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Recording the Revolution Podcast

In 1972, Harlan J Strauss, a young American PhD student, came to Ireland and interviewed veterans of the Irish independence struggle. Harlan’s tapes offer often unparalleled insights into both the experiences and perceptions of revolutionaries reflecting back on their youth. Now, 50 years later, Conor Mulvagh and Harlan have teamed up to delve into these interviews and get an insight into the mind of an Irish revolutionary.

Heather Delaney, Series Editor
MA Public History at UCD

Photo: Liam McGrath (Scratch Films)

Recording the Revolution: The Harlan Strauss Tapes

Recording the Revolution Podcast (Image by Heather Delaney
Conor Mulvagh and Harlan Strauss. Photo courtesy of Liam McGrath (Scratch Films).
Conor Mulvagh and Harlan Strauss. Photo courtesy of Liam McGrath (Scratch Films).

In 1972, Harlan J Strauss, a young American PhD student, came to Ireland and interviewed veterans of the Irish independence struggle – men and women, at this point in their 70s and 80s, who shared their experiences, sometimes for the first time.
These audio recordings sat in Harlan’s attic in Washington, DC for decades, unpublished and unheard. In 2022, Harlan brought them to Dublin and deposited them at the National Folklore Collection at UCD. This podcast explores the things those people said and how those who lived through the Irish revolution saw it fifty years after the fact.

Harlan’s tapes offer often unparalleled insights into both the experiences and perceptions of revolutionaries reflecting back on their youth. Now, 50 years later, Conor and Harlan have teamed up to delve into these interviews and get an insight into the mind of an Irish revolutionary.

Listen on Apple | Spotify | Soundcloud

Introduction to Recording the Revolution

Heather Delaney in conversation with Dr Conor Mulvagh

In this introductory episode, series editor Heather Delaney (MA Public History UCD) talks to UCD historian Dr Conor Mulvagh and finds out all about the Harlan Strauss tapes and why they are such an important archive for understanding the Irish revolutionary period.

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Episode 1: General Seán MacEoin

Conversation featuring Dr Conor Mulvagh, Harlan Strauss, and Catherine O'Mahony along with clips from Harlan's interview with Seán MacEoin, which was recorded in March 1972

In our first episode of “Recording the Revolution”, Conor and Harlan sit down with Catherine O’Mahony, a producer at Scratch Films. Catherine and Áine O’Neill were working on a project several years ago when a source, Jim Dolan, told them about an interview transcript in his attic. Within days, Catherine and Áine had tracked down the interviewer Harlan Strauss and flew to Berlin to meet him, starting a new chapter in the history of the tapes at the centre of this podcast series. In this episode Conor and Harlan take a look at the extraordinary life of “the Blacksmith of Ballinalee”, General Seán MacEoin who was a key military leader in both the War of Independence, and on the side of the Free State in the Civil War. Seán MacEoin was interviewed by Harlan on 16 March 1972.

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Episode 2: Christopher Brady

In this week’s episode of “Recording the Revolution”, Conor and Harlan pluck their second tape from the archive and discuss Harlan’s illuminating interview with the printer of the Proclamation of the Irish Republic, Christopher “Christy” Brady. Christopher Brady reminisces on his time spent in Liberty Hall, his conversations with James Connolly and the secrecy surrounding the printing of the Proclamation. Christopher Brady was interviewed on 26 March 1972.

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Episode 3: James M Dillon

In this week’s episode of “Recording the Revolution”, Conor and Harlan are taking a look at Harlan’s interview with James M Dillon, the former leader of Fine Gael from 1959 to 1965 and son of the Home Rule MP John Dillon. James Dillon sheds light on what life was like during the Irish Revolutionary period and talks about his time spent in the Dail from the 1930s onwards. James Dillon was interviewed by Harlan on 17 March 1973.

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Episode 4: Maire Comerford

In this week’s episode of “Recording the Revolution”, Conor and Harlan are discussing Harlan’s fascinating interview with Maire Comerford. One of two women who were interviewed by Harlan, Maire played a highly active role in the Irish revolution and can be described as one of the more radical, committed, and persistent revolutionaries from this period. Maire Comerford was interviewed on 14 March 1972.

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Episode 5: Ernest Blythe

In the final episode of “Recording the Revolution”, Conor and Harlan return back to the archive and pluck their final tape, which is Harlan’s interview with Irish politician and managing director of the Abbey Theatre, Ernest Blythe. Ernest Blythe reflects on his early years in the IRB, the role he played in the Free State’s execution of Anti-treaty IRA members and his views on the partition of Ireland. Ernest Blythe was interviewed on 13 March 1972.

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