NEW EPISODE. Madame Tussaud spent some years in Dublin in the early nineteenth century. Her waxworks and strange relics of the French Revolution drew huge crowds, but Ireland also shaped her output and the later world famous museum..... podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/m...

NEW EPISODE: Food in Dublin in 1904. Great to be joined by Bia Duit and Assassination Custard for this one, recorded in the beautiful surroundings of the Signal House on Amiens Street. threecastlesburning.libsyn.com/bia-duit-foo...

Looks like I need to get over to Bill Aherne’s, had been wondering about the spot. Certainly a post @boakandbailey.bsky.social should not miss from @3castlesburning.bsky.social: The Modern Pint Is Too Cold. Willie Aherne Has a Solution. substack.com/@publichouse...

The Modern Pint Is Too Cold. Willie Aherne Has a Solution.

A rare 1950s Guinness tap box is one thing, but room temperature Guinness is a different throwback entirely.

substack.com

Very interesting history of our boy the non-Lord Edward Fitzgerald, featuring some beautiful folk singing!

Three Castles Burning@3castlesburning.bsky.social · 2mo ago

NEW EPISODE Citizen or Lord? The Life of Edward Fitzgerald (with Fergus Whelan and Annie Hughes) podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/c...

NEW EPISODE of Three Castles Burning A Vision for Irish Theatre: Deirdre O'Connell (with Sabina Higgins) The story of the small but remarkable Focus Theatre. A joy to talk with Sabina Higgins at the recent Luke Kelly Festival. podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/a...

NEW EPISODE. The authors of the new book Cold War Football: A History in Ten Matches join me to talk about the 1955 visit of Yugoslavia to Dalyer. podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/c...

NEW EPISODE Citizen or Lord? The Life of Edward Fitzgerald (with Fergus Whelan and Annie Hughes) podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/c...

Citizen or Lord? The Life of Edward Fitzgerald (with Fergus Whelan and Annie Hughes)

Podcast Episode · Three Castles Burning · 6 June · 1hr 7min

podcasts.apple.com

Well worth a listen - the latest episode of Donal Fallon's blog @3castlesburning.bsky.social in conversation with John Gibney of @ria.ie - discussing The Story of Us open.spotify.com/episode/3ufv...

Back to the Census: The Story of Us (with John Gibney)

open.spotify.com

NEW EPISODE of Three Castles Burning. Thanks to my friend John Gibney (co-editor of new book on 1926 Census) for joining me for a look at the census, from the revolutionary generation to the language in the capital..... threecastlesburning.libsyn.com/back-to-the-...

Three Castles Burning: Back to the Census: The Story of Us (with John Gibney)

John Gibney is co-editor of The Story of Us: Independent Ireland and the 1926 Census. On a sunny day, we sat on a bench dedicated in part to a man you’ll find in that census, and discussed what is in ...

threecastlesburning.libsyn.com

NEW EPISODE of Three Castles Burning. Stephen's Green Shopping Centre: Dandelions and Developers. podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/s... Lots of different opinions on this centre, but the story of the site itself is fascinating and was a bit of a never-ending saga.

So interesting finding the revolutionary generation in the 1926 Census. Dorothy Macardle and Rosamond Jacob's Herbert Place flat is in this return. Dorothy lists herself as 'Free Thinker', Rosamond as 'Belongs to no religious sect.' nationalarchives.ie/collections/...

NEW EPISODE of Three Castles Burning. More Pricks Than Kicks: The Dublin of Samuel Beckett We journey through Clare Street and Westland Row, and from Elvery's sportshop to the 'Slow and Easy' train. Marking the 120th birthday of a true great. podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/m...

New Episode of Three Castles Burning Quiet Revolutionary: The Life of Éamonn Ceannt Described as "probably the least celebrated of the proclamation's seven signatories", Ceannt was an important figure broadly, from trade unionism to traditional music. threecastlesburning.libsyn.com/quiet-revolu...

NEW EPISODE of Three Castles Burning. With Ray O'Donoghue, we're exploring David Bowie's secret 1997 gig at The Factory in Ringsend. It's a journey that brings us through the club landscape of the city at that time. podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/l...

Very much looking forward to this special event! Part of the Dublin Bowie Festival 2026 next week. The story of that secret gig, and Bowie's time in Dublin more broadly. www.dublinbowiefestival.ie/dbfevents202...

David Bowie In Dublin - A LIVE Three Castles Burning PODCAST — DUBLIN BOWIE FESTIVAL 2026

The noted Dublin historian Donal Fallon hosts his Three Castles Burning Podcast live to dissects and discuss the time when David Bowie lived in Dublin, rehearsing in The Factory, clubbing in Andrews L...

dublinbowiefestival.ie

'Gerard Shannon works the archives and sources brilliantly and exhaustively to put flesh on the gaunt features of a man who, in his final hours especially, displayed the courage of his convictions.' ... great review of my new book in today's Irish Independent! m.independent.ie/entertainmen...

Comrades at war: Rory O’Connor, the best man who was sent to the firing squad by his close friend

If the mysteries of history are best resolved by the diligence of scholars in dusty archives, sometimes it’s a single image that ignites the passions.

m.independent.ie

While I posted a new episode today, it seems a good time to remind you of the recent one featuring Brian Kerr. In it, he discussed the extraordinary visit of young Palestinian footballers to Dublin, along with his career. Long live The Greener. 🔴⚪ threecastlesburning.libsyn.com/brian-kerr-i...

Recent fascinating podcast from @3castlesburning.bsky.social on Emmet Grogan's autobiography/memoir Ringolevio - including an 'unreliable narrator' account of an extended stay in 1960's Dublin. As Dónal notes, a book little known in Ireland. threecastlesburning.libsyn.com/before-the-s...

NEW EPISODE of Three Castles Burning. Census City: Dublin 1926. threecastlesburning.libsyn.com/census-city-... An overview of the capital in what was a defining census year. From the on-going reconstruction to a wave of strikes, and from the social revolution of radio to sporting triumphs.

Very happy to contribute to 'The Navvies of North London' which goes out January 2nd on RTE Radio One. Here's a short blog on an incredible diary capturing the 1950s experience of the Irish there: substack.com/home/post/p-...

The Exiled Pint: Building Up and Tearing England Down with Dónall Mac Amhlaigh.

On a great Irish memoir of working and drinking in 1950s Britain.

substack.com

bit steep @3castlesburning.bsky.social

NEW EPISODE of Three Castles Burning. threecastlesburning.libsyn.com/simms-city-w... Community activist Gayle Cullen Doyle and author Eoin O'Broin joined me in Oliver Bond House to talk about Simms, public housing and the past,present & future of the scheme. 'Flats and Cottages' is available now

A new substack, dedicated to the story of the Irish public house. All follows welcome! Today, in memory of Con Houlihan (born 6 December 1925) the story of one of Dublin's most beloved snugs and a drink that never happened. publichousehistory.substack.com/p/the-day-wb...

The day W.B Yeats went to the pub. Now read on.

Today is the centenary of the birth of Con Houlihan, the Castle Island (two words, he insisted) writer.

publichousehistory.substack.com

NEW EPISODE of Three Castles Burning. Cormac Murray is the author of a new study of the US Embassy in Ballsbridge. This building was divisive in its day - both here and abroad - but Cormac places it in its architectural and social context brilliantly. podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/m...

www.independent.ie/opinion/comm...

Donal Fallon: Daring, once more, to dream the impossible dream of an all-Ireland football team

On a street corner in Sandy Row, one of Belfast’s most visited murals has nothing to do with politics, instead commemorating a local boy who rose to the top of his game. In 2018, Eric Cantona proudly ...

independent.ie

There's a lot to learn in the story of Frank Ryan, who went from attacking Armistice Day to partaking in an anti-war demonstration with veterans of the World War. This is really a potted history of the poppy and commemoration of the 'war to end all wars.' www.independent.ie/opinion/comm...

Donal Fallon: ‘Poppygate’ has gone too far – Britain must respect people’s right not to wear the symbol

There are few things you can set your watch by in the news cycle, but Poppygate on our neighbouring island is a reliable certainty every November.

independent.ie

NEW EPISODE. I am completely in awe of what Michael Steen has created with his traditional song calendar. We learn about the hated landlord Lord Leitrim whose funeral at St Michan's turned to chaos, John Twiss and more... podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/l...

Lord Leitrim, John Twiss and the songs of our year (with Michael Steen)

Podcast Episode · Three Castles Burning · 26/10/2025 · 30m

podcasts.apple.com

Thanks for supporting The Dublin Pub which has gone into the bestsellers list upon release. An honour to be there with not one but THREE titles from the legendary Manchán Magan. His loss will be deeply felt for a long time, and I will miss our chance encounters in the Blackpitts and beyond.

A few days ahead of schedule, but delighted to see 'The Dublin Pub' is now widely available in bookshops. If you're picking it up, please support an independent bookshop. You can get it with free post and packaging from thebookshop.ie at shorturl.at/L4iO4

A small fire at the front of the bookshop was started last night after rubbish bags that were awaiting collection were set on fire. The guards don’t have reason at this time to believe it was a targeted attack. Thankfully the damage was limited and everyone is safe. We are open for business as usual