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Episode Notes
On this week's programme: Women of the Treaty; Irish Famine Emigrants in Canada; The life of Ernie O'Malley as told by his son Cormac O'Malley; plus Fake News and the Irish War of Independence.
Women of the Treaty
We've talked a lot on the show recently about the male members of the Treaty delegation party – people like Arthur Griffith, Michael Collins and Erskine Childers. Theirs are well-known names - but a lot less is known about the four women who accompanied them. Kathleen McKenna; Lily O’Brennan; and Alice and Ellie Lyons were the plenipotentiaries’ secretaries.
To talk about these remarkable women, and why were they chosen to partake in events that would change the course of Irish and British history. Myle is joined by Liz Gillis, South Dublin County Council Historian in Residence.
Irish Famine Emigrants in Canada
Most people will be familiar with the Irish famine memorial in Dublin's Docklands. The Famine statues, on Custom House Quay were presented to the City of Dublin in 1997. These statues commemorate the Great Famine of the mid 19th century during which approximately 1 million people died and a million more emigrated from Ireland, causing the island's population to fall by between 20% and 25%.
An almost exact replica of the Dublin statutes, albeit with fewer statutes to represent those who perished in transit, is located on the shores of Lake Ontario on Éireann Quay at the foot of Bathurst Street in Toronto, Canada. Officially opened in the summer of 2007, Ireland Park commemorates the tens of thousands who fled Ireland during the Great Famine.
Reporter and History teacher Marc McMenamin found out more. He talks to historian Jared Ross and Clare native Pa Sheehan, a lecturer at Saint Michael's College in the University of Toronto.
Ernie O'Malley: A Life
Ernie O'Malley went by many names – he was known at different times in his life as Ernán O’Maille, Bernard Stewart, Cecil Edward Smyth-Howard or simply 'General’. He was a medical student, a revolutionary, an intellectual, an oral historian and a gifted writer.
Many books have been written about his life – many books that focus on his role as an IRA Volunteer, and his activities in the War of Independence and Civil War. And while this period of his life is iconic, it was only part of his life. Tonight we’re going to hear about the man behind the iconic name.
Ernie O’Malley: A Life, is a new book written by Harry F. Martin together with Ernie’s son, Cormac O’Malley – who joins Myles. The book is published by Irish Academic Press
Fake News and the Irish War of Independence
Now we're going to talk about 'Fake News’ – a phrase that has become hugely popular in recent years, but of course it’s nothing new. As we’ll hear, during the War of Independence, British press officers - experienced in producing World War One propaganda - practiced the not so subtle art of disseminating falsehoods.
To talk about this, Myles is joined by historian Michael B. Barry, author of the new book Fake News and the Irish War of Independence. The book is published by Andalus Press