From Cork to Bermuda: An Irishwoman's Life in the British Army
Irish History Podcast
Fin Dwyer
4.7 • 1.8K Ratings
🗓️ 2 June 2020
⏱️ 32 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Through the 18th and 19th century, large numbers of Irishmen served in the British Army. However there were also many Irishwomen whose lives were interwoven with the military. While not soldiers they became part of the army through marriage to members of the regiments stationed in Ireland. This lead to unusual and captivating lives.
In this episode I interview historian Dr Aoife Bhreatnach about a Cork woman called Bridget Kent who married a British Army soldier. Aoife gives great insights into the life of Bridget who was born in Fermoy in 1859 but after her marriage to a soldier her life changed dramatically. Aoife gives vivid details about the incredible travels she engaged in which took Bridget from Egypt to Bermuda, but also what life was like when she returned home to an Ireland where attitudes towards the British Army were changing during the First World War and the War of Independence.
Aoife has her own podcast Censored - which looks at the history of banned books in Ireland. Check out Censored here.
She also has a great blog Garrison towns
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Transcript
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| 0:36.0 | two-k girl like no time I'm I'm next |
| 0:39.2 | tell them you're fine. Hello and this is from Cork to Bermuda and back, an Irish woman's life in the British Army. |
| 0:54.3 | Through the 18th and 19th century, large numbers of Irish men served in the British Army, |
| 0:58.8 | however, there was also lots of Irish women whose lives were interwoven with the military. While not soldiers they became part of the army through marriage to members of regiments stationed in Ireland. This led to unusual and captivating lives. In this episode I interview historian Dr. Ifa Vernock about a cork |
| 1:16.7 | woman called Bridget Kent who married a British Army soldier. |
| 1:20.3 | Efa gives us great insights into the life of Bridget who was born in |
| 1:24.8 | Fermoy in 1859 but after her marriage to a soldier her life changed dramatically |
| 1:30.3 | Epha also gives vivid details about the incredible travels Bridget Kent engaged on, which took her from |
| 1:36.4 | Egypt to Bermuda, but also what life was like when she returned home to an Ireland where |
| 1:41.3 | attitudes towards the British Army were changing during the First World War and the War of Independence. |
| 1:47.0 | While all this is ahead of us, if you want to get even more content, the patrons only series which is based on chapters from my book Life in Medieval Ireland |
| 1:54.6 | starts again after a couple of weeks of a hiatus with a double episode this week. |
| 1:59.2 | If you want to get that episode and support the show. Check out Patreon.com |
| 2:04.8 | forward slash Irish podcast that's Patreon dot com forward slash Irish |
| 2:09.5 | podcast you can also support the show by checking out the shop at Irish History |
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