{"podcast":{"title":"Irish History Podcast","slug":"irish-history-podcast-778168","podcast_index_feed_id":778168,"rss_url":"https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/9190bee0-95f3-400b-842d-3232974654ec","website_url":"https://www.irishhistorypodcast.ie/shop","image_url":"https://assets.pippa.io/shows/619566332eacc3a360702518/show-cover.png","author":"Fin Dwyer","episode_count":465,"summary":"From the Norman Invasion to the War of Independence, the Great Famine to the Troubles, the Irish History Podcast takes you on a journey through the most fascinating stories in Ireland's past. Whether it’s the siege of Dublin in 1171 or gun battles in the 1920s, the podcast vividly recreates a sense of time and place. Each episode is meticulously researched, creating character-driven narratives that are engaging and accessible for all. Since the first episode was released back in 2010, the podcast has covered scores of captivating stories. Major multi-part series have explored the Great Famine, the Norman Invasion, and Irish involvement in the Spanish Civil War. If you are looking for standalone episodes, there are lots of great interviews with leading Irish historians covering topics from medieval sex magic to Irish connections in the Jack the Ripper murders! Why not start with 'Three Days in July', an acclaimed mini-series from the summer of 2024. It explores the early years of the Troubles and the forgotten story of a young Londoner who was shot dead by the British Army in Belfast in 1970. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.","last_synced_at":null,"page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/irish-history-podcast-778168"},"episode":{"title":"The Secret Sex Lives of our Ancestors","slug":"the-secret-sex-lives-of-our-ancestors","published_at":"2025-12-17T04:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/irish-history-podcast-778168/the-secret-sex-lives-of-our-ancestors","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/irish-history-podcast-778168","url":"https://shows.acast.com/irishhistory/episodes/the-secret-sex-lives-of-our-ancestors","audio_url":"https://sphinx.acast.com/p/acast/s/irishhistory/e/69414ef8443ad98913869721/media.mp3","summary":"This episode includes discussion of sex and is not suitable for younger listeners. Sex has always been a key part of Irish life. Yet given its intimate and private nature it often leaves little trace in the historical record. One rare exception comes from the Presbyterian Kirk Session, a church court that kept detailed accounts of behaviour it considered sinful. These records open a unique window into how people in eighteenth century Ireland navigated desire, shame, romance and rule breaking. In this episode I am joined by Dr Leanne Calvert whose book Pious and Promiscuous: Life, Love and Family in Presbyterian Ulster uncovers the hidden sex lives of ordinary men and women in the 18th century. The conversation explores beliefs about sex, the reality of everyday relationships, courtship, affairs, pregnancy and the ways communities tried to control intimacy. Get your copy of Leanne's book Pious and Promiscuous: Life, Love and Family in Presbyterian Ulster here https://shop.ria.ie/products/pious Leanne's Blog:  https://promiscuouspresbyterian.wordpress.com/ Work profile:  https://pure.ul.ie/en/persons/leanne-calvert/ Sound by Kate Dunlea. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.","meta_description":"This episode includes discussion of sex and is not suitable for younger listeners. Sex has always been a key part of Irish life. Yet given its intimate an…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":2706,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/irish-history-podcast-778168/episodes/the-secret-sex-lives-of-our-ancestors/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/irish-history-podcast-778168/the-secret-sex-lives-of-our-ancestors.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}