The First War on Terror? Irish Dynamiters and the Bombing of Victorian Britain

Long before The Troubles, 7/7 and other modern terrorism, Britain faced a wave of bombings that shocked the Victorian world.Step into one of the most overlooked chapters of British history in this gripping episode on the "Dynamite War" of the 1880s - often described as the first “war on terror.”  Joined by Gillian O'Brien (author of The Darkness Echoing: Ireland's Places of Famine, Death and Rebellion), James explains how Irish republican groups like the Clan Na Gael and Irish Republican Brotherhood carried out bombing campaigns in Britain, bringing political violence to the heart of the London.Learn how advances in explosives like dynamite - invented by Alfred Nobel of peace prize fame - changed the nature of asymmetrical warfare and terrorism, creating fear, media frenzy, and new policing tactics. We break down key events, targets, and the debates within the Irish independence movement over the morality of terrorism.This episode also examines how the British government responded with informers, spies and the development of the world's first bomb squad! Perfect for listeners interested in history podcasts, Irish history, terrorism studies, political violence, and Victorian Britain, this episode provides deep insight into a forgotten conflict that helped shape modern ideas of terrorism and state response.Thanks to SOULFULJAMTRACKS for their tune "Dark Halloween"Follow HISTORY's DEVILS On Instagram @historysdevilshttps://www.instagram.com/historysdevils/On Substackhttps://jamescrossland.substack.com/Follow JAMES CROSSLANDOn Bluesky @jamescrossland.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/jamescrossland.bsky.socialTag HISTORY's DEVILS@historysdevils#HistorysDevils #JamesCrossland #HistoryPodcast #Podcast #History #DarkHistory #HistoricalBiography #TrueHistory #HistoryDocumentary #Deepdive #Storytelling History's Devils is a history podcast exploring the lives of murderers, charlatans, psychopaths, dictators, war criminals, tyrants, demagogues, revolutionaries, cult leaders, conquerors, fraudsters, and other controversial figures.History's Devils is hosted by James Crossland, professor of international history and author of:Rogue Agent: From Secret Plots to Psychological Warfare, the Untold Story of Robert Bruce LockhartThe Rise of Devils: Fear and the Origins of Modern Terrorism...