Podcast Episodes

Kielland disaster

In 1980, 123 men were killed when the Alexander L. Kielland platform capsized in the North Sea oil fields.

It was Norway's biggest industrial disaster and led to a range of safety improvements for tho…

Published on 1 year, 6 months ago

The Irish shopworkers strike against apartheid

In 1984, a 21-year-old Irish shopworker refused to serve a customer buying two South African grapefruits. Mary Manning was suspended from the Dunnes store in Dublin, and ten of her colleagues walked …

Published on 1 year, 6 months ago

Boko Haram massacre in Gwoza

In 2014, Boko Haram militants drove into Gwoza in north-east Nigeria and began an assault that would leave hundreds of people dead.

Ruoyah, who was just 14, hid in her house for eight hours under cont…

Published on 1 year, 6 months ago

Nato bombs Serbian state television headquarters

In April 1999 Nato bombed the Serbian state TV station in Belgrade, killing 16 people.

It was part of a military campaign to force Serbia to withdraw from Kosovo.

Mike Lanchin has been speaking to on…

Published on 1 year, 6 months ago

The Iraqi journalist who hurled his shoes at George Bush

In 2008, Iraqi journalist Muntadhar al-Zaidi hurled his shoes at the President of the United States in protest at America's occupation of Iraq.

George W Bush had been giving a joint press conference i…

Published on 1 year, 6 months ago

Saving lives on D-Day

Charles Norman Shay was a field medic in the United States Army when he landed on the Normandy beach codenamed Omaha on D-Day.

On June 6, 1944, the US 1st Infantry Division faced a bombardment of mach…

Published on 1 year, 6 months ago

The woman whose weather report changed the date of D-Day

In 1944, a young Irishwoman called Maureen Flavin drew up a weather report that helped change the course of World War Two.

Maureen was working at a post office in Blacksod on the far west coast of Ir…

Published on 1 year, 6 months ago

Tetris: The birth of an all-time favourite

In 1984, Russian engineer Alexey Pajitnov invented the popular computer game Tetris. But it was not until American businessman Henk Rogers joined him that the game became an all-time favourite in vid…

Published on 1 year, 6 months ago

‘Panda diplomacy’: China gifts pandas to Taiwan

In 2008, panda-mania hit Taiwan when China gifted the country two giant pandas.

This practice known as ‘panda diplomacy’ is thought to date back as far as the 7th Century.

Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan flew …

Published on 1 year, 6 months ago

The commercial that changed advertising: 1984

Forty years ago, a Hollywood director, some tech revolutionaries and a group of London skinheads created a commercial that would rock the advertising world.

Based on George Orwell’s dystopic novel ‘19…

Published on 1 year, 6 months ago