Podcast
Phenomná
Hosted by Phenomna · EN
From witches to artists to revolutionaries; Phenomná is a feminist history podcast looking at Irish women who have been under represented or written out of mainstream history. It is presented by Maria Butler and Shaunna Lee Lynch who are both very excited to help share the stories of the Irish women who shaped the world we live in today.
10episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Ninette de Valois the doyenne of ballet
Dec 20, 202000:30:54Tap to summarizeThis week I am joined by Andrea Bolger who is talking about Ninette de Valois who was born in Wicklow (under a different but also unusual name) and went on to found the Royal Ballet Company. Listen to learn all about Ninette and her amazing achievements and also to learn how my Mother and definitely not my lack of talent prevented me from becoming a ballerina.... Sources to follow
Transcribe →Lizzie Halliday the serial killer part 2
Dec 7, 202000:50:02Tap to summarizeThis week Morgan finishes our two part episode on Lizzie Halliday. Listen in to hear about how things finally caught up with Lizzie, her trial and ultimate demise Notes/ References Kevin Owens: Killing Time in the Catskills: The twisted tale of the Catskill Ripper Elizabeth "Lizzie" McNally Halliday (2019) Marian Broderick: Wild Irish Women: Extraordinary Lives from History (2012)
Transcribe →Lizzie Halliday the serial killer part 1
Nov 22, 202000:57:21Tap to summarizeThis week we're joined by writer Morgan Ormond for the fist in our two part episode on Lizzie Halliday. Lizzie was a 19th Century arsonist, bigamist, committer of grant theft horse (which is apparently a thing) and serial killer. Listen to hear all about her path of destruction. Notes/ References Kevin Owens: Killing Time in the Catskills: The twisted tale of the Catskill Ripper Elizabeth "Lizzie" McNally Halliday (2019) Marian Broderick: Wild Irish Women: Extraordinary Lives from History (2012)
Transcribe →Maeve Brennan the voice of New York
Nov 9, 202000:37:27Tap to summarizeThis week, guest Mairead Kiernan shares the tale of Maeve Brennan. Maeve was a glamourous and troubled writer who wrote for the New Yorker and Harper's Bazaar during the 1950s, 60s and 70s. A combination of Carrie Bradshaw, Nora Ephron and Grey Gardens, Maeve has seen a recent resurgence of popularity in Irish literary circles. Listen to this week's episode to find out more. Notes/ References Maeve Brennan: Homesick at the New Yorker; Angela Bourke, 2016; The Visitor; Maeve Brennan, 2001 published by New Island Press; Yvonnejerrold.com: Robert Brennan 1881-1964; Irish America: The Troubled Life of Meave Brennan; County Wexford 1916 Commemorative Website: Una Brennan; The New Yorker: Page Turner, A Maeve Brennan Revival?; The Irish Times: Maeve Brennan podcast with her biographer Angela Bourke; The New Yorker: Roddy Doyle reads Life without Children. Music by GeriArt from Pixabay
Transcribe →Bridget Cleary the Fairy Changeling
Oct 26, 202000:59:11Tap to summarizeWe're starting Season Two with a bang as we tell the story of Bridget Cleary who was burned as a fairy changeling in 1895. Turns out we weren't too fond of fairies back in the day. Listen in to hear what led to Bridget's unfortunate demise. Guest co-presenter: Mairead Kiernan Music: Maija Sofia: The wife of Michael Cleary Notes/ References/ Further Reading: Amazon Lore: Black Stockings, 2017; Dictionary of Irish Biography: Cleary, Bridget, Angela Bourke.; Angela Bourke, The burning of Bridget Cleary: a true story (1999); Reading a Woman's Death: Colonial Text and Oral Tradition in Nineteenth-Century Ireland · Angela Bourke · Feminist Studies 21 (3):553 (1995); Library Ireland: Bridget Cleary burned to death, Michael J. McCarthy. Five Years in Ireland. 1901; Magnus Course (2017) Changelings: alterity beyond difference, Folk Life, 55:1, 12-21; McGrath, Thomas. “Fairy Faith and Changelings: The Burning of Bridget Cleary in 1895.” Studies: An Irish Quarterly Review, vol. 71, no. 282, 1982, pp. 178–184; RTE Brainstorm: "Darkest Ireland" and the burning of Bridget Cleary, 22 October 2020; RTE Doc on One: The Burning of Bridget Cleary, 1995; RTE Hidden History: Fairy Wife – The Burning of Bridget Cleary, 2005.
Transcribe →Kit Cavanagh the soldier
Jul 1, 202000:29:48Tap to summarizeKit Cavanagh was a bar owner in Dublin whose husband went out to pay a bill and never came home. A year later, she learned that he had been enlisted in the army so she did what any self respecting wife and mother of three would do.... she dressed up as a man, joined the army and went to try bring him home. Listen to this weeks episode for the rest of her adventure. Notes/ References Wild Irish Women Extraordinary Lives from History by Marion Broderick, https://www.pbfa.org/books/the-life-and-adventures-of-mrs-christian-davies-commonly-called-mother-ross https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Davies https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/abroad/the-crossdresser-from-dublin-who-tricked-the-british-army-1.3544764 https://www.theirishstory.com/2014/12/09/book-review-the-secret-of-kit-cavenaugh-a-remarkable-irish-woman-and-soldier/#.XvDqJJNKjow https://www.encyclopedia.com/women/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/cavanagh-kit-1667-1739
Transcribe →Teresa Deevy the overlooked Abbey playwright
Jun 17, 202000:26:12Tap to summarizeTeresa Deevy was a prolific playwright for the Abbey in the 1930s before going on to write for radio and television in Ireland and the UK. She also happened to turn deaf a decade before radio appeared in Ireland meaning she never heard any of her works performed. Listen to this week's episode to find out more about her "deevious" ways. I accept that is a terrible pun but it's here now and there's nothing you can do about it.... Notes/ References: “The Abbey Dramatists: 1926–1945.” After the Irish Renaissance: A Critical History of the Irish Drama since The Plough and The Stars, by Robert Hogan, NED - New edition ed., University of Minnesota Press, 1967, pp. 21–51. Murray, Christopher. “THE FOUNDATION OF THE MODERN IRISH THEATRE: A CENTENARY ASSESSMENT.” Hungarian Journal of English and American Studies (HJEAS), vol. 4, no. 1/2, 1998, pp. 39–56. Jordan, John. “Teresa Deevy: An Introduction.” University Review, vol. 1, no. 8, 1956, pp. 13–26. Irish Times: 25 fearless women who helped shape today’s Ireland O'Doherty, Martina Ann. “Teresa Deevy and ‘Wife to James Whelan.’” Irish University Review, vol. 25, no. 1, 1995, pp. 25–28. Walshe, Eibhear. “Lost Dominions: European Catholicism and Irish Nationalism in the Plays of Teresa Deevy.” Irish University Review, vol. 25, no. 1, 1995, pp. 133–142. Teresa Deevey: the overlooked Irish playwright http://waterfordireland.tripod.com/teresa_deevy,_playrig.htm Teresa Deevy Archive: http://deevy.nuim.ie/about
Transcribe →Mother Jones, the most dangerous woman in America
Jun 9, 202000:37:12Tap to summarizeAfter tragically losing all of her children to yellow fever, Cork woman Mary Harris became the mother of a movement. She mobilized tens of thousands of workers all over the US to strike, unionize and fight against harsh working conditions, labor exploitation, inequality and class warfare. Persistent in her mission to unite workers of all races, men, women and children, her home became "anywhere there is a fight". The name 'Mother Jones' brought fear and dread to the wealthy land owners as she became known as 'the most dangerous woman in America'. Hear the full story of this hell-raiser now. References/Notes: https://motherjonescork.com/about/ https://aflcio.org/about/history/labor-history-people/mother-jones https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/mary-harris-jones https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/abroad/mary-harris-who-became-mother-jones-the-united-states-fiercest-union-organiser-1.3017717 https://www.motherjonesmuseum.org/information/who-was-mother-jones/ https://www.biography.com/activist/mother-jones https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/lifestyle/features/mary-harris-the-cork-girl-who-grew-up-to-become-the-most-dangerous-woman-in-america-875279.html Autobiography of Mother Jones By Mary Harris Jones
Transcribe →Zandra Mitchell- Ireland's first professional saxophone player
May 26, 202000:29:19Tap to summarizeZandra Mitchell led the type of life that doesn't seem real. She left Ireland at a young age and toured all around the globe as a jazz musician. She shared the stage with jazz legends and lived the interwar jazz lifestyle. She was also one of only forty Irish citizens in Germany for World War Two. Life is a cabaret old chum, so put on your pearls, pour your whiskey and come learn about Zandra's extraordinary life. Notes/ References https://www.herstory.ie/news/2019/8/29/zandra-jospehine-alexandra-mitchell https://presspack.rte.ie/2016/07/01/the-lyric-feature-162/ https://www.thejournal.ie/zandra-irish-saxophonist-2496617-Dec2015/ https://soundcloud.com/the-lyric-feature/zandra-a-sentimental-journey https://www.jazzireland.ie/blog/jazz-news/397-an-original-play-about-an-extraordinary-woman-of-jazz.html https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/phibsboro-philharmonic-frank-mcnally-on-a-famous-dublin-musical-family-1.4157912 https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/homes-and-property/new-to-market/coolmore-horse-haven-by-the-ocean-in-breezy-donegal-for-2m-1.3558978 https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/theatre-arts/zandra-queen-of-jazz-extraordinary-story-of-an-irishwomans-journey-through-life-with-a-sax-38716299.html https://www.allaboutjazz.com/zandra-queen-of-jazz-at-smock-alley-theatre-alexandra-josephine-mitchell
Transcribe →Lizzie Le Blond, Mountaineer
May 19, 202000:30:36Tap to summarizeThis week Shaunna tells us all about Lizzie LeBlond who left a luxurious life in Greystones to become one of the world's first female mountaineers. She traveled to great heights especially considering that she didn't even know how to put on her own boots when she set out. Reese Witherspoon eat your heart out Notes/ Further Reading: County Wicklow Heritage: A Wicklow Woman's War Women's Museum of Ireland: Elizabeth Lizzie LeBlond Irish Times: Greystones woman climbed mountains in a skirt so not to offend Irish Times: The Greystones woman who climbed the Alps in long skirts to avoid scandal The Royal Parks, Brompton Graveyard: Elizabeth le Blond Into the Jaws of Death: British Military Blunders, 1879–1900 by Mike Snook
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