{"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":481,"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":"2026-09-24T02:24:15.633780+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/irish-history-podcast-778168"},"episode":{"title":"The Sinking of the Lusitania","slug":"the-sinking-of-the-lusitania","published_at":"2026-08-19T03:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/irish-history-podcast-778168/the-sinking-of-the-lusitania","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/irish-history-podcast-778168","url":"https://shows.acast.com/irishhistory/episodes/the-sinking-of-the-lusitania","audio_url":"https://sphinx.acast.com/p/acast/s/irishhistory/e/6a843994ebac478aad54c942/media.mp3","summary":"On 7 May 1915, the passenger liner RMS Lusitania was torpedoed by the German submarine U-20 off the coast of County Cork. The enormous ship sank in just 18 minutes, killing over one thousands people. The sinking became one of the most controversial events of the First World War, provoking questions that remains the source of debate today.  Why did the Lusitania sink so quickly? What caused the second explosion reported by survivors? How much ammunition and war material was the ship carrying? Did this cargo make the ship a legitimate military target or was the attack a crime against civilians? In this episode, I am joined by Shannon Forde, manager of the Lusitania Museum and Old Head Signal Tower in Kinsale. We discuss the history of the famous ocean liner, how it compared with the Titanic, the events of its final voyage and the experiences of those caught up in the disaster. We also examine the enduring controversies surrounding the sinking, from the Lusitania’s cargo to the actions of the German submarine and the British authorities. Support the Irish History Podcast at patreon.com/irishpodcast The Lusitania Museum & Old Head Signal Tower is open 10am – 5pm 7 days a week from March to October.  https://www.oldheadofkinsale.com I will have more detail on the supporters tour mentioned in the episode later in the week! Sound by Kate Dunlea My Guest is Shannon Forde. Shannon is a native of Kinsale, County Cork. She completed a MA in Irish History in Maynooth University, and has worked in Charles Fort, Kinsale and as a Heritage Specialist with Cork County Council. She researched and authored a local history book on the War of Independence in Kinsale. Shannon has been the Manager of the Lusitania Museum & Old Head Signal Tower since 2022 – which is a non p…","meta_description":"On 7 May 1915, the passenger liner RMS Lusitania was torpedoed by the German submarine U-20 off the coast of County Cork. The enormous ship sank in just 1…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":3760,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/irish-history-podcast-778168/episodes/the-sinking-of-the-lusitania/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-sinking-of-the-lusitania.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}