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.

Manchester. Many of us live in it, some of us visit it, most of us have heard of it. Every time we step out into the city centre we walk past historic buildings, fascinating pasts, and sites of local, national or international importance. Join this Hollyzone History walk as we take to the streets of Manchester to look around and listen to some of the stories which are associated with the places we walk by.

Find out about the ‘Booby Hill’ which became the heart of the Industrial Revolution. Meet Roman ruins, anti-slavery symbols, LGBT+ history, a cathedral which took rather a long time to finish, a defiant post box, and man-made rivers.

Meet at Grub, Mayfield Train Station, Baring Street, M1 2AD at 12 noon so we can get some tasty food at the street food market (veggie and vegan options available). Then at 1pm we will set off on a guided tour with an informed, interesting and fun guide. We will aim to finish at one of several places which claim to be Manchester’s oldest pub.

Roving the high seas. Waving swords while ordering people to do things to the rigging. Drinking rum and terrorising empires. Being a pirate has long captured people’s imaginations, despite the scurvy, seasickness and illegality of it all. But if your mental image of pirates is thick beards and manly shanties, then there’s a whole bunch of iconic pirates you need to meet.

In this talk we will meet some fearsome, fabulous female pirates from around the world, and learn what it takes to be a she on the high seas.

From stowaways and adventurers on British ships, to former sex workers turned scourge of empires in China, to the Irish pirate queen who demanded and got a meeting with Elizabeth I, these are some of the most resourceful, intriguing and salty women in history.

Come to the Old Monkey, have a pint, and get some tips on how to begin your own career as a female pirate.

Roving the high seas. Waving swords while ordering people to do things to the rigging. Drinking rum and terrorising empires. Being a pirate has long captured people’s imaginations, despite the scurvy, seasickness and illegality of it all. But if your mental image of pirates is thick beards and manly shanties, then there’s a whole bunch of iconic pirates you need to meet.

London, now it is time for you to meet some fearsome, fabulous female pirates from around the world, and learn what it takes to be a she on the high seas.

From stowaways and adventurers on British ships, to former sex workers turned scourge of empires in China, to the Irish pirate queen who demanded and got a meeting with Elizabeth I, these are some of the most resourceful, intriguing and salty women in history.

Come along the New Nursery Theatre’s Nursery Training Centre, nestled on the 6th floor of an old office block right next to London Bridge station (srsly, it’s right next to it, you can’t miss it!) and get some tips on how to begin your own career as a female pirate.

This event is free entry but if you enjoyed the show please feel free to make a donation at the end to help us cover room hire and generally swell our stock of doubloons and pieces of eight.

From the earliest times, humans have looked at the stars and wondered what things were like up there. It might be our greatest achievement that members of our species have walked on the moon, sent back awe-inspiring images of our planet, and learned so much about the great cosmos above.

However, there won’t be much of that Brian Cox wide-eyed wonder here! This talk is about the Space Race and how we ended up watching people float around, bashing out Bowie songs in confined pods.

Politics, war, ideological clashes and an almost endless series of animals getting blasted into the unknown, the Space Race could be as much about dodgy deals, white-washing of people’s pasts, imprisonment, nuclear war and disaster as it could be about exploration, iconic footprints and space puppies.

Come to the Old Monkey and let’s see if they’ve got any appropriately-themed drinks like they did for our Irish History and Pirate talks! Space gin, anyone?

Roving the high seas. Waving swords while ordering people to do things to the rigging. Drinking rum and terrorising empires. Being a pirate has long captured people’s imaginations, despite the scurvy, seasickness and illegality of it all. But if your mental image of pirates is thick beards and manly shanties, then there’s a whole bunch of iconic pirates you need to meet.

Leeds, now it is time for you to meet some fearsome, fabulous female pirates from around the world, and learn what it takes to be a she on the high seas.

From stowaways and adventurers on British ships, to former sex workers turned scourge of empires in China, to the Irish pirate queen who demanded and got a meeting with Elizabeth I, these are some of the most resourceful, intriguing and salty women in history.

Come along the Wharf Chambers, just up the road from Leeds station, and get some tips on how to begin your own career as a female pirate.

The Wharf Chambers asks for people to join as members which costs £1 on the night (details here: https://www.wharfchambers.org/membership/) The actual event is free entry but if you enjoyed the show please feel free to make a donation at the end to help us cover costs and generally swell our stock of doubloons and pieces of eight.

London! Light pollution notwithstanding, do you ever look at the stars at night and pondered how to get up there? You are not alone.

From the earliest times humans have looked at the stars and wondered what things were like up there. It might be our greatest achievement that members of our species have walked on the moon, sent back awe-inspiring images of our planet, and learned so much about the great cosmos above.

However there won’t be much of that Brian Cox wide-eyed wonder here! This talk is about the Space Race and how we ended up watching people float around in metal pods, millions* of miles from home!

Politics, war, ideological clashes and an almost endless series of animals getting blasted into the unknown, the Space Race is as much about dodgy deals, white-washing of people’s pasts, imprisonment, nuclear war and disaster as it is about exploration, iconic footprints and space puppies.

Come to the Nursery Theatre, next to London Bridge station, and learn about the dirty, silly, tragic, crazy side of humanity’s greatest achievement.

This event is free entry but if you enjoyed the show please feel free to make a donation (suggested donation £7) at the end to help with venue hire, non-cosmic transport and our continuing efforts here at Hollyzone History to do a show on the moon.

There will be drinks in the fridge and the venue is wheelchair accessible via the lift.

*Not actually millions, the moon is only about 230,000 miles away. But “millions” alliterates.

Roving the high seas. Waving swords while ordering people to do things to the rigging. Drinking rum and terrorising empires. Being a pirate has long captured people’s imaginations, despite the scurvy, seasickness and illegality of it all. But if your mental image of pirates is thick beards and manly shanties, then there’s a whole bunch of iconic pirates you need to meet.

Birmingham, you might think your landlocked location means you are safe from piracy, but with all those canals it might be wise to learn about some fearsome, fabulous female pirates from around the world, and learn what it takes to be a she on the high seas.

From stowaways and adventurers on British ships, to former sex workers turned scourge of empires in China, to the Irish pirate queen who demanded and got a meeting with Elizabeth I, these are some of the most resourceful, intriguing and salty women in history.

Come along the Victoria, right next to New Street station, and get some tips on how to begin your own career as a female pirate.

This event is free entry but if you enjoyed the show please feel free to make a donation at the end to help us cover costs and generally swell our stock of doubloons and pieces of eight.

Roving the high seas. Waving swords while ordering people to do things to the rigging. Drinking rum and terrorising empires. Being a pirate has long captured people’s imaginations, despite the scurvy, seasickness and illegality of it all. But if your mental image of pirates is thick beards and manly shanties, then there’s a whole bunch of iconic pirates you need to meet.
London, now it is time for you to meet some fearsome, fabulous female pirates from around the world, and learn what it takes to be a she on the high seas.

From stowaways and adventurers on British ships, to former sex workers turned scourge of empires in China, to the Irish pirate queen who demanded and got a meeting with Elizabeth I, these are some of the most resourceful, intriguing and salty women in history.

History with humour, this show dives into the lives of these fascinating women while also plundering laughs from the audience.

Holly is a Manchester-based performance historian who is on a mission to bring history to those who like a good night out of learning, laughing and failed attempts at alliteration.