Hello and welcome
to Ireland’s Own.

In this week’s cover story ‘Captain Francis Crozier and the Franklin Expedition mystery’ – author Michael Smith asks if a man from County Down. who died in the middle of the 19th century, holds the answers to a puzzle which has baffled people for nearly 200 years?

In the next instalment of her ‘Pioneering Irish Women’ series, Mary Angland looks at the life of Margaret Ann Bulkley – ‘a wonderful doctor and life-long deceiver’. In Islands of Ireland – David Mullen dons his habit for a look at monastic life on Scattery Island in the Shannon estuary. 

Eugene Dunphy goes back to the 1950s to research the background to the much-loved ballad ‘The Homes of Donegal’, and in his Role of the Irish in WWII Series, Con McGrath tells the story of Rev. Joseph V. O’Connor, who was an eye-witness aboard the sinking of the SS Athenia.

‘The Circus – when things go wrong’ is part six of an eight-part series in which Liam Nolan traces the origins of the modern circus, while MJ Wells looks at some movies where spectacles were used as a performance enhancing prop. Paula Redmond recalls the largest labour uprising in United States history, The Battle of Blair Mountain.

Margaret Smith tells the history of the Smithsonian Institute, America’s National Treasure House, and in the Witness Statements,The Squad – Taking on the British Intelligence Service, Eamonn Duggan brings us part three of a nine-part series on the role played by ‘the Squad’ in the struggle for Irish freedom as outlined to the Bureau of Military History. The focus of this week’s article is Pat McCrea.

Elsewhere, Marjorie is baking a delicious summer sponge, Aileen Atcheson has summer gardening tips, Cassidy imparts more words of wisdom, and Dan Conway shares an interesting Olympics story. 

We have lots more for you to enjoy including Stranger Than Fiction, Catch the Criminal, Pete’s Pets, jokes, songs, puzzles, Just A Memory, pen pals, Showband Scrapbook and much more. Until next week, stay safe and well.

                                                                                                         Best wishes,

Seán Nolan, Editor, Ireland’s Own