In the current issue
History Ireland JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2026
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The origins of Irish road bowling -
Ireland and the emerging English Atlantic empire in the seventeenth century -
John Philpot Curran’s reinterment in Prospect Cemetery, 1837 -
From Cork to Karinhall—a pre-war visit to the fabled Nazi mansion in 1937 -
Pamela in exile -
Eugene ‘Hassan Bey’ O’Reilly -
The Welsh language’s debt to early Irish broadcasting
Features
THE WELSH LANGUAGE’S DEBT TO EARLY IRISH BROADCASTING
By Andy Bell ‘The first Welsh-language radio broadcast was made from Dublin.’ That surprising and…
‘AN INSOLENT CLIQUE’—‘ANTIFA’ IRA IN THE 1940s
By John Mulqueen and Fergus Whelan Too young for involvement in the Saor Éire or Republican Congress…
FROM CORK TO KARINHALL—A PRE-WAR VISIT TO THE FABLED NAZI MANSION IN 1937
By Pat Poland By his own admission, Richard ‘Dickie’ Beamish, born in 1909 into the famous Cork…
THE ORIGINS OF IRISH ROAD BOWLING
By Fintan Lane Road bowling—an elemental and deeply rooted sporting tradition in Ireland—has…
THE ARCHITECTURE OF CONSTRAINT—PRISON ARCHIVES IN THE PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE OF NORTHERN IRELAND
By Brett Irwin The His Majesty’s Prison (HMP) archive in the Public Record Office of Northern…
EUGENE ‘HASSAN BEY’ O’REILLY
By Gerard Ronan Irish troops have been involved in UN peacekeeping activities in the Middle East…
GADUGI—THE CHEROKEE GIFT TO IRELAND IN 1847
By Christine Kinealy Many Irish people are aware that in Black ’47, possibly the deadliest year of…
PAMELA IN EXILE
A new acquisition by the National Library of Ireland sheds light on the final months of Lord Edward…
Regulars
From the editor
Racist violence—then and now
January 2, 2026
Editorial,Issue 1 (January/February 2026),Volume 34
In this issue Aodhán Crealey (On This Day, p. 7) reminds us of one of the darkest episodes in the…
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From the editor
Racist violence—then and now
January 2, 2026
Editorial,Issue 1 (January/February 2026),Volume 34
In this issue Aodhán Crealey (On This Day, p. 7) reminds us of one of the darkest episodes in the…
Read More
History in the news
PROTESTANTS PETITION TO END INSULT TO CATHOLICS
CHARLES CAMPBELL—THE MAN WHO DISCOVERED NEWGRANGE
ON THIS DAY
Bite-sized history
BY DONAL FALLON FOCUS THEATRE REMEMBERED In one of his final acts as president, Michael D. Higgins (together with his wife Sabina) unveiled a plaque to honour…
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Letters
WAR AND GENOCIDE
THE OTHER BALFOUR DECLARATION
FOUR COURTS MARSHALSEA
DEVOY’S CHAIR; JOHN BOYLE O’REILLY’S BIRTH PLACE
DEV’S PATERNITY
CONNOLLY’S OTHER SISTER
Platform
IRELAND AND THE EMERGING ENGLISH ATLANTIC EMPIRE IN THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY
Gems of architecture
ST BRIGID’S CATHEDRAL, KILDARE
Artefacts
THE IRISH CATHOLIC BRIGADE IN BRITISH SERVICE
By Stephen McGarry The ‘Wild Geese’ was the name given to the 14,000-strong Irish army that withdrew to France following the Jacobite War in 1691. These Irish regiments formed an Irish brigade that…
Kindred Lines
LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTORAL ROLLS
IFI Film Eye
FLORA KERRIGAN—DREAM MAKER
100 years ago
2RN AND RTÉ
Local Archives
COUNTING THE RENTS—THE FORSTER AND KELLY PAPERS, PORTE HOUSE, RUAN, CO. CLARE
Tales From The Grave
JOHN PHILPOTT CURRAN’S REINTERMENT IN PROSPECT CEMETERY, 1837
By Brian Casey John Philpott Curran, a member of the Church of Ireland, a lawyer, MP, graduate of Trinity College, Dublin, and supporter of Catholic rights, was born in Cork in 1750. As a student, he…
Reviews
EDINBURGH’S FIRST HIBERNIAN: THE MISSION OF EDWARD JOSEPH HANNAN
AN ACCIDENTAL VILLAIN: SIR HUGH TUDOR, CHURCHILL’S ENFORCER IN REVOLUTIONARY IRELAND
THAT BEATS BANAGHER! A HUMOROUS EXPRESSION OF AMAZEMENT: ORIGIN AND LEGEND
IRELAND: MAPPING THE ISLAND
LANDSCAPES OF KINGSHIP IN EARLY MEDIEVAL IRELAND, AD 400–1150
BOOKWORM
PICASSO: FROM THE STUDIO
PALESTINE 36
HOUSE OF GUINNESS
From The Archives
Michael Collins military dictator
By John M. Regan This article first appeared in: THE SPLIT-Treaty to Civil War 1921–23 published by Wordwell as a supplement to History Ireland in 2021 priced €12. Copies are still available
The Truce and preliminary negotiations between de Valera and Lloyd George
By Joseph E.A. Connell Jr As British hopes for a military victory in the War of Independence faded, they began to wonder whether Ireland was worth the price in lives
Lively round-table discussions
Hedge Schools
Forthcoming Hedge Schools
Editor Tommy Graham will be hosting a series of History Ireland Hedge Schools, lively round-table discussions with historians and well-known personalities.
Hedge School audios and videos
A collection of audio and video recordings of the 20+ more Hedge Schools we have put on around Ireland, featuring well-known historians in lively debate on popular and relevant topics