Best Matthew Castle Podcasts (2025)

1
2130-Matthew Locke-Holding Charleston by the Bridle: Castle Pinckney and the Civil War 1:00:00

16d ago1:00:00

1:00:00

Matthew Locke (co-author with Cliff Roberts), of "Holding Charleston by the Bridle: Castle Pinckney and the Civil War"By Impediments of War

1
National Museum of Ireland Part 2 with Maeve Sikora and Matthew Seaver 54:57

9h ago54:57

54:57

We are back this week in the National Museum of Ireland, Archaeology, on Kildare Street, in Dublin City centre, which is open 7 days a week and free to the public. We are joined by Maeve Sikora, Keeper of Irish Antiquities, and Assistant Keeper Matt Seaver. In addition to chatting more about the Words on the Wave exhibition, Maeve and Matt tell us …

1
Two Giant Men Play the Nintendo Switch 2 2:03:37

16h ago2:03:37

2:03:37

A new Nintendo console is here. Matthew is truly submerged in the Switch 2 experience, while Samuel has merely dipped a toe in the water. Here's how we're finding it so far. This week's music is from the Mario Kart World soundtrack by Atsuko Asahi, Maasa Miyoshi, Takuhiro Honda and Yutaro Takakuwa. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more in…

1
2132-Michael Hardy-Feeding Lees Army of Northern Virginia 1:00:00

8d ago1:00:00

1:00:00

Michael Hardy, author of "Feeding Lees Army of Northern Virginia"By Impediments of War

1
From N64 Magazine to Gamesmaster to Games Publishing (with Geraint Evans) 2:11:27

7d ago2:11:27

2:11:27

It's Matthew hosting the pod solo this week, and his guest is Geraint Evans, formerly of N64 magazine, NGC and Gamesmaster. These days, he's working at the publisher PQube. This week's music is from the Phantasy Star Online Episodes 1 + 2 soundtracks by Hideaki Kobayashi and Fumie Kumatani. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more informatio…

1
2131-Kathryn J. Shively and Peter C. Luebke-The Second Manassas Campaign 1:00:00

9d ago1:00:00

1:00:00

Editor Kathryn J. Shively and essay contributor Peter C. Luebke discuss "The Second Manassas Campaign," edited by Kathryn J. Shively and Caroline E. Janney.By Impediments of War

1
Ireland and St Gallen in Early Medieval Europe with the National Museum of Ireland 58:11

14d ago58:11

58:11

This week Matt Seaver, Assistant Keeper of Irish Antiquities and Dr Diarmuid Ó Riain, curatorial researcher, welcomed us in to the National Museum of Ireland, Kildare St. to see the unique new exhibition: Words on the Wave. This is an incredible display of precious manuscripts from the Abbey of St Gall, Switzerland — some returning to Ireland for t…

1
What We've Been Playing (Doom: The Dark Ages, Blades of Fire, The Hundred Line, The Siege and the Sandfox) 1:23:28

15d ago1:23:28

1:23:28

Matthew has almost finished the new Doom game, while Samuel has done about half of it – so that's the focus of this week's episode. Matthew also explains his appreciation of the new MercurySteam game, Blades of Fire, and digs deep into his never-ending playthrough of The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy on Switch. This week's music is from The Hu…

1
Episode 58: Virginia DeLuca 51:16

22d ago51:16

51:16

Here’s what I learned from my conversation with Virginia DeLuca about her memoir, If You Must Go, I Wish You Triplets: -When you include your thoughts that are unkind, immature, or that you’re embarrassed to admit, it’s funny and relatable. “In the bedroom, I grab two boxes and throw in Perry's shirts, belts, ties, underwear, shorts, and pants, and…

1
The Best Games of 2005 2:30:14

22d ago2:30:14

2:30:14

57 minutes and 13 seconds – that's the timestamp you want for all the game chatter, including two top 10 lists of the best games of 2005. Skip all the bullshit! For everyone else? Enjoy tales of college woes and secret freezer politics. Nonsense podcasting awaits. This week's music is from the Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater soundtrack by Harry Gre…

1
2129-James Robbins Jewell and Eugene S. Van Sickle-Waging War for Freedom with the 54th Massachusetts: The Civil War Memoir of John W. M. Appleton 1:00:00

23d ago1:00:00

1:00:00

James Robbins Jewell and Eugene S. Van Sickle, editors of "Waging War for Freedom with the 54th Massachusetts: The Civil War Memoir of John W. M. Appleton"By Impediments of War

1
The Royal Irish Academy Library with Barbara McCormack 49:09

28d ago49:09

49:09

In this episode, we chat about the incredible academic and public resource that is the Library in the Royal Irish Academy. Academy Librarian Barbara McCormack tells us all about the collection of medieval manuscripts including some of Ireland's oldest manuscripts the Cathach of Columba and the Stowe Missal. Please visit the library yourself or chec…

1
GOTY 2025 Check-In 1:19:59

29d ago1:19:59

1:19:59

Our guest cancelled! Gah. Well, here's an episode we airlifted out of our collective asses. Hopefully it's not too bad with two days' notice to plan it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1
Games Court – Castle Island x Blue Prince Edition 1:55:20

1M ago1:55:20

1:55:20

20ish listeners' pre-owned purchases go on trial before Judge Castle, as Games Court returns! We also talk about this week's GTA 6 trailer, with a brief section on Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, too. Do get in touch if you have any future Games Court entries, and we'll keep making them. This week's music is from Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 by Lorien …

1
Castles in Medieval Ireland with Dr Victoria McAlister 54:21

1M ago54:21

54:21

Dr Victoria McAlister from Towson University, Maryland, on everything you ever wanted to know about castles! Featuring all the big hits, Maynooth Castle, Bunratty, Blarney, Trim, the Rock of Dunamase, Clonard castle, Ferrycarrig, Carrickfergus, Irish castles, Anglo-Norman castles, Tower houses, colonialism, we cover it all. Dr McAlister busts some …

1
Mailbag (sandwich + game pairings, writing cover features, console launches, other nonsense) 1:40:10

1M ago1:40:10

1:40:10

It's time for another round of listener questions as we each recover from the 50 hours of games we played for last week's episode. Did anyone need 100 minutes of mailbag questions? Probably not, but as ever: it happened. Note: we recorded this week's episode before the Polygon and Giant Bomb layoffs if the tone around the games media chatter seems …

1
2128-Michael deGruccio-The Strange and Tragic Wounds of George Coles America 1:00:00

2M ago1:00:00

1:00:00

Michael deGruccio, author of "The Strange and Tragic Wounds of George Coles America"By Impediments of War

1
Episode 57: Kate Gies 1:05:23

2M ago1:05:23

1:05:23

Here’s what I learned from my conversation with Kate Gies, author of It Must Be Beautiful To Be Finished: -The key to writing about someone you love who you’ve also been hurt by, is to write with empathy. Think about their perspective and their experience and be generous and loving when you do. -Be wary of the please-feel-bad-for-me voice -Analogie…

1
What We've Been Playing (Blue Prince, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Promise Mascot Agency, Tempest Rising) 1:50:42

2M ago1:50:42

1:50:42

It's catch-up time, as a spring wave of fantastic games hit at once! All of the above, plus Bionic Bay and some Metroid series chatter. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1
2127-Carol E. Harrison and Thomas J. Brown-Zouave Theaters: Transnational Military Fashion and Performance 1:00:00

2M ago1:00:00

1:00:00

Carol E. Harrison and Thomas J. Brown, authors of "Zouave Theaters: Transnational Military Fashion and Performance"By Impediments of War

1
The Xbox 360 Games Mega Draft 2:57:02

2M ago2:57:02

2:57:02

Much to the chagrin of Matthew, who had to edit it, the four-person draft is back! This time, Samuel, Matthew, Ashley Day and Dave Scarborough are fighting over the best games on Xbox 360 (note: some of them may not be the best, but that's for you to decide). This week's music is from the Fable 2 soundtrack by Danny Elfman and Russell Shaw, plus th…

1
2126-Lesley Gordon-Dread Danger: Cowardice and Combat in the American Civil War 1:00:00

2M ago1:00:00

1:00:00

Lesley Gordon, author of "Dread Danger: Cowardice and Combat in the American Civil War"By Impediments of War

1
Nintendo Switch 2 Games – Played! 1:35:29

2M ago1:35:29

1:35:29

Later than usual, but hopefully worth it: Matthew plays all the Nintendo Switch 2 demos (except some ports no one cares about). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1
Dicuil and Irish scholars at the Carolingian Court with Dr Christian Schweizer 52:25

2M ago52:25

52:25

This week we are delighted to talk to the always enlightening Dr Christian Schweizer about his Research Ireland funded research on Dicuil, an Irish scholar who was prominent in the Carolingian Court in Aachen in the early 9th century. Dicuil wrote many fascinating texts covering a variety of disciplines including geography, astronomy and computisti…

1
2125-Stuart W. Sanders-Anatomy of a Duel: Secession, Civil War, and the Evolution of Kentucky Violence 1:00:00

2M ago1:00:00

1:00:00

Stuart W. Sanders, author of "Anatomy of a Duel: Secession, Civil War, and the Evolution of Kentucky Violence"By Impediments of War

1
Two Giant Men React to the Nintendo Switch 2 Reveal 1:40:38

2M ago1:40:38

1:40:38

Here are our thoughts on the new Nintendo console so far. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1
2124-Michael Vorenberg-Lincolns Peace: The Struggle to End the American Civil War 1:00:00

2M ago1:00:00

1:00:00

Michael Vorenberg, author of "Lincolns Peace: The Struggle to End the American Civil War"By Impediments of War

1
Episode 56: Amy Wilson 53:24

3M ago53:24

53:24

A conversation with the author of Happy To Help: Adventures of a People Pleaser. LINKS Books: Happy To Help When Did I Get Like This? Essay: Why I Didn't Want A Girl (originally titled: A Daughter At Last) Podcast: What Fresh Hell? References: Mom 2.0 Conference Booked Author series Zibby Retreat (Santa Barbara)…

1
Slavery in Medieval Ireland with Dr Janel Fontaine 52:39

3M ago52:39

52:39

Apologies for the poor sound quality in this episode! This week Dr Janel Fontaine (Treasure Trove Officer, National Museums Scotland) talks us through some of the evidence for slavery in medieval Ireland. From the accounts of St Patrick in the 5th century to Gerald of Wales in the 12th century she explains how slavery was built into the social and …

1
Atomfall and the Best, Worst and Most Iconic Games Set In Britain 1:56:20

3M ago1:56:20

1:56:20

After 30 minutes of chatter about Rebellion's new Game Pass survival game Atomfall, we try to pick the 10 games that best represent Britain as a virtual setting. Finally, we cap things off with a low-nutrition awards ceremony of British 'stuff' in computer games past and present. This week's music is from the GoldenEye 007 soundtrack by Graeme Norg…

1
2123-Frank J. Cirillo-The Abolitionist Civil War: Immediatists and the Struggle to Transform the Union 1:00:00

3M ago1:00:00

1:00:00

Frank J. Cirillo, author of "The Abolitionist Civil War: Immediatists and the Struggle to Transform the Union"By Impediments of War

1
What We've Been Playing (Assassin's Creed Shadows, Split Fiction, Avowed, Pirate Yakuza, Threshold) 1:38:03

3M ago1:38:03

1:38:03

Matthew has played 20+ hours of Assassin's Creed for this episode, while Samuel turned it off after three and played Avowed instead. It's another 'what we've been playing' extravaganza! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1
2122-Yael Sternhell-War on Record: The Archive and the Afterlife of the Civil War 1:00:00

3M ago1:00:00

1:00:00

Yael Sternhell, author of "War on Record: The Archive and the Afterlife of the Civil War"By Impediments of War

1
The 'Story' of St Patrick with Dr Elizabeth Dawson 56:50

3M ago56:50

56:50

It's time for our annual discussion of the man responsible for our national holiday in Ireland, Fáilte Ireland's global greening campaign and J. D. Vance wearing shamrock socks in the White House! Dr Elizabeth Dawson (Carlow College) is the perfect expert guide through over 14 centuries of stories celebrating St Patrick. She explains how Patrick be…

1
The Nintendo Switch Draft (with Katharine Castle) 2:24:31

3M ago2:24:31

2:24:31

Who can pick the best 10 games on the Nintendo Switch? Eurogamer's Katharine Castle joins us to help figure this out, and to celebrate the hybrid console's healthy lifespan in our latest draft episode. Vote for the winner in our Discord's announcement channel. This week's music is from the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe soundtrack by Shiho Fujii, Atsuko Asahi…

1
Mailbag 1:35:51

3M ago1:35:51

1:35:51

We answer a heap more of your questions, including a really daft one about HP sauce on a pizza. Thanks for sending them in! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1
2121-Derrick S. Brown-Bentonville Battlefield State Historic Site 1:00:00

4M ago1:00:00

1:00:00

Derrick S. Brown, operations manager at Bentonville Battlefield State Historic SiteBy Impediments of War

1
Episode 55: Happy To Help by Amy Wilson 29:19

4M ago29:19

29:19

Here’s what I learned from Happy To Help: Adventures of a People Pleaser by Amy Wilson: Include your fantasies. It’s especially funny if you can incorporate four levels in the build up to the punchline: First: set the scene—what’s about to happen Second: set the stakes—why is this a big deal Third: fantasy/a positive hypothetical of what’s to come …

1
Women's Power and Patronage with Tiago Veloso Silva 42:43

4M ago42:43

42:43

Due to popular demand our podcast producer Tiago de Oliveira Veloso Silva has finally come on to the other side of the mic as one of our expert guests! We chat ‘soft power’, definitions of patronage, Agnes Ní Máelsechlainn ‘An Caillech Mór’ (d.1196), St Mary’s Arrouaisian monastery, Clonard, & reflections on the study of medieval Irish history. Tia…

1
We Play Monster Hunter Wilds – and Dive into the Series' Massive Success (with Joe Skrebels) 1:27:29

4M ago1:27:29

1:27:29

Matthew finished Monster Hunter Wilds! Samuel didn't. This week we're joined by returning guest Joe Skrebels to discuss the newest game in Capcom's idiosyncratic series, as well as its meteoric rise in the West over the past decade plus. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1
2120-Patrick Lewis-Playing at War: Identity and Memory in Civil War Video Games 1:00:00

4M ago1:00:00

1:00:00

Patrick Lewis, co-editor of "Playing at War: Identity and Memory in Civil War Video Games"By Impediments of War

1
The Art of Personalization: Live Event Calligraphy & Engraving with Jenny Blaschke 35:34

4M ago35:34

35:34

Jenny Blaschke, a live event calligrapher and engraving artist, and Liz Lathan discuss the high-stakes world of personalizing luxury gifts, from engraving $300 cameras to hot foiling leather goods. Jenny shares how she transitioned from wedding invitations to high-volume corporate and incentive events, creating interactive experiences that engage a…

1
Event Marketing, Audience Growth, and the Power of Advocacy with Tamar Beck 32:09

4M ago32:09

32:09

Liz Lathan and Tamar Beck, CEO of Gleanin, talk about her journey from trade show organizer to tech entrepreneur. Tamar shares how Gleanin helps event marketers scale audience acquisition through advocacy and network effects, plus insights on the evolution of their Activate event and podcast. They discuss the challenges of being a non-technical fou…

1
Video Game Guns and the Best Warhammer Games (with Dave Jewitt) 1:46:41

4M ago1:46:41

1:46:41

This week's guest is Dave Jewitt, formerly of GameSpot's brilliant Firearms Expert Reacts series, and newly of the channel EXP. He joins us to talk about how this great series of videos came to be...and ends by sharing his favourite 10 Warhammer video games (to the 15 sickos who kept asking for this, please enjoy). Find them at Patreon.com/watchEXP…

1
2119-David Welker-African American Intelligence Contributions during the American Civil War 1:00:00

4M ago1:00:00

1:00:00

David Welker, author of "African American Intelligence Contributions during the American Civil War." An article appearing in the International Journal of Intelligence and CounterIntelligence.By Impediments of War

1
Episode 54: Here After by Amy Lin 27:08

4M ago27:08

27:08

Memoir deep dive #21 Here’s what I learned from Here After by Amy Lin: One way to treat your audience like a genius is to not say the next obvious thing. Where can I leave out what the reader already knows is coming? One approach to this: in every paragraph I write, where can I remove the last sentence? “I stare at the blank ceiling tiles and wonde…

1
Isabel de Clare (d.1220) with Dr John Marshall 58:48

4M ago58:48

58:48

"I have no claim to anything here save through her". These are the reputed words of one of the most famous knights in English history, William Marshal, describing his wife Isabel, daughter of Aoife and Strongbow. In honour of St Valentine's Day Dr John Marshall (Lancaster University) gives us the full story of Isabel de Clare — a fascinating noblew…

1
The Best Games of 2004 2:41:46

4M ago2:41:46

2:41:46

We rewind the clock to 2004, and discuss some of the most important and influential games ever made (plus the demo of Mashed) across two top 10 lists. This week's music is from the Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas soundtrack by Michael Hunter, and the Final Fantasy X-2 soundtrack by Noriko Matsueda and Takahito Eguchi. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/p…

1
2118-Richard Carwardine-Righteous Strife: How Warring Nationalists Forged Lincolns Union 1:00:00

4M ago1:00:00

1:00:00

Richard Carwardine, author of "Righteous Strife: How Warring Nationalists Forged Lincolns Union"By Impediments of War

1
Bonus episode: Interpreting the 'Anglo-Norman' Invasion with Dr Colin Veach 24:09

4M ago24:09

24:09

As a follow up to our episode on the English Conquest with Dr Colin Veach (University of Hull) we examine the bias inherent in the contemporary sources, including the famous Laudabiliter papal bull, the works of Gerald of Wales (Giraldus Cambrensis/Gerald de Barri) , and the 'Song of Dermot and the Earl'. We also discuss how historians can best app…

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