This week, we're uncovering historical drama that still echoes today. We dig into the League of Nations, the toothless tiger whose failures against big bullies like Mussolini's Italy made people question its power—a debate still relevant when looking at the UN today.

We also celebrate the Irish Free State's successful 1923 entry into the League as a massive power move to assert its independence, despite attempts by the British to shut it down.

Finally, we jump ahead to 1975 to examine the end of the brutal regime of Spanish dictator Francisco Franco, who outlived all his wartime peers, before concluding with the shocking, tragic, and often forgotten 1925 story of Irish politician Darrell Figgis TD.

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This week on The Irish History Boys, the discussion covers the controversy surrounding the Free State granting major contracts, such as the vital hydro-electric scheme on the Shannon, to foreign companies like the German firm Siemens, instead of British firms.

Fast forward to 1975 and the border between North and South Ireland transformed into a security border during the Troubles, complete with physical barriers and watchtowers. Tim and Cormac detail the "grave concern at border trespass", focusing on an incident where five British soldiers crossed two miles into the Republic, allegedly raiding a farmhouse and commandeering a car while pursuing men on a tractor.

Finally, the episode examines the notorious 1975 conviction of the Guildford Four—three men and a young girl—for the Guildford and Woolwich pub bombings. Judge John Johnson famously warned 21-year-old Paul Hill that "life meant life", a devastating sentence for a crime they did not commit, though their innocence was later supported when the Balcombe Street IRA gang confessed to the bombings.

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This week, the Irish History Boys explore the messiness, the craziness and the unrealism that surrounded the Partition of Ireland. We discuss the intense speculation and rumors surrounding the Irish Boundary Commission's report in October 1925, highlighting the complications caused by duplicated services and the controversial interpretation of Article 12 that ultimately cemented the six-county border.

The episode also shifts focus to the 1975 canonization of St. Oliver Plunkett, who became the first Irishman granted this honour in over 700 years. We recount the history of the Catholic Archbishop of Armagh, detailing his condemnation in a show trial and his gruesome execution in 1681 by being hanged, drawn, and quartered.

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This episode of the Irish History Boys explores two significant and controversial events that unfolded in 1975, beginning with the curious, unsanctioned kidnapping of Dr.Tiede Herrema, a Dutch industrialist, in County Limerick by rogue IRA members.

The kidnappers, led by Eddie Gallagher, sought the release of Republican prisoners like Rose Dugdale, leading to a massive, internationally covered siege.

Simultaneously, an infamous trial was concluding across the water regarding the 1974 Guildford and Woolwich pub bombings.

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This week explores events spanning a century, including the unexpected death 100 years ago of Sir Dennis Henry and the first Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland. Considered an outlier, he faced the gargantuan task of establishing the entire judiciary and legal system of the new jurisdiction following Partition.

The episode also turns to 1975, a time of escalating violence during the Troubles, discussing the political vacuum created when William Craig, leader of the Vanguard Unionist Party, resigned as deputy leader of the United Ulster Unionist Council (UUUC). This collapse followed his proposal to allow the constitutional nationalist SDLP to share power.

In the same crucial week, the Secretary of State, Merlyn Rees, decided to outlaw the UVF (Ulster Volunteer Force) in October 1975.

And finally, an appearance by silent film superstar Charlie Chaplin, who successfully sued an imitator in Los Angeles to protect the rights to his character’s distinctive garb and mannerisms.

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This episode of The Irish History Boys goes back 100 years to examine the high stakes of the 1925 Boundary Commission, which was established following the 1921 Anglo-Irish Treaty to determine the final boundaries between the Irish Free State and Northern Ireland.

We explore the intense hopes in border areas, such as Clones, that large sections of the North would be transferred south. While nationalists were completely in the dark and relied on wild kind of guesses based on rumours of customs posts moving, the unionist leaders appeared a lot more relaxed as they seemed to know what was going on.

Additionally, the episode delves into the history of Proportional Representation (PR) in the North, noting its initial introduction as a safeguard for minority representation, but explaining how it was systematically abolished by unionists in local and parliamentary elections to maintain their political dominance and control.

Finally, we discuss the mysterious fate of the lost 1926 Northern Ireland census, a significant historical collection that disappeared soon after the boundary settlement.

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On this episode, we're getting into a really serious part of Irish history. We'll be looking at the sad history of sectarian violence on the streets of Belfast in 1975.

Then, we'll fast forward to 1925 and the curious story of Ireland's upper chambers, north and south.

Finally, we'll dive into the bizarre case of US heiress Patty Hearst, who was kidnapped in 1974 by the revolutionary Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA).

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Cormac and Tim delve into the deep political divisions within unionism and the significant influence of loyalist paramilitary groups in 1975 Northern Ireland, where anti-power-sharing unionists held sway and paramilitaries publicly backed William Craig's call for talks, contributing to a decade of political stagnation. The discussion also delves into the economic landscape of the 1920s, revealing how Northern Ireland and British companies established factories in the Irish Free State to circumvent new customs duties, highlighting the early economic impacts of partition. Finally, they explore the "spiky spicy language" used by the British press in 1925 to influence the Irish Boundary Commission, even suggesting extreme measures like military action and the "naval bombard" of Belfast if the Northern government resisted its decisions, underscoring the intense political pressure of the era.

View the full episode on YouTube

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Tim McGarry and Dr. Cormac Moore delve into the surprising history of trade barriers and customs forms between Northern Ireland and Great Britain – a century before Brexit and the Protocol! Discover how, in September 1925, Northern Ireland goods faced "vexatious restrictions and impediments," requiring detailed declarations and even chemical analysis for items like silk and artificial silk, a stark contrast to trade within other parts of the UK.

Watch the full episode on YouTube.

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In this powerful episode of The Irish History Boys, Cormac and Tim revisit one of the most haunting tragedies of the Troubles, the Miami Showband Massacre.

They unpack the horrifying night when band members were ambushed at a fake British Army checkpoint, and gunned down in cold blood. The guys explore how the attack unfolded, who was responsible, and how it highlighted the bleak reality of the Troubles. They also discuss who were the most influential Protestant and nationalist figures over the last century, sparking debate around Ian Paisley's legacy, asking why some are celebrated while others have been forgotten

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In this episode of The Irish History Boys, Cormac and Tim uncover a lesser-known chapter of Ireland’s partition: the forced displacement and discrimination faced by Protestants and Loyalists in the South. While history often focuses on the oppression of Catholics in the North, this episode asks a provocative question — were Southern Protestants also victims of violence, boycotts, and cultural erasure? Plus they also dig into the cultural shifts that followed independence and how both sides of the island shaped — and silenced — different versions of Irishness.

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In this episode of The Irish History Boys, Cormac and Tim explore the deep history and controversy behind the 12th of July, Orange Order parades, and the ongoing battle over flags and identity in Northern Ireland. From sectarian tensions to cultural traditions, they unpack how these issues still shape Irish life today. They also answer your questions on two major historical moments: the influence of Charles Stewart Parnell and the significance of the often-overlooked 1780 Rebellion.

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In this revealing episode of The Irish History Boys, Tim and Cormac revisit the ever-controversial Boundary Commission, explore the fall of the Sunday football ban in 1970s Northern Ireland, and uncover the forgotten famine that struck the West of Ireland in 1925.

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In this gripping episode of The Irish History Boys, Cormac and Tim take a hard look at two of the most defining events in Ireland’s recent past: the wrongful conviction of the Birmingham Six and the deadly injustice of Bloody Sunday. They explore how the British state failed, how public trust was broken, and how the pursuit of truth continues decades later. They also discuss Derry City FC’s ambition to re-join the football League in the 70s, and the long wait that ensues. Plus a huge announcement - The Boys will be taking the podcast outside of the studio for the first ever live event!

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