Shows
Irish SpiritsButter the Devil You Know: The Irish Spirits Podcast ReunionWe're back! For one night, and one night only...and for a devilishly good time!Chatting all things satanic, we have reunited for a one-off special this Halloween to chat all things the devil in Ireland! Of course paired with a specially crafted cocktail by our phantom bartender, Alex - he concocted a more palatable version of a 'scaltheen' A drink that would make the Hellfire Club themselves proud, they featured heavily in this episode alongside 'satanic panic' in Ireland, will o' the wisps and of course, Loftus Hall!We wanted to thank e...2023-10-271h 41
Irish SpiritsThe Cobbler's BreakfastIt's our Season 2 finale!!! And we thought we'd end it with a bang taking on a juggernaut of Irish folklore - The Leprechaun!In what was paired with a fittingly novelty cocktail, this episode delved into the story behind the sprightly little miser and how he's perceived today. From throwing babies on the floor to discovering he has a degenerate cousin, we hit nearly every corner of Ireland following the legacy of the leprechaun...or is it lúchorpán...or leathbhrógán....yea we covered it all!The tale of this prankster needed an eq...2021-11-192h 10
Irish SpiritsApple of my Evil EyeWe hope you had a great spooky season! In a return to our usual haunted content, we decided to revisit the haunted castles of Ireland! In what was Haunted Castles P.2: Apple of my Evil Eye, we focused on everything from disruptive ghosts to enchanted orchards - the latter inspired our phantom bartender Alex to concoct an apple-heavy cocktail, you can catch the recipe on our Instagram @irishspiritspodcast You can also catch us on Twitter: @irishspiritspod & reach out to us at: irishspiritspodcast@gmail.comShout-out of course to our ads: F**k My Work Life P...2021-11-051h 51
Irish SpiritsHoney, I Contacted the DeadIn a very different direction for the show, we delved into literary history (both Laura & Caoimhe were delighted!) and just how haunted writers of the Victorian period were...Focusing predominantly on occultists, we dived into palmistry, automatic writing & clairvoyance in 19th century Ireland. 'Honey, I Contacted the Dead' couldn't be any more apt as we look at famous Irish writers and their clairvoyant wives...from predicting the demise of the Titanic to constantly trying to contact Oscar Wilde (why wouldn't you) we decided to embrace our inner Victorian dandy with a whiskey based cocktail complete with an...2021-10-221h 31
Irish SpiritsRiding the HedgeGreen fingers at the ready, this episode was all about Hedgewitches & Herbalists washed down with Alex's twist on a classic Gin & TonicWe dived into the world of Ireland's herbalists of yore from featuring witches like Biddy Early and her 'blue bottle' to giving you an alternative cure for warts - this episode was rooted in the 19th century. We chatted about witch vs. priest showdowns and what exactly a modern day hedge witch is...we couldn't resist the name! A more earthly take on a subject meant we kicked it old school (so we wouldn't get...2021-10-081h 39
Irish SpiritsThe Shanakiel SwingOur mid-season break is over!! After a little R&R we came back with one of our creepiest episodes yet, all about Our Lady's Hospital/St Kevin's/ Cork Lunatic Asylum in Shanakiel, Cork. Why so creepy? We had for the first time, in person anecdotes - special guest: Matt from the Cork Supernatural Society. Matt very kindly joined us to regale us with past investigations at the site and the interview can be heard in the Anecdotes section of the show! Follow their journeys in Cork and indeed across the country via their Facebook page & Instagram @corksupernaturalsociety2021-09-241h 45
Irish SpiritsThe Shiso Seashells by the SeashoreThis week's cocktail may be a tongue twister but it went down so easy...too easy you might say!Which was good because we were finally reunited in person!! If that means our audio is a little off it is because we were back in Caoimhe's kitchen! This week we headed back to the water and dove into the world of sea & lake monsters in Ireland. From the Irish version of the kelpie to giant demonic eels, what lurks beneath the dark waters made us think twice about for going for a dip...the joys of living o...2021-08-271h 40
Irish SpiritsThe Hotel In-SpectreWe are finally back!! Minus ghostly intrusions, thank all of the ghouls...and we are back with a very indulgent cocktail...The Hotel In-SpectreWhether hotels remind you of summer holidays, your own indulgence or just a place to rest your head, we made a point in this episode that sleeping is beside point as we trundled through some of the most haunted hotels in Ireland! Get your notebooks ready if you're planning a trip to the Emerald Isle or indeed a staycation within it - if a spooky stay is what you are after... we needed...2021-08-131h 52
Irish SpiritsIntroducing: Irish SpiritsWelcome to Irish Spirits, a fortnightly podcast about folklore and drinking, a natural Venn diagram of Irish culture. Hosted by writer - Caoimhe Creed, historian - Laura Fitzachary and alcohol aficionado - Alex Buckley, each week we will have a theme. Whether it’s ghosts, fairies or mythical creatures, we will discuss the stories and lore, all while drinking a themed cocktail made by our phantom bartender - Alex! His recipes can be found on Instagram @irishspiritspodcast just before the show is live - so you can drink along with us...please drink responsibly!You can a...2021-08-0101 min
Irish SpiritsThe Interference InterludeWhat … no cocktail?!?! Sadly we tried and tried to record this week’s episode but the connection was well and truly haunted !! So instead, please enjoy our mini-episode ‘The Interference Interlude’, recorded across the country and narrated by our very own Laura! All three of us added to this episode chatting all things ghostly interference - I know we're hilarious... While we pondered how humanity is too reliant on computers, we washed down this brief interlude with - a pilsner from a Curious Society , a blackberry bramble seltzer from Killowen Distillery & the ‘Bucket & Spade’ IPA from Kinnegar Br...2021-07-3025 min
Irish SpiritsBrew MoonAn Irish twist on an Espresso Martini that had us up all night...just like the subject of our show this week: werewolves! Brew Moon, get it? Yea, we can't stop singing the song either !We turned our attention to one of this island's longest standing lupine cryptids, focusing on everything from saints' curses to what exactly is a viral werewolf we found that the folklore is older than we ever thought...even within popular culture!A staple of any horror podcast we knew we were in for the long 'howl' (so, so, sorry but...2021-07-161h 31
Irish SpiritsThe Gates of HellWe know...ominous...but Season 2 continues and it's our first location based episode! We headed to the Garden County to delve into one of the most haunted buildings in Ireland - Wicklow Gaol. First built in 1702, we tracked how the gaol functioned, expanded and dealt with criminals of all types who were locked up. You guessed it - it was bleak!From the unorthodox ways they disposed of bodies to the forms of torture carried out within it's walls - it is no wonder Alex crafted a particular potent cocktail to get us through it a...2021-07-021h 44
Irish SpiritsThe Old SwitcherooWE'RE BACK!!!!!Thank you for being so patient with us! You will hear all about what we got up to at the beginning of Episode I - Season 2! This episode was called The Old Switcheroo and was all about Changelings in honour our Alex having just had a baby! (he's the cutest thing we have ever seen...but is he really a human? Caoimhe tested him with her very own quiz at the end of the show!)Between the start and the finish though we delved head first into fairy lore and a c...2021-06-181h 29
Irish SpiritsThe Shamrock Shake InterludeHappy St. Patrick's Day! (Lá Fheile Pádraig sona dhaoibh!) from our resident historian, Laura Fitzachary - though this mini-sode is more mythological than historical. Regaling you all with an origin story of St. Patrick's banished snakes and an epic battle he had with their mother, she washed this bit of bonus content down with an experimental ale. As part of their Spree Series, The White Hag released the very seasonal (Paddy's Day) Shamrock Shake Ice Cream Ale...perfect for this episode because it is literally green! Please remember to drink responsibly while stocks last! The sources used...2021-03-1710 min
Irish SpiritsPetronilla's GardenThis episode was called Petronilla's Garden and it was our Season 1 finale!!! Focusing on the witch trials in Ireland (or lack there of) the cocktail that wrapped the season was inspired by the fate of Irish women accused of witchcraft! Brewed by ourselves, it was a 'herb-ful' concoction in which our resident mixologist Alex included; Aqua Vitae. The original recipe belonging to the bad guy in our jam-packed finale still exists today, which we used! Take that Richard Ledrede! - we name our drink after one of your victims of 'justice'. Of the very few Irish witch trials recorded, C...2021-03-051h 53
Irish SpiritsThe Ragged BoyThe episode was called 'The Ragged Boy' and was inspired by the stories within what could be our scariest episode yet! Happy...Lent?! From a boy who repeats the last moments before his death over and over to the ghost of a girl you can feel skip by you on a staircase, this episode on Ghost & Demon children was...creepy. Think of hearing giggles in the house at 3am...but you have no kids. We examined (and subsequently agreed) that the most petrifying of all that is ghoulish are those that appear in kid form. Who ya gonna call? No...2021-02-191h 51
Irish SpiritsThe Salt BaeThis episode was called 'The Salt Bae' which we thought was an apt name for Irish lads who fall in love with women that were formerly seals. Yes, that's right this episode is all about the selkies, merrows and mermaids. We knew there was something fishy going on when Alex told us to get the mead and sherry in but as per usual the cocktail was delicious - check out our Instagram for the recipe where you can (responsibly) drink along! The briny taste transported us to the shores of our little island, which though small, is full of...2021-02-051h 21
Irish SpiritsThe Long, Dark & Full of TerrorsThis episode was called 'The Long, Dark & Full of Terrors' - but full of alcohol it was not! Our first ever non-alcoholic cocktail means everyone can drink along! We chose a different route this week because of our theme: Haunted Roads & Fairy Paths (or any supernatural thoroughfare). From steering our way through anecdotes of apparitions appearing to motorists to exploring the unstoppable force of fairies and their sense of direction, we needed caffeine to get through this one. Alex's concoction paid homage to those long drives on dark roads...enjoy!In a roundabout way, we drove home t...2021-01-221h 29
Irish SpiritsThe Big Smoke InterludeHappy New Year! As we get ready for our post-Christmas episodes please enjoy our third 'minisode' courtesy of resident bartender, Alex Buckley. He delves into why we call our local pubs, our local haunts... at one of Dublin’s most Haunted Pubs, John Kavanagh ’The Gravediggers’ in Glasnevin. The main sources used were Valentina Valentini writing for BBC Travel and Atlas Obscura http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20161019-where-gravediggers-drank-their-pints and https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/gravediggers-pub-dublin, and Frank McNally writing for the Irish Times https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/old-haunts-an-irishman-s-diary-about-dublin-ghosts-1.2347566. Have a look at what Alex is drinking on Instagr...2021-01-0908 min
Irish SpiritsThe Irish CoffeeOur Christmas special for you, this episode is called 'The Irish Coffee.' To round off what has been a year we will never forget Laura & Caoimhe (shout out to Alex who we will hopefully be reunited with soon) talked about about the more unusual side to Christmas traditions through the power of governmentally-advised socially-distanced workplace bubbles...truth. We washed this minisode down with our own version of an Irish coffee (sorry Alex!) all whilst including a festive ghost story to boot. Less sugar plum fairy and more watery tart, enjoy! We, at Irish Spirits, wish you all a M...2020-12-2521 min
Irish SpiritsThe Dark 'N StormyThis episode was called the Dark N' Stormy - so exactly like what the cocktail is actually called, but it just fit so perfectly with our theme: shipwrecks and their ghosts. One night after watching the movie The Fog it got us a wondering, surely an island will have more maritime based spirits to shake a stick at. We weren't wrong! Mainly caused by shipwrecks, Alex (our bartender) chose the 'foreshadowing-ly' named, Dark 'N Stormy. Our stories circumnavigated nearly the entire coastline of Ireland and uncovered tales of the ghosts from the wrecks, the ghosts of those who...2020-12-111h 25
Irish SpiritsAn Deoch FolaThis episode we got well....sexy! When you think vampire, you may think, Tom Cruise or Robert Pattinson but we would argue that vampires are inherently - Irish. We take what we call the dearg-diúlaí or 'red-blood drinkers' of Irish lore and look at Dracula's Irish cousins in this episode. Indeed, we sink our teeth into the idea that Dracula was Irish after all. From the vampire tropes that emerged from the Irish perfecting the genre of Gothic literature to us examining the effects of garlic, this was a bumper episode! It went by in a blur and the...2020-11-281h 46
Irish SpiritsThe Stingy JackIn honour of the month of Samhain, this episode was all about...Samhain! and how Halloween in Ireland came to be. We went full on Celtic pagan by also drinking a la mas ubal or 'Lambswool' a drink now known as 'wassailing.' This hearty drink was made by us separately but were virtually reunited by the power of the technology...it's good to be back! As always please drink responsibly and find the recipe over on our Instagram @irishspiritspodcast - this one took a little longer to prepare but the smell of mulled cider may actually attract the s...2020-11-131h 24
Irish SpiritsThe Devil's Backbone Interlude Unfortunately due to Covid-19 restrictions in Dublin, us as a trio couldn't meet up this week - again! We will get an episode out as soon as we can but in the meantime please enjoy another interlude by Laura Fitzachary as she expands a little on the lore surrounding Ross Castle, Co. Meath. The sources she used were ross-castle.com, Conor Pope writing for the Irish Times https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/travel/i-went-in-search-of-ireland-s-most-troubled-ghosts-1.4066856 and Nicole Buckler writing for the Old Moore's Almanac https://oldmooresalmanac.com/1270-2/ . Check out what Laura is drinking on our Instagram page @irishspiritspodcast and of...2020-10-1609 min
Irish SpiritsThe Howling Gale InterludeUnfortunately due to Covid-19 restrictions in Dublin, us as a trio couldn't meet up this week! We will get an episode out as soon as we can but in the meantime please enjoy this interlude by Caoimhe Creed as she regales you with a ghost story from dúchas.ie - National Folklore Collection. Check out what Caoimhe is drinking on our Instagram page @irishspiritspodcast and of course please drink responsibly!Support the show2020-10-0207 min
Irish SpiritsThe OublietteThis episode focused on how haunted castles in Ireland can be! We looked at what was scarier: the castles themselves or the events that took place in the them, all washed down with our carefully crafted cocktail - The Oubliette. A drink to make you forget, it went down a little too easy courtesy of our phantom bartender, Alex! Each castle we discussed brought us down another rabbit hole of which much like an oubliette it was hard to get out of - each castle deserves their own episode! Until then enjoy our smattering of tales as w...2020-09-181h 25
Irish SpiritsThe Honeycomb HarbingerWelcome to Irish Spirits, a fortnightly podcast about folklore and drinking, a natural Venn diagram of Irish culture. Hosted by Caoimhe Creed, Laura Fitzachary & Alex Buckley, each week we will have a theme. Whether it’s ghosts, fairies or mythical creatures, we will discuss the stories and lore, all while drinking a themed cocktail made by our phantom bartender, Alex! For our inaugural episode we discussed 'The Banshee'! From eye witness accounts to how we miss Banshee Bones, we washed down Episode 1 with our first carefully crafted cocktail: The Honeycomb Harbinger. Drink along with us (responsibly) as we...2020-09-041h 30
MabelMabel Episode 8.5: Letter from JuniperA teaser for season two, in honour of the new year. Featuring: love as kindness, love as cruelty, a girl who will never have her way. www.mabelpodcast.com Music: Garden of Untamed Roses Act II by Lloyd Rogers, and M, Volume II, by (morse). Written and produced by Becca De La Rosa. Performed by Caoimhe Creed (caoimhecreed.wordpress.com).2017-01-0104 min