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
Dublin's Historic SouthSeason 2, Episode XII - MilltownOur Season 2 finale!!! This month we are joined by show regular, Evan McGuigan. Evan is a colleague of mine hailing from Monaghan a fellow historian in whose expertise lies in 20th Irish history but he also has a keen interest in the history of the courts and law-makers in Ireland. In fact he curated a very well received exhibition on this topic back in 2019. Fortunately for us his background and interests in political history & current affairs will be put to good use as we delve into the history of Milltown and a river that has been in nearly every...2022-02-111h 03
Dublin's Historic SouthSeason 2, Episode XI - CabinteelyOur archaeology special! This month I was joined by show returnee, Camilla Pedersen. Camilla hails from Denmark but currently resides in Maynooth, her focus of study is on Viking period mythology and narrative tradition. An alumna of Maynooth University her main research focus was on Early Irish narrative and literary tradition in comparison to Old Norse narrative tradition, and literary tropes of the supernatural, with special focus on shape-shifting. Her other areas of focus (which were put to good use) are Old Irish linguistics, and prehistoric and early medieval archaeology. You can read her work as she has been pub...2022-01-141h 17
Dublin's Historic SouthSeason 2, Episode X - RathgarThis month we delved into the history of a relatively new townland - Rathgar!(Pic: image.ie)This month saw the return of the ever brilliant, Trisha Ryan. A former colleague of mine and fellow historian, Trisha hails from Waterford. As both an archaeologist and historian, she is now based in Dublin with a background in Irish archaeology and museum education. She spends her days talking about everything from bronze age artefacts to Viking invasions and having been published in the field of education, who better to reveal what’s below the surface of this month’s ep...2021-12-1056 min
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
Dublin's Historic SouthSeason 2, Episode IX - StillorganThis month I was joined by not one but three members of the Kilmacud Stillorgan Local History Society as we focused on an area they know so well - Stillorgan!Joining me this month was:Bryan MacMahon, who is originally from Kerry and spent 30 years as a teacher in Cabinteely Community School. His book ‘Faith and Fury: the Evangelical Campaign in Dingle and West Kerry, 1825-45’ was recently published by Eastwood Books and he is a regular contributor to History Ireland and he has published articles on aspects of 19th century Kilmacud and Stillorgan.Pe...2021-11-121h 25
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
Dublin's Historic SouthSeason 2, Episode VIII - DalkeyThis month we barreled through the history of one of Dublin's most famous coastal towns - Dalkey!Joining me this month was show regular and the ever brilliant Evan McGuigan. Evan is a historian working in a castle and there he has recently curated the exhibition 'Delivering Justice' on the history of the courts in Ireland. With a background in 20th century political history, he has previously worked in various museums and libraries across Dublin city. With an added interest in significant political figures throughout the centuries he was perfect for delving into a town known for...2021-10-221h 09
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
Dublin's Historic SouthSeason 2, Episode VII - ShankillThis month we gave this episode a title: 'If You Seek History' - and there was plenty to be found once we went exploring throughout Shankill & RathmichaelJoining me this month was the formidable Dr. Sylvie Kleinman. With a background in the socio-political context of the late 18th and early 19th century, she has played a major role in highlighting the influence of the French on the likes of Wolfe Tone & Robert Emmet. She has previously worked for the Dictionary of Irish Biography and with an interest in military history - there was no way we could...2021-09-171h 25
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
Dublin's Historic SouthSeason 2, Episode VI - RingsendThis month we are back to our regular format and heading to the Dublin docklands to delve into the area of Ringsend... Joining me this month was show regular and ever brilliant Evan McGuigan. Evan is a historian working in a castle and there he has recently curated the exhibition 'Delivering Justice' on the history of the courts in Ireland. With a background in 20th century political history, he has previously worked in various museums and libraries across Dublin city. However, Evan can also be found sifting through the shelves at Tower Records, as he is also a...2021-08-131h 03
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
Dublin's Historic SouthSeason 2, Episode V - Dublin 2 - Part IIBonus content alert!!This month, the show veers off course a little...originally meant to be an 18th century architecture special, it morphed into an absolute treat for you guys and became our 'Vicereine Special.' In what is entitled 'Dublin 2 - Part II' we meandered through the streets of Dublin's city centre and in the footsteps of the wives of the representatives of British administration. Their untold stories also in turn telling a story of the people who lived and more importantly worked in and around the home of the vicereine and the nerve centre of D...2021-07-161h 11
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
Dublin's Historic SouthSeason 2, Episode IV - GlasthuleWe have a running joke on this show that big houses and James Joyce feature in nearly every episode...... in honour of that - this month was our Bloomsday Special! I was joined by the insightful local historian Brian Smith as we delved into the days James Joyce spent in Glasthule's smaller neighbour - Sandycove. Why focus on Glasthule then? Sandycove isn't a townland and as you stroll along the coastline up to Dún Laoghaire you find yourself more so in Glasthule than you thought! Brian has had an interest in history from when he was re...2021-06-181h 04
Dublin's Historic SouthSeason 2, Episode III - The LibertiesBONUS CONTENT ALERT! Season 2 continues and it's third episode focused on the area of the Liberties! A long time coming, this episode may need a Part II (...or even a Part III) and illuminating an area steeped in history was the insightful; James Madigan. Which is why it's a bit longer! James is a local historian, a tour guide in the Liberties and a founding member of the Liberties Cultural Association. He organises events for this association, fundraises for local charities and is involved with the protection of The Liberties’ historic structures. James’ background lies in archaeology with a post...2021-05-131h 15
Dublin's Historic SouthSeason 2, Episode II - SaggartSeason 2 continues and it's second episode focused on the area of Saggart! And returning to the show was the ever brilliant, Camilla Pedersen. To remind everyone, Camilla hails from Denmark but currently resides in Maynooth and her focus of study is on Viking period mythology and narrative tradition. An alumna of Maynooth University, her main research focus was on Early Irish narrative and literary tradition in comparison to Old Norse narrative tradition, and literary tropes of the supernatural, with special focus on shape-shifting. Her other areas of focus (which were put to good use in this epsiode) are Old...2021-04-1656 min
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
Dublin's Historic SouthSeason 2, Episode I - BallsbridgeThis month’s episode, kicking off Season 2, focused on the area of Ballsbridge! And joining me was show regular; Evan McGuigan. To remind everyone, Evan is a colleague of mine hailing from Monaghan (so still remotely recording), a fellow historian in whose expertise lies in 20th Irish history but he also has a keen interest in the history of the courts and law-makers in Ireland. In fact he curated a very well received exhibition in Dublin Castle on this topic back in 2019. Fortunately for us his background and interests in political history & current affairs was put to good use as w...2021-03-1256 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
Dublin's Historic SouthAn Extra Little Bit of Season 1To mark the end of Dublin's Historic South's first season, please enjoy this little mini episode featuring tidbits from the episodes. These extras may not have made the final cut but they will tide you over until Season 2 kicks off in March 2021! Stay tuned and take care :)@DublinsHistoric on Twitter@lfitzhistory on Instagram@dublinshistoricsouth on FacebookFor any questions and indeed the reading lists please email: dublinshistoricsouth@outlook.com 2021-02-1219 min
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