This week on the Shrapnel Podcast we are joined by Professor Olwen Purdue, who specialises in the social and economic history of nineteenth and twentieth-century Ireland. Her research focuses on poverty, welfare and public health in the industrial city. Olwen is the founder and Director of the Centre for Public History at Queen’s University Belfast. Olwen was also specialist historical […]
Craig Murray is curator for the Duxford historical site at the Imperial War Museum Duxford, working within the Cold War and Late 20th Century team. His main specialism, apart from the history of RAF Duxford, is the Troubles in Northern Ireland. He is currently planning and researching the IWM’s 2023 Northern Ireland exhibition. In this episode Craig talks about the […]
This week’s guest is author and historian Iain Turner. Iain rose to prominence with the website Balaclava Street in which he produced forensic and in-depth essays on paramilitary loyalism, most notably the UVF. Iain is currently authoring a history of the organisation and has been given unprecedented access to former members of senior rank. In this conversation Iain talks about […]
(Note: The lads open the podcast with their thoughts on the death of Queen Elizabeth, interview starts at minute 10 approx) Eddie Kinner is a former loyalist prisoner and political activist. He was arrested and charged as a teenager in 1975 and became politically educated in Long Kesh under the guidance of Gusty Spence. He was heavily involved in the […]
In Episode 4 of The Shrapnel Podcast and we are joined by Sarah Creighton, who is in her own words, an on hiatus solicitor, writer and political commentator. She has written for the Guardian, Belfast Telegraph and Slugger O’Toole. On this episode Sarah chats all things Unionism, identity, commemorations and class issues. She also talks about the cost of living […]
Paul Wilson is the son of the late SDLP politician Senator Paddy Wilson. Senator Wilson and his Protestant friend Irene Andrews were brutally murdered by the UFF in June 1973. In this episode Paul talks about growing up as the son of a politician as the Troubles exploded, his experiences of sectarianism, the profound dangers of toxic political rhetoric both […]
It may be episode 2, but it’s the first guest! Hosts Sam McIlwaine and Gareth Mulvenna are joined by the Deputy Leader of the Ulster Unionist Party, and MLA, Robbie Butler. Robbie discusses his working class roots, growing up in Loyalist housing estates and his uncomfortable personal relationship in owning the label ‘loyalist’. He chats about the NI Protocol and […]
Shrapnel is the podcast that looks at pieces of the past in Northern Ireland. Hosted by Sam McIlwaine and Gareth Mulvenna, we aim to bring you the voices and conversations that aren’t given a platform by the mainstream media. In this introductory episode, Sam and Gareth are joined by tortoise shack producer, Tony Groves, to discuss the ambitions and goals […]