Highlights From Talking History

In this episode of Talking History, we meet 'The Last Viking', legendary warrior King Harald Hardrada, with author Don Hollway; we explore the history of watchmaking with designer, watchmaker, and historian Rebecca Struthers; and we'll learn about 'The Ugly Duchess' and how a Renaissance portrait challenges our views about beauty with the UK National Gallery's Emma Capron.

On this episode of Talking History, we'll preview a new film on the life and career of 18th century classic composer and violinist Joseph Bologne, with Julia I. Doe, Assistant Professor of Music at Columbia University; we'll hear the story of the first woman artist in Europe to achieve commercial success, Lavinia Fontana, from Dr. Aoife Brady, curator of the exhibition on her at the National Gallery of Ireland; and we'll discover the history of tea with Nisha Tandon, Chief Executive of the Arts EKTA cultural organisation.

In this episode of Talking History, Dr Patrick Geoghegan looks at the life, death and legacy of the first English monarch to bear the name Charles and finds out how he ended up losing his throne and his head. Joining us are David Prior, Head of Public Services & Outreach at the UK Parliamentary Archives; Leanda de Lisle, author of “White King: Charles I – Traitor, Murderer, Martyr”; and Erin Griffey, Associate Professor of Art History at the University of Auckland and the author of "Henrietta Maria: Piety, Politics and Patronage".

Coming up on this episode of Talking History: we're exploring entertainment, culture, religion and society in Ancient Rome, with Dr Jonathan Coulston, Senior Lecturer at the School of Classics at The University of St Andrews; Dr Rebecca Usherwood, Assistant Professor in Late Antique and Early Byzantine Studies, at the Department of Classics, Trinity College Dublin; and Paul Chrystal, historian and author of ‘When in Rome: A Social Life of Ancient Rome’, ‘Women in Ancient Rome’ and ‘Wars & Battles of the Roman Republic’.

On this episode of Talking History: when did Shakespeare become known as The Bard, and why does Macbeth still exert such a powerful hold on audiences hundreds of years later? Join Dr Patrick Geoghegan as he discusses witchcraft, murder and the influence of the Gunpowder Plot on the play with Prof Sandra Clark from the Institute of English Studies at the University of London, Dr. Abigail Rokison-Woodall from The Shakespeare Institute, Stratford-upon-Avon, Prof Emma Smith, Professor of Shakespeare Studies, Hertford College Oxford, and Prof Farah Karim-Cooper, Professor of Shakespeare Studies, King's College London and Director of Education & Research at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre.

On this episode of Talking History, we discuss a number of new history titles, including 'Wedded Wife: A Feminist History of Marriage' by curator Rachael Lennon; 'Travels with Tocqueville Beyond America' by Jeremy Jennings, Professor of Political Theory at King’s College London; and 'Law and the idea of liberty in Ireland from Magna Carta to the present' by coeditor Peter Crooks. Presented by Dr Patrick Geoghegan.

In this episode of Talking History, Dr Patrick Geoghegan reflects on the life and legacy of British prime minister Margaret Thatcher. Featuring: Clive Bloom, author of Thatcher's Secret War; June Purvis, Professor Emerita of Women's and Gender History at the University of Portsmouth; Richard Vinen, Professor of History at King's College London and the author of Thatcher's Britain; and Charles Moore, journalist and biographer of Thatcher.

On this episode of Talking History, as part of our series on the history of totalitarian dictators, we're looking at the rise and fall of Adolf Hitler and finding out why he lost the Second World War so spectacularly. Featuring: Prof Frank McDonough, specialist on the history of the Third Reich; R.T. Howard, author of the book 'Spying on the Reich: The Cold War Against Hitler'; and Prof Devin Pendas of Boston College, co-chair of the Contemporary Europe Study Group at the Center for European Studies at Harvard University and author of 'Democracy, Nazi Trials and Transitional Justice in Germany, 1945-1950'.

In this episode of Talking History, we are looking at the history of The Tudors and finding out why the most notorious of all English dynasties continues to exert such a hold on the popular imagination. Dr Patrick Geoghegan is joined by Prof Richard Rex, Professor of Reformation History, University of Cambridge; Dr Natalie Mears, Reader/Associate Professor in Tudor and Early Stuart History at Durham University; Prof Christopher Maginn, Professor of History and Associate Chair for Undergraduate Studies at Lincoln Center, Fordham University, New York; Siobhan Clarke, Guide Lecturer, Historic Royal Palaces; and Eleri Lynn, Head of Exhibitions at National Museum Wales, fashion historian, author, and former Curator of the dress collection at Historic Royal Palaces.

In this episode of Talking History, Dr Patrick Geoghegan looks at the story of St Patrick through the centuries and finds out about the iconography and the legends surrounding the patron saint of Ireland with journalist Alannah Hopkin; he also investigates why civilisations collapse with archaeologist John Darlington, and hears about the copper beech tree Lady Gregory used to ask her guests to autograph, with historian William Henry.

In this episode of Talking History, Dr Patrick Geoghegan and his panel are looking at the history of the most famous film awards in the world - the highs, the lows, the triumphs and the controversies of the Academy Awards. Featuring Dr Conn Holohan from the University of Galway, Gwenda Young, Lecturer in Film Studies at UCC, Dr Aaron Hunter, Teaching Fellow in Film Studies at Trinity College Dublin and Sunniva O’Flynn, Head of Irish Film Programming at the IFI.

This episode of Talking History looks at the life and legacy of Joseph Stalin. Dr Patrick Geoghegan speaks with Professor Geoffrey Roberts, Professor of History at University College Cork, Professor James Harris, Professor of Modern European History at the University of Leeds, Dr Anna Toropova, School of Russian and Eastern European Studies at the University of Oxford, Professor Polly Jones, Professor of Russian and Schrecker-Barbour Fellow in Slavonic Studies at University College Oxford, and Rosemary Sullivan, biographer and author of 'Stalin's Daughter: The Extraordinary and Tumultuous Life of Svetlana Alliluyeva'.

On this week's episode of Talking History: Dr Patrick Geoghegan delves into a roundup of history books - the life of Julian of Norwich with Dr Claire Gilbert; Katherine MacInnes on her book 'Snow Widows: Scott's Fatal Antarctic Expedition by the Women Left Behind'; and we hear about 'The Death Census of Black '47 - Eyewitness Accounts of Ireland's Great Famine' from QUB's Professor Liam Kennedy.

'As I Remember It: Bertie Ahern & the Good Friday Agreement' is a new podcast that tells the story of the Good Friday Agreement as told by those who negotiated it and marks the first time all those involved have reunited to reflect on the negotiations in 25 years. Head to newstalk.com/goodfridayagreement.

In this week's episode of Talking History, we're looking at the history and making of modern Ukraine, exploring questions of identity and the roots of the ongoing conflict. Featuring Taras Kuzio, Professor in the Department of Political Science, National University of Kyiv Mohyla Academy; Dr Marnie Howlett, Department of Politics and International Relations at the University of Oxford; Emeritus Professor Judith Devlin of the School of History at UCD, Dr Conor Daly of Trinity College Dublin, giving the 'Ukraine's Jewish Heritage' talk at Trinity's public lecture series on the history and culture of Ukraine; and Dr Tanya Lokot, Associate Professor in Digital Media and Society from Dublin City University.

In this episode, Dr Patrick Geoghegan explores the wondrous world of historical hairstyles with 'The Coiffured' exhibition curator and visual artist Amanda Jane Graham; looks at the world's first named author, Enheduanna, and the Women of Mesopotamia with Morgan Library exhibition curator Sidney Babcock; gets an insight into the People and Places of our past with the National Photographic Archive's Sara Smyth; and hears how to date your family photographs with Dr Katherine Howells, a Principal Records Specialist in the Visual Collections at the National Archives in the UK.

To mark Ireland's new public holiday named after St Brigid, on this episode of Talking History we'll be exploring the life, legacy and legend of St Brigid and finding out how she became one of our patron saints. Joining Dr Patrick Geoghegan is Dr Edel Bhreathnach from the School of History at UCC, Dr Niamh Wycherley from Maynooth University, Laura Murphy from Herstory and behind the Bridget public holiday campaign, Dr Mary Condren from Trinity College Dublin's Centre for Gender and Women's Studies, and Arica Roberts from the Department of Archaeology at the University of Reading.

100 years ago, WB Yeats won the Nobel Prize for Literature. Dr Patrick Geoghegan looks at his life and legacy, his politics and his love of the occult, joined by esteemed panel Dr Adrian Paterson, Lecturer in English at the School of English and the Creative Arts at the University of Galway; Dr Lucy Collins, Associate Professor of Modern Poetry, at University College Dublin; Professor Roy Foster, University of Oxford, and the author of the authorized two-volume biography of Yeats; Professor Margaret Harper, Glucksman Professor in Contemporary Writing in English, University of Limerick, and formerly Director of the Yeats International Summer School and the President of the International Yeats Society; and Susan O'Keeffe, Director of Yeats Society Sligo.

In this episode of Talking History, we explore the Clerys archive and find out how the iconic building in Dublin has been restored. Joining host Dr Patrick Geoghegan is public historian Caitlin White of Trinity College Dublin as well as George O'Malley who specialises in the conservation and restoration of lime plaster and stucco, and led the plasterwork restoration at Clerys. And later in the show, we're looking at the legends surrounding Alexander The Great and hearing how his story inspired many for centuries, as part of a new exhibition at the British Library in London.

On this episode of Talking History, Dr Patrick Geoghegan reflects on the life and legacy of Eoin MacNeill, the man best remembered for issuing the countermanding order in 1916, but whose career was far more significant and enduring. He's joined by Dr Emer Purcell, medieval historian, publications officer for the National University of Ireland and coeditor of 'Eoin MacNeill: the Pen and the Sword'; Conor Mulvagh, coeditor of same, and Associate Professor of Modern Irish History at University College Dublin; Senator Michael McDowell, grandson of Eoin MacNeill; and Dr Elva Johnston, Associate Professor at the UCD School of History and author of 'By blood and by tradition’: race and empire in Eoin MacNeill’s interpretation of early Ireland.