The podcast about all things 17th century
Jan. 3, 2024

Episode 6: An Irish Epic

Episode 6: An Irish Epic

After James II was deposed and replaced by the Protestant William and Mary in 1688, he began a military campaign in Ireland, from where he hoped to launch a bid to regain his crown. But the Jacobite armies were defeated, ending James's hopes and...

After James II was deposed and replaced by the Protestant William and Mary in 1688, he began a military campaign in Ireland, from where he hoped to launch a bid to regain his crown. But the Jacobite armies were defeated, ending James's hopes and starting a period of Protestant domination in Ireland. 

Historian Pádraig Lenihan of the University of Galway has uncovered a fascinating account of the Williamite Wars in Ireland - the Poema de Hibernia, an epic poem written in Latin by an anonymous Jacobite who was imprisoned after the defeat. Pádraig joins Paul and Miranda to discuss the 17th-century conflict in Ireland, and to describe how he rescued this crucial primary source from archival obscurity.

The Poema de Hibernia: a Jacobite Latin Epic on the Williamite Wars, edited by Pádraig Lenihan and Keith Sidwell, is published by the Irish Manuscripts Commission. 

'1666 and All That' is presented by Paul Lay and Miranda Malins. The producer is Hugh Costello. Original music by George Taylor. The episode is mixed by Sam Gunn.