Phenomná
Phenomná

Phenomná

Phenomna

Overview
Episodes

Details

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.

Recent Episodes

Ninette de Valois the doyenne of ballet
DEC 20, 2020
Ninette de Valois the doyenne of ballet
This 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
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30 MIN
Lizzie Halliday the serial killer part 2
DEC 7, 2020
Lizzie Halliday the serial killer part 2

This 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)

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50 MIN
Lizzie Halliday the serial killer part 1
NOV 22, 2020
Lizzie Halliday the serial killer part 1
This 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)
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57 MIN
Maeve Brennan the voice of New York
NOV 9, 2020
Maeve Brennan the voice of New York

This 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


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37 MIN
Bridget Cleary the Fairy Changeling
OCT 26, 2020
Bridget Cleary the Fairy Changeling

We'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.


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59 MIN