The History Show

    Sunday, 6pm

    The Irish and World War One

    This August will mark the centenary of the start of World War One. We will be commemorating this anniversary on The History Show with special programmes and short items telling the stories of Irish people who were involved in the war. We will also be examining what was happening here during these turbulent years.

    Do you have relatives who were involved in the First World War? We would like to hear their stories. Email: [email protected]

    The History Show Sunday 1 June 2014

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    The History Show

    Bringing the past to life! Discover how our world was shaped as Myles Dungan and guests explore events ranging from medieval times to the recent past

    1 June 2014 Programme

    Bringing the past to life!

     

    This week's offerings were:

     

     Nelson's Pillar

    The Rise and Fall of the Pillar

     

     70th Anniversary of D-Day

    Normandy survivor 92 year old Black Watch Captain Brian Stewart talks about his experience of World War II.

     

     History Festival 2014 at Huntington Castle

     Festival curator Angus Mitchell on Olivia Robertson and the castle's ghostly associations

     

     Enemy Alien Oldcastle Camp

    Brendan Jenkinson on Oldcastle Camp

     

    Edward Wellington Boate

    Incarceration of Waterford man during American Civil War

     

    1914: the Road to War

     Conor Mulvagh on this conference which will take place on 14 June at City Hall, Belfast 

    Listen

    The History Show - 1914 (full programme podcast)

    Nelson's Pillar, 70th Anniversary of D-Day, History Festival 2014 at Huntington Castle, Enemy Alien Oldcastle Camp, American Civil War Waterford man, Edward Wellington Boate, 1914: the Road to War conference.
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    Nelson's Pillar

    For over 150 years, Nelson's Pillar dominated O'Connell Street in Dublin.  The granite structure was erected in the early 19th century to commemorate the British naval commander Horatio Nelson.  He was killed in 1805 at the Battle of Trafalgar, Britain's most decisive naval victory of the Napoleonic wars. 

    The monument received a mixed reception from the very start, and was a subject of debate from the day it was unveiled in 1809 until its destruction by a bomb on the 8th of March 1966. 

    Myles was joined by Donal Fallon, author of the new book "The Pillar: The Life and Afterlife of Nelson's Pillar".  Myles was also joined in the studio by Pol O' Duibhir, whose photographs of the bombing's aftermath appear in the book. 

      (Pol O Duibhir)

     

     

    Donal Fallon's book, "The Pillar: The Life and Afterlife of Nelson's Pillar" tells the story of the controversial granite structure. It begins before the monument was even constructed, exploring how Sackville Street developed (Sackville Street was renamed O'Connell Street in 1924). It also takes a look at the history of British Imperial monuments in Dublin that came before Nelson.  

    Base of Pillar (Pol O Duibir)

    The story of Nelson's Pillar and its location involves many famous Dublin names and characters, from Arthur Guinness to James Joyce, and WB Yeats to The Dubliners. The book examines the life of the Nelson Pillar site, looking at what was there before the monument as well as the afterlife of the Pillar, and brings the story right up to its eventual replacement with the Spire of Light.

    (Pol O Duibir)

     

    Army spectators

    Pol O'Duibhir

    In March of 1966, Pol O' Duibhir was a student, travelling from his home in Ballybrack every day to UCD, where he was a student of economics and politics. He was also a keen amateur photographer. His photographs of 1960s Dublin are a great window into what life was like in the city.

    Following the bombing of Nelson's Pillar, for many days afterwards Pol took photos of the site on O'Connell Street. He also inadvertently snapped the NCAD students who stole Nelson's head on a beach at Killiney.

    Pol's photos are a detailed chronicle of the aftermath of the bombing. Now, the pictures have a new life as the illustrations which compliment the story told in Donal Fallon's book. 

    Base of Pillar (Pol O Duibir)

    The story of Nelson's Pillar and its location involves many famous Dublin names and characters, from Arthur Guinness to James Joyce, and WB Yeats to The Dubliners. The book examines the life of the Nelson Pillar site, looking at what was there before the monument as well as the afterlife of the Pillar, and brings the story right up to its eventual replacement with the Spire of Light.

    (Pol O Duibir)

     

    (Pol O Duibir)

     

    Cracked window (Pol O Duibir)

     

    In March of 1966, Pol O' Duibhir was a student, travelling from his home in Ballybrack every day to UCD, where he was a student of economics and politics. He was also a keen amateur photographer. His photographs of 1960s Dublin are a great window into what life was like in the city.

    Following the bombing of Nelson's Pillar, for many days afterwards Pol took photos of the site on O'Connell Street. He also inadvertently snapped the NCAD students who stole Nelson's head on a beach at Killiney.

    Pol's photos are a detailed chronicle of the aftermath of the bombing. Now, the pictures have a new life as the illustrations which compliment the story told in Donal Fallon's book.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Base of Pillar (Pol O Duibir)

    The story of Nelson's Pillar and its location involves many famous Dublin names and characters, from Arthur Guinness to James Joyce, and WB Yeats to The Dubliners. The book examines the life of the Nelson Pillar site, looking at what was there before the monument as well as the afterlife of the Pillar, and brings the story right up to its eventual replacement with the Spire of Light.

    (Pol O Duibir)

     

     

    JCB (Pol O Duibir)

    JCB (Pol O Duibir)

     

     

    The missing head (Pol O Duibir)

    The missing head (Pol O Duibir)

      

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