S4E6: Flor MacCarthy - A Broadcaster in Pursuit of Unexpected History

Irish Stew Podcast

Flor MacCarthy was born in West Cork and shares memories of one of Ireland's most idyllic regions. Her childhood was one rich in the indulgence of curiosity, filled with books, history, and fueled by a Russophile father.
A Trinity College degree in French and Art History led unexpectedly to a career in journalism. Flor worked for 16 years at RTE, Ireland's national broadcaster, reporting on both domestic and international news.
Following her successful career at RTE, Flor took up the position of Politics Presenter at Oireachtas TV which afforded the opportunity to continue her journalistic career while providing enough space to pursue literary ambitions. The President's Letters, An Unexpected History, released in 2021 has proven to be a highly successful product of her expanded brief.
Join Flor and hosts, John Lee and Martin Nutty, as they discuss the surprising, amusing, and, sometimes infuriating correspondence lurking in the archives of the Irish Presidency.
Flor's Links

• Seamus Plug: West Cork History Festival
  
• The President's Letters: An Unexpected History of Ireland
  
• LinkedIn
  
• Twitter
  
• Oireachtas TV

Chapters

1. Intro (00:00:00)

2. Baltimore and Pirates (00:03:16)

3. Flor's West Cork Origins (00:07:52)

4. Childhood Filled with Books and History (00:10:28)

5. From Galleries to Broadcasting (00:12:29)

6. How Journalism has Changed (00:15:35)

7. Transitioning from RTE to Oireachtas TV (00:19:05)

8. Assembling the President's Letters (00:22:14)

9. Understanding Irish Presidential Duties (00:24:41)

10. Women and Their Poisonous Fangs (00:28:59)

11. When Ireland Turned Away From Patriarchy (00:34:16)

12. The Visual Treats of the Presidential Correspondence (00:37:06)

13. Choctaw Nation Letter (00:41:40)

14. A Scrawled Envelope (00:43:30)

15. An Unattended Funeral Service (00:47:41)

16. Seamus Heaney Letters (00:51:36)

17. Flor's Seamus Plug (00:56:59)

18. John & Martin's Recap (01:01:23)

19. Credits (01:05:16)