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Dublin’s Hidden Histories is the latest series of ‘Trinity Talks’ from the Trinity Long Room Hub Arts and Humanities Research Institute and Near FM. In this series of talks and radio programmes, we feature an exploration of sites in Dublin which are the subject of ‘difficult’ histories, from asylums to prisons. The series presents experienced researchers and compelling storytellers in their subject areas for this exploration of ‘history in the shadows’. The stories are accompanied by live performances by An Góilín Traditional singers.

Episode four – This episode includes references to topics such as self-harm and suicide. Resources for anyone bereaved by suicide or having suicidal thoughts, can be found here on the HSE website: https://www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/4/mental-health-services/nosp/help/

We know that the Great Famine resulted in the death of over 1 million people from starvation and disease, but very rarely do we hear about those that died by suicide. Through desperation and despair many were driven to end their own lives. In this live recording, Georgina Laragy, Dublin Cemeteries Trust Assistant Professor in Public History and Cultural Heritage at Trinity College Dublin, will talk about Famine times–the relief schemes, emigration, and cases that had nothing at all to do with the Famine, demonstrating that for those not directly affected by the failure of the potato crop, life went on, as did deaths other than by starvation and famine fever.

Through a discussion of two cases of suicide which took place in the Dublin region at the time of the Famine, Georgina will demonstrate the impact of the Famine on wider Irish society and assess the trauma that historians speak about generally when we think of the Famine and Irish history.

The songs and poems are gratefully provided by Róisín Gaffney from An Góilín Traditional singers. 

Dr Georgina Laragy is Dublin Cemeteries Trust Assistant Professor in Public History and Cultural Heritage at Trinity College Dublin. As an Irish historian, her work focuses largely on social history, in particular the history of suicide, death and poverty in nineteenth and twentieth century Ireland. As part of her role, Dr Laragy works with the Dublin Cemeteries Trust at Glasnevin Cemetery and Museum developing their public history, education and research activities.

The episode is presented by Ciaran Murray. Produced by Dorothee Meyer Holtkamp. Sound design by Paul Loughran. Recorded by Gay Graham and Gabor Zajzon. Thanks to Mercedes Lopez for the production assistance. Thanks to Aoife King, Christin Hamilton and all the team in Trinity Long Room Hub Arts and Humanities Research Institute.

The series is made with the support of Coimisiún Na Meán’s Sound and Vision scheme, with the Television License fee.

The Trinity Long Room Hub is Trinity’s research institute for the Arts and Humanities. For more visit https://www.tcd.ie/trinitylongroomhub/about/

For more on An Góilín Traditional singers please visit https://goilin.com/