Lisburn Museum Podcast

You’ve heard of Salem, but what about Islandmagee? We chat with Dr Sneddon about one of the last witch trials in Ireland which were held on a peninsula in southeast County Antrim in the early 18th century.

Priest, Olympian, socialist, Franco-fighter! The fascinating life of Robert Hilliard, told by his granddaughter Lin Rose Clark, and author of a new biography, Swift Blaze of Fire.Lin spoke at the museum in February 2026: ‘The fascinating Robert Hilliard’, by Lin Rose Clark – Irish Linen Centre & Lisburn Museum

Archaeologist Ruairí Ó'Baoill joins us to discuss his career, findings from digs at Moira Demesne in 2019 and 2025, and Lisburn's Castle Gardens! Ruairí is an archaeologist at the Centre for Community Archaeology at Queen's University Belfast. They run the Community Archaeology Programme Northern Ireland (CAPNI), supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Researcher and author, Mark Scott, returns to the podcast to chat about his latest book. It focuses on the family of the late Charlie Warmington, whose mother escaped the Holocaust. How did the book come about? What happened to Charlie's relatives who were left behind in Austria?

Scott Edgar of WartimeNI returns to the podcast. This time,he sits down with our Research Officer, Dr James Frazer, to discuss one of thelesser-known groups that were stationed in Northern Ireland during the SecondWorld War – Belgian soldiers.

What is a townland? What was their purpose? Why do theymatter? Find out as our Research Officer, Dr James Frazer, talks to Andrew Kane. A research consultant for the Ulster Historical Foundation, Andrew is an expert on Ulster’s townlands, having mapped all 16,000 in his book, ‘Thetownland atlas of Ulster’.

Our Research Officer, Dr James Frazer, chats to Andrew Bannister and Raymond McCullough. From different sides of Northern Ireland’s religious divide, they were brought together by a mission to honour the memory of their fathers and other crew of HMS Amethyst. This is the gripping story of two young men from Belfast that inspired the 1957 British war film, ‘Yangtse Incident’.

Dr Simon Topping is Associate Professor of United States History at the University of Plymouth, and in this chat he discusses Northern Ireland's role as the first part of the UK to welcome American soldiers in January 1942. By the end of the conflict, more than 300,000 had passed through the province. Among the Americans were thousands of black soldiers who were broadly welcomed by the people of Northern Ireland, contrasting with the segregation and racism they faced at home.

Noel Russell is a journalist and TV producer, and author of a compelling new book , The Saved and the Spurned (2024). For months before the Second World War, hundreds of persecuted Jews, mainly from Nazi-occupied Vienna, tried to escape to Northern Ireland. They had learned of a scheme to tackle the region’s unemployment by financially supporting skilled professionals to create local jobs. Almost all applicants were rejected, and more than 125 of these men, women and children were murdered in the Holocaust. Noel tells us what happened to those families who came to Northern Ireland – and to those who did not – and how local activists saved several refugees.

Dr Alice Johnson is Head of History at Belfast Metropolitan College and Visiting Scholar at the Institute of Irish Studies, Queen’s University Belfast. Her book, Middle-class life in Victorian Belfast (2020) explores the fascinating history of Belfast, the city once known as Linenopolis! Alice is in conversation with Dr James Frazer and Dr Ciaran Toal.

Richard Polton is a native of Paterson, New Jersey, USA, and an expert on local history. He has been actively engaged in research and public history projects on the Paterson story, delivering many lectures on the city’s development. A published author of books like ‘Paterson’s Industrial Age’ (2023), he also gives walking tours and has been involved with the Hamilton Partnership for Paterson, the friends group of the Great Falls National Historical Park (part of the National Park system). Today, he joins our Research Offier James to discuss the US branch of the Barbours and the career of third-generation member of the American family, W. Warren Barbour – US Senator, businessman, and champion boxer!

2024 marked the 80th anniversary of the invasion of Europe, and in this episode we chat with Mark Scott, author of a new book on D-Day, and the men from Ulster who served. The book draws on testimony from Northern Ireland veterans who took part in the D-Day operations. Mark Scott is a researcher and author of two publications, ‘The man who shot the Great War’ (2016) and ‘Among the kings – the unknown warrior, an untold story’ (2020).

Scott Edgar has been the driving force behind the amazing WartimeNI for the last 10 years, sparked by a love of local history and an inspiring visit to Normandy for the 70th anniversary of D-Day in 2014. His digital platform is the go-to place for info on all things Second World War-related in Northern Ireland. Scott joins us in the museum for a chat before his talk on Lisburn and the Second World War. D-Day 80: Talks Programme - Irish Linen Centre & Lisburn Museum

Join us as we chat with author and historian Ken Dawson on all things 1798. Who was Henry Munro? Why does 1798 matter? Find out!

Join us as we chat with Peter Forbes about Newtonards man, and founding members of the SAS, Blair 'Paddy' Mayne!

We speak with the fascinating Dr Jim O'Neill who has re-written the history of the Nine Years' War (1593-1693) in Ireland.

We chat wit Dr Sarah Doherty, Egyptologist, archaeologist and expert on everyday life in ancient Egypt!

In this conversation, we chat with Prof Eileen Murphy of Queen's University Belfast. Eileen shares details of her work on Belfast's famous Mummy, Takabuti! Who was Takabuti? What are Lisburn's links to Takabuti? What are the ethical issues of displaying human remains? And why we should remember Takabuti as an individual.. For more information visit LisburnMuseum.com Music credit: Grey Head // REW<< // CC BY-NC 4.0

In this conversation, we chat with Dr Ken Griffin of the Egypt Centre, Swansea. Ken shares his career history, his work as a curator on a large collection, and his thoughts on the hot topics in Egyptology: repatriation, human remains and the racism of tv's Ancient Aliens! For more information visit LisburnMuseum.com Music credit: Grey Head // REW<< // CC BY-NC 4.0

This episode features Professor Peter Gray of Queen's University Belfast. Peter's work examines the political culture of the Irish Volunteer movement in Lisburn and the Lagan Valley between 1778 and 1793. His work has a particular focus on Colonel William Sharman of Moira Castle. Peter's forthcoming book William Sharman Crawford and Ulster Radicalism is available from 1st November 2023 from UCD Press.

This episode features architectural historian, J.A.K. Dean on the plight of an endangered species, The Big Houses of Northern Ireland. Dean's work looks at ‘Big Houses’ in Northern Ireland since 1921 which were lost through accidental fire and terrorism, and those which lie today, dilapidated or abandoned . J.A.K. Dean is the author of several books, including The gate lodges of Ulster (1994) and The gate lodges of Leinster (2016). His most recent book, The gate lodges of Connaught (2019) was awarded the Colvin Prize by the Society of Architectural Historians of Great Britain.

Regimental Heritage officer, Dr Laura Patrick joined us to discuss her work in the Regimental Museums in Northern Ireland. Laura spoke about the growth in the museum sector and links with museums in the Irish Republic.

In this episode we welcomed Linda Ervine, Lisa Rea Currie and Carmel Duggan to the Lisburn Museum to talk about their work in East Belfast communities. We discussed issues around language and identity in East Belfast, and the importance of public history projects in the community. Linda Ervine MBE is a language rights activist from East Belfast and Manager of the ‘Turas’ Irish language project. Lisa Rea Currie is the Heritage Officer for EastSide Partnership. Carmel Duggan has been involved with Turas and its sister organisation Cairde Turas for the past 7 years and has a background in historical sociology.

Irish Times journalist Ronan McGreevy joined our Research Officer Dr Barry Sheppard to talk about his book, Great Hatred: The Assassination of Field Marshal Sir Henry Wilson MP. Ronan discusses the assassination, Wilson's connections to Lisburn, and the importance of museums in tackling important historical themes.