History

History is a presence in everyday life and few would likely combat such a sentiment. However, the actual study of history, namely historical objects, be they visual or material, has long remained an academic endeavour. Yet in the last few…

Playwright Arthur Miller became a prominent name in 20th century theatre penning plays such as Death of a Salesman, All My Sons and A View from the Bridge to name just a few. He had built a sturdy career for himself in the theatre world but…

The word "juggler" usually conjures images of the circus, performers on street corners, or that one weird guy named Desmond Sunfire at the party last week. But - did you know that juggling has an ancient past? Here are just some of the…

One of the big problems with using paintings and other art pieces as a historical source is that most artists don’t depict reality as it is but rather reality as they wished it would be. Idealised and more attractive versions of historical…

Hetty Green, America’s richest woman, was born as Henrietta Robinson in New Bedford, Massachusetts in 1834. Her father Edward owned the biggest whaling company in the city, and New Bedford was at the time the biggest whaling city in…

On the 28th of January 1939, William Butler Yeats departed the world of the living, and this year will mark the 80th anniversary of his passing. The works of Yeats are known to us all. You need not be a poetry snob to know at least one line…

There are always those who see opportunity in chaos. The destruction of the old order leaves gaps that need filling, and “men of vision” see nobody better than themselves to fill those gaps. This does require a certain moral flexibility, of…

The idea that someone you know is capable of murder is a shocking thought. And in the London literary scene of the 1820s everyone knew Thomas Griffiths Wainewright. He threw the best parties, he wore the best clothes, and his distinctive…

Nowadays William Blake is celebrated as one of the greatest English artists and poets, but in his time he was ignored and dismissed by the artistic establishment. For all of his life he was tormented by visions; visions of the marvelous and…

Born on January 21st 1876 to Armagh parents in Liverpool, James Larkin is forever linked to the trade union movement in Ireland and the 1913 Dublin Lockout but, shortly after that episode in Irish history he went to America where he ended…