The Forgotten Irish Podcast

This episode explores Irish connections with America's highest award for gallantry– the Medal of Honor. Since the inception of the Medal during the American Civil War, Irish and Irish American men have been prominent in it's history. This podcast takes a journey through these Irish connections, from the Civil War to Afghanistan, telling the stories of a number of the recipients along the way.

In 1917 more than 6,000 American sailors arrived in Ireland, the first United States troops deployed to front line service during the First World War. From a social perspective, all was not plain sailing. This podcast tells the story of the fiery clashes that took place between locals and the American Tars, and delves into the personal experiences of the many local Irish women who wed Yank sailors. It explores who these women were, and the hardships many of them faced before they could begin their new lives across the Atlantic.

Popular perceptions of 19th century Irish emigration imagine a tearful farewell from home, as emigrants departed never to be heard from again. But in reality those who left usually maintained close ties with their home communities– ties of obligation and relationship that continued for decades. Through the personal stories of ordinary Irish emigrants, this episode explores just how vital these links were, and how they functioned.

An elderly Irish emigrant charts the story of her emigration from Donegal in the 1840s. We discover what had prompted her to write from Ireland to America half a century after her departure for what she hoped would be a new life.

Thousands of Irish soldiers in the American Civil War died from disease and battle. But what about those who had more unusual, more unfortunate, deaths? This short podcast explores some of their stories, and the unintended consequences such a death could have on the families they left behind.

In late 1863, details of a sensational case began to emerge in the newspapers of the Union. At its centre was an intellectually disabled boy from Co. Limerick, stolen from home and sold into the Federal Army, and his mother's desperate efforts to recover him. Among those to become involved were none other than Abraham Lincoln himself. This podcast tells their story.

On 6 June 1944 the most famous invasion in world history occurred. Though we know about the many Irish who experienced D-Day and the Normandy Campaign with the British forces, we have little knowledge of those Irish Americans and Irish Canadians who went through those momentous events. These are some of their stories.