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Irish History Podcast

Emily Anderson: The Forgotten Irish Bletchley Park Code Breaker

Irish History Podcast

Fin Dwyer

Ireland, Irish History, Norman Invasion, Great Hunger, Vikings, Interviews, History, War Of Independence, Great Famine

4.71.6K Ratings

🗓️ 2 October 2024

⏱️ 44 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In this captivating episode of the Irish History Podcast, Jackie Ni Chionna joins me to discuss the remarkable but forgotten Irish woman, Emily Anderson. Emily was an Irish code breaker who played a pivotal role at Bletchley Park during World War II. Despite her significant contributions to the Allied war effort, Emily has been forgotten in the wider history of the Second World War.


In 2023, Jackie published "Queen of Codes," a biography of Anderson. In this episode, she shares the life and legacy of this extraordinary Irish woman, exploring her journey from the west of Ireland to the heart of Britain's top-secret code-breaking operations.

Jackie vividly brings Emily Anderson's story to life, shedding light on her invaluable work and the challenges she faced in the male-dominated world of military intelligence.


Tune in to discover the untold story of an unsung hero of World War II.


You can get Jackie's book in audio, ebook, and hardcopy here.

Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/irishhistory.



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcript

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0:00.0

Hello I'm Kay Adams from the How to Be 60 podcast and I'm Karen Mackenzie.

0:04.3

Our podcast has been paid partnership with the Department for Work and Pensions.

0:08.6

Now, Carrie, let's be honest, people our age and a bit older can be a bit resistant to advice.

0:14.4

Well there is a way of saying things isn't there and especially if it's I mean really important.

0:19.8

Well on that note this is important.

0:22.7

Thousands of people over the age of 66

0:25.1

are missing out on pension credit

0:27.5

worth on average of 3,900 pounds a year.

0:31.1

Plus they could also be entitled to the winter fuel payment or equivalent in Scotland

0:36.0

if they apply by December the 21st. Help a family member or friend check their eligibility

0:42.4

by searching pension credit on Gov. UK.

0:45.8

UK.

0:46.8

The

0:47.8

The Bletchley Park is famous for being the headquarters of British code-breaking during the Second World War.

1:00.0

Although it was shrouded in secrecy during the conflict, many people who worked there, such as Alan Turing, have become celebrated historical figures since.

1:10.0

However, one person who played a key role at Bletchley that rarely receives acknowledgement

1:16.1

is the Irish woman, Emily Anderson.

1:19.1

Born in Galway in 1891, she went on to become one of the most senior and prolific co-breakers of the Second

1:26.3

World War.

1:27.6

She played a decisive role in Allied victories in North Africa, yet Anderson's efforts are rarely discussed in wider conversations about Bletchley Park or the Second World War.

1:38.0

However, last year the Irish historian Jackie Nikionne Kionna published a biography of Anderson called Queen of codes and in

1:46.1

this episode Jackie shares Anderson's extraordinary but forgotten life.

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