Documentary
Castles are the powerhouses that dot across our islands. History Hit’s Matt Lewis discovers Irish castles, from ancient high points to Norman keeps to medieval citadels.
In the first episode we head to the High King’s of Ireland seat of power, the Hill of Tara, before investigating the Norman invasions and the powerful structures they built…castles! Matt begins at the Hill of Tara, or in Irish Teamhair or Cnoc na Teamhrach, an ancient site for projecting spiritual and political power. Matt reveals the mystical stories of the High King’s of Ireland, including the formative leader Brian Boru. But it’s not just Boru who has a direct link to Tara, one of Ireland’s most famous people is said to have come here…St Patrick. Patrick is believed to have performed miracles challenging the old pagan rulers, bringing christianity to the island of Ireland. Tara remains a magical place, even today. But Ireland wasn’t to be ruled by High Kings forever...In 1167 the Normans invaded. For years they fought.
In this episode Matt explores Ireland’s historic links with Scotland. His journey continues at the beautiful and windswept Dunluce Castle on the north coast and finishes at the colossal fortress of Carrickfergus.
No cast information available.
This gripping documentary miniseries investigates the mystery of two 1300-year-old burial ships from the Viking Age. With dramatic reconstructions and unearthed evidence, follow key archaeologists as they investigate the remains, and reveal how they fundamentally alter our understanding of Viking Europe.
In four chapters, largely based on and illustrated with archaeological finds and sites, Neil Oliver explains how, as far as is known, the Iron Age Celtic tribes known as the Ancient Britains evolved and entered European civilization. Their internecine tribal phase was warlike and partitioned. Overseas contacts, especially metal trade, brought wealth and progress. Ultimately, it attracted the superior Roman empire, which would conquer and pacify Britain into a province, like Gaul shortly before, but Caesar's invasion wasn't the definitive annexation yet, that was left to emperor Claudius; even afterward some Celtic traits and even rebellions remained.
The 3-part documentary series The Irish Civil War tells the epic and often challenging story of the origins, conflict and legacy of the civil war that took place in Ireland in 1922 and 1923. Narrated by Brendan Gleeson, produced in partnership with University College Cork by RTÉ Cork as part of the Decade of Centenary commemorations and based on UCC’s “mammoth and magnificent” Atlas of the Irish Revolution, this documentary series features extensive archive film footage, photographs and materials, interviews with leading academics, archive interviews with contemporary participants and witnesses, firsthand witness accounts read by actors, detailed and dynamic graphic maps based on those featured in the Atlas of the Irish Revolution, and stunning cinematography of the very locations where events took place.
