Pieces of History

Episode twenty-eight of Pieces of History takes us into the Belfast Hills, where the story of the Magee family offers a rare window into life in Hannahstown in the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.Through the research of Phil Donnelly, we uncover how ordinary families lived under extraordinary pressure - from the legacy of the Penal Laws to the quiet resilience of faith at hidden Mass Rocks. At the centre is Edward Magee of Carnaghliss, whose farm records and surviving fragments reveal rural life on the eve of famine.We explore kinship ties with the neighbouring Dean family and follow the poignant story of young Edward, “the boy who was left behind,” reflecting the wider experience of famine, loss, and emigration.Blending family history with landscape and memory, this episode shows how one local story can illuminate much larger themes in Irish history.Email: [email protected]: Pieces of History podcastInstagram: @pieceofhistorypod

Episode twenty-seven of the new series of Pieces of History takes us into the turbulent final years of the Tokugawa shogunate — a period of political upheaval, foreign intrusion, and samurai-driven revolution that culminated in the Meiji Restoration. It is one of the most transformative chapters in Japan’s history, when centuries of tradition collided with the urgent need for national survival and modernisation.Joining me for this episode is author and historian Romulus Hillsborough, whose decades of research into the Bakumatsu era have helped illuminate the lives, motives, and struggles of the people who shaped it. Romulus, whose work can be found at samurai-revolution.com, guides us through the downfall of the shogunate, the rise of powerful domains like Satsuma and Chōshū, and the remarkable figures — including Sakamoto Ryōma and Saigō Takamori — who forged Japan’s path into a new age. We also discuss his forthcoming book, Samurai Swordsmen: The Definitive History of the Shinsengumi, and his newly established consulting services for authors, editors, documentarians, screenwriters, and others exploring this era.Drawing on original letters, diaries, and memoirs, we explore how Japan navigated foreign pressure, internal fragmentation, and the existential question of identity. We reflect on what surprised Romulus most in his years of research, how samurai ideology evolved during the crisis, and why the Meiji Restoration remains one of the most astonishing political transformations in world history.Email: [email protected] Facebook: Pieces of History podcast Instagram: @piecesofhistorypodRomulus Hillsborough: https://www.samurai-revolution.com/

Episode twenty-six of the new series of Pieces of History takes us to one of the most strikingly symbolic places in Cold War Europe: Mödlareuth - the tiny village once known as “Little Berlin.” With only a few dozen residents, this quiet rural community found itself split by a concrete wall after 1945, becoming an unexpected microcosm of division and ideology.Joining me is historian Susan Berger, whose work focuses on the lived experiences of ordinary people shaped by major political events. Susan guides us through Mödlareuth’s past: what the village was like before the division, why such a small place ended up walled off, and how the emotional shock of separation transformed daily life.Drawing on local records, oral histories, and the memories of those who lived on either side, we explore how East and West Germany treated the people of Mödlareuth, what surprised Susan most in her research, and how personal stories from the village help us understand the broader Cold War landscape.Together, we reflect on how to balance grand historical narratives with intimate human experiences - and what Mödlareuth ultimately teaches us about borders, identity, and the communities shaped by division.Email: [email protected]: Pieces of History podcastInstagram: @pieceofhistorypodMuseum Modlareuth - https://www.moedlareuth.de/en/

Episode twenty-five of the new series of Pieces of History turns its gaze to Spain - a country where landscapes, ruins, and silences still carry the weight of a conflict that ended nearly a century ago. The Spanish Civil War continues to shape identity, politics, and memory, yet much of its legacy remains contested, hidden, or unspoken.Joining me is writer and historian Nick Lloyd, whose long connection with Spain and deep engagement with the war’s legacy come together in his powerful book Travels Through the Spanish Civil War. Rather than offering a traditional historical account, Nick travels through the places where the war was fought and remembered - from the shattered streets of Belchite to the refugee trails across the Pyrenees - uncovering the stories embedded in Spain’s terrain.Together, we explore the origins of the Civil War, the forces that shaped each side, and the human experiences that still echo in towns, archives, and family histories. Nick shares encounters with historians, journalists, and descendants of survivors; reflects on the emotional impact of tracing escape routes into France; and shines a light on figures like Francesc Boix, whose photographs became vital testimony at Nuremberg.In this episode, we delve into how Spain remembers - and forgets - its civil war, examining the landscapes, memories, and moral questions that continue to define its modern identity.Email: [email protected]: Pieces of History podcastInstagram: @pieceofhistorypodTravels Through the Spanish Civil War - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Travels-Through-Spanish-Civil-War-ebook/dp/B0DZQ7DSS3

Episode twenty-four of the new series of Pieces of History turns the spotlight on Uzbekistan - a country often overlooked in global discussions yet rich in history, culture, and complexity. From the Silk Road cities of Samarkand and Bukhara to the modern-day shifts reshaping its society, Uzbekistan stands at a fascinating crossroads of past and future.Joining me is journalist and author Joanna Lillis, a long-time observer of Central Asia whose latest book, Silk Mirage: Through the Looking Glass in Uzbekistan, offers a vivid and revealing portrait of the country today. Together, we explore Uzbekistan’s geography, political dynamics, economic changes, and social transformations, uncovering the realities behind its evolving image.In this episode, we dive into the forces shaping Uzbekistan’s identity, challenge common assumptions, and shed light on a nation navigating a complex path between tradition and modernity.Email: [email protected]: Pieces of History podcastInstagram: @pieceofhistorypodSilk Mirage: Through the Looking Glass in Uzbekistan - https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/silk-mirage-9781350292468/