Revered as a saint in India, more effort has gone into honouring her memory than understanding her. By Malachi O’Doherty Margaret Noble, or Sister Nivedita, was a far more complex and interesting person, judging by her letters, than most research on her suggests. She is widely regarded as a saintly woman. She had followed the … Read more
RTÉ Radio 1, 5 November 2017 By John Gibney The three funerals that are the subject of this compelling instalment of RTÉ Radio 1’s Documentary On One series arose from two very different burials and left behind three very different graves.What they have in common is that theyall relate to the same person. Frank Stagg … Read more
Images of the Irish in a revolutionary painting. By Royston Spears Between 1815 and 1845 perhaps half a million men and women left Ireland to escape economic hardship and famine, and crossed to Britain in search of work. There many of them began new lives as navvies, farm labourers and street traders. For much of … Read more
The First World War correspondence of Michael Bourke, Garvey’s Lane, Limerick. By Tadhg Moloney During the First World War, letters allowed soldiers in training or at the front to keep in touch with home. Michael Bourke of Garvey’s Lane, Limerick, wrote at least 36 letters to his sister Mary over the nine months from 2 … Read more
The prison medical service and the treatment of Thomas Ashe. By Ciara Breathnach On 7 September 1917, Gregory Ashe wrote the following letter to his son Thomas following his recent incarceration for sedition. Dear Thomas, I received your letter am sorry that you are under lock and key again however be cheerful Keep a stout … Read more