Listen back: Talks at 14 Henrietta Street

We’ve had an exciting few weeks participating in the Dublin Festival of History and we were delighted to present some talks and workshops at 14 Henrietta Street as part of the programme. If you missed them in person or want to revisit the talks, you can now listen back to the audio recordings of the selected talks below.

Dublin Festival of History is an annual free festival, brought to you by Dublin City Council, and organised by Dublin City Libraries, in partnership with the Dublin City Council Culture Company.Now in its thirteenth year, the festival has built a reputation for shining a fresh perspective on history and its importance in our everyday lives, attracting best-selling Irish and international historians to Dublin for a high-profile programme of history talks and debate each Autumn.

William Rooney, Fear na Muintire: Journalist, Poet, Gaelic Revivalist

This talk by David Connolly, a well-known community activist and organiser in Ballyfermot and Dublin’s inner city for forty years, explores the life and legacy of William Rooney, a young Irish poet, journalist, and political activist.

From a working-class background in Dublin, Rooney was a key figure in Ireland’s National Revival, helping to found important groups like the Celtic Literary Society and co-editing the radical newspaper The United Irishman. Though he died at just 27, his ideas shaped the creation of Sinn Féin and influenced the Irish Revolution that followed.

Connolly highlights his political thinking, talent for organising, and the lasting impact of his work making the case that now is the right time to reassess his major contribution to this important period in Irish history. It also places the cultural revival in the context of a wider anti-colonial movement, opposing the more pro-Empire Home Rule campaign of the time.

Swift Blaze of Fire: The Life of Robert Hilliard

In this talk, Lin Rose Clark shares the fascinating story of her grandfather Robert "Bob" Hilliard, celebrated in song by Christy Moore and affectionately recalled in many memoirs.

Hilliard was an Olympic boxer, Church of Ireland priest, and communist who fought with the International Brigades in the Spanish Civil War. His short, intense life was full of contradictions and passion. Lin explores his legacy, the family’s search for answers, and the turbulent times that shaped a man whose story still resonates today.

Monto: Dublin's Forgotten Red Light District

In this talk Dr Caroline West discusses Monto, the historic red-light district, situated in Dublin’s Northside and uncovers the lives of the women who worked there.

West discusses the harsh realities of the women's lives, from being lured into brothels and exploited by madams and clients, including police and soldiers, to suffering from violence and disease. Crucially addressing the horrific treatment of women in institutions like the Lock Hospital, where they were subjected to brutal examinations and unethical medical experiments for syphilis, and the Magdalene Laundries, which backed onto Monto.

Content warning: this talk contains adult themes and descriptions of sexual violence.