Irish Lives in Victorian London: History and Influence

Irish History Podcast

Fin Dwyer

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

4.7 • 1.6K Ratings

🗓️ 11 December 2024

⏱️ 45 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Victorian London was a city of immense wealth, but also shocking poverty. The historian Jerry White described it as "a metropolis of wealth, grandeur, culture, and sophistication alongside a hell of starving, degrading, and heart-rending poverty." The largest city in the world at the time, London was also home to tens of thousands of Irish emigrants. While there was a wealthy Irish elite, the vast majority were poor labourers.

While surviving the daily grind of life in the slums of the Victorian city, they also faced suspicion and racism.

In this podcast, historian Breda Corish shares their stories based on her research in the Whitechapel area of the city.

A graduate of University College London, Breda's research focuses on the Irish in London over the centuries. You can read her work on her website www.irishlondonhistory.com. Follow her on social media at @N16Breda on Twitter and BlueSky @n16breda.bsky.social.

Support the show at www.patreon.com/irishpodcast

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

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Do you know who's watching you?
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0:07.0	In a world dominated by AI, two unlikely allies join forces to uncover corruption and murder at the highest levels.
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0:20.1	Readers are calling it compelling and a taut thriller for our times.
0:24.2	Palisade by Lou Gilmonde.
0:26.3	Get your copy today and make sure no one's watching.
0:36.9	Most Irish people have strong links to London. I think nearly every family on the island has friends or relations who live there.
0:45.6	Now most of these links come from the generations who left Ireland in the 1950s and 1980s. However, buried beneath their stories is the history of the Irish in Victorian London,
0:56.7	which was one of the largest and fastest growing cities in the world at the time.
1:01.3	Now, while the Irish had been in the city for centuries, the community expanded rapidly
1:06.0	in the Victorian era, not least because of the great hunger of the 1840s.
1:13.2	Now, the plight of the poor Irish in particular was a difficult one in Victorian London. The historian, Gerry White, has described the city
1:19.3	as a metropolis of wealth, grandeur, cultural and sophistication, alongside a hell of starving, degrading,
1:27.4	and heart-rendering poverty.
1:29.8	While the daily grind of surviving in this city for the poor was a difficult one,
1:35.0	the Irish also faced suspicion and racism,
1:37.9	and in this podcast, historian Breedah Corish shares their fascinating stories.
1:54.2	Hello and welcome to the Irish History podcast. My name is Finn DeWire.
1:57.4	Now this episode is the last show of 2024.
2:03.1	And while it's not exactly Christmassy, I'm pretty sure you don't tune into this podcast for a dose of festive cheer, but I can guarantee you today's show is a fascinating one. My guest
2:09.8	is Breedah Khorish, a historian and recent graduate of University College London. Breeda, as you'll
	...

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