The Burning of Wildgoose Lodge: Sectarian Violence in 1816 Ireland

In 1816, Wildgoose Lodge in County Louth was torched in a gruesome attack that left nine people dead — including four children. This episode explores one of the most notorious sectarian massacres in 19th-century Ireland, set against the backdrop of the Ribbonmen secret societies, Orange Order tensions, and the bitter aftermath of the 1798 Rebellion. Lucas and Luna delve into the trial of Patrick Devan and eleven others, the controversial execution of the wrong man, and the enduring legacy of communal violence in Irish memory. Drawing on contemporary accounts and historian James S. Donnelly Jr.'s analysis, they examine how economic hardship, religious division, and local feuds erupted into atrocity. Was Wildgoose Lodge a premeditated act of sectarian terror or a tragic spiral of revenge? And why did this event fade from national memory while others endured? #WildgooseLodge #Ribbonmen #CountyLouth #PatrickDevan #SectarianViolence #1816 #OrangeOrder #1798Rebellion #IrishHistory #SecretSocieties #JamesSDonnellyJr #Massacre #IrishMemory #19thCenturyIreland #History #FexingoHistory #Ireland #CrimeAndPunishment #CliffsOfMoher #CelticKnot Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo