Three Castles Burning

Three Castles Burning is a social history podcast, dedicated to the story of the Irish capital. Dublin is a city of many stories, Three Castles Burning tells some of the more forgotten ones.

From Skin-the-Goat to Buckshot Forster: The Phoenix Park Assassinations 05/25/2023

From Skin-the-Goat to Buckshot Forster: The Phoenix Park Assassinations The Phoenix Park assassinations of May 1882 shook British politics. All had heard of the Fenians, but who were the Invincibles? Today, a cross in the grass on Chesterfield Avenue marks the location where these events played out - but who put it there? /episode/index/show/threecastlesburning/id/26946363

Old Songs and New Revivals (with Macdara Yeates) 05/18/2023

Old Songs and New Revivals (with Macdara Yeates) Thanks for your patience! This new episode explores the incredible life and influence of Peadar Kearney, a key figure in the Cultural Revival then, and the folk revival now. My guest is Macdara Yeates of 'The Night Before Larry Was Stretched', a monthly singing session in The Cobblestone. He's also co-producing 'One Hundred Years of Brendan Behan'. https://ilfdublin.com/whats-on/one-hundred-years-of-brendan-behan/ /episode/index/show/threecastlesburning/id/26878254

Ragged Trousers and Paint Brushes (with Jimmy Murphy) 04/25/2023

Ragged Trousers and Paint Brushes (with Jimmy Murphy) The Ragged-Trousered Philanthropists is a book that had a massive impact on British society. Some say it helped win a General Election, George Orwell called it essential reading. In Ireland, it is little known, despite the author coming from Wexford Street. This week, playwright Jimmy Murphy joins me to talk about the impact this book had on his own life and work. /episode/index/show/threecastlesburning/id/26644401

From the Ormond Market to the Hacienda 04/17/2023

From the Ormond Market to the Hacienda The area between Smithfield and Capel Street has historically been known as 'The Markets'. A recent event gave some idea of what this area could be. Today, we're exploring it with a hopeful message for the future. /episode/index/show/threecastlesburning/id/26567349

Noël Browne and the Archbishop (with Robert Ballagh) 04/06/2023

Noël Browne and the Archbishop (with Robert Ballagh) This week marks the fiftieth anniversary of the death of Archbishop John Charles McQuaid. I visited the studio of acclaimed artist Robert Ballagh, who has just painted the Archbishop. In the 1980s, Ballagh painted Noël Browne, the Minister for Health who clashed with McQuaid. These two works are connected in many ways. /episode/index/show/threecastlesburning/id/26465094

A Sort of Homecoming 03/26/2023

A Sort of Homecoming The story of U2's emergence is connected to the broader story of late 1970s Dublin. From the Project Arts Centre to the explosive visit of The Clash to the unlikely setting of Trinity College Dublin's exam hall, this episode brings you behind the scenes of the recent documentary U2: A Sort of Homecoming. /episode/index/show/threecastlesburning/id/26341626

The Beginnings of Dublin Theatre (with Arran Henderson) 03/15/2023

The Beginnings of Dublin Theatre (with Arran Henderson) Arran Henderson of Dublin Decoded knows the streets of Dublin inside out. On a walk through streets I always think of as part of a different Dublin story, he showed me how Werburgh Street, Fishamble Street and others were all central to the story of early Dublin theatre. On this journey we meet some interesting characters, from a pioneering nationalist theatre director to the much-feared Lord Deputy of Ireland. Dublin Decoded tour tickets are available from dublindecoded.com (Image: Thomas Wentworth) /episode/index/show/threecastlesburning/id/26237796

Dublin: A Writer's City (with Chris Morash) 03/09/2023

Dublin: A Writer's City (with Chris Morash) One of the most eagerly awaited books about the city in recent years, Dublin: A Writer's City is a triumph. In this edition of the podcast, presented as part of the Young Hearts Run Free series, author Chris Morash brings us on a journey across literary Dublin. (Event poster by Niall McCormack) /episode/index/show/threecastlesburning/id/26175561

The Bogside and Fu Manchu: Dublin as Somewhere Else 02/28/2023

The Bogside and Fu Manchu: Dublin as Somewhere Else This episode of the podcast explores some of the most peculiar films shot in Dublin over many decades. From Fu Manchu to the Bogside, we're looking at times directors turned Dublin into somewhere else. /episode/index/show/threecastlesburning/id/26083338

The Fame and the Fall 02/19/2023

The Fame and the Fall (Reupload, apologies due to podcast hosting gremlins!) Part II of the Brendan Behan centenary special, this journey brings us through some surprising places. From Littlewood's London to strange times in North America, this is the story of the fame and fall of Brendan Behan. /episode/index/show/threecastlesburning/id/25980594

The Young Brendan Behan 02/07/2023

The Young Brendan Behan This week marks the centenary of the birth of Brendan Behan. Over two editions, Three Castles Burning will explore the life and times of this remarkable talent. In the first part, we look at Behan's revolutionary days and the impact of Borstal on him. /episode/index/show/threecastlesburning/id/25860000

Exploring Lucia Joyce (with Joe Chester) 02/02/2023

Exploring Lucia Joyce (with Joe Chester) Musician Joe Chester has produced a beautiful musical tribute to Lucia Joyce, the dancer and illustrator. Daughter of James Joyce, Lucia was born in Trieste in 1907. She would spend more than four decades of her life in institutions after being diagnosed as schizophrenic in the mid-1930s. 'Lucia' by Joe Chester is his first major composition for classical guitar & strings, inspired by her journey. Support TCB: www.patreon.com/threecastlesburning /episode/index/show/threecastlesburning/id/25813854

Diving Bells and Missing Elephants 01/12/2023

Diving Bells and Missing Elephants This week, a new app launched exploring the history of Dublin's Docklands. Where do the Docklands begin, and what remains are left of its industrial past? This episode explores the changing fortunes of Dublin's Docklands, and the working class communities who lived and worked alongside it. Oh, and a disappearing elephant! Dublin Discovery Trails: /episode/index/show/threecastlesburning/id/25585044

"When Collins was killed The Terror began" (with John Dorney) 01/08/2023

"When Collins was killed The Terror began" (with John Dorney) On the outskirts of Dublin city, a series of memorial crosses mark sites were bodies were discovered in 1922 and 1923. A sad part of the Civil War conflict, they are a reminder of how the conflict deteriorated in the city. In a war with no clean hands, as discussed in this show, they show how former comrades could turn on one another. Historian John Dorney, author of The Civil War in Dublin (Merrion Press), joins me. Dorney's book: https://www.irishacademicpress.ie/product/the-civil-war-in-dublin-the-fight-for-the-irish-capital-1922-1924/ Support TCB: www.patreon.com/threecastlesburning /episode/index/show/threecastlesburning/id/25536537

Soccer's Sinatra: Pele in Dalymount Park 01/02/2023

Soccer's Sinatra: Pele in Dalymount Park When Pele visited Dublin with Santos in 1972, one Irish newspaper proclaimed him to be "Soccer's Sinatra." In a country that came late to television - and which fell in love with the global game thanks in no small part to the magic of Pele in the 1970 World Cup - Santos vs Bohemians/Drumcondra was the hottest ticket in town. The game proved somewhat lacklustre, but many will never forget seeing Pele on Irish soil. Happy New Year! Support TCB: www.patreon.com/threecastlesburning /episode/index/show/threecastlesburning/id/25482243

From the Duke of Wellington to Kellie Harrington 12/16/2022

From the Duke of Wellington to Kellie Harrington Luke McManus has produced North Circular, a documentary which brings the viewer on a journey from the Wellington Testimonial all the way through the north inner-city. He chatted to me about the NCR, the various people who call it home and what it means for Dublin today. North Circular info: Vote for TCB for Eason's Book of the Year: /episode/index/show/threecastlesburning/id/25347372

Walking the Winter Lights (with Fergus Whelan) 12/01/2022

Walking the Winter Lights (with Fergus Whelan) Each year, Dublin City Council hosts the Winter Lights festival, lighting up key buildings and sites around Dublin. Myself and historian Fergus Whelan went for a walk through some of the 2022 locations, from the Marshalsea Prison to Wolfe Tone Park. Did you know that the 'Father of the Scottish Enlightenment' is buried in Dublin, or that Smithfield was once transformed into Checkpoint Charlie? For more see: . /episode/index/show/threecastlesburning/id/25191192

An Inchicore Institution (with Dermot Looney) 11/25/2022

An Inchicore Institution (with Dermot Looney) Dermot Looney has spent years working away on a history of Saint Patrick's Athletic. The final product, which includes a beautiful introduction by Brian Kerr, is something much broader - an important social history of Inchicore. Saint Pat's emerge as a club strongly connected to the railway works, and with surprising connections from the very beginning. Saints Rising is available now. /episode/index/show/threecastlesburning/id/25132377

From The Citizen to John 3:7 (with Siobhán Doyle) 11/18/2022

From The Citizen to John 3:7 (with Siobhán Doyle) What can we learn about a subject by looking at 100 objects? Thanks to Siobhán Doyle, author of a new study 'A History of the GAA in 100 Objects', for getting into material culture, museums and the social history of the Gaelic Athletic Association with me. From Michael Cusack (was he 'The Citizen?') to yellow sliothars, we're talking about.....stuff. Support Three Castles Burning: // www.ko-fi.com/threecastlesburning /episode/index/show/threecastlesburning/id/25061550

Halloween Special: Hans Holzer and the Ghosts of Dublin 10/28/2022

Halloween Special: Hans Holzer and the Ghosts of Dublin Hans Holzer was a well-known broadcaster and author in the United States, perhaps the most famous 'ghost hunter' of his day. In 1965 and 1966, he made research visits to Ireland. In Dublin, he heard some amazing stories, and went in search of ghosts in some familiar and lesser-known places. /episode/index/show/threecastlesburning/id/24832539

The Central Bank and Beyond: Sam Stephenson's Dublin 10/18/2022

The Central Bank and Beyond: Sam Stephenson's Dublin Sam Stephenson (1933-2006) is one of the most important - and divisive - architects in the history of the Irish capital. As the Central Bank returns to view, we're looking at it and other Stephenson projects in the city. Some, like the Dublin Institute of Advanced Studies (DIAS), have recently become protected structures. Others have already been lost. /episode/index/show/threecastlesburning/id/24725253

The Country Girl Returns 09/30/2022

The Country Girl Returns A young Edna O'Brien fell in love with Dublin. The city would shape her life and her work. It brought love, lust, learning. Now, at 91, her play Joyce's Women takes to the stage of the Abbey Theatre. This podcast explores how Dublin impacted on her, and how she impacted on it. /episode/index/show/threecastlesburning/id/24545073

The History and Present of Housing (with Eoin Ó Broin) 09/15/2022

The History and Present of Housing (with Eoin Ó Broin) Housing is today the issue of issues in Ireland, but what can we learn from looking back? Over the course of a century, the Irish state has had successes and failures when it comes to housing. Eoin Ó Broin is the author of Home: Why Public Housing is the Answer, he's also someone firmly at the centre of the political debates around housing in Ireland today. On a wet day in a field in Laois, he answered my questions and a few from the floor. With thanks to Naoise Nunn and Mindfield at Electric Picnic. /episode/index/show/threecastlesburning/id/24388716

31 August 1913 08/31/2022

31 August 1913 When standing in front of Clery's today, and beside the Larkin statue, it is difficult to imagine this was once the site of a brutal police riot in 1913. Just what happened on the first Bloody Sunday in twentieth century Irish history? This is the story of Larkin, the ITGWU and a city of tension. /episode/index/show/threecastlesburning/id/24233043

The Crumlin Kremlin 08/22/2022

The Crumlin Kremlin In recent weeks, a headstone was unveiled in Deansgrange Cemetery honouring Kathleen and Stephen Behan. The parents at 70 Kildare Road in Crumlin, their children would produce an astonishing array of songs and plays capturing the Irish experience. This podcast includes voices from the day, as well as rich archive. Support TCB: www.patreon.com/threecastlesburning /episode/index/show/threecastlesburning/id/24127746

South William Street 07/24/2022

South William Street From The Rag Trade to The Castle Lounge, South William Street has come on a great journey. Now, the street is set for significant change. This journey brings us through the changing fortunes of a city, and while the Georgian buildings may speak loudest on the street, there is much more to South William Street. /episode/index/show/threecastlesburning/id/23839790

Refugees Welcome? 07/12/2022

Refugees Welcome? This episode of the podcast is dedicated to the memory of Mícheál Ó Doibhilín. In 1922, thousands of people from Belfast and other northern cities were arriving into Dublin and other places in the new Free State. Where would these people be housed, and what kind of life could they expect? There was surprising opposition to what the press termed the 'Belfast Pogrom refugees'. /episode/index/show/threecastlesburning/id/23723210

Sites of Memory: Gay Dublin 06/26/2022

Sites of Memory: Gay Dublin In Temple Bar, a plaque honours the Hirschfeld Centre. At Bow Lane East, an aging sign is all that remains of Incognito, a gay sauna that made it to the front of the international press in the early 1990s for all of the wrong reasons. Then there's Dublin Castle, a site of joy and scandal. These are just some of the many sites of memory that help us tell the story of Gay Dublin. *This episode contains some explicit language.* Support TCB: www.patreon.com/threecastlesburning /episode/index/show/threecastlesburning/id/23544245

Sylvia Beach and Us 06/15/2022

Sylvia Beach and Us In June 1962, Sylvia Beach was in the last months of her life. She unveiled a tower in Sandycove as a museum to James Joyce. Without her, would the world have known the significance of that place? Her little Parisian bookshop will forever be bound to Dublin. /episode/index/show/threecastlesburning/id/23441915

The Stolpersteine of Donore Avenue 06/07/2022

The Stolpersteine of Donore Avenue Last week, a series of commemorative brass plaques were unveiled on Dublin 8's Donore Avenue in honour of six victims of the Holocaust with connections to Dublin. These memorial stones are part of a truly global project honouring the victims of the Holocaust, but marked the first on Irish soil. This edition of the podcast explores the background to this project. /episode/index/show/threecastlesburning/id/23349755

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