The History and Heritage Podcast

There's no going back now! The Baltimore residents are on their way to Algiers. Join Liam Blake as he transports you along with them; although your life is definitely easier than what they had to endure... or was it! Listen to the next episode of The History and Heritage Podcast to find out!

Finally, we get to the actual event itself. From Military tactics, to putting you right in one of the houses, to the role of William Harris...   Join Liam Blake as he guides you through this most under-appreciated of events, and the importance of the actions of Mr. Harris. Enjoy! Share! https://www.instagram.com/liamblakepodcaster/

Well, Last week we met the players, now we get to the warm up! If you've ever wondered about 17th Century Piracy, Slavery, Seafaring or Irish History (of course!) This episode is for you!   Join Liam Blake as he takes you on board the Man-o-War and Polacca (listen to the episode to learn about what that is!) only a "musket" shot off the coast. Knowing they could be rumbled with a shout or even a sneeze, follow the Murat Reis and the Corsairs as they scout the opposition before the SACK OF BALTIMORE!

What do you get when you cross a Dutch-born Algerian Pirate with a Protestant Settlement in 1630s Ireland, and mix in disposessed Catholics? The SACK OF BALTIMORE!    Join Liam Blake as he takes you through the setting and key players in the lead up to one of Ireland's biggest hidden historical moments, on The History and Heritage Podcast!

Hello everyone! Here is the FINAL episode in my "people you wouldn't think are Irish" series, and the FINAL episode on the life of Henry George "Harry" Ferguson; Founder Pilot, Formula 1 pioneer, and Founder of the great Massey-Ferguson Company! Hope you Enjoy!

Hello Everyone! Welcome back to the life of Harry Ferguson!    Last time we left you "in the lurch" of World War one was just about to start.  Well, in THIS episode, Henry George Ferguson (his full name) gets brought in by the Irish authorities to a very important role, and ends up in the environment he'd been trying to escape since he was a teenage boy! It was just as well for history that he did go back, because it led to the invention of "The Ferguson System", which led to his meeting with the biggest name of all time in the Automobile industry! Not bad for a guy from Up in Down! (sorry I had to!) Want to know more? Listen to the episode!

If you have anything to do with Agriculture, you'll know the name Massey Ferguson, right? Well he's Irish, or Northern-Irish at least, and this here is a time machine all the way back through his story! hope you enjoy!

How does a boy born in County Kerry become the face of Britain’s wartime recruitment? In this episode of The History and Heritage Podcast, Liam Blake traces the remarkable journey of Herbert Kitchener, born near Ballylongford in the shadow of the Great Famine. From an Irish childhood shaped by land, empire, and tension, Kitchener rises through the British Army to global fame. The episode follows his path across imperial battlefields, including the dramatic Battle of Omdurman, before returning to the moment that made him an icon during World War I. It is the story of a man who began life in The Kingdom of Kerry… and became a symbol of another kingdom entirely.

Join Liam Blake as he takes you through the life of one of Ireland's most interesting of Daughters: Ninette de Valois!   Born Edris Stannus,  in Co. Wicklow, Ireland, she defied all expectations (particularly her father's) to become, in part thanks to her family's cook, the most famous and consequential dancers the world has ever seen

Most people think they know Ernest Shackleton. An English imperial hero. A figure of polar legend. A product of empire. But look closer. Born in Kildare and shaped by the radical Quaker culture of Ballitore, Shackleton carried an Irish instinct for leadership long before the ice closed in around the Endurance. His famous calm under pressure — and his refusal to sacrifice men for glory — did not appear from nowhere. They were formed. In this episode of The History & Heritage Podcast, we trace the Irish roots of one of the most famous explorers in history, and ask a simple question: Was Shackleton ever quite as English as we assume? Listen now.

Arthur Wellesley is remembered as a British icon. In reality, he was Irish-born, Irish-shaped, and surrounded by Irish soldiers at every stage of his life. From his childhood at Dangan Castle in County Meath, through his years in the Irish Parliament, to India, the Peninsula, and finally Waterloo, this episode explores the hidden Irish foundations of the man known as the Duke of Wellington. Along the way: – disputed birthplaces and Irish memory – the violin, the red coat, and self-reinvention – Irish regiments at the heart of Europe’s greatest battles – and the political legacy that still echoes today. Not myth. Not symbolism. Just the real, complicated human story behind one of history’s most misunderstood figures.

Ireland and Poland are usually linked in the modern imagination by EU migration and contemporary politics. But their relationship is far older — stretching back over 5,000 years. This episode traces the long, forgotten connections between the two countries, from Bronze Age DNA and Baltic trade routes, through medieval Irish monks in Krakow, Irish mercenaries fighting for Polish kings, Polish famine relief in the west of Ireland, Cold War solidarity, and finally the modern Polish community in Ireland today. Rather than treating Ireland and Poland as separate national stories, this episode argues that they are part of a shared European history — shaped by migration, empire, religion, and resilience. It’s a history of two small nations on the edge of Europe, repeatedly meeting across time, often without realising it.

What if the "operating system" for ancient Irish spirituality was actually coded in the Egyptian desert? In this episode, we peel back the layers of a 3,500-year-old bilateral relationship that connects the Nile Valley to the Atlantic coast. This isn't just a story of myths and legends—it is a documentable history of moving people and power. We dive into the "3–2–1" of this extraordinary connection: three recurring systems (trade, religion, and empire), two things that always move (people and bodies), and one underlying pattern—that these two nations collide every time the global order reshapes itself. In this episode, we explore: • The Bronze Age "iPhone": How Egyptian faience beads ended up in a royal grave at Tara, proving that Irish elites were embedded in Mediterranean luxury trade 1,400 years before Christ,. • The Spiritual Operating System: Why Irish Christianity is structurally Egyptian, from ascetic practices to the literal Egyptian papyrus used to reinforce Irish scripture,. • The Literal Migration: Meet the seven Egyptian monks recorded living in Ulster in 800 AD—proof that the connection was made of real people, not just symbolic saints. • Empire & Counter-Insurgency: How the British Empire used Ireland as a "beta-testing lab" for policing methods and personnel that were later exported to Egypt to suppress revolution,. • From Myths to Modernity: How the relationship evolved from the medieval legend of Scota (an Egyptian ancestor used to claim political legitimacy) to Irish architects designing the Grand Egyptian Museum today,,. Whether it’s the Book of Kells adopting Coptic styles or a 1990 World Cup match that changed the rules of global football forever, discover why Ireland and Egypt are more "entangled" than you ever imagined,,. Listen now to uncover the physical reality of this ancient connection.

Did you know South Korea is often called the "Ireland of Asia"? 🇮🇪🇰🇷 From shared struggles for independence to modern classroom innovations, our histories are more connected than you think. 📍 1920: The Tonga Ilbo reported on the massive funeral of Cork Mayor Tomás Mac Curtain, assassinated by British police on March 20, 1920. Just months later, the world mourned the death of hunger striker Terence MacSwiney. ⚔️ 1951: During the Korean War, the Royal Ulster Rifles and 8th King’s Royal Irish Hussars fought the legendary Battle of Happy Valley to protect Seoul. Some Irish soldiers spent over two years in "Bean Camp" before their release in August 1953. 🌱 1954: Father Patrick James McGlinchey arrived on Jeju Island, eventually founding St. Isidore Farm to help residents build self-sufficiency through modern farming. 📚 Today: South Korea’s Free Year Program, launched in 2013, was partially informed by Ireland’s Transition Year, helping students explore their dreams without the pressure of exams. History isn't just in the past—it’s the bridge to our future. 🕊️ #IrelandInKorea #SharedHistory #JejuIsland #HappyValley #GlobalConnections

Emerald Roots: The Irish Legacy in Argentina Think you know the Irish diaspora? Think again. Argentina is home to the largest Irish-descended community outside the English-speaking world. From Tomas and Juan Farrell in 1536 to World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister, this episode uncovers the untold stories of Irish settlers, military heroes, rebellious flag-raisers, and cultural icons who shaped Argentina. Join me on The History and Heritage Podcast as we trace the rhythms of Irish life across the Pampas — sheep farmers, newspapers, shamrocks, and dance. Listen, discover, and fall in love with Ireland’s far-reaching legacy.

Irish history did not stay in Ireland. This episode sets the direction for The History & Heritage Podcast in 2026 — not through announcements, but through intent. The year ahead explores Irish lives under pressure, at home and abroad. From Irish shepherds on the Argentine pampas, to songs that carried memory when language faded, to the often-unacknowledged Irish influence on British public life. It also opens space deliberately. Some episodes will be shaped by listener questions, family histories, local stories, and the kind of Irish history you only ever hear in passing — and never see written down. What travels? What stays? What survives? Same roots. Different soil.

Irish surnames weren’t chosen. They were inherited long before birth — and they told the world exactly where you stood. Long before much of Europe had fixed family names, Ireland was already encoding kinship, obligation, protection, and memory into language itself. This episode looks at how Irish surnames actually worked, why they appeared so early, and how conquest and bureaucracy broke their grammar. It’s not a lesson in genealogy — it’s an attempt to relearn how to read a system that once held Irish society together.

This episode of The History and Heritage Podcast examines the Irish surname Leahy, along with variants such as Lahey and Leahey. Although often treated as a single family name, Leahy derives from two distinct Gaelic lineages with different meanings, social roles, and regional histories. The episode explores how anglicisation, regional pronunciation, and administrative record-keeping caused separate families to be recorded under the same spellings. A grounded exploration of language, identity, and the hidden complexity behind a familiar Irish name.

“Certavi et vici — I have fought and I have conquered.” Few family mottos carry as much lived experience as the Flanagan line. From the medieval chiefs of Roscommon to Olympic champions, artists, priests, soldiers, and reformers, the Flanagans have spent centuries turning struggle into purpose. This episode explores • the origins of the Flanagan name, • the meaning of the motto Certavi et vici, • their roots in Roscommon, • and the extraordinary people who carried that spirit into the modern world — including athletes, artists, priests, and even a Pearl Harbor survivor. A story of grit, stewardship, faith, and the quiet power of Irish resilience.

Surname Series: O’Dwyer (Ó Dubhuir) From the rugged slopes of Kilnamanagh to the courts of Europe, the battlefields of the 17th century, and the sporting arenas of today, the O’Dwyer story is one of resilience, identity, and reinvention. This episode explores their ancient Laigin roots, the stronghold they built in Tipperary, their resistance against Norman and Tudor pressure, the dramatic capture of the Rock of Cashel, and the upheaval that followed Cromwell’s conquest. Forced abroad, many became leaders in foreign armies and courts — while others rose in America and Australia through public service, law, and community leadership. The legacy continues today through figures like Mick O’Dwyer, Orla O’Dwyer, Joseph O’Dwyer, and Gráinne O’Dwyer, each carrying the same drive into sport, science, and culture. A story of perseverance, faith, and the enduring strength of one Irish name.

In this episode of The History and Heritage Podcast, we turn to one of Ireland’s most compelling medieval saints: St Malachy of Armagh (1094–1148) — reformer, peace-weaver, and one of the key figures who helped shape the Irish Church at a turning point in our island’s story. From his childhood in Armagh to his tireless work restoring discipline, rebuilding churches, and healing political rivalries, Malachy emerges as a man of deep faith and sharper courage. His friendship with St Bernard of Clairvaux, his reform of monastic life, and his final pilgrimage to France all unfold here with the rich historical context that defined his world. This episode marks the final instalment in the Four Patrons Series, bringing the journey full circle as we explore the lives, legacies, and spiritual imprint of the saints at the heart of Irish identity. If you enjoy immersive storytelling, human-centred history, and a quiet thread of hope running through each tale, this episode is for you.

Saint Jarlath of Tuam rarely makes the headlines of Irish history — yet without him, the spiritual map of Ireland would look very different. A monk trained by the disciples of Patrick. A teacher who shaped Brendan the Navigator. A founder who built where a wheel broke — and changed a landscape forever. Tuam did not begin as a town. It began as a sign. In this episode, we uncover the story of a saint who didn’t seek fame, power, or glory — but whose quiet legacy still echoes through Ireland’s faith, identity, and memory. Who was Jarlath? Why did Brendan send him wandering in old age? And what does it mean when a broken wheel becomes destiny? Press play — and rediscover a forgotten founder. — Hosted by Liam Blake The History & Heritage Podcast

The twelfth century was a time of upheaval — kings at war, monasteries in reform, and a young Ireland caught between worlds. From this storm rose one man: Lorcán Ua Tuathail — Saint Laurence O’Toole. A prince taken hostage. A monk who fed the hungry with the gold from his own altars. A bishop who stood between Norman swords and his people — and stopped a massacre by the sheer power of faith. This episode follows Laurence’s life from the glens of Wicklow to the councils of kings, and from Glendalough’s still waters to his final moments in Normandy. It’s a story of courage and conviction, of holiness lived through hardship, and of a man who proved that faith isn’t retreat from history — it’s redemption through it. Join Liam Blake on The History and Heritage Podcast as we rediscover the life and legacy of the saint who became the conscience of a nation.

Before Patrick, before Armagh or Clonmacnoise, there was Ailbe of Emly — Ireland’s forgotten first bishop. Legend says he was cast out as a child and suckled by a she-wolf in the forests of Tipperary. But when he grew, he sought wisdom beyond the sea — trained in Wales, ordained in Rome, and returned to the Irish plains to kindle a light that would never go out. From Emly, the earliest centre of Christian learning in Munster, he taught kings, converted pagans, and set down the first Irish monastic rules. In Wales, his memory lived on under another name — St Elvis, said to have baptised St David himself. This episode follows the historical and legendary threads of Ailbe’s life: From early references in the Martyrology of Tallaght and Annals of Inisfallen, to his enduring veneration in Cashel and the strange echo of his name across the sea. It’s a story of the earliest Irish Christianity — a world of wolves, wells, and whispered prayers — where holiness felt close to the wild earth itself. And whether you believe or not, Ailbe’s tale challenges the modern listener: Could faith still be something fierce, free, and deeply rooted — like Ireland once was?

From the Gaelic “Ó Maoilriain” of medieval Tipperary to the emigrant Ryans who crossed oceans with little more than their faith and their name, this episode traces one of Ireland’s most enduring surnames. Through true stories of ordinary men and women — a famine-era schoolmaster, a soldier far from home, a nurse in 1918 — we explore what it means to carry a name through centuries of change. Featuring people and reflections on identity, belonging, and endurance, this is the story of how one Irish name became a living heritage. Listen now on Podbean or wherever you get your podcasts.  Follow @liamblakepodcaster on Instagram for more history and heritage stories.

Join Liam Blake of the History and Heritage Podcast on a journey through one of Ireland’s most storied surnames — Blake — where faith, conquest, and endurance intertwine. From the martyred monk Bláthmac on Iona’s altar to the Norman knight Richard Caddell, “le Blak,” who forged a lineage of Galway merchants, bishops, and exiles, this episode traces a thousand years of courage and conviction. Discover how the Blakes became part of Ireland’s very soul — from castle walls along the Corrib to the dreamers and soldiers who carried their name across oceans. Two nations, one name, bound by faith and fortitude. Virtus sola nobilitas — virtue alone ennobles.

The Murphy Surname — a concise, source-driven exploration of Ireland’s most common name. In this episode we trace Ó Murchadha/Mac Murchaidh from its early medieval roots in Leinster and the Uí Cheinnselaig, through Dermot MacMurrough and the Norman era, the penal and famine centuries, the 1798 rebellions, and the global diaspora that carried Murphy to the Americas, Australia and beyond. Along the way we explain the name’s meaning (“sea warrior”), its multiple independent origins across Ireland, key demographic milestones, cultural touchstones (including Murphy’s Law), and notable bearers who shaped modern history and culture. Follow History and Heritage for sourced episodes that connect places, people and identity.

From the coral shores of the Pacific to the red dust of Queensland, this episode traces two places linked by memory — the Irish habit of naming new worlds after home. We begin on New Ireland in Papua New Guinea — once called Latangai, later Nova Hibernia and Neumecklenburg. Beneath each name lies a story of power, endurance, and 30,000 years of unbroken tradition. Then to Tyrconnell in Queensland — a Donegal name carried across oceans, first for a pastoral station, later a gold mine with Australia’s oldest working stamper battery. Together, these stories reveal how Irish names travelled the world — comforting the displaced, yet erasing older voices. New Ireland and Tyrconnell are not just places, but echoes of empire, memory, and belonging. Join Liam Blake for a journey across continents, languages, and centuries — a reflection on how names remember, how they wound, and how, sometimes, they outlive the people who gave them.

From the banks of the Shannon to the streets of Syracuse, two places carry Irish names that tell stories of power, pride, and defiance. In Athlone, we trace the word from its origins in Ireland — a fortress town divided by the River Shannon and scarred by siege — through the lofty halls of Kensington Palace, where Alexander Cambridge styled himself Earl of Athlone, and on to the Cape Flats of South Africa, where the name was stamped onto a township marked by apartheid, protest, and resilience. One name, three worlds: imperial dignity, colonial exile, and Irish memory. Then we move to Tipperary Hill in Syracuse, New York, where Irish canal diggers and their families built a community on grit, Mass, and music. Here, even a traffic light became a battleground. When the city dared put British red above Irish green, local boys took up their slingshots and hurled stones until the order was reversed. Green still shines above red today — a glowing symbol of identity, humour, and the stubborn pride of Irish America. These are stories of how names travel, collide, and transform — carrying Ireland far beyond its shores.

Out on the Connemara coast, this “pig-marsh between two seas” has seen it all: Cromwellian land seizures, famine, emigration, crumbling piers, half-built roads, and the stubborn survival of the Irish language. Along the way, it caught the eye of a French novelist, inspired one of the great mapmakers of the west, and in 2005 had its dignity restored when the Irish form, Muiceanach idir Dhá Sháile, was made official once again. This episode explores how a tiny townland became a symbol of endurance, identity, and the power of names to carry history itself.

“People cling to their ancient names.” When John O’Donovan wrote those words in 1837, he had just walked the roads of Longford, listening to locals insist that their town was not just Edgeworthstown, the name imposed by a planter family, but Mostrim — Meathas Troim — the fertile ridge, the frontier of the elder tree. In this episode of The History and Heritage Podcast, Liam Blake explores the long, layered story of a town with two souls. From its Gaelic beginnings under the O’Farrells, through the arrival of the Edgeworth family in the 1580s, to the turbulence of rebellion, famine, and emigration, this is a history that mirrors Ireland itself. We meet Maria Edgeworth, the novelist whose Castle Rackrent shaped English literature, and Henry Essex Edgeworth, who whispered the last words to Louis XVI at the guillotine. We walk the market square where jewellery was sold to fund the town’s market house, and the railway station where generations said farewell. We stop at the grave of Isola Wilde, Oscar Wilde’s sister, whose tragic death here inspired one of his most poignant poems. And we trace the tug-of-war between the names Edgeworthstown and Mostrim, from nationalist revival to modern-day GAA pride. Two names, one town — a story of belonging, identity, and resilience.

One name, two very different stories. In County Cork, Charleville was born of Restoration politics — a plantation town tied to kings, conflict, and commerce, later reshaped by faith, fairs, and remarkable people whose voices echoed across the world. In County Offaly, Charleville Castle rose as a Gothic masterpiece — the dream of an ambitious heir, scarred by fire, neglect, and tragedy, yet revived by love, legend, and even ghosts. This episode of The History and Heritage Podcast explores both Charlevilles: one a bustling market town in the Golden Vale, the other a haunted castle of spires and shadows. Together, they remind us how names can carry centuries of ambition, resilience, and memory — stories of power and ruin, saints and spectres, still written into the Irish landscape today.

He was hunted by the Gestapo, with a bounty on his head. Yet Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty—an Irish priest from Killarney—saved over 6,500 Allied prisoners, Jews, and civilians in Nazi-occupied Rome. Known as the “Scarlet Pimpernel of the Vatican,” O’Flaherty built a vast escape network under the eyes of the Gestapo, using disguises, safe houses, and sheer courage to defy fascism. This episode of the History and Heritage Podcast tells his remarkable story—from his early life in Kerry, through his rise in the Vatican, to his wartime heroics and quiet postwar years. It’s a story of faith, defiance, and moral courage, summed up in his enduring motto: “God has no country.”

From the hunting fields of County Limerick to the tidal shores of Connemara, two rare survivors of Ireland’s past take centre stage. In the final episode of the Native Breeds series, I explore the history and heritage of the Kerry Beagle — a deep-chested scent hound with roots in Celtic hunting traditions — and the Cladoir Sheep, a small coastal breed once thought extinct but rediscovered grazing on seaweed in the west. Their stories stretch from medieval hunting laws to famine-era survival, from 19th-century agricultural reports to 21st-century DNA conservation projects. Both came close to vanishing. Both endured because someone cared enough to keep them alive. 🎧 Listen in for a journey through hunts, coastlines, folklore, and the people who refused to let these breeds disappear.

Native Breed Series – The Irish Honeybee “If the bee disappeared off the face of the Earth, man would only have four years left to live.” Ireland’s dark honeybee, Apis mellifera mellifera, has been part of this island’s story for 5,000 years: shaping laws, folklore, farming, and faith — before disease, imports, and neglect nearly erased it. This week, Liam Blake tells its story: from Neolithic settlers and medieval hive laws, to rural “bee lore” and the modern DNA rescue mission keeping this native pollinator alive.

🐐 Native Breed Series – The Old Irish Goat “The goat was the poor man’s cow.” This week, we’re telling the story of Ireland’s only native goat — a five-thousand-year survivor that gave milk to the poor, parchment to monks, and placenames to our maps, before almost vanishing in the 20th century. Join me, Liam Blake, as I trace its journey from Neolithic farms to nineteenth-century goat droves, to a modern DNA rescue mission on a Mayo hillside. This is history that eats gorse for breakfast. 🎧 Listen now on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

The Galway Sheep: Ireland’s Last Native Breed Long before the Galway Sheep was entered into rare breed registries, it was a backbone of Connacht’s rural economy. Developed from local stock and English Leicesters under landlord supervision, the breed flourished in the 18th and 19th centuries — before near-extinction after the Famine. In this deeply researched episode of The History and Heritage Podcast, Liam Blake examines: The breed’s 18th-century formation in east Galway and Roscommon Its commercial importance in pre-Famine Ireland Collapse during post-Famine land clearances and economic shifts Its recovery as part of the 20th-century heritage livestock movement A story of class, land, and survival — told through the wool on a sheep’s back. Listen now on Spotify, Podbean, Apple & more Follow on Instagram: @liamblakepodcaster

When we think of the great animals of Irish history, our minds might turn to the elegant Connemara pony, the noble Irish wolfhound, or perhaps even the mythic Cú Chulainn’s steed, Liath Macha — the famed grey horse of the Táin Bó Cúailnge, or The Cattle Raid of Cooley, one of the central epics of early Irish literature. But for over two centuries, no animal was more central to the everyday life of Irish people — than the humble, hardworking, and often overlooked Kerry Bog Pony.

“The history of the horse is the history of human civilisation.” – Prof. James Serpell. For over 200 years, the Irish Cob was the quiet, tireless heart of rural Ireland. It pulled carts, carried families to Mass, and survived famine, poverty, and prejudice. This is the story of the horse that built Ireland from the ground up — and the people who kept its memory alive.

Dive into the rich history of Ireland's true 'horse of the people': The Irish Draught. From essential farm worker to foundation of global eventing champions, discover the resilience and legacy of this remarkable breed. Learn about its journey through famine, war, and mechanisation, and why it's more important than ever to protect its future

They fed a nation, shaped a people, and bore witness to centuries of Irish life. In this extended episode of The History and Heritage Podcast, Liam Blake takes you on a journey through the four native Irish cattle breeds — the Kerry, Droimeann, Dexter, and Irish Moiled. Each one tells its own story: from famine fields to rebel farms, from DNA revival to cultural rediscovery. It’s not just agricultural history — it’s Ireland in four hooves.

"There is no truer, more loyal, or more intrepid dog than the Irish Terrier." So wrote Vero Shaw in 1879—and few who know the breed would disagree. In this stirring episode of the History and Heritage Podcast, we explore the roots of Ireland’s most flame-hearted dog. Born of necessity during Ireland’s darkest decades, the Irish Terrier served as ratter, guardian, and loyal companion on the margins of survival. But its story didn't stop in rural Ireland. From Victorian show rings to the horrors of Gallipoli, the Irish Terrier became a symbol of resilience and loyalty. With tales of wartime heroism—like Paddy, the Anzac dog who survived trench warfare—we uncover how this unpretentious breed became a global legend. This is not just a dog story. It’s a story of identity, hardship, loyalty, and the quiet courage that defines Ireland itself.

Born in stone-walled farms and raised in the fields of rural Ireland, the Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier was never a showpiece. It was a worker. A ratter. A guardian. A poacher’s shadow. A child’s companion. This week, on the History and Heritage Podcast, we trace the story of Ireland’s golden-coated farm dog—from nameless “yellow fellas” in 18th-century cabins to family favourites around the globe. 📍 Why was it nearly forgotten for centuries? 📍 What links it to the Kerry Blue and Irish Terrier? 📍 How did it become a living symbol of Irish resilience? Whether you’re a dog lover or a heritage enthusiast, this story of golden coats, soft beards, and steadfast loyalty will stay with you.

🇮🇪 Meet the Kerry Blue Terrier: a bold, intelligent Irish breed with roots in rebellion, rural life, and national pride. From the bogs of Munster to the streets of Dublin during the War of Independence, the Kerry Blue has always stood out—not just for its striking coat, but for what it represents. Discover the dog that helped shape Ireland’s modern identity.

In this episode of the History and Heritage Podcast, we travel deep into the Wicklow Mountains to uncover the long-overlooked story of the Glen of Imaal Terrier—one of Ireland’s rarest native breeds. Forged in the isolated glens by 16th-century mercenaries, refined on farms, and nearly lost during World War II, this tough yet gentle terrier is a living link to Ireland’s agricultural and social history. From their working-class origins to their modern resurgence, we trace the remarkable journey of the Glen, blending historical context, cultural insight, and a quiet call to conserve what is uniquely ours.

In this episode of The History and Heritage Podcast, Liam Blake is joined by Patrick Blake of Ballyerk Connemara Ponies to explore one of Ireland’s most beloved native breeds: the Connemara Pony. Together, they trace the history of this hardy, intelligent pony from its rugged roots in the west of Ireland to its global reputation today. Learn about the origins of the breed, its characteristics, temperament, famous bloodlines, and how it has adapted across centuries — without losing its soul. Whether you're a breeder, rider, or history enthusiast, this is a rich and detailed look at a true symbol of Irish rural life and resilience.

Long before it became a mascot or a symbol, the Irish Wolfhound was bred for purpose — to hunt, to guard, and to serve. In this episode, we trace the history of one of Ireland’s most iconic native breeds. From the days of the Gaelic aristocracy to near extinction, and through its careful reconstruction in the 19th century, the Irish Wolfhound has endured as more than just a dog — it is a living link to Ireland’s past. Whether you're interested in animal heritage, cultural history, or simply want to understand how this gentle giant survived where others didn’t, this episode presents a clear, factual look at why the Irish Wolfhound still matters today.

With its tightly curled coat, otter-like tail, and whip-smart gaze, the Irish Water Spaniel is one of the most distinctive — and underappreciated — breeds ever to come out of Ireland. From its early mention in 1607 as the “Shannon Spaniel” to its refinement by the mysterious Justin McCarthy in the 1830s, this episode traces the story of a dog built for wetlands, made for work, and full of mischief. We follow its rise as a Victorian favourite, its influence on American breeds, and its quiet fight for survival today. A tale as deep and winding as the Shannon itself.

Before the sleek, flame-haired Red Setter rose to international fame, there was another — older, humbler, and nearly lost to history. In this episode of The History and Heritage Podcast, we trace the story of the Irish Red and White Setter, Ireland’s original hunting companion. From the wild windswept bogs of 17th-century Galway to the brink of extinction in the 20th century, this episode explores how changing fashions, rural tradition, and determined breeders shaped the fate of one of Ireland’s most remarkable native dogs. Learn how a forgotten field dog became a living link to Ireland’s sporting past — and how it was saved, against the odds, by a few passionate hands. If you love Irish heritage, rural life, or the hidden histories of working animals, this one’s for you.

Chestnut red against the green of Ireland — the Irish Red Setter is more than a dog. It’s a memory, a myth, and for many, a marker of home. In this episode, we trace the story of the Irish Red Setter from windswept fields and aristocratic kennels to postal stamps and Bus Éireann buses. Elegant, tireless, and deeply Irish, this breed has long been a symbol of both national pride and quiet perseverance. We’ll explore how a hunting dog born of necessity became an emblem of identity — shaped by landlords and labourers, loved in literature, and nearly lost to fashion. And along the way, we’ll ask what it means to carry a country’s memory in your bones — even if you walk on four legs.