Where Once The Anvil Rang

Night Of Fury
               
               Part  i - Calm Before The Storm
               Part ii - Oiche Na Gaoithe Moire
               Part iii - Remembrance

The true story of the worst storm in Irish history....

Night Of Fury

Episode 2 of Women’s Grassroots Activism Podcast Series

Women’s Grassroots Activism: cross-borders solidarity in Ireland, Northern Ireland and England and Wales

In this episode with Prof Caitríona Beaumont, Margaret Broome, former chair of the Federation of Women’s Institutes of Northern Ireland (WINI), June Lawless, National Secretary of the Irish Countrywomen’s Association (ICA) and Dr Anne Logan (University of Kent and Women’s Institute member) chat about what membership of a women’s organisation means to them. We also discuss the history of co-operation and friendship between the ICA, WINI and the NFWI since 1918 that illuminates new understandings of Anglo-Irish relations in the twentieth century. 

 Women’s Grassroots Activism Podcast Series

This podcast series tells stories of women’s grassroots activism across the island of Ireland and in England from 1918 to the present. These stories highlight the diverse ways that members of the Irish Countrywomen’s Association (ICA), the Soroptimists International Great Britain and Ireland (SIGBI), the National Federation of Women’s Institutes (NFWI) and the Federation of Women’s Institutes of Northern Ireland (WINI) contributed to enhancing the lives of women and girls locally, nationally and globally.  

The podcast series is funded by the United Kingdom Research Innovation (UKRI) Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) as part of the grant awarded for Agency and Advocacy: Locating Women's Grassroots Activism in England and Ireland, 1918 to the present (Project Reference: AH/X008606/1, August 2023 -January 2025). 

Our research team is made up of Principal Investigator Professor Caitríona Beaumont (London South Bank University and Visiting Full Professor at University College Dublin), Co-Investigator is Dr Anne Logan (University of Kent), Dr Ruth Davidson (Institute of Historical Research, University of London), Dr Anna Muggeridge (University of Worcester) and Rachel Collett (University of Liverpool). Our podcast series is supported by our participating women’s organisations the ICA, SIGBI, NFWI and WINI.

https://historyhub.ie/womens-grassroots-actvism-podcast

Women's Grassroots Activism Podcast - Episode 2: cross-borders solidarity

In this introductory episode, series editor Heather Delaney (MA Public History UCD) talks to UCD historian Dr Conor Mulvagh and finds out all about the Harlan Strauss tapes and why they are such an important archive.

In 1972, Harlan J Strauss, a young American PhD student, came to Ireland and interviewed veterans of the Irish independence struggle - men and women, at this point in their 70s and 80s, who shared their experiences, sometimes for the first time. These audio recordings sat in Harlan's attic in Washington, DC for decades, unpublished and unheard. In 2022, Harlan brought them to Dublin and deposited them at the National Folklore Collection at UCD. This podcast explores the things those people said and how those who lived through the Irish revolution saw it fifty years after the fact. Harlan’s tapes offer often unparalleled insights into both the experiences and perceptions of revolutionaries reflecting back on their youth. Now, 50 years later, Conor and Harlan have teamed up to delve into these interviews and get an insight into the mind of an Irish revolutionary.

https://historyhub.ie/recording-the-revolution-harlan-strauss

Introduction to Recording the Revolution - The Harlan Strauss Tapes

In our first episode of “Recording the Revolution”, Conor Mulvagh and Harlan Strauss sit down with Catherine O’Mahony, a producer at Scratch Films. Catherine and Áine O'Neill were working on a project several years ago when a source, Jim Dolan, told them about an interview transcript in his attic. Within days, Catherine and Áine had tracked down the interviewer Harlan Strauss and flew to Berlin to meet him, starting a new chapter in the history of the tapes at the centre of this podcast series. In this episode Conor and Harlan take a look at the extraordinary life of “the Blacksmith of Ballinalee”, General Seán MacEoin who was a key military leader in both the War of Independence, and on the side of the Free State in the Civil War. Seán MacEoin was interviewed by Harlan on 16 March 1972.

The Harlan Strauss Tapes

In 1972, Harlan J Strauss, a young American PhD student, came to Ireland and interviewed veterans of the Irish independence struggle - men and women, at this point in their 70s and 80s, who shared their experiences, sometimes for the first time.

These audio recordings sat in Harlan’s attic in Washington, DC for decades, unpublished and unheard. In 2022, Harlan brought them to Dublin and deposited them at the National Folklore Collection at UCD. This podcast explores the things those people said and how those who lived through the Irish revolution saw it fifty years after the fact.

Harlan’s tapes offer often unparalleled insights into both the experiences and perceptions of revolutionaries reflecting back on their youth. Now, 50 years later, Conor and Harlan have teamed up to delve into these interviews and get an insight into the mind of an Irish revolutionary.

https://historyhub.ie/recording-the-revolution-harlan-strauss

General Seán MacEoin. Episode 1 of Recording the Revolution - The Harlan Strauss Tapes.

A 30-minute version of this interview originally aired on Monday, March 17, 2025 at 9:30am on WRCR Radio 1700AM. 

Crossroads celebrated both Women’s History Month and Saint Patrick’s day with a discussion about an exciting program coming up at Harmony Hall in Sloatsburg.   Eve Kahn, the former Antiques Editor for the New York Times and Elizabeth Stack the Executive Director at the American Irish Historical Society will joined host Clare Sheridan to discuss Anna Frances Levins, the Irish American artist and entrepreneur who traveled widely to photograph remotest Ireland and created portraits of sitters ranging from Pope Pius X  to martyred Irish revolutionaries.

Anna Frances Levins founded her own company, Levins Press, which published lavish books about the history of Ireland and Irish Americans, and her photos appeared by the hundreds in books, newspapers, and magazines. Levins also helped the newest Irish arrivals at Ellis Island, combating her era's bitter prejudices against immigrants. She eventually married one of her portrait sitters, an Irish baronet. Despite all of this, Levins has ended up in contemporary obscurity.

About the guests:

Eve Kahn is an Independent scholar and former Antiques Columnist at The New York Times.  She is an award winning author who writes about art, architecture, and design for the Times among other publications. She is the biographer of artist Mary Rogers Williams (1857-1907) and writer Zoe Anderson Norris (1860-1914). Eve Kahn appeared on Crossroads of Rockland History to discuss Edith Varian Cockroft of Sloatsburg (Episode 95, September, 2018).

Elizabeth Stack, PhD, is the Executive Director of the American Irish Historical Society in New York City. Dr. Stack was previously the executive director of the Irish American Heritage Museum in Albany, NY and before that she taught Irish and Irish American History and was an Associate Director at Fordham University’s Institute of Irish Studies. She completed her PhD at Fordham, writing about Irish and German immigrants in New York at the turn of the twentieth century, as they grappled with the immigration restriction movements of that time. She has a master’s degree in Anglo-Irish Relations in the 20 th Century from University College Dublin in Ireland. From Listowel, in Co. Kerry, Elizabeth sees a huge connection between her own experience as an immigrant, and the important mission of the Society to preserve and share Irish contributions to American history. “Major areas of interaction between Ireland and America have included diplomacy, economy, education, nationalism, tourism, culture, philanthropy, and the free flow of capital. However, immigration has given the most significant and lasting link. We explore all these topics in the Society.”

 

About the Program: Anna Frances Levins

When:  Sunday, March 30th, 2:00 pm

Where:  Harmony Hall, Jacob Sloat House, Sloatsburg, NY

In Celebration of Women’s History Month: Eve Kahn presents Anna Frances Levins, forgotten Irish American Photographer, Publisher, Immigrant  Activist, Bibliophile.  Independent scholar Eve M. Kahn, who has mined thousands of pages of Levins' correspondence hidden in Catholic leaders' archives, will present a heavily illustrated report on her research into the life and works of this trailblazer.

Reservations Required: Members: $20; Non-members: $25.  

Light  refreshments will be served. 

Tickets available at https://www.friendsofharmonyhall.org/events

_____

The American Irish Historical Society will also host Eve Kahn for "Rediscovering Anna Frances Levins, Forgotten Irish American Photographer, Publisher, Political Activist and Baroness"

When: Tuesday, March 25, 2025 at 6:00 PM  

Where:   991 5th Ave, New York, NY 10028

Info here:  https://aihsny.org/events-2/rediscovering-anna-frances-levins-forgotten-irish-american-photographer-publisher-political-activist-and-baroness

173. Anna Frances Levins with Eve Kahn and Elizabeth Stack  - Crossroads of Rockland History

In this week’s episode of “Recording the Revolution”, Conor and Harlan pluck their second tape from the archive and discuss Harlan’s illuminating interview with the printer of the Proclamation of the Irish Republic, Christopher “Christy” Brady. Christopher Brady reminisces on his time spent in Liberty Hall, his conversations with James Connolly and the secrecy surrounding the printing of the Proclamation. Christopher Brady was interviewed on 26 March 1972.

The Harlan Strauss Tapes

In 1972, Harlan J Strauss, a young American PhD student, came to Ireland and interviewed veterans of the Irish independence struggle - men and women, at this point in their 70s and 80s, who shared their experiences, sometimes for the first time.

These audio recordings sat in Harlan’s attic in Washington, DC for decades, unpublished and unheard. In 2022, Harlan brought them to Dublin and deposited them at the National Folklore Collection at UCD. This podcast explores the things those people said and how those who lived through the Irish revolution saw it fifty years after the fact.

Harlan’s tapes offer often unparalleled insights into both the experiences and perceptions of revolutionaries reflecting back on their youth. Now, 50 years later, Conor and Harlan have teamed up to delve into these interviews and get an insight into the mind of an Irish revolutionary.

https://historyhub.ie/recording-the-revo…ion-harlan-strauss

Christopher Brady. Episode 2 of Recording the Revolution - The Harlan Strauss Tapes

In this week’s episode of “Recording the Revolution”, Conor and Harlan are taking a look at Harlan's interview with James M Dillon, the former leader of Fine Gael from 1959 to 1965 and son of the Home Rule MP John Dillon. James Dillon sheds light on what life was like during the Irish Revolutionary period and talks about his time spent in the Dail from the 1930s onwards. James Dillon was interviewed by Harlan on 17 March 1973.

The Harlan Strauss Tapes

In 1972, Harlan J Strauss, a young American PhD student, came to Ireland and interviewed veterans of the Irish independence struggle - men and women, at this point in their 70s and 80s, who shared their experiences, sometimes for the first time.

These audio recordings sat in Harlan’s attic in Washington, DC for decades, unpublished and unheard. In 2022, Harlan brought them to Dublin and deposited them at the National Folklore Collection at UCD. This podcast explores the things those people said and how those who lived through the Irish revolution saw it fifty years after the fact.

Harlan’s tapes offer often unparalleled insights into both the experiences and perceptions of revolutionaries reflecting back on their youth. Now, 50 years later, Conor and Harlan have teamed up to delve into these interviews and get an insight into the mind of an Irish revolutionary.

https://historyhub.ie/recording-the-revo…ion-harlan-strauss

James M Dillon. Episode 3 of Recording the Revolution - The Harlan Strauss Tapes

In this week’s episode of “Recording the Revolution”, Conor and Harlan are discussing Harlan's fascinating interview with Maire Comerford. One of two women who were interviewed by Harlan, Maire played a highly active role in the Irish revolution and can be described as one of the more radical, committed, and persistent revolutionaries from this period. Maire Comerford was interviewed on 14 March 1972

The Harlan Strauss Tapes

In 1972, Harlan J Strauss, a young American PhD student, came to Ireland and interviewed veterans of the Irish independence struggle - men and women, at this point in their 70s and 80s, who shared their experiences, sometimes for the first time. These audio recordings sat in Harlan's attic in Washington, DC for decades, unpublished and unheard. In 2022, Harlan brought them to Dublin and deposited them at the National Folklore Collection at UCD.

This podcast explores the things those people said and how those who lived through the Irish revolution saw it fifty years after the fact. Harlan’s tapes offer often unparalleled insights into both the experiences and perceptions of revolutionaries reflecting back on their youth. Now, 50 years later, Conor and Harlan have teamed up to delve into these interviews and get an insight into the mind of an Irish revolutionary.

https://historyhub.ie/recording-the-revo…ion-harlan-strauss

Maire Comerford. Episode 4 of Recording the Revolution - The Harlan Strauss Tapes

In the final episode of “Recording the Revolution”, Conor and Harlan return back to the archive and pluck their final tape, which is Harlan's interview with Irish politician and managing director of the Abbey Theatre, Ernest Blythe. Ernest Blythe reflects on his early years in the IRB, the role he played in the Free State’s execution of Anti-treaty IRA members and his views on the partition of Ireland. Ernest Blythe was interviewed on 13 March 1972.

In 1972, Harlan J Strauss, a young American PhD student, came to Ireland and interviewed veterans of the Irish independence struggle - men and women, at this point in their 70s and 80s, who shared their experiences, sometimes for the first time. These audio recordings sat in Harlan's attic in Washington, DC for decades, unpublished and unheard. In 2022, Harlan brought them to Dublin and deposited them at the National Folklore Collection at UCD.

This podcast explores the things those people said and how those who lived through the Irish revolution saw it fifty years after the fact. Harlan’s tapes offer often unparalleled insights into both the experiences and perceptions of revolutionaries reflecting back on their youth. Now, 50 years later, Conor and Harlan have teamed up to delve into these interviews and get an insight into the mind of an Irish revolutionary.

https://historyhub.ie/recording-the-revo…ion-harlan-strauss

Ernest Blythe. Episode 5 of Recording the Revolution - The Harlan Strauss Tapes

The Historical Society of Rockland County is a nonprofit educational institution and principal repository for original documents and artifacts relating to Rockland County. Its headquarters are a four-acre site featuring a history museum and the 1832 Jacob Blauvelt House in New City, New York.

History Hub. is based at the School of History, University College Dublin, Ireland. Our ambition is to make the most recent academic research available on-line to everyone who loves history. 

Our podcasts feature historians talking about a whole range of subjects from medieval to modern history, both Irish and international. Our From the Archives section showcases original historical documents held in the Archive at UCD. We also have a History and Policy section where historians contribute to current policy debates.

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