In March 1939, James Murphy, a Cork man, became a wanted figure in Nazi Germany. As Europe hurtled towards war, Murphy published an unedited English translation of Hitler’s notorious book, Mein Kampf, which revealed Hitler’s long-held intentions to invade Eastern Europe. However, Murphy's story is complicated. Often presented as an opponent of the Nazis, he had also, for a time, worked in the Third Reich.

The full story behind the translation is intriguing. It reveals how Murphy was manipulated by a secret anti-Nazi group known as the Red Orchestra. It also explores why Murphy, who was aware of many of the darker aspects of the Nazi regime, did not draw attention to them.

Sound: Kate Dunlea

Additional Narrations: Aidan Crowe

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Selected Sources:

Maume P. Murphy, James Vincent, Dictionary of Irish Biography https://www.dib.ie/biography/murphy-james-vincent-a6080

Barnes, J. & P. James Vincent Murphy: Translator and Interpreter of Fascist Europe, 1880-1946

Evans, R. The Hitler Conspiracies The Third Reich and the Paranoid Imagination

Murphy James: Adolf Hitler; the drama of his career https://archive.org/details/Bellerophon5685_yahoo_AHDC/page/n69/mode/2up?q=Jews

Murphy, John Why did my grandfather translate Mein Kampf?

https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-30697262

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Over the past three decades, the Catholic Church has been engulfed by numerous sexual abuse scandals and accusations of power abuse. This has prompted many to question how it initially gained such influence in Ireland.

In this podcast, I delve into the history of the Catholic Church within modern Irish society. While its influence is often linked to the post-Irish Independence era of the 1920s, the foundations of Catholic power extend much further back. This episode charts the Church's dramatic rise since the 1780s, when it emerged from the Penal Laws and decades of repression. I reveal how it skillfully navigated through rebellions, the Great Hunger, and the struggle for independence, growing stronger with each crisis. Additionally, I explore the complex relationship between the Church and the British Empire, where bitter enmity in the 1700s transformed into a strategic partnership—a marriage of convenience that reshaped Irish history.

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Winston Churchill is one of the most famous figures of the 20th century. Hailed in Britain as the man who won the war, his legacy in Ireland is far more complex. In this episode, I delve into history behind the celebrated war hero who saved Britain who was also a staunch imperialist with a controversial past. Join me as I navigate the contrasting narratives and attempt to reconcile these two sides of a towering historical figure.

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