How does a boy born in County Kerry become the face of Britain’s wartime recruitment?

In this episode of The History and Heritage Podcast, Liam Blake traces the remarkable journey of Herbert Kitchener, born near Ballylongford in the shadow of the Great Famine. From an Irish childhood shaped by land, empire, and tension, Kitchener rises through the British Army to global fame.

The episode follows his path across imperial battlefields, including the dramatic Battle of Omdurman, before returning to the moment that made him an icon during World War I.

It is the story of a man who began life in The Kingdom of Kerry… and became a symbol of another kingdom entirely.

Join Liam Blake as he takes you through the life of one of Ireland's most interesting of Daughters: Ninette de Valois!

Born Edris Stannus, in Co. Wicklow, Ireland, she defied all expectations (particularly her father's) to become, in part thanks to her family's cook, the most famous and consequential dancers the world has ever seen

Most people think they know Ernest Shackleton.

An English imperial hero. A figure of polar legend. A product of empire.

But look closer.

Born in Kildare and shaped by the radical Quaker culture of Ballitore, Shackleton carried an Irish instinct for leadership long before the ice closed in around the Endurance. His famous calm under pressure — and his refusal to sacrifice men for glory — did not appear from nowhere.

They were formed.

In this episode of The History & Heritage Podcast, we trace the Irish roots of one of the most famous explorers in history, and ask a simple question:

Was Shackleton ever quite as English as we assume?

Listen now.