Blasphemers & Blackguards, David Ryan, 2012, Merrion The Hell-Fire Clubs: A History of Anti-Morality, Geoffrey Ashe, 2000 The HellFire Club: Accidental Satanists, Blather.net, 1999 Come Here To Me Blog Music: Theme by Kevin Gill Sad Piano by Alexander Blu Photo: Joe King (Creative Commons)

In the summer of 1985, folks at the little Cork town of Ballinspittle reported a miracle, when their local statue of the Virgin Mary was seen moving. Thousands came to worship and just to have a gawk, and similar cases spread across the country. Join Strange Ireland as we investigate this happening, tell stories of mass hysteria, discuss the difference between Catholic and Protestant mysticism, and discover exactly how the Church decides on what is a real miracle (or a class 3 relic). Sources: A Nation Preferring Miracles, William Allen When Irish Statues Moved, TheJournal.ie MiracleHunter.com, Michael O'Neill BBC Newsnight, 1985 RTE News, 1985 Sound: Gregorian chant, Kevin McLeod Wind sound effect, Behind Design

Bonus episode: I love horror podcasts, and in this episode I analyse some of the most popular ones. I investigate the history of horror novels, found-footage movies and 1970s supernatural phenomena in order to discover the range of influences on some of my favourite shows. Music: Theme music: Kevin Gill Resident Evil GBC Theme Horror Piano Theme: Private Hell Productions Dreamy Ambient Background Loop: Alexander Blu Sad Piano: Alexander Blu Sources: Analogue Ghosts of the 70s and Hauntology by Celluloid Wickerman Podcasts Mentioned: The Black Tapes The White Vault Tribulation Archive 81

Welcome to part 2 of our investigation of the very strange story of Bridey Murphy. With his subject Ruth Simmons speaking as a rather fiesty 19th-century Irishwoman, hypnotist Morey Bernstein does everything he can to find proof of the woman's historical existence. Investigators come all the way to Cork in Ireland to find out what they can, and I weigh the evidence myself, and give my own Corkonian take on Bridey's incredible story. Tune in to hear the conclusion to one of the strangest stories Ireland has ever witnessed.