While this famous island prison began life as a monastery it was transformed into a fortress during the American Revolutionary War. However Spike island gained it's notorious reputation during the Great Hunger of the s when a prison was opened in the fort. I would like to thank the team on Spike Island for facilitating the recording of this episode.
Spike Island: Saint Felons and Famine. Too beautiful for thieves and pickpockets: A history of the Victorian convict prison on spike island. Spike Island republican prisoners This is available on www. Irish History Podcast. Access exclusive content. More episodes View all episodes. However, Murphy's story is complicated.
Often presented as an opponent of the Nazis, he had also, for a time, worked in the Third Reich. The full story behind the translation is intriguing. It reveals how Murphy was manipulated by a secret anti-Nazi group known as the Red Orchestra.
It also explores why Murphy, who was aware of many of the darker aspects of the Nazi regime, did not draw attention to them. Selected Sources: Maume P. The Irish Catholic Church: How did it become so powerful? Over the past three decades, the Catholic Church has been engulfed by numerous sexual abuse scandals and accusations of power abuse.
This has prompted many to question how it initially gained such influence in Ireland. In this podcast, I delve into the history of the Catholic Church within modern Irish society.
