3,000 miles of ocean separate Ireland from the USA, but both countries share a deep and intertwined history. Links between North America and Ireland predate Columbus, stretching back over 1,000 years. Since then, Irish people have shaped the history of the United States. From Ann 'Goody' Glover, who was hanged as a witch in Boston in the 17th century, to JFK, the story of the Irish in the US is fascinating. Join historians Damian Sheils and Fin Dwyer as they join forces to explore the good, the bad, and the ugly of Irish American history.
In Season 1 Fin and Damian explore fascinating topics including
And much more...
Subscribe and join Fin and Damian on this fascinating journey through our history.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
3,000 miles of ocean separate Ireland from the USA, but both countries share a deep and intertwined history. Links between North America and Ireland predate Columbus, stretching back over 1,000 years. Since then, Irish people have shaped the history of the United States. From Ann 'Goody' Glover, who was hanged as a witch in Boston in the 17th century, to JFK, the story of the Irish in the US is fascinating. Join historians Damian Sheils and Fin Dwyer as they join forces to explore the good, the bad, and the ugly of Irish American history.
In Season 1 Fin and Damian explore fascinating topics including
And much more...
Subscribe and join Fin and Damian on this fascinating journey through our history.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Michael Phelan, born in Castlecomer, Co. Kilkenny, rose to prominence as one of America's most gifted billiards player and showmen. In New York he encountered Hugh Collender, from Cappoquin, Co. Waterford, an exiled Irish nationalist who decided to turn his talents to business after the failed rising of 1848.
Phelan’s flair and Collender’s enterprise combined into one of the great economic successes of 19th century Irish America. Together they built Phelan & Collender, a company that revolutionised billiard-table manufacture and helped define an American leisure industry. This episode traces how two Irishmen, shaped by different beginnings but united by drive and ingenuity--and eventually by close family ties--carved out a partnership and business empire that became a household name in Gilded Age America.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Wisconsin isn't the first state that springs to mind when it comes to the Irish American Diaspora. But though often more associated with Germans (and German beer!), Wisconsin had a notable Irish presence. Today, Milwaukee is even home to Irish Fest, the largest Irish festival in the United States.
In this episode, we’re joined by Professor Tim McMahon of Marquette University to uncover the fascinating history of the Irish communities who made Wisconsin their home.
We chart their stroy from the early arrivals of the nineteenth century to their lasting influence in the twentieth, tracing how Irish immigrants shaped places like Milwaukee — building neighborhoods, parishes, and a distinct Irish-American identity in the heart of the Midwest.
We explore dramatic moments like the tragic Lady Elgin disaster- a maritime catastrophe for both Wisconsin and the Milwaukee Irish- and the later political and cultural connections maintained with Ireland. Tim also discusses Éamon de Valera’s visit, and the story behind that iconic photograph of De Valera in a Native American headdress.
Dr Tim McMahon: https://www.marquette.edu/history/directory/timothy-mcmahon.php
Milwaukee Irish Fest: https://irishfest.com/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode, Fin and Damian trace the Irish legacy scattered across the American map through the placenames they left behind. The journey takes them from Brooklyn’s Vinegar Hill, named for a Wexford battlefield in hopes of attracting Irish immigrants, to Menlo Park, California, the major tech hub with roots in a Galway inspired ranch. They uncover how Irish immigrants, Irish Americans and Irish politicians and miners left their mark — through places like Glendalough State Park (in Minnesota, not Wicklow!), Roscommon and the "Irish" counties of Michigan, and the Texas ghost town in Texas that came to be called “Ireland.” From Avoca, Nebraska to "Dublin Gulch" in the California desert, we pick some of our favourite American Irish placenames to explore.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In the early 1880s, crates of California dynamite found their way to London — not for trade, but for terror. Irish revolutionaries in the United States were plotting bombings in the heart of the British Empire, and San Francisco, with its deep Irish roots, became a key outpost in the transatlantic campaign.
In this episode, we speak with renowned author and historian Dr Myles Dungan about his new historical novel The Red Branch, set in 1883 San Francisco and inspired by these real-life dynamiters, secret societies, and British spies. We explore the real history and real characters behind the fiction--along the way charting the story and experience of Irish immigrants in the City by the Bay.
Sound by Kate Dunlea.
Shownotes
Myles Dungan. The Red Branch (Etruscan Press, 2025)
The History Show RTÉ Radio One
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In 1878, one of the most infamous crimes in Gilded Age America stunned and captivated the nation: the corpse of Alexander Turney Stewart — an Irish immigrant turned millionaire merchant — was stolen from its grave in Manhattan and held for ransom.
What followed was a drawn out saga that dragged another Irishman into the spotlight: Patrick Henry Jones — a Civil War general, lawyer, and public servant — who found himself forced to act as reluctant go-between for the body snatchers and Stewart’s grieving widow. This is a story of grave robbing, coded newspaper ads, and the high-stakes politics of class, loyalty, and legacy in 19th-century New York. And at the centre of it all were two Irishmen — one dead, one in danger of losing everything.
We’re joined by historian Mark Dunkelman, biographer of Patrick Henry Jones and expert on the Stewart body snatching case, to dig into the truth behind the scandal that rocked Gilded Age America.
AT Stewart Dictionary of Irish Biography
Mark Dunkelman's Website: The Hardtack Regiment
Mark Dunkelman. Patrick Henry Jones- Irish American, Civil War General, and Gilded Age Politician (LUS Press, 2015).
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
When most people think of American heiresses marrying into the British or Irish aristocracy, they might picture Cora Crawley from Downton Abbey—the wealthy American who brought her fortune (and a bit of drama) to an English estate. But Cora’s story wasn’t entirely fiction. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, scores of American women crossed the Atlantic, bringing their wealth to some of Ireland’s most iconic estates.
In this episode, Fin and Damian explore the real-life stories behind these transatlantic marriages, as the elite of the Gilded Age wed into Victorian Ireland in its twilight years. We focus on three remarkable families who made their homes in mansions along the Wild Atlantic Way: Glenveagh Castle in Donegal, Kylemore House in Galway and Muckross House in Kerry.
Sound by Kate Dunlea.
Shownotes
Further Reading
Ita M. Murphy. Ladies of the Country House: Irish Aristocratic Women, 1870-1918.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
One of the most famous Irish American organisations is the Fenians. In this episode, Damian and Fin are joined by Brennan McDonald to explore the history of this enigmatic group. Brennan reveals how the Fenians harnessed the military experience gained in the US Civil War to challenge British rule in Ireland, and how their transatlantic networks shaped the struggle for Irish independence.
Further reading and source
John O'Mahony: Dictionary of Irish Biography
James Stephens: Dictionary of Irish Biography
Thomas Sweeny: Dictionary of Irish Biography
John O'Neill: Dictionary of Irish Biography
Jeremiah O'Donovan Rossa: Dictionary of Irish Biography
Patrick Egan: Dictionary of Irish Biography
Book: Brian Jenkins: Fenians and Anglo-American Relations During Reconstruction
Book: Jack Morgan: Through American and Irish Wars: The Life and Times of General Thomas Sweeny
Article: Michae Kane: “American Soldiers in Ireland, 1865–1867.” The Irish Sword 23 (Summer. 2002)
Book: Jermiah O'Donovan Rossa: Rossa's Recollections on archive.org
Book: David Brundage: Irish Nationalists in America: The Politics of Exile, 1798-1998
Book: Susannah Ural: The Harp and the Eagle: Irish American Volunteers and the Union Army, 1861-1865
Book: Francis Carroll: America and the Making of an Independent Ireland
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Over the course of the 19th century, hundreds of thousands of Irish people moved to New York, leaving a lasting impact on the city. In this episode, Damian and Fin are joined by Dr. Elizabeth Stack and Danny Leavy to explore the legacy of these immigrants in the streets of NYC today. Danny and Elizabeth are historians and Irish immigrants living in New York, and they share unique insights into the city’s Irish past from the notorious Five Points to St. Peter's Church.
You can virtually follow along to the stops we feature in this episode by using our episode map- click on the arrows beside each stop to see a dropdown list of each location we visited which will be highlighted as you click on them. Find the map here: https://maphub.net/irishacw/transatlantic-podcast-s2-episode11-new-york-irish
Resources and Sources:
In Search of Cornelius Heeney- Video with Danny Leavy & Dr Ciarán Reilly
A.T. Stewart in the Dictionary of Irish Biography
William "Boss" Tweed in Britannica
Terry Golway Book: Machine Made: Tammany Hall and the Creation of Modern American Politics
Tyler Anbinder Book: Five Points
Tyler Anbinder Book: Plentiful Country
Jacob Riis Profile & Images via International Center for Photography
Ronald Bayor & Timothy Meagher Book: The New York Irish
Louis Eisenstein & Elliot Rosenberg Book: A Stripe of Tammany's Tiger
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Gettysburg stands as one of the most iconic battles in American history, with thousands of Irish men fighting on both sides of the conflict. In this episode, Fin and Damian are joined by historian Harry Smeltzer to delve into the dramatic three days of the battle. Together, they uncover the pivotal roles played by Irish soldiers, share gripping stories from the front lines, and paint a vivid picture of what life was like on a Civil War battlefield.
Follow the story around the battlefield with this map (Click the arrow beside "Locations Mentioned" and "Monuments Mentioned" on the right of screen to expand the legend so you can see all the points mentioned in the show. You can follow along while listening and by clicking on each name will see where it is on the field.)
Harry Smeltzer Bull Runnings Website
American Battlefield Trust Overview and Maps of Battle of Gettysburg
Video of 69th Pennsylvania Infantry Position at Gettysburg
Photograph of James McKay Rorty
In Our Time: The Gettysburg Address
Sound: Kate Dunlea
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In 1881, Isabella Nugent wrote, “If having sexual intercourse made us man and wife, we were married.” Intimate, candid insights like this into the private lives of Irish people—both at home and abroad—are rare gems from the 19th century. Yet the private sex lives of our ancestors are just one of the many fascinating topics revealed in US Military Pension Files from that era.
After 15 years of research, Damian shares how you can unlock these invaluable resources to uncover the hidden stories of the past. From personal relationships to everyday struggles, these files offer a unique window into 19th-century lives that Irish history books often overlook.
The Forgotten Irish: Irish Emigrant Experiences in America
Green & Blue: Irish Americans in the Union Military, 1861-1865
Ordering Pension Files from the United States National Archives
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Ordinary people's letters provide the most immediate and intimate window into the lives of past Irish emigrants. In them are preserved their hopes, their fears and their stories. Now a new database brings thousands of these letters, written across four centuries, to our fingertips for the first time. In this episode, Damian chats with Breándán Mac Suibhne and Daniel Carey from the University of Galway's Imirce Project, discussing how it came about, how you can explore it, and what these letters reveal about the epic story of Irish migration.
Kerby A. Miller. Emigrants and Exiles: Ireland and the Irish Exodus to North America
Professor Breandán Mac Suibhne
Professor Daniel Carey
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The American Revolution had a profound and lasting impact on Ireland. While thousands of Irish people fought in the conflict and Cork Harbour served as a vital British logistics hub, the repercussions were felt far beyond the battlefield. The ideals and upheavals of the war helped radicalise Irish society, pushing it towards its own age of revolution. In this episode, Damian and Fin explore how the tensions unleashed by the American Revolution set Ireland on a path toward rebellion, and reveal the unexpected ways the conflict influenced the Catholic Church in Ireland.
Sound by Kate Dunlea
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Irish woman Annie Moore was the first person processed at the famous Ellis Island immigration station after it opened in 1892. Over the following 62 years nearly 12 million emigrants were processed there but Annie embodied this immigrant experience but who was this Irish woman?
In this episode, Fin and Damian interview Megan Smolenyak, a genealogist who has written a book titled The Quest for Annie Moore of Ellis Island: Uncovering the True Story of the First Immigrant to Arrive at America's Isle of Hope. The podcast explores Annie's life in Ireland, how she rose to fame as the first emigrant to pass through Ellis Island, and how she later faded into obscurity and was misidentified until Megan began to research her story.
Megan Smolenyak is one of the best known genealogists of Irish America. She is the former Chief Family Historian and spokesperson for Ancestry.com and has appeared on programmes such Good Morning America, the Today Show, the Early Show, CNN, NPR and BBC and has consulted on shows like Who Do You Think You Are? She is the author of six books,including Hey, America, Your Roots Are Showing and Who Do You Think You Are?: The Essential Guide to Tracing Your Family History.
Check out Megan's website https://megansmolenyak.com/
For more info on Ellis Island. Ellis Island National Park Service Website
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Irish nuns are one of the enduring stereotypes of Irish emigrant communities. Thousands of Irish women joined these religious communities often erving as educators and nurses. In these roles they embedded themselves deeply in the communities they served leaving a lasting memory. In this episode, Damian and Fin interview Dr. Sophie Cooper of Queen’s University Belfast, an expert on the subject. We look at who these women were, why they joined and what life was like inside the convents where they lived
The discussion focuses on the fascinating case of Molly Dwyer, Fin’s grandaunt, who served as a nun in Dakota in the early 20th century. Molly left a vivid account of her life through a series of letters written to her brother, offering a unique window into the experiences of Irish nuns abroad.
Our guest, Dr Sophie Cooper, Queen's University Belfast has published extensively on this topic. You can find her work here—including her book Forging Identities in the Irish World: Melbourne and Chicago, c. 1830–1922 here. If you have any correspondence or stories relating to the female religious diaspora in your family, Dr. Cooper would love to hear from you!
Check out Fin’s podcast episode on his grandaunt Molly’s life as a nun here https://shows.acast.com/irishhistory/episodes/letters-from-dakota
Sound Kate Dunlea
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Titanic is unquestionably one of the most famous ships in history. Since it sank in 1912, it has been the focus of an endless stream of books, movies, and documentaries. In this episode, recorded in Titanic's final port of call—Cobh—Fin and Damian explore the Irish connections. It was not only built by Irish workers in an Irish shipyard, but many of the crew and passengers were also Irish.
Sources
Senan Molony, The irish Aboard Titanic
Know Thy Place Titanic Irish Map
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
America won its independence from the British in the 1770s. Although not widely known, the Irish played a significant role in the conflict. They fought in several key battles, and numerous signatories of the Declaration of Independence were Irish – it was even printed by an Irishman. However, that’s not the full story, as many Irish also fought in the British Army.
Join Damian and Fin as they pick apart the history.
Sources
John Barry Dictionary of Irish Biography
Pierce Butler Dictionary of Irish Biography
John Dunlap and the U.S. Declaration of Independence
Don N Hagist, Roger Lamb's American Revolution: A British Soldier's Story
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Pennsylvania has a long history of coal mining. In the late 19th century, the conditions in the coalfields were atrocious leading to major conflict between the miners and the mine owners. The most notorious incident involved the execution of twenty Irish immigrants for their role in what was dubbed the Molly Maguires, a secret society of miners. While the convictions were based on dubious testimonies, they have become synonymous with the hard lives in these mining communities.
In this episode, Damian and Fin are joined by Jake Wynn. Jake is a historian and expert in the mining history of Pennsylvania. In this podcast, we explore the fascinating history of the Irish in Pennsylvania's Coal Country.
Check out Jake Website Wynning History
Listen to Jake's podcast Public History with Jake and Justin Podcast is excellent!
------------------------------------
Other resources on the topic
Book: Kevin Kenny. Making Sense of the Molly Maguires
Book: Mark Bulik. The Sons of Molly Maguire: THe Irish Roots of America's First Labor War
Sound by Kate Dunlea
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
'Typhoid Mary' is one of the most recognisable names in 20th-century American history, but the history behind this Irish woman is often lost in sensationalism. Born Mary Mallon in County Tyrone in 1869, she emigrated to the USA, where she enjoyed a successful career as a cook.
However, in 1907, she found herself at the center of a public health scare when she was accused of spreading typhoid fever. In this episode, Damian and Fin delve into the fascinating history of Mary Mallon. What exactly was she accused of, and was she a victim or a villain? Join us as we explore the complexities of her story and its impact on public health and individual rights.
Subscribe to the show at https://linktr.ee/transatlanticpod
If you have any ideas for episodes get in touch at @transatlanticseries@gmail.com
Sources
George Soper. The Curious Career of "Typhoid Mary"
New York American Article that coined the term "Typhoid Mary" via New York Public Library
Book: Judith Walter Leavitt. Typhoid Mary: Captive to the Public's Health
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.