Who are the DUP? Why is the Irish border causing such headaches for Brexit? What is a Taoiseach and how do I pronounce it? Why is an Irish passport this year’s must have accessory and how come so many British people can get one?

The Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland share the rolling green island which marks the point where Europe gives way to the Atlantic. It has managed to become a popular destination for stag parties and Catholic pilgrims alike. It has produced mega-selling rock bands, acclaimed authors and poets, and several of Manchester’s favourite football icons. Yet for many British people the history of Ireland is a bit of a mystery.

This talk offers a beginner’s guide to the history of the island, with a focus on the last couple of centuries. It is a story of religious strife, of invasion and colonisation, of rebellion and famine. We will look at how Ireland came to be split into two countries, and how this led to decades of violence on both sides of the Irish Sea. We will look at why there are millions of Irish people living right across the world. We will also see how a sex scandal brought down an independence movement, how the Irish army accidentally destroyed every window on Dublin’s central shopping street, and get to grips with how to say Taoiseach, Tánaiste, Dáil Éireann and more.

Come to the Old Monkey, have a pint, and enjoy some history.