How to be Irish
by Úna Harty
Latest episode
What we used to eat, with Irish food historian Regina Sexton
What we used to eat, with Irish food historian Regina Sexton
About this podcast
Examining Irish society and culture to understand how our history, psychology, and politics have shaped what it means to be Irish today.
Join me as I host conversations with Irish people who are experts in different facets of Irish culture, including nature, language, healing, folklore, mythology, music, poetry, mental health, entrepreneurism, activism, identity, social issues and current affairs.
I also ask every guest what it means to be Irish. Their answers may surprise you.
Episodes
The newest 20 of 27 episodes
- What we used to eat, with Irish food historian Regina Sexton · 53 min · Season 2 Episode 8Support this podcast / buy me a coffee! In this episode, I chat with Regina Sexton, Ireland’s leading food and culinary historian, all about the history of Irish food. We chat…
- What do we not understand about the North of Ireland / Northern Ireland? with content creator Gemma McSherry · 49 min · Season 2 Episode 9In this episode, Úna Harty interviews Gemma McSherry, a journalist, author and content creator from the North of Ireland. They discuss Gemma's upbringing in a divided society…
- Growing up mixed race in Ireland, with activist and author Leon Diop · 53 min · Season 2 Episode 8In this episode, Úna speaks with Leon Diop, about his experiences of growing up in Tallaght as a mixed race. We cover race, ethnicity, family dynamics and class in this…
- Understanding Irishness through our most iconic pop culture moments, with journalist Kate Demolder · 41 min · Season 2 Episode 7In this lighter episode of How to be Irish Úna welcomes freelance journalist Kate Demolder to explore iconic moments in Irish pop culture from the 1980s to today, and how they…
- The idiosyncrasies of Irish politics, with Dr Theresa Reidy · 50 min · Season 2 Episode 7Independents, referendums, the single transferable vote - a few of the idiosyncrasies of the Irish political system that we sometimes take for granted. This week I chat to…
- How and why the Normans conquered Ireland with Storytelling Guide Duane Fitzsimons · 47 min · Season 2 Episode 5In this episode, we explore the rich history of the Lecale Peninsula with guest Duane Fitzsimons, who delves into the Norman invasion of Ireland, the significance of Dublin as a…
- Exploring Cork through Cónal Creedon's eyes · 41 min · Season 2 Episode 4In this episode of How to Be Irish, Cónal Creedon, an award-winning novelist and filmmaker, shares his deep connection to Cork and how it has shaped his creative journey. He…
- How we used to live, Irish social history and heritage with Deirdre O'Neill · 49 min · Season 2 Episode 3"We walk past remnants of our past every day without noticing." Our ancestors left echoes of themselves all around us, if we only know where to look and how to interpret the…
- Writing women into Irish history with Clodagh Finn · 1 h 7 min · Season 2 Episode 2Have you ever heard of Clothilde Graves? What about Sister Concepta? Roesia de Verdun? Or how about Lady Ranelagh? These are just some of the Irish women that journalist and…
- Reviving Irish historical stone lifting with Andy Downes · 58 min · Season 2 Episode 1In the last four years, a quiet revival has been taking place: the revival of Irish stonelifting. Andy Downes is one of those who has helped to bring back this lost Irish…
- Can we decolonise the Irish language through music? with singer-songwriter Amano Miura · 1 h 6 min · Season 1 Episode 16In this episode of How to be Irish, I sit down with Amano Miura—a multidisciplinary artist, songwriter, and sean-nós singer from Killarney, Co. Kerry. Born in Kyūshū, Japan, and…
- How recession reshaped Ireland’s culinary identity, with food writer Sian Conway · 50 min · Season 1 Episode 15This week, I’m chatting with Sian Conway, an award-winning Dublin-based food writer, TikTok creator, and freelance content queen. Sian brings her unique perspective on Irish…
- Reeling in the Year: Ireland’s Top News Stories of 2024, with Reporter Sheila Naughton · 53 min · Season 1 Episode 14In this special end-of-year episode, I’m joined by RTÉ reporter and broadcaster Sheila Naughton as we reflect on Ireland’s most impactful news stories of 2024. From moments of…
- Has modern life disconnected us from nature in Ireland? Rewilding our Irish identity with Soil Boy · 57 min · Season 1 Episode 13Why is Ireland’s biodiversity in such a dire state? Are we projecting an incorrect image of our green nation? What would happen if we re-introduced bears or wolves? Why should we…
- What does it mean to belong in Ireland? with Social Psychologist and Social Entrepreneur Mamobo Ogoro · 50 min · Season 1 Episode 12Belonging is a fundamental human need—but how does this concept play out in the context of Irish society? In this episode, I’m joined by social psychologist, social…
- What do the young people of Ireland want? General Election special with Jenny Maguire · 42 min · Season 1 Episode 11What is important to our young people as we head to the polls for the General Election? Jenny Maguire is the President of Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union, a union which…
- Faeries, Druids, Tombs and Stone Circles: The Magic of Ireland with Bobbo the Bard · 1 h 3 min · Season 1 Episode 10What does an interaction with an Irish fairy look and feel like? How do we connect with Ireland’s Neolithic and sacred sites? Were our ancestors supernatural beings? We’re ten…
- Has the decline of the Irish language led to a loss of Irish identity? with Saoirse Garet · 55 min · Season 1 Episode 9Why did the Irish language start to decline? Why should we be interested in learning Gaeilge? How can you go about bringing more Irish into your everyday life? Saoirse Garet is a…
- Are the Irish still battling intergenerational trauma? Our deep sadness with The Mindful Physio Caoimhe Gibney · 59 min · Season 1 Episode 8Are the Irish repressed emotionally? How has our history impacted our soma? How are the young people in Ireland working to heal themselves for their future ancestors today?…
- How much has Irish Society changed since the 1950s? with Feminist and LGBTIQA Campaigner Ailbhe Smyth · 53 min · Season 1 Episode 7Why did Ireland undergo so much societal change in the 1990s and 2000s? What was it like to be a young woman or a member of the LGBTQ+ community in Ireland in the late 20th…
