60. St Patrick’s Day: Explained! (English Voc...

Berlin is one of the most iconic cities in the world. Few cities have been destroyed so completely, divided so deeply, and then rebuilt so many times. Understanding Berlin’s past helps us understand the development of Germany and Europe. The rise of empires, the impact of nationa ...  Show more

Every time you type a message, unlock your phone, or trust a computer to make a decision, you’re relying on the ideas of someone you may never have heard of and probably never learned about at school. That person is Alan Turing. He was a British mathematician, logician, and warti ...  Show more

In an earlier episode, the Pugsters talked about Tolkien’s ideas of the value of pagan myth and the need to Christianize it. In this episode, Glenn picks up on that and applies it not to mythology but to culture, specifically, the religion of pre-Christian Ireland and what hap ...

How did the memory of the Great Famine shape Irish identity? Could it have been prevented? From 1845 to 1852, a disease decimated potato crops across Ireland. Farmers of small plots who relied entirely on this monoculture were launched into complete destitution. Desperate famili ...  Show more

The Irish funeral wake is a unique tradition where family and friends gather around the body of the deceased to share stories, remember their life, and celebrate their legacy. Often resembling a lively party with plenty of drink, this ritual is both a farewell and a celebration.P ...  Show more

More than 30 million people can trace their ancestry to the 102 passengers and 30 crew aboard the Mayflower when it landed in Plymouth Bay, Massachusetts in the harsh winter of 1620. On board were men, women and children from different walks of life across England and the city ...