Summary

(2:45) Lessons learned from history

• Examples of leaders not learning from past mistakes

• Europe’s cyclical tendencies towards extremism

• The particular circumstances of the 1930s

• The rise of nativism

• How Trump echoes the rhetoric of the 19th century

• Continuity in how opportunists take advantage of big economic or cultural shifts

• The one constant factor: power

(6:40) Historians and government

• Why historians sometimes stay away from contemporary issues

• Historians’ roles as government advisors

• Upcoming difficult historical commemorations

• How to remember and commemorate civil wars

• Problems behind historians who become politicians, such as David Thornley or Conor Cruise O’Brien

(12:28) Brexit in a historical context

• How Brexit has dug up old issues

• Brexit as the consequence of an awkward relationship with Europe

• Putting the border in its historical context

• The consequences of Boris Johnson’s ignorance of the importance of the border

• What inspired Diarmaid to write ‘The Border’

• The effects of growing up with the border

• The south’s perception of the north and vice-versa

• The 2 minority issues in Ireland caused by the border

• The absurd physical manifestations of the border

(20:05) Westminster

• How it has reasserted its power

• Westminster’s history and tradition

• Its effort to regain its reputation

• The opposition’s less than optimal position

• What Diarmaid learned in the Westminster archives

(21:25) Ireland’s voting system

• The origins of Ireland’s unique system of proportional representation

• Fianna F’il’s attempt at changing the voting system

• Coalition governments

• The confidence and supply model

(24:30) The Tory party

• Old-school or ‘one-nation’ tories

• What Diarmaid learned from John Major

• The power that can be exercised by unelected advisors such as Dominic Cummings

• Criticisms of Dominic’s approach

(28:30) Advisors

• The rise of unelected advisors: ‘It’s gone too far’

• How conflict was handled by the 1973-77 Fine Gael and Labour coalition

• Why outsourcing solutions is problematic

(33:50) ‘Fake news’ and social media

• Why history should be a core school subject

• The importance of engagement and mediation

• The advantages and disadvantages of modern communication and access to information

(36:55) Education

• The decline in skills like reading, writing and communicating

• Why Diarmaid often writes in longhand

(39:30) Brexit’s current deal

• Worrisome loyalist discourse

• Ireland’s withdrawal agreement

• Martin McGuinness and Arlene Foster’s joint letter outlining Northern Ireland’s unique position

• Other unanswered questions: citizenship, devolution, power-sharing, DUP

• The Good Friday agreement

• Scotland’s take on Brexit

(45:57) Scottish independence

• The option of Celtic confederation

• Gordon Brown’s influence

• Why some believe that Scotland shouldn’t follow Ireland’s lead

• EU sentiment in Scotland

(50:15) DUP power and influence

• Edward Carson as iconic unionist leader

• Questioning the strategy of unionists historically

• Unionism as primarily a defensive strategy

• The needs of different constituents such as the business community and farmers

• The problem with having a religious fundamentalist base

• The different wings of the DUP

• The DUP during Theresa May’s leadership

(55:20) Dissidents

• Lyra McKee’s death

• Historic tensions in Derry

• How dissidents use political vacuums to their advantage

• Clare Dwyer Hogg’s film ‘Hard Border’ and its portrayal of how people live with the border today

• Fear and caution in the face of potential changes

(59:40) Brexit & Winston Churchill’s legacy

• Britain’s surprise when faced with EU solidarity

• Boris Johnson’s interest in Winston Churchill

• Britain’s global commitments in Churchill’s era

• The romanticization of Churchill in ‘Darkest Hour’

• ‘amon de Valera’s relationship with Churchill

(1:07:45) Personalities

• How de Valera, Se’n Lemass, and Jack Lynch’s personalities helped or hindered them

(1:10:40) The environment

• Ireland’s failure to address climate change

• Why it should take a much bigger place in school and politics

(1:13:18) The Green Party

• How local results vary from general election results

• The election of Roger Garland, the Green Party’s first TD

• Predictions for the future and impact of the party

(1:15:30) GAA

• Why the GAA is important

• Croke Park’s history

• The evolution of girls’ and women’s presence in sports

(1:19:45) Irish women

• How women’s lives have changed since the ‘60s

• The rise of women’s testimonies

• Feminism throughout history

(1:24:20) Rapid-fire questions

• The historical figure Diarmaid would most like to meet

• His favourite book

• The most important book on Irish history