Undercover Irish

Erased Leader: Margaret Buckley and Ireland's Counter-Revolution 🎨 Exclusive Artwork for Patrons I've created original artwork based on Margaret Buckley's historic portrait — designed to repopularise her image and bring her back into Ireland's visual memory. Patrons can download, print, share, post, and use the artwork freely. 👉 Download the Margaret Buckley Artwork: https://www.patreon.com/posts/margaret-buckley-143585337?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link 👉 Download the PDF Pack: https://www.patreon.com/posts/downloadable-pdf-143585763?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link Episode Summary In this episode of Undercover Irish, we uncover the story of Margaret Buckley — a woman erased from Ireland's historical record, despite being President of Sinn Féin in 1937 and a central figure of the revolutionary period. We begin by challenging a famous moment from Reeling in the Years, which claims Mary Harney became the first female leader of an Irish political party in 1993. That claim is wrong. Ireland had a female party leader decades earlier, and her name was Margaret Buckley. Her erasure tells us something profound about how Ireland remembers — and forgets — its own revolution. What We Explore in This Episode 🔹 Margaret Buckley's Life & Leadership Her work as a republican, feminist, socialist, author, political prisoner, and ultimately Uachtarán Shinn Féin. 🔹 The Democratic Programme of the First Dáil Its radical commitments to social justice, workers' rights, and public welfare — and why the Free State buried it almost immediately. 🔹 The Dáil Courts How Buckley served as a judge in these revolutionary courts, which attempted to replace the British legal system — and why their destruction marked the counter-revolution. 🔹 Ireland in the 1920s and 1930s A period wrongly remembered as naturally conservative — when in fact women remained active, radical ideas persisted, and the state was actively reshaping memory. 🔹 The Jangle of the Keys Buckley's extraordinary prison memoir, offering insight into her politics, humour, and determination — written because the Free State imprisoned her. 🔹 Buckley vs. the Free State & the 1937 Constitution Her critique of the Treaty, her objections to the Constitution's treatment of women and workers, and her belief that the true Republic of 1919 had been betrayed. 🔹 Why It Matters Today: How History Gets Written We reflect on historiography itself — who gets remembered, who gets erased, and why the "official story" so often leaves out women, radicals, and republicans who didn't fit the state's preferred narrative. 📚 Further Reading Margaret Buckley — The Jangle of the Keys Her essential memoir, written during her imprisonment, offering a firsthand account of women in the revolution and life inside Free State jails. 🔗 Follow & Support the Show Instagram: 👉 Follow for episode visuals, maps, historic images, and updates. Eolan Ryng (@undercoverirish) • Instagram photos and videos

🎧 How the Irish Language Finds Connection in the Dark: Samhain and Uaigneas When the Irish speak of loneliness, they don't just name a feeling — they map it. This episode explores uaigneas, Samhain, and how the Irish language finds connection even in the dark. Show Notes As the fires of Samhain fade and the year exhales, the world feels still — that quiet pause between life and death, light and dark. In Irish, this season is Mí na Samhna, a time to honour the dead, light candles, and remember what connects us. But it's also the season of uaigneas — a word that means far more than loneliness. Uaigneas carries echoes of uaigh (the grave) and uaim (from me), reminding us that even in absence, there's relationship — even in darkness, connection. In this episode of Undercover Irish, we trace the emotional geography of uaigneas: how Irish turns loss into language, and why even in the season of endings, the language itself keeps a light alive. We'll connect this moment of stillness to ideas we've explored before — the body and the land in The Body of Ireland and the art of finding calm and purpose in The Stoics and the Irish. Each of these threads comes together here, at Samhain — a time when language, memory, and meaning meet in the dark to remind us that we're never fully alone. 💚 Support the Podcast If you enjoy Undercover Irish and want to help keep it going, you can support the show on Patreon: 👉 patreon.com/undercoverirish 📱 Connect with Us Follow Undercover Irish on Instagram for visuals, clips, and Irish-language insights from each episode: 👉 instagram.com/undercoverirish Share the episode, tag us, and tell us what uaigneas means to you. 🎙️ About the Show Undercover Irish is a podcast about Ireland's hidden curriculum — the lessons tucked into our songs, stories, and everyday words. Hosted by Eolan, it explores how language, history, and culture reveal who we are and how we connect. Wherever you are in the world — bí ag éisteacht. Rediscover the Ireland that's been here all along, in our words, our memories, and our music.

Show Notes: How Cork's Streets Became a Battleground for Ireland's Identity Podcast: Undercover Irish Episode Title: How Cork's Streets Became a Battleground for Ireland's Identity Part 2 AVAILABLE HERE https://www.patreon.com/posts/empire-strikes-142363777?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link Description: In this episode, we journey through the city of Cork — its streets, its story, its struggle — to explore how street names became a contested space in the years of Ireland's path to independence and beyond. What may look like a mundane map of lanes and thoroughfares becomes a battlefield of identity, memory and power. Key Themes We begin with the era of the 1920s and the rising tension in Cork, where colonial-imposed street names served as lingering reminders of domination, even as the city braced for revolution. We follow the tragic figures of Tomás MacCurtain (Lord Mayor of Cork, murdered in March 1920) and Terence MacSwiney (his successor, elected 31 March 1920) — both central to the civic and republican struggle. In his inaugural address, MacSwiney said he was "more as a soldier stepping into the breach, than as an administrator to fill the first post in the municipality." cartlann.org+2Wikisource+2 We examine the political battles of the 1930s, when naming and renaming became a way to assert the new Free State identity, yet the colonial names lingered and were fiercely defended in civic chambers and on the streets. Even during the Second World War (the 1940s), Cork was still engaged in the fight for decolonisation of its public spaces . We show how the revolt on the streets was not only driven by republican groups, but also by the Lord Mayor of the day, civic pride, community action, and even the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) — with sports clubs seeing street-naming as part of the cultural struggle. We bring the story to the suburbs: the development of Ballyphehane, where new housing estates bore the names of 1916 Heroes, signalling how naming became a means of reclaiming identity and rewriting local geography. 19162016committee.org+1 Highlights & Quotes Tomás MacCurtain's murder triggered a cascade of civic defiance in Cork. Republican councillors on the corporate body of Cork Corporation used the naming of streets to assert a new order. Terence MacSwiney's acceptance speech: "Our first duty is to answer that threat in the only fitting manner by showing ourselves unterrified, cool and inflexible for the fulfilment of our chief purpose – the establishment of the independence and integrity of our country." Wikisource+1 The name-wars ripple into suburbs: Ballyphehane's roads honour the signatories of the 1916 Rising, reflecting how a new civic identity was embedded in everyday geography. 19162016committee.org Why This Matters Street names seem innocuous, but they carry huge weight — who we honour, whose memory we erase, whose power we acknowledge. In Cork, during the decades after independence, naming became a subtle form of resistance and renewal. It shows how identity is not just about statues or flags but the sign-on-the-street. For listeners interested in Irish history, political geography, and how the local mirrors the national, this episode offers a fresh angle. Where to Find Us Patreon: patreon.com/UndercoverIrish Instagram: @UndercoverIrish Reference Link Terence MacSwiney's acceptance speech as Lord Mayor of Cork: Wikisource "Cork Mayoral Acceptance Speech" Wikisource Tune In Whether you're a history buff, a Cork-local, or someone fascinated by how place, memory and politics intertwine — join us as we walk the streets of Cork in this episode of Undercover Irish and unearth the layers beneath the names.

🎙️ Episode Title: How a GAA Crest Leads Us to the Battle of Fontenoy In this episode of Undercover Irish, we follow the trail of a symbol — from the familiar GAA crest of Limerick to the Treaty Stone on the banks of the Shannon, and further still to the cry that echoed through the fields of Fontenoy in 1745: "Cuimhnigh ar Luimneach! Remember Limerick!" What begins as a look at a sporting logo becomes a journey through Irish memory, resilience, and identity — how the imagery on a GAA crest carries centuries of history, from the Treaty of Limerick to the Irish Brigades fighting for France, and how those echoes still find their way into our stadiums and stories today. 🟩 Topics include: The hidden meanings behind GAA county crests The symbolism of the Treaty Stone and Limerick's heritage The Irish Brigades and the Battle of Fontenoy Why "Cuimhnigh ar Luimneach" still resonates in modern Irish identity 🎧 Whether you're a GAA fan, a history nerd, or someone curious about how sport keeps the past alive, this episode is for you. 💚 Support the show and get bonus content on Patreon.com/UndercoverIrish https://patreon.com/UndercoverIrish?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink

🎙️ Episode Title: How Ice Cream is Linked to the Presidential Election In this episode of Undercover Irish, we explore an unexpected but deeply Irish connection — how ice cream and the Presidential Election are linked through language, lore, and story. From the words we use to describe sweetness and celebration, to the symbolic meanings behind Irish terms of leadership and belonging, we uncover how the Irish language shapes not just how we speak, but how we think and feel about who we are. This episode is also a tribute to the late Manchán Magan, whose passing has left a quiet ache in Ireland's cultural soul. Manchán's work helped countless people see the Irish language not as a school subject, but as a living philosophy — a way of seeing the world rooted in connection, spirit, and place. We honour his contribution to the Irish Language, Spirit, and Identity, and reflect on how his ideas continue to inspire us to look deeper. 💭 This is more than a linguistic journey — it's an invitation to relearn the language as a lens for understanding ourselves and the stories that shape our nation. 💚 Support Independent Irish Storytelling If you believe in keeping Irish storytelling and cultural reflection alive, you can now support Undercover Irish on Patreon. Every euro helps cover the costs of independent podcasting and research. 👉 Join us on Patreon https://patreon.com/UndercoverIrish?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink 📸 Connect with Us Follow Undercover Irish on Instagram for behind-the-scenes insights, Irish language tidbits, and visual stories from each episode: 👉 @UndercoverIrish on Instagram

What if Ireland wasn't just a land to live on—but a living body itself? In this episode of Undercover Irish, we trace the ancient impulse to personify the landscape, exploring how Indigenous cultures—from Celtic Ireland to Native America and Aboriginal Australia—map meaning onto mountains, rivers, valleys, and plains by imagining them as parts of a living, breathing being. This episode blends mythology, linguistics, and cultural survival in a journey that reawakens our connection to place. Come with us—and learn to read the land as you would a beloved face.

Building Up and Tearing England Down! In this jam-packed episode we dig into Dominic Behan's razor-sharp ballad of the same name, tracing how a few mighty verses capture a century of Irish labour on Britain's building sites and railways. First we pit two iconic renditions against one another—Christy Moore's pub-roar 1969 and The Mary Wallopers' lament of the 2020s. From there we zoom out: Ballads as people's textbooks – Why songs remember the names, jokes and grievances that official syllabi leave out, and how oral tradition keeps working-class history alive. The Irish navvy in Britain – Long journeys, shanty lodgings, "No Dogs, No Blacks, No Irish" signs, and the solidarity forged alongside Caribbean, South Asian and Eastern European co-workers. When labour organises, labour wins – From the mass pickets of the 1972 builders' strike to today's nationwide rail stoppages. Full-circle irony – The modern faces of union militancy in Britain—RMTs Mick Lynch, Eddie Dempsey and Unite's Sharon Graham—all proudly tracing their roots back across the Irish Sea. Whether you're a folk-music nerd, a student of migration history, or just wondering why "lad culture" still belts out old rebel tunes after closing time, this episode shows how one ballad can tear down myths while building new bridges of solidarity. Tune in, turn it up, and get ready to sing along—and maybe organise—by the final chorus.

🎙️ The Truth about Munster and Meath: Uncovering Ireland's Lost Directions What do a New Zealand haka in Limerick and the ancient kingdoms of Ireland have in common? More than you might think. In this episode of Undercover Irish, we begin with a defining moment in Irish sporting history: the All Blacks performing the haka at Thomond Park in 2008. But have you ever stopped to ask—what does "Thomond" actually mean? And what ancient map of Ireland lies buried beneath the one we know today? We trace a path back through time, cutting through the fog of colonial renaming to reveal the true, original Irish place names and the deeper meanings they held. From Munster to Meath, and through the historic sub-kingdoms of Thomond, Desmond, Ormond, and Westmeath, we explore a landscape where names were more than just labels—they were directional signposts, power structures, and cultural touchstones. In this episode, we uncover: 📜 The forgotten Irish meanings of Munster, Thomond, Desmond, Ormond, Meath, and Westmeath 🗺️ How these names reflected direction and geography within the Irish worldview 🧠 Why knowing these meanings reshapes our understanding of Irish identity, history, and land 🔥 How colonisation didn't just rename places—it redefined reality 🌀 What reclaiming these names can do for cultural consciousness and linguistic revival Whether you're a Gaeilgeoir, a history buff, or just curious about where you really come from, this episode invites you to see Ireland with new eyes and older wisdom. 🔑 Keywords: Irish place names, Thomond meaning, Munster Irish history, Meath etymology, Irish geography, decolonising Ireland, Desmond Ormond Thomond, Westmeath Irish name, ancient Irish provinces, Gaeilge, lost Irish directions 🎧 Listen now to rediscover the Ireland hidden in plain sight.

Episode 5 – An Bata Scóir and its International Reach In this powerful and reflective episode of Undercover Irish, we dive into the brutal colonial legacy of language suppression, beginning with the story of An Bata Scóir — the notched tally stick used to punish Irish children for speaking their native tongue. More than a tool of discipline, An Bata Scóir represents the systemic violence inflicted by the British Empire in its efforts to erase the Irish language as part of its wider colonisation strategy. But Ireland wasn't alone. This episode explores how the island served as a testing ground for linguistic oppression — experiments that would later echo across the empire, from Wales to Africa and Aotearoa (New Zealand). We mark the passing of Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o, a literary giant who, like Bobby Sands MP, used his native language as a form of resistance behind prison walls. We draw connections between their acts of defiance — between Kikuyu and Gaeilge — and the universal power of indigenous language as both identity and insurrection. Further Reading & Resources: 📰 "Oidhreacht Shaibhir Fágtha" by Róisín Nic Liam – DEARG  A tribute to Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o and the enduring legacy of language activism. 📰 "Irish and Kikuyu – Colonialism and Resistance" by Luke Callinan – An Phoblacht  A thought-provoking article on shared experiences of colonial linguistic suppression in Ireland and Kenya. 📚 "Language, Resistance and Revival: Republican Prisoners and the Irish Language in the North of Ireland" by Feargal Mac Ionnrachtaigh  An essential study of how Gaeilge became a language of resistance in Northern prisons.  🔗 Buy the book here from Pluto Press Subscribe, share, and leave a review if this episode resonated with you. Follow at Instagram @undercoverirish

In Part 2 of Skorts, Shorts and the Three Stripe Affair That Rocked Cork GAA, Undercover Irish dives into the post-1977 fallout of Cork's All-Ireland hurling triumph. Follow the dramatic twists as Adidas shifts focus to Kerry GAA, O'Neills fights back on the pitch and in the courts, and the battle over branding turns personal. This episode also bridges past and present, spotlighting the modern "Skorts not Shorts" campaign by the Camogie players of Tomás McCurtains GAA in London, and uncovers a striking 1935 parallel in the long history of attempts to control women's sportswear. A gripping blend of sport, style, and social change.

🎧 Skorts, Shorts and the Three Stripe Affair That Rocked Cork GAA – Part 1 | Undercover Irish Podcast In this episode of Undercover Irish, we dive into the headlines of today—and the hidden stories of the past. The current controversy over skorts in Camogie has sparked debate across Ireland, but it's far from the first time sportswear caused uproar in the GAA. In Part 1 of Skorts, Shorts and the Three Stripe Affair, we rewind to the 1970s to explore how global sportswear giant Adidas made its first bold move into the Irish market—and how a clash of tradition, branding, and county pride would trigger chaos on and off the pitch. Focusing on the now-infamous Cork vs. Kerry Munster battles, this episode sets the stage for one of the most unusual and dramatic episodes in GAA history. From style to sponsorship, what we wear on the field has always mattered more than you might think. 👉 Tune in to uncover the forgotten story of how a few stripes shook the GAA to its core. Keywords: Cork GAA, Kerry GAA, Adidas Ireland, Three Stripe Affair, Camogie skort controversy, GAA history, Munster final, Irish sports history, 1970s Ireland, Undercover Irish podcast

Let Erin Remember is a powerful and poetic exploration of environmental and cultural injustice, using the haunting Irish song Let Erin Remember as a guide through the destruction and pollution of Lough Neagh—once a sacred and mythologically rich lake at the heart of Ireland. This podcast unpacks the ecological crisis facing Lough Neagh, contextualizing it as a symptom of deeper colonial legacies. Through the lens of Irish history, myth, and song, we examine the lake's ancient origins as Lough Neathach, tied to the Dagda of Irish mythology, and expose how colonial ownership and mismanagement have devastated this once-pristine body of water. We draw striking parallels to other colonially renamed and claimed landmarks—from Uluru in Aboriginal Australia to Lake Victoria in Africa and Mount Everest in the Himalayas—highlighting the global pattern of erasure and appropriation. We delve into the work of Thomas Moore, whose collection of Irish melodies preserved the cultural soul of a nation, and argue that songs like Let Erin Remember act as cultural memory against colonial forgetting. The podcast also critiques the shallow coverage often seen in modern media, urging a deeper, historically grounded understanding of the crisis at Lough Neagh. Rooted in myth, melody, and memory, this podcast is both an act of resistance and a call to restore the sacred—to the land, the language, and the water.

"The Irish Were Ahead of the Stoics and Mindfulness: Cognitive Behaviour Therapy in Gaeilge" Episode Summary: In this thought-provoking episode of Undercover Irish, we explore how the Irish language (Gaeilge) encodes emotional intelligence in ways that predate Stoicism, modern mindfulness, and even Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT). Through the lens of linguistic relativism—the idea that language shapes the way we think—we delve into how Gaeilge frames emotions, resilience, and human experience in profoundly unique ways. We begin with a global tour of language and thought: In Guugu Yimithirr (an Aboriginal Australian language), people navigate space using cardinal directions, not egocentric ones like "left" or "right"—a linguistic habit that literally rewires spatial awareness. In Aymara (South America), time flows differently—the past is seen as in front of you, while the future is behind, challenging the assumptions of linear time. In Mandarin Chinese, vertical metaphors influence how speakers understand time—months go "up" or "down" rather than forward or backward. Then, we come home to Ireland. We unpack how Irish expressions of emotion and feeling differ from English—not just in vocabulary, but in worldview. While English often seeks clarity and classification, Gaeilge embraces ambiguity, connection to nature, and emotional nuance. Phrases like "Tá brón orm" ("Sorrow is on me") reflect a subtle, externalized way of processing emotion—more aligned with acceptance than control. In This Episode, You'll Learn: What linguistic relativism is and why it matters How global languages show different ways of thinking and feeling Why Gaeilge may offer a more mindful, compassionate approach to emotional life How Irish culture embedded emotional intelligence into everyday speech What we can reclaim from our language in a world hungry for depth, presence, and meaning Keywords: Irish language, Gaeilge, emotional intelligence, Stoicism, CBT, mindfulness, linguistic relativism, Guugu Yimithirr, Aymara language, Mandarin Chinese, language and thought, Irish culture, emotion in language, cognitive behavioral therapy in Irish, Irish History