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Diarmaid Ferriter and Catriona Crowe bring us on a journey through the hidden histories, humanity and humour of our past.... more
FAQs about What Were We Like:How many episodes does What Were We Like have?The podcast currently has 9 episodes available.
March 30, 2026Fianna Fáil: Hard Men and Blood Sacrifices (Part 1)Since the crash, Fianna Fáil has become 'just another political party'. But for nearly a century it was THE leading force in Irish politics, synonymous with power, influence and flash suits; and dominated by outsized personalities like Pee Flynn, Charlie Haughey and Bertie Ahern. In this series, From the Civil War to the Crash, marking the centenary of Fianna Fáil, Diarmaid and Catriona trace how The Soldiers Of Destiny built up one of the most successful election machines in the world, and how it fell apart. Part 1 looks at its foundation, when a gang of idealistic young men lead by Eamon De Valera formed the party out of the ashes of the Civil War. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....more41minPlay
March 23, 2026Political insults: F*ck you Deputy Stagg, F*CK YOU! (Part 2)Political insults part 2/2. The civil war is well in the past, but Irish politicians are still roaring at each other. From Paul Gogarty’s viral, foul-mouthed outburst during the economic crash, to Brian Lenihan Sr. being derided as the ‘13th stroke of Irish political clock’, and the ‘Bismarck of lobster pots’, Diarmaid and Catriona unearth more angry gems from the Dáil archive. What Were We Like is a podcast from RTÉ about modern Irish history co-hosted by Diarmaid Ferriter and Catriona Crowe. It comes out every Monday morning on the RTÉ Radio Player app, and wherever else you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....more36minPlay
March 23, 2026Political insults: From Communist to corner boy (Part 1)Political insults part 1/2. Diarmaid Ferriter and Catriona Crowe look at the angriest and most bizarre Irish political insults of the last 100 years. In part one of this catalogue of mudslinging, the civil war dominates. Dev is a ‘Spanish Bastard’, TDs are jealous of Michael Collins’ fame, and one politician is accused of shooting off his own toe to commit pension fraud. It’s no holds-barred madness from start to finish.What Were We Like is a podcast from RTÉ about modern Irish history co-hosted by Diarmaid Ferriter and Catriona Crowe. It comes out every Monday morning on the RTÉ Radio Player app, and wherever else you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....more32minPlay
October 23, 2025Ep 5 - Vision, symbolism and the Presidencies of Mary Robinson and Mary McAleeseIn the final episode of What Were We Like, Diarmaid and Catriona talk about Ireland’s two female Presidents, Mary Robinson and Mary McAleese, and how their visions of the Presidency reflected the events of the day. They talk about Mary Robinson’s harrowing trip to Somalia in 1992, and the crowning diplomatic achievement of Mary McAleese’s Presidency, the visit of Queen Elizabeth II in 2011.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....more43minPlay
October 21, 2025Ep 4 - Campaigns, characters and controversies (Part 2)In the fourth episode of What Were We Like?, Diarmaid and Catriona talk about Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh’s remarkable offer to swap places with kidnap victim Tiede Herrema while he was in the Áras; and how Garrett Fitzgerald and Noël Browne were being talked up as possible candidates in the 1990 Presidential election. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....more50minPlay
October 20, 2025Ep 3 - Campaigns, characters and controversies (Part 1)In the third episode of What Were We Like?, Diarmaid and Catriona talk about how Douglas Hyde was removed as a patron by the GAA for attending a soccer match; why Muhammad Ali was not considered a suitable guest at Áras an Uachtaráin; and how Eamon De Valera almost failed to win a second term because he refused to campaign at all. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....more39minPlay
October 14, 2025Ep 2 - Brian Lenihan, Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh, and the two most important powers the President hasIn episode two of What Were We Like?’s special series on the history of the Presidency, Diarmaid and Catriona take a deep dive into the two most critical powers that the President has, and recall the resignation of Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh and Brian Lenihan’s infamous “mature recollection” moment. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....more39minPlay
October 14, 2025Ep 1 - What can the President actually do?In the first episode of What Were We Like?’s special five-part series on the history of the Presidency, Diarmaid Ferriter and Catriona Crowe talk about how the office came into being in the first place, Eamon de Valera’s role in shaping its powers, and what the president actually can and cannot do. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....more34minPlay
October 10, 2025Preview with Diarmaid Ferriter and Catriona CroweDiarmaid Ferriter and Catriona Crowe bring us on a journey through the hidden histories, humanity and humour of our past. In this first mini series, they’ll explore the history of the presidency, and what it means, as Ireland gets ready to choose its next Uachtarán.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....more2minPlay
FAQs about What Were We Like:How many episodes does What Were We Like have?The podcast currently has 9 episodes available.