Introducing: Irish Spirits

We're back! For one night, and one night only...and for a devilishly good time!Chatting all things satanic, we have reunited for a one-off special this Halloween to chat all things the devil in Ireland! Of course paired with a specially crafted cocktail by our phantom bartender, Alex - he concocted a more palatable version of a 'scaltheen'  A drink that would make the Hellfire Club themselves proud, they featured heavily in this episode alongside 'satanic panic' in Ireland, will o' the wisps and of course, Loftus Hall!We wanted to thank each and every listener who have supported us since 2020 and hope that our little world of ghosts, folklore and drinking have entertained you over the years xAs ever, below is a smattering of the sources used and if want/need anymore information from us, please don't hesitate to contact us at [email protected] Laura: @seekthehistoricFor Caoimhe: @caoimhecreedFor Alex: @alex_buckley88Sources included: Season 1, Episode XI of podcast, Dublin's Historic Southpunchdrink.comThe Irish Independentstoriesfromthewaterside.ieThe card players and the devil, Eilis Ni Anluain Dúchas.ieThe Devil as Depicted on High Crosses, T.H. MasonModern Tarot, Michelle TeaA Magical Course in Tarot, Michelle MorganSpooks and spooks: Black magic and bogeymen in Northern Ireland, 1973-74, Richard JenkinsSupport the show

It's our Season 2 finale!!! And we thought we'd end it with a bang taking on a juggernaut of Irish folklore - The Leprechaun!In what was paired with a fittingly novelty cocktail, this episode delved into the story behind the sprightly little miser and how he's perceived today.  From throwing babies on the floor to discovering he has a degenerate cousin, we hit nearly every corner of Ireland following the legacy of the leprechaun...or is it lúchorpán...or leathbhrógán....yea we covered it all!The tale of this prankster needed an equally childish drink...enter Lucky Charm cereal infused milk paired with póitín (of course) and whiskey (also of course) - surprisingly nice, it gave us a sugar high that brought us 'away with the fairies' - you can catch the recipe on our Instagram @irishspiritspodcastYou can also catch us on Twitter: @irishspiritspod & reach out to us at: [email protected] of course to our ads:  F**k My Work Life Podcast & NeatCast & new additions: Playlist Wars & Scottish Murders... Check the guys out, they are awesome!Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/irishspirits)Thank you to everyone who has listened to our ramblings the last two seasons, we hope you enjoyed it as much as we did making it - Caoimhe, Laura & AlexUnlike the leprechaun, where we got our tales from were a bit clearer: When Disney Met Delargy: Darby O’ Gill and the Folklore Commission & Irish Time, Thomas Crofton Croker Fairy Legend of Southern Ireland, https://www.jstor.org/stable/41412207,  https://www.jstor.org/stable/1259500,  The Elusive Elf: Some Thoughts on the nature and origin of the Irish Leprechaun, John J. Winberry, Diffordsguide.com, Wikipedia, Duchas.ie, https://folklorethursday.com/legends/leprechaun-harmless-hoarder-malevolent-miser/, https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-49579940, https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49388972-leprechaun-s-legacy, https://www.irelandbeforeyoudie.com/top-ten-fascinating-things-you-never-knew-about-leprechauns/, https://www.irishpost.com/news/leprechaun-myth-exposed-165245, http://carlingfordandcooleypeninsula.ie/attractions-carlingford-cooley-peninsula/carlingford-leprechaun-fairy-cavern, https://www.irishcentral.com/news/notre-dame-defends-offensive-fighting-irish-leprechaun & https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/people/the-louvre-of-leprechauns-1.635590 Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/irishspirits)Support the show

We hope you had a great spooky season! In a return to our usual haunted content, we decided to revisit the haunted castles of Ireland! In what was Haunted Castles P.2: Apple of my Evil Eye, we focused on everything from disruptive ghosts to enchanted orchards - the latter inspired our phantom bartender Alex to concoct an apple-heavy cocktail, you can catch the recipe on our Instagram @irishspiritspodcast You can also catch us on Twitter: @irishspiritspod & reach out to us at: [email protected] of course to our ads:  F**k My Work Life Podcast & NeatCast & new addition: Scottish Murders... Check the guys out, they are awesome! &Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/irishspirits)We deep-dived into the masonry used to construct buildings with dark histories from kissing stones to evil eyes and keeping us safe from bad juju, the sources we consulted were: https://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/theres-a-ghost-in-my-house-26328545.html, https://www.irishcentral.com/travel/haunted-castles-offaly, https://coolmaterial.com/travel/irish-haunted-castle/, https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/travel/arid-40730631.html, https://www.kinnittycastlehotel.com/history.html, https://www.historyireland.com/early-modern-history-1500-1700/some-days-two-heads-and-some-days-four/, Wikipedia, https://pilgrimagemedievalireland.com/tag/evil-eye-stone-at-kilkea-castle/, https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/travel/ireland/a-haunting-we-will-go-1.764580, https://www.ilovelimerick.ie/glin-castle-hauntings, https://www.jstor.org/stable/20567540, https://blackwatercastlecorkdotorg.wordpress.com/2012/11/21/haunted-castle/, http://kilkennygraveyards.blogspot.com/2016/10/grannagh-granny-or-grandison-castle.html, & https://www.glin-castle.com/history/,  Blarneycastle.ie, https://dailyscribbling.com/the-secret-life-of-irish-castles/blarney-castle-the-truth-behind-the-myth/, Legends, Charms and Superstitions of Ireland - Lady Wilde. , https://www.connollycove.com/legendary-castles-ireland/, Loomis, R. S. “The Irish Origin of the Grail Legend.” Speculum, vol. 8, no. 4, https://www.jstor.org/stable/2855884?read-now=1&refreqid=excelsior%3Aa416c71ecab84379e76d3cbd983dee98&seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents, Diffordsguide.com & cockagee.ieSupport the show

In a very different direction for the show, we delved into literary history (both Laura & Caoimhe were delighted!) and just how haunted writers of the Victorian period were...Focusing predominantly on occultists, we dived into palmistry, automatic writing & clairvoyance in 19th century Ireland. 'Honey, I Contacted the Dead' couldn't be any more apt as we look at famous Irish writers and their clairvoyant wives...from predicting the demise of the Titanic to constantly trying to contact Oscar Wilde (why wouldn't you) we decided to embrace our inner Victorian dandy with a whiskey based cocktail complete with an absinthe wash...yea, we didn't have too many! One of the strongest drinks we've had, Alex tried to incite his own third eye and his recipe can be found on our Instagram @irishspiritspodcastYou can also catch us on Twitter: @irishspiritspod & reach out to us at: [email protected] of course to our ads:  F**k My Work Life Podcast & NeatCast & new addition: Scottish Murders... Check the guys out, they are awesome!  &Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/irishspirits)Helping us make contact this time around we sourced our information from: https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/books/wb-150/magic-myth-and-secrecy-wb-yeats-and-the-occult-31207213.html, https://www.rochester.edu/pr/Review/V61N1/feature3.html, Oscar Wilde, Photography and Cultures of Spiritualism: “The most magical of mirrors” - Eleanor Dobson, https://www.culturenorthernireland.org/features/literature/arthur-conan-doyles-spiritualist-visit-belfast, https://www.bloomsandbarnacles.com/blog/2019/04/22/mahamanvantara, Cocktail Codex, https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/dark-glimpses-into-occultism-in-dublin-1.1859344, https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/literature-and-the-politics-of-postvictorian-decadence/irish-decadence-occultism-and-sacrificial-myth/B095A6186A8FA3039D21158D0747C491, https://victorianweb.org/victorian/religion/birch.html, https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/priest-warns-of-childrens-obsession-with-occult-26396972.html, https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/art-and-design/delving-into-the-arcane-the-legacy-of-%C3%A6-s-hidden-murals-1.1853925 & https://www.totallydublin.ie/arts-culture/arts-culture-features/a-modern-panarion-glimpses-occult-dublin/Support the show

Green fingers at the ready, this episode was all about Hedgewitches & Herbalists washed down with Alex's twist on a classic Gin & TonicWe dived into the world of Ireland's herbalists of yore from featuring witches like Biddy Early and her 'blue bottle' to giving you an alternative cure for warts - this episode was rooted in the 19th century. We chatted about witch vs. priest showdowns and what exactly a modern day hedge witch is...we couldn't resist the name! A more earthly take on a subject meant we kicked it old school (so we wouldn't get as whopper a hangover again) with a cocktail crafted  by our very own Alex - his recipe can be found on our Instagram @irishspiritspodcastYou can also catch us on Twitter: @irishspiritspod & reach out to us at: [email protected] of course to our ads:  F**k My Work Life Podcast & NeatCast ... Check the guys out, they are awesome! &Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/irishspirits)Digging around for sources meant we stumbled upon: https://www.echolive.ie/wow/arid-40178592.html, https://www.historyireland.com/18th-19th-century-history/feakles-biddy-early-a-victim-of-moral-panic/, JSTOR, Wikipedia, https://www.rte.ie/archives/2017/1017/912938-wexford-witches/, Eamonn Kelly on spiritual middens for Archaeology Ireland, https://www.learnreligions.com/hedge-witch-4768392, Irish cursing and the Art of Magic, 1750-2018 - Thomas Waters, Discworld wiki, Duchas , https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2020/0706/1151667-piseogs-ireland-folklore-evil-magic-spells/, https://www.irishamerica.com/2016/08/wild-irish-women-biddy-early-1798-1872-2/, What is Irish Witchcraft? By Lora O’Brien on youtube, https://teaandrosemary.com/hedge-witch/, UCD National Folklore Collection, Diffordsguide.com & Cocktail codexSupport the show

Our mid-season break is over!! After a little R&R we came back with one of our creepiest episodes yet, all about Our Lady's Hospital/St Kevin's/ Cork Lunatic Asylum in Shanakiel, Cork. Why so creepy? We had for the first time, in person anecdotes - special guest: Matt from the Cork Supernatural Society. Matt very kindly joined us to regale us with past investigations at the site and the interview can be heard in the Anecdotes section of the show! Follow their journeys in Cork and indeed across the country via their Facebook page & Instagram @corksupernaturalsocietyWe chatted everything from Foucault's 'Madness & Civilisation' to the infamous 'swing' prescribed to cure mental illness courtesy of a one William Saunders Hallaran - the inspiration behind this episode's title & cocktail crafted by our very own Alex (his recipe can be found on our Instagram @irishspiritspodcast)You can also catch us on Twitter: @irishspiritspod & reach out to us at: [email protected] of course to our ads:  F**k My Work Life Podcast & NeatCast ... Check the guys out, they are awesome! & Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/irishspirits)This Irish version of a Singapore Sling (Laura's absolute favourite) was strong...but we needed it, as we delved into the horror from this era of confinement - some which continued right up until the 21st century... To shed light on our own research the sources we used were: Lunatic Asylum Records - Kindred Lines - Fiona FitzsimonsThe Ghosts of Institutionalization at Pennhurst’s Haunted Asylum - Emily Smith BeitiksWhy Are Asylums Scary? - Troy Rondinone P.H.D. (Psychology Today), Scary asylums are a Halloween classic, but it’s time to retire the trope - Troy Rondinone (The Washington Post)https://oldmooresalmanac.com/haunted-cork/, Cork Supernatural Society, https://stfinanshospital.com/historical-timeline-of-st-finans-hospital/treating-the-insane/, https://stfinanshospital.com/uncategorized/killarney-district-lunatic-asylum/, https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/the-asylum/202103/dark-places-our-history-asylum-tourism, punch.com, Wikipedia, https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/travel/arid-40071761.html, https://www.irishcentral.com/roots/history/st-kevins-asylum-apartments-cork, https://www.facebook.com/irelandandpegscottage/posts/haunted-mental-asylum-in-corkeglinton-asylum-stands-in-the-shanakiel-area-of-cor/2382333088498226/, https://www.jstor.org/stable/community.24722081?Search=yes&resultItemClick=true&searchText=&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Dhallaran%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don%26fc%3Doff%26group%3Dnone%26refreqid%3Dsearch%253Ae26b337b17ea720d90a4a1d2a8d8efe5&ab_segments=0%2Fbasic_search_gsv2%2Fcontrol&refreqid=fastly-default%3A398c436c49ac16871b5b7aeb5f0092c4&seq=1 , https://www.thejournal.ie/st-kevins-building-mental-hospital-history-3479819-Jul2017/, https://darkemeraldtales.wordpress.com/2014/02/24/five-haunted-places-to-visit-in-cork-city/, http://www.hauntedhovel.com/eglintonasylum.html, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbcVVLpMkn8, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hZLd-5KOrI, https://oldmooresalmanac.com/haunted-cork/, https://extra.ie/2017/07/06/news/irish-news/video-arsonists-suspected-of-burning-down-corks-haunted-buildings, https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/no-defence-of-the-dirt-at-st-kevin-s-1.273255, http://www.abandonedireland.com/skv.html  & https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1068/p3403ed (Caoimhghin S Bhreatnach) Support the show

This week's cocktail may be a tongue twister but it went down so easy...too easy you might say!Which was good because we were finally reunited in person!! If that means our audio is a little off it is because we were back in Caoimhe's kitchen! This week we headed back to the water and dove into the world of sea & lake monsters in Ireland.  From the Irish version of the kelpie to giant demonic eels, what lurks beneath the dark waters made us think twice about for going for a dip...the joys of living on an island - you're surrounded by themBut what we also discovered is that the Irish come across sea serpents no matter where they go! And as we are well and truly haunted when it comes to such marine exploration we washed it all down with a whiskey heavy cocktail crafted by our very own Alex, his recipe can be found on our Instagram @irishspiritspodcast You can also catch us on Twitter: @irishspiritspod & reach out to us at: [email protected] shout-out to F**k My Work Life Podcast & NeatCast - our first ever ads!! Check the guys out they are awesome!Note to selves, stick to the rivers and the lakes that you're used to...and good, reliable sources like: Mysterious Creatures: A Guide to Cryptozoology, George M. Eberhart, Historicuk.com https://www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/The-Kelpie/, Emerald Isle.ie https://emeraldisle.ie/index.php?p=the-water-horse, Duchas.ie, https://www.shamrockgift.com/blog/irish-folklore-water-monsters/, The Water Horse, Legends in Ireland - Annaba Kilfeather, Library Ireland https://www.libraryireland.com/SocialHistoryAncientIreland/III-XXIV-3.php, https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/food-and-drink/the-mermaids-putting-valentia-island-on-the-map-for-vermouth-1.4555882, https://www.diffordsguide.com/beer-wine-spirits/category/52/vermouth, http://currachwhiskey.com/about/, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-33849570 , https://www.irishpost.com/news/loch-ness-monster-giant-eel-scientists-claim-170945, https://www.rte.ie/archives/exhibitions/2770-weird-and-wonderful/682212-hunting-for-monsters-in-connemara/ , https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna51765199 , https://www.thesun.ie/news/5318531/loch-ness-official-sighting-irishman/ , https://www.history.com/topics/folklore/loch-ness-monster , https://www.irelandbeforeyoudie.com/irelands-loch-ness-monster-spotted-in-county-clare/, https://zeenews.india.com/news/science/loch-ness-like-monster-spotted-in-northern-ireland-river_846007.html, https://www.thejournal.ie/evening-longread-54-5299898-Dec2020/, https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-news/loch-ness-monster-ireland-students-1868575, Wikipedia,  https://www.shamrockgift.com/blog/irish-folklore-water-monsters/ &  https://christchurchartgallery.org.nz/blog/collection/2005/12/st-brendan-and-the-sea-monsters-by-robert-gibbingsSupport the show

We are finally back!! Minus ghostly intrusions, thank all of the ghouls...and we are back with a very indulgent cocktail...The Hotel In-SpectreWhether hotels remind you of summer holidays, your own indulgence or just a place to rest your head, we made a point in this episode that sleeping is beside point as we trundled through some of the most haunted hotels in Ireland! Get your notebooks ready if you're planning a trip to the Emerald Isle or indeed a staycation within it - if a spooky stay is what you are after... we needed a boozy tipple for this one and our very own resident bartender Alex delivered! Vodka and ice-cream, yes please - check out the recipe over on our Instagram @irishspiritspodcastTwitter: @irishspiritspod & reach out to: [email protected] shout-out to F**k My Work Life Podcast & NeatCast - our first ever ads!! Check the guys out they are awesome!From freaky faucets to WB Yeats' badass wife, we delved into anecdotes of guests wanting to check out as fast as they could and encountering every kind of spectre imaginable...to help us on out our room service options were: https://www.originalirishhotels.com/news/ghostly-tales-of-irish-castles, Haunted.ie , https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/travel/2019/1030/1087441-6-of-the-worlds-most-haunted-places/, https://www.castleleslie.com/accomodation/the-red-room/ , https://www.ballyseedecastle.com/, https://www.spookyisles.com/haunted-places-killarney/,  https://spiritedisle.ie/explore-listing/the-commodore-hotel/, https://www.irelandbeforeyoudie.com/the-most-haunted-places-in-ireland/ , https://www.hauntedrooms.co.uk/haunted-hotels/ireland , https://evoke.ie/2020/10/01/life-style/travelnews/seven-haunted-hotels-ireland,  https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-10-05/how-haunted-hotels-turn-terror-into-cash, https://www.cntraveler.com/gallery/haunted-hotels-around-the-world, travelmyth.ie, theirishmirror.ie, renvyle.com, https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/an-irishman-s-diary-1.132828 , https://daily.jstor.org/wb-yeats-live-in-spirit-medium/, https://www.hauntedrooms.co.uk/product/renvyle-house-hotel-galway-ireland, https://www.diffordsguide.com/cocktails/recipe/2624/death-by-chocolate, https://punchdrink.com/articles/appeal-of-cream-liqueurs-baileys-rumchata/, https://punchdrink.com/articles/about-those-classic-ice-cream-drinks-pink-squirrel-cocktail-recipe/ & https://www.bevindustry.com/articles/91685-cream-liqueur-brands-have-opportunity-for-growthSupport the show

Welcome to Irish Spirits, a fortnightly podcast about folklore and drinking, a natural Venn diagram of Irish culture. Hosted by writer - Caoimhe Creed, historian - Laura Fitzachary and alcohol aficionado -  Alex Buckley, each week we will have a theme. Whether it’s ghosts, fairies or mythical creatures, we will discuss the stories and lore, all while drinking a themed cocktail made by our phantom bartender - Alex! His recipes can be found on Instagram @irishspiritspodcast  just before the show is live - so you can drink along with us...please drink responsibly!You can also catch us on Twitter @irishspiritspodSupport the show

What … no cocktail?!?!  Sadly we tried and tried to record this week’s episode but the connection was well and truly haunted !! So instead, please enjoy our mini-episode ‘The Interference Interlude’,  recorded across the country and narrated by our very own Laura! All three of us added to this episode chatting all things ghostly interference - I know we're hilarious... While we pondered how humanity is too reliant on computers, we washed down this brief interlude with - a pilsner from a Curious Society , a blackberry bramble seltzer from Killowen Distillery & the ‘Bucket & Spade’ IPA from Kinnegar BreweryAll great choices if you ask us! And just as delicious to drink along with us - albeit with just a little less banter! Normal business resumes (we promise!) on the very fitting Friday the 13th of August! Stay tuned…To help with the static of it all, our sources were: www.fortified-places.com, Billy Colfer's 'The Hook Peninsula: County Wexford', Annaleigh  Margey's 'The 1641 Depositions and the Irish Rebellion', 'Wexford Echo — Conservation plan for Duncannon Fort,' 'Duncannon invaded for military re-enactment' - www.independent.ie, Wikipedia, https://www.independent.ie/regionals/goreyguardian/news/ghosthunters-claim-entity-haunts-fort-27349182.html, http://www.findglocal.com/IE/Cork/119554361458754/Echo-Ghost-Hunters, https://www.spookyisles.com/duncannon-fort-hauntings/, https://ghostcatcherie.wordpress.com/2009/06/06/the-fort-duncannon-wexford-6th-june-2009/, www.thecrollydistellery.com & donegalnews.comhttps://www.google.ie/amp/s/www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/people/louise-bruton-on-a-fear-of-fairies-1.2737433%3fmode=amp, https://www.google.ie/amp/s/fairylandpostoffice.wordpress.com/2019/04/14/fairies-superstition-candlelight/amp/ & https://www.friendsoftheirishenvironment.org/eu/13-papers-today/biodiversity/9274-Support the show