Episode 92: An Irish Stew

"dreaming of the bright green fields" [CROO]   Mid March means it's time for the wearing of the green, as St. Patrick's Day approaches. Accordingly, we grab our shillelaghs and affect a brogue as we discuss some of the Irish connections in the Sherlock Holmes stories.   While there are many Irish references, both subtle and overt, we concentrate primarily on two of the stories where the Irish connection is a central plot point. And interestingly enough, both involved some sort of Irish secret society and the need to go undercover.   We also include a bit of history of some musical instruments, discuss a handful of news items that have come to our attention, and welcome Al Gregory, BSI ("The Grimpen Postmaster") to the show as a contestant on Mental Exaltations. We of course wrap things up with another Editor's Gas-Lamp, this time "The Fortunate Ones" from Vol. 2, No. 3 of The Baker Street Journal (OS).   Easter is later this month, and we've got another Easter egg for you.     Our special thanks go out to Mary Miller and Christian Mongaard for their Patreon support! Won't you join them?   Sponsors This episode includes our two longtime sponsors and a special sponsor who is supporting us for the first half of this year:  The Wessex Press, featuring A Curious Collection of Dates,  The Baker Street Journal, where you should get your annual subscription in now to secure all four issues plus the Christmas Annual.  And Paula Berinstein's Amanda Lester, Detective series for young adults and the John H. Watson Society Manuscript Series.     Would you care to become a sponsor? You can find more information here.   Links: The Morris Museum's Murtogh D. Guinness collection of mechanical musical instruments and automata Joe Rinaud's American Photoplayer The story behind the missing footage of The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes Apply for a Jan Stauber Grant from the Beacon Society Music: Irish Washerwoman - medley of jigs from the UCSB Cylinder Audio Archive The I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere Patreon page     Many more links, articles and images are available in our Flipboard and Scoop.it sites at ihose.co/flipsherlock and ihose.co/scoopsherlock, as well as on the The Sherlock Holmes Community on Google+ (now over 3,500 members), as well as through our accounts on Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr.   Please subscribe to us on iTunes, Soundcloud, Stitcher or Spreaker and be kind enough to leave a rating or review for the show. And please tell a friend about us, in any fashion you feel comfortable.   Your thoughts on the show? Leave a comment below, send us an email (comment AT ihearofsherlock DOT com), call us at (774) 221-READ (7323).