Ordinary people's letters provide the most immediate and intimate window into the lives of past Irish emigrants. In them are preserved their hopes, their fears and their stories. Now a new database brings thousands of these letters, written across four centuries, to our fingertips for the first time. In this episode, Damian chats with Breándán Mac Suibhne and Daniel Carey from the University of Galway's Imirce Project, discussing how it came about, how you can explore it, and what these letters reveal about the epic story of Irish migration.

Imirce Project Website

Kerby A. Miller. Emigrants and Exiles: Ireland and the Irish Exodus to North America

Professor Breandán Mac Suibhne

Professor Daniel Carey

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The American Revolution had a profound and lasting impact on Ireland. While thousands of Irish people fought in the conflict and Cork Harbour served as a vital British logistics hub, the repercussions were felt far beyond the battlefield. The ideals and upheavals of the war helped radicalise Irish society, pushing it towards its own age of revolution. In this episode, Damian and Fin explore how the tensions unleashed by the American Revolution set Ireland on a path toward rebellion, and reveal the unexpected ways the conflict influenced the Catholic Church in Ireland.

Sound by Kate Dunlea

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Irish woman Annie Moore was the first person processed at the famous Ellis Island immigration station after it opened in 1892. Over the following 62 years nearly 12 million emigrants were processed there but Annie embodied this immigrant experience but who was this Irish woman?

In this episode, Fin and Damian interview Megan Smolenyak, a genealogist who has written a book titled The Quest for Annie Moore of Ellis Island: Uncovering the True Story of the First Immigrant to Arrive at America's Isle of Hope. The podcast explores Annie's life in Ireland, how she rose to fame as the first emigrant to pass through Ellis Island, and how she later faded into obscurity and was misidentified until Megan began to research her story.

Megan Smolenyak is one of the best known genealogists of Irish America. She is the former Chief Family Historian and spokesperson for Ancestry.com and has appeared on programmes such Good Morning America, the Today Show, the Early Show, CNN, NPR and BBC and has consulted on shows like Who Do You Think You Are? She is the author of six books,including Hey, America, Your Roots Are Showing and Who Do You Think You Are?: The Essential Guide to Tracing Your Family History.

Check out Megan's website https://megansmolenyak.com/

For more info on Ellis Island. Ellis Island National Park Service Website

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Irish nuns are one of the enduring stereotypes of Irish emigrant communities. Thousands of Irish women joined these religious communities often erving as educators and nurses. In these roles they embedded themselves deeply in the communities they served leaving a lasting memory. In this episode, Damian and Fin interview Dr. Sophie Cooper of Queen’s University Belfast, an expert on the subject. We look at who these women were, why they joined and what life was like inside the convents where they lived

The discussion focuses on the fascinating case of Molly Dwyer, Fin’s grandaunt, who served as a nun in Dakota in the early 20th century. Molly left a vivid account of her life through a series of letters written to her brother, offering a unique window into the experiences of Irish nuns abroad.

Our guest, Dr Sophie Cooper, Queen's University Belfast has published extensively on this topic. You can find her work here—including her book Forging Identities in the Irish World: Melbourne and Chicago, c. 1830–1922 here. If you have any correspondence or stories relating to the female religious diaspora in your family, Dr. Cooper would love to hear from you!

Check out Fin’s podcast episode on his grandaunt Molly’s life as a nun here https://shows.acast.com/irishhistory/episodes/letters-from-dakota

Sound Kate Dunlea

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The Titanic is unquestionably one of the most famous ships in history. Since it sank in 1912, it has been the focus of an endless stream of books, movies, and documentaries. In this episode, recorded in Titanic's final port of call—Cobh—Fin and Damian explore the Irish connections. It was not only built by Irish workers in an Irish shipyard, but many of the crew and passengers were also Irish.

Sources

Senan Molony, The irish Aboard Titanic

visitcobh.com

Know Thy Place Titanic Irish Map

Encyclopedia Titanica

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America won its independence from the British in the 1770s. Although not widely known, the Irish played a significant role in the conflict. They fought in several key battles, and numerous signatories of the Declaration of Independence were Irish – it was even printed by an Irishman. However, that’s not the full story, as many Irish also fought in the British Army.

Join Damian and Fin as they pick apart the history.

Sources

John Barry Dictionary of Irish Biography

Pierce Butler Dictionary of Irish Biography

John Dunlap and the U.S. Declaration of Independence

Don N Hagist, Roger Lamb's American Revolution: A British Soldier's Story

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Pennsylvania has a long history of coal mining. In the late 19th century, the conditions in the coalfields were atrocious leading to major conflict between the miners and the mine owners. The most notorious incident involved the execution of twenty Irish immigrants for their role in what was dubbed the Molly Maguires, a secret society of miners. While the convictions were based on dubious testimonies, they have become synonymous with the hard lives in these mining communities.

In this episode, Damian and Fin are joined by Jake Wynn. Jake is a historian and expert in the mining history of Pennsylvania. In this podcast, we explore the fascinating history of the Irish in Pennsylvania's Coal Country.

Check out Jake Website Wynning History

Listen to Jake's podcast Public History with Jake and Justin Podcast is excellent!

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Other resources on the topic

Book: Kevin Kenny. Making Sense of the Molly Maguires

Book: Mark Bulik. The Sons of Molly Maguire: THe Irish Roots of America's First Labor War

Eckley Miner's Village Museum

Sound by Kate Dunlea

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'Typhoid Mary' is one of the most recognisable names in 20th-century American history, but the history behind this Irish woman is often lost in sensationalism. Born Mary Mallon in County Tyrone in 1869, she emigrated to the USA, where she enjoyed a successful career as a cook.

However, in 1907, she found herself at the center of a public health scare when she was accused of spreading typhoid fever. In this episode, Damian and Fin delve into the fascinating history of Mary Mallon. What exactly was she accused of, and was she a victim or a villain? Join us as we explore the complexities of her story and its impact on public health and individual rights.

Subscribe to the show at https://linktr.ee/transatlanticpod

If you have any ideas for episodes get in touch at @[email protected]

Sources

DIB Mary Mallon Entry

George Soper. The Curious Career of "Typhoid Mary"

New York American Article that coined the term "Typhoid Mary" via New York Public Library

Book: Judith Walter Leavitt. Typhoid Mary: Captive to the Public's Health

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Damian and Fin have been busy recording a new season! In this short episode they share what you can expect!

Subscribe to the show at https://linktr.ee/transatlanticpod

If you have any ideas for episodes get in touch at @[email protected]

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