Belfast, Derry & the War in the North

(The War of Independence XII)

The story of the War of Independence in the North of Ireland is often overlooked. This obscures the fact that Belfast was the most violent place in Ireland during the conflict. However it was a very different war when compared to the experience of other parts of the island. 

This podcast explains the war in the north and why, contrary to popular misconceptions, the IRA were not the force they were elsewhere.

To begin the show introduces the Orange Order, the Apprentice Boys of Derry and the Ancient Order of Hibernians who shaped a bitter sectarian divide between Catholic and Protestant communities.

The podcast then goes onto look at the sectarian violence that raged in communities across the North from the Spring of 1920. 

As unusual additional research was by the archivist and historian Sam McGrath, sound was by Jason Looney, additional narrations are by Aidan Crowe and Therese Murray and the artwork for the series is by Keith Hynes.The initial batch of my first book Witches Spies and Stockholm Syndrome sold out within 72 hours last week but I have more copies in the shop now at irishhistorypodcast.ie/shop