For 2022-2023 click here.
*****
2021
Dec 24: Irish Central publishes ‘Half the Joy of an Irish Christmas‘; Turtle is among the voices on VoiceMap’s recording of “T’was the Night Before Christmas.”
Dec 21: The Irish Post selects ‘The Irish Diaspora’ as one of its Twelve Books for Christmas.
Dec 20: Ally Bunbury is one of the guest readers on Thornwillow’s Bloomsyear Centennial Reading of James Joyce’s ‘Ulysses’ (Episode 3), alongside Edoardo Ballerini, David Mamet, Tamara Glenny, Richard Nash, and Charl Brown. Listen here.
Dec 18: Turtle’s interviews with Rachel Comiskey of Zurich (Samichlaus and Schmutzli) and Liz Cairns of Leicestershire,UK (The Last-Minute Mayhem) published online with ‘To Be Irish at Christmas.’
Dec 14: The Maxol Podcast goes live on Spotify.
Dec 10: Turtle’s interviews with John Power of the Loire Valley (Half the Joy of Christmas) and Elizabeth Stack of Albany, New York (Where the Jingle Bells Chime) published online with ‘To Be Irish at Christmas.’
Dec 9: Turtle is awarded the 2021 Gilmartin Medal after he delivers the Gilmartin Lecture to the College of Anaesthesiologists of Ireland. His lecture is entitled ‘Of Chloroform, Contagion & the Comanche Nation: Aspects of the World in 1847’. Listen here.
Dec 7: As Storm Barra pounds Ireland, Turtle’s 2017 account of the Night of the Big Wind is reprised to become the Irish Times’ tenth most popular story of the day.
Dec 1: ‘To Be Irish’ programme launched by the Minister of State for Overseas Development Aid and Diaspora, Colm Brophy, T.D., to include a series of interviews with the Irish diaspora curated by Turtle.
Nov 19: Turtle delivers a talk on ‘The Irish Diaspora – Tales of Emigrants, Exile & Empire’ for Muckross House in Killarney.
Nov 10-15: ‘Violet Gibson – The Irish woman who shot Mussolini’ screens as part of the Irish Film Festa Rome, with Italian subtitles.
Nov 8: The Dublin Book Festival 2021 commences with ‘Lost and Found – Irishman Captain Francis Crozier and the Franklin Expedition disaster’, in which Turtle interviews polar historian Michael Smith, author of ‘Icebound in the Arctic’. The event was held in partnership with the Royal Dublin Society Library.
Nov 7: Turtle launches the new www.turtlebunbury.com website, which you are presently viewing, complete with subscription-based history archive of his work. The website is designed by Fintan Blake Kelly of the Upping Company, following consultation with Úna Ryan of Marketing Eye Consultancy and the support of the Carlow Enterprise Board.
Nov 1: Turtle interviewed for ‘The Global Interview with Creatives, Leaders, and Thinkers’ (Season 29) about the joys of history.
Oct 31: Turtle delivers keynote speech at official unveiling of Willie Malone’s statue of Kevin Barry in Rathvilly, County Carlow. As Charlie Keegan writes in his report on the event in the Carlow Nationalist: ‘The day’s celebrations opened with a parade headed by a pony and trap with tricolours flying on either side. Close behind came Turtle Bunbury, travelling in style in an open-top vintage Ford from 1930. Turtle, a proud Rathvilly man, author and historian, was keynote speaker for the unveiling.’
Oct 7: The Connaught Telegraph zeroes in on Sasha Sykes ‘Carlow Chair’ in a review of the ‘Our Irish Chair: Tradition Revisited’ at at the National Museum of Ireland – Country Life, Turlough Park, Castlebar.
Oct 2: Turtle shares a panel at Echoes Festival, Dalkey, with Dr Phil Mullen, Caelainn Hogan, Caroline Erskine and Rachel English for ‘Stories from the Silence’, a discussion on why and how Ireland’s past and its hidden stories need to be shared. The festival theme is ‘This Year It Will Be Different.’
Oct 1: Turtle delivers wrap up episode of Vanishing Ireland podcasts.
Sept 24: The last of the Vanishing Ireland podcast interviews airs, with Tullow tailor Michael Johnson, who earns a feature in the Carlow Nationalist. Turtle also talks about the series on ‘The Way It Is’ with Sue Nunn on KCLR.
Sept 22: The film of ‘Violet Gibson – The Irish woman who shot Mussolini’ screens on TG4. It’s the first ever broadcast. See trailer here.
Sept 21: Turtle delivers lecture for South Dublin Libraries on ‘Irish Women & Global Leaders’, including Violet Gibson (the Dubliner who tried to kill Mussolini); Eliza Lynch (the Cork lady who became First Lady of Paraguay) and Lola Montez (the Cork woman who caused the King of Bavaria to abdicate).
Sept 19: Freda Jones is the is the 14th guest on the Vanishing Ireland podcast series, earning her a feature in the Wicklow People by Eimear Dodd.
Sept 15: The Vanishing Ireland podcast series scores its 10,000th download.
Sept 13: Con ‘Durrihy’ O’Sullivan is the is the 13th guest on the Vanishing Ireland podcast series, earning him a feature in the Southern Star.
Sept 8: The Irish Post in London runs Turtle’s feature on Little Al Cashier.
Sept 3: Helen-Fegan Joyce is the 12th guest on the Vanishing Ireland podcast series.
Aug 31: The Clare Champion profiles Clare connections in The Irish Diaspora. Turtle interviews 107 year old Carmel Geoghegan in Portmarnock.
Aug 26: Oliver Reed of Athlone is the 11th guest on the Vanishing Ireland podcast series; the Westmeath Independent carries this feature.
Above: This little piggy is part of a remarkable collection found in a limestone cave on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. It’s a Sulawesi pig, warts and all, painted with vivid red ochre and is quite possibly the earliest known artwork produced by human hand. The artist even added human hands to the scene. So many millennia ago is a massive timespan to get your head around, but I take encouragement from the notion that, even then, mankind was seeking to make sense of its surroundings through art.
Aug 25: Country Life feature on Turtle’s ‘Favourite Painting’ homes in on the Sulawesi pig (pictured). Volume 6:1 of the Journal of the Butler Society carries Turtle’s obituary to his uncle James Butler.
Aug 21: Turtle speaks with Marita Conlon-McKenna about ‘Children of the Famine’ at the Festival of Writing & Ideas, Borris House.
Aug 20: Philip Lecane of Cork City is the 10th guest on the Vanishing Ireland podcast series, earning him plaudits from Yay Cork.
Aug 13: On the day the Vanishing Ireland podcasts achieves its 5000th download, Miriam Moore is the ninth guest on the series.
Aug 7: The Vanishing Ireland Facebook Group reaches the amazing figure of 150,000 members.
Aug 6: Dublin greengrocer Jack Roche is the eighth guest on the Vanishing Ireland podcast series.
Aug 5: Paperback version of Ireland’s Forgotten Past his the shelves.
Aug 4: Turtle’s presentation on the Past Tracks project, and Athy, is repeated on RTE One’s Nationwide. The Kildare Nationalist takes note.
Aug 3: Turtle discusses Vanishing Ireland with the Morning Mix on South East Radio.
Aug 2: Vanishing Ireland Podcast crosses the 4,000 downloads mark.
July 30: Dessie Hynes, former landlord of O’Donohue’s Pub in Dublin City, is the seventh guest on the Vanishing Ireland podcast series.
July 23: George Knight of Clones is the sixth guest on the Vanishing Ireland podcast series.
July 17: Ally Bunbury’s article on ‘The comfort to be found in memories and remembering’ is published in The Irish Times.
July 16: Betty Ashe of Dublin Docklands is the guest on the fifth Vanishing Ireland podcast. Turtle is interviewed by Michael Sullivan of Near FM about the project.
July 14: The Irish Times publish Turtle’s account of Abbé Edgeworth, who declined returning to Ireland when the Bastille was stormed on 14 July 1789 and became confessor to King Louis XVI at his execution.
July 11: Turtle profiled in the Sunday Times ‘Where I Work.’
July 9: Eddie Lenihan of Crusheen, County Clare, is the fourth guest on the Vanishing Ireland podcast.
July 2: Rally driver Rosemary Smith is the third guest on the Vanishing Ireland podcast. Dermot and Dave interview her on Today FM a couple of days later.
June 30: Mary Stack’s debut in the Vanishing Ireland podcast series earns her a feature in The Kerryman.
June 25: The second Vanishing Ireland podcast goes live – 84-year-old Myles Clarke, a mountain farmer from Valleymount, County Wicklow, reflects on a his life. The Wicklow People home in on Myles also.
June 22: Turtle interviewed at Bishopscourt about nautical legends Francis Beaufort, George Halpin and Robert Halpin.
June 19: Turtle’s account of the burning of Knockcroghery referenced in the Westmeath Independent on centenary of event.
June 18: On the day the Vanishing Ireland group wins its 140,000th member, Mary Stack airs as the first Vanishing Ireland podcast, achieving widespread publicity including an article on Irish Central.
June: Turtle’s article on Michael Fay, a nationalist killed in 1921, appears in The Carlow Nationalist.
June 3: Turtle joins Sinead Brassil on LMFM Radio to marks 20 years of Vanishing Ireland and the new podcast series.
May 31: Turtle talks ‘Vanishing Ireland’ with Shirley Ní Ríagáin on West Limerick FM 102FM.
May 28: Publication of ‘Materialising Power – The Archaeology of the Black Pig’s Dyke, Co. Monaghan’ (Wordwell Ltd) by Cóilín Ó Drisceoil and Aidan Walsh, with a chapter by Turtle on William de Vismes Kane.
May 22: Turtle replicates his great-uncle Dudley Colley’s achievement by driving a car over the Ha’penny Bridge … a remote control Ferrari that he smashed into all sides of the bridge before it tumbled ingloriously down the steps. He was filming a short piece about Dudley, Wellington and the bridge for a TG4 series with Lochlann O’Mearain.
May 26: Turtle interviewed on KCLR Live by Eimear Ní Bhraonáin on the history of Carlow Castle.
May 21: Turtle interviewed about the Irish Diaspora by Tennery Taylor Norton for Constant Wonder, BYUradio.
May 20: Anne Doyle promotes Vanishing Ireland, and Turtle, on The Six O’Clock Show. ‘I have been a big fan of Turtle for many, many years,’ she says. ‘I have most of his books. I very much enjoy the way he has brought history into our domain, the way he has brought it in visually and yet he has also maintained the purity – and the science – of history.’
May 19: News of the Vanishing Ireland podcast series breaks in the Irish Sun, Connaught Telegraph, Irish Independent, DublinLive.ie, Clare Champion, Leinster Leader, Leinster Express, Leitrim Observer, Limerick Leader, Limerick Post, Kildare Nationalist, Westmeath Examiner, broadsheet.ie, extra.ie and Goss.ie – the Irish Times publishes a photo of former TV newsreader Anne Doyle with Betty Ashe at the launch as one of its ‘Images of the Day.’
May 18: Photo-call in St Stephen’s Green, Dublin, for Vanishing Ireland launch with Anne Doyle.
May 4: Turtle presents ‘The Butler Family – An Illustrated Recap on the last 900 Years’ for the Kilkenny Liberal Studies Group.
April 27: The Minneapolis Star-Tribune picks up the New York Daily News article on ‘The Irish Diaspora.’
April 21: Turtle presents Zoom talks on ‘The Irish Diaspora’ to Irish Network DC in Washington DC; and the Bangor Rotary Club in County Down.
April 18: Turtle gives talk at unveiling of a plaque in Rathvilly to the memory of Michael Faye.
April 16: Carlow Nationalist home in on Ally’s matchbox collection photo shoot in the Make a Wish book.
April 11: Ciara Dwyer interviews Turtle for ‘Upfront’ in the Sunday Independent. “I lived with my grandfather for a couple of years and I interviewed the poor man every day. Looking at life through the perspective of a young grandfather was a very useful exercise.”
April 4: Two-page feature on ‘The Irish Diaspora’ written by Jacqueline Cutler and published in the Easter Sunday edition of the New York Daily News.
April 3: The Kilkenny People publish a feature on ‘The Irish Diaspora’ and its ‘fascinating’ cast.
April 1: Interview with Turtle in Ulster Tatler.
Turtle in Ulster Tatler.
March 29: The Tipperary Star publishes a full page on ‘The Irish Diaspora’, highlighting all the Tipperary links.
March 27: BBC History Extra airs podcast interview with Turtle by Elinor Evans about ‘The Irish Diaspora.’
March 26: Deirdre Verney of Westmeath Independent applauds the ‘intriguing’ cast in The Irish Diaspora: ‘In his ever-popular warm and engaging style, Turtle Bunbury shares the stories of a fascinating range of people.’
March 25: Turtle presents ‘The Butler Family – An Illustrated Recap on the last 900 Years’ for the inaugural Zoom lecture for the Butler Society.
Above: Turtle delivered the inaugural Zoom talk for the Butler Society in March 2021, an illustrated recap on 900 years of the Butler family in Ireland. Delivered in the pandemic, its’ purpose was to cheer up existing members of the society, as well as people considering membership.
March 19: Glowing review of ‘The Irish Diaspora’ published in BBC History Magazine.
March 11: Launch of Turtle’s new book ‘The Irish Diaspora: Tales of Emigration, Exile and Empire’ (Thames & Hudson).
March 5: Turtle join BBC journalist and author Humphrey Hawksley for a freewheeling chat about his books and the larger canvas of Irish history, its wars and diasporas and how these memories affect Ireland and politics today, for a Goldster (formerly Care Visions) Healthy Ageing Book Chat. (With thanks to Eithne Treanor)
Feb 24: The Allyship Series, co-hosted by the Harvard Club of Boston and the Harvard Club of Ireland, homes in on the story of the Choctaw Nation and the Great Hunger, at which Turtle and Alex Pentek spoke. See here.
Feb 21: Turtle published his debut Kindle, ‘Hope in 1847’, which contains 5 short stories about positive, uplifting acts of international kindness conducted during 1847, the worst year of the Great Hunger, also known as the Irish Famine. Buy here.
Feb 14: Turtle presents ‘Contextualizing Douglass’s Ireland – The World in 1845-1847’ for Frederick Douglass Week, with an introduction by Robert Manson of the Harvard Alumni Club (Ireland). Nine-year-old Mimi Fogg has two poems published in the Kid’s Supplement of the Sunday Times.
Jan 23: Turtle presents online talks on ‘Ireland’s Forgotten Past’ and ‘Vanishing Ireland’ to Diploma Year in Genealogy students at University College Cork.
Jan 19: Turtle’s interview with Damien Dynan airs on The Deep Cover Show.
Jan 15: Betty Ashe of Pearse Street, Dublin, is the first person interviewed for the Vanishing Ireland podcast series. With Ireland in lockdown, she spoke to Turtle via Squadcast in a 47 minute talk, with sound engineers Liam Mulvanny and Jamie from Asylum Studios. The podcast series will go to air in Spring 2021. (The Vanishing Ireland Facebook group reached 130K on the same day).
Jan 11: Turtle Bunbury’s ‘Around the World in 1847’ published as a podcast by the Chalke Valley History Festival.
Jan 10: Turtle talks of Rathvilly’s highlights for a Sunday Times feature by Cara O’Doherty.
Jan 8: ‘Adare Manor: The Renaissance of an Irish Country Manor’ profiled by Paul Clements in The Irish Times.
*****
2020
Dec 31: Meath Chronicle applauds ‘Maxol 1920–2020: Celebrating the First Hundred Years of an Irish Family Company’.
Dec 27: Turtle’s interview with Sean Moncrieff features on Moncrieff Highlights 2020.
Dec 17: The Butler Society newsletter features Turtle’s obituary to his uncle James Butler, as well as an overview of the new Butler Gallery in Kilkenny.
Dec 13: Turtle delivers a talk on ‘Ireland’s Forgotten Past’ at the Virtual iBAM event in Chicago.
Dec 9: ‘What did the Romans Do for Ireland?’, a talk by Turtle, drops on the Study of Antiquity and the Middle Ages YouTube channel. On the same day, ‘Ireland’s Forgotten Past’ achieves a much-coveted #1 Bestseller tag on Amazon, albeit in the unlikely category of ‘Wars of the Roses.’
Dec 8: Virtual launch of ‘Adare Manor – An Epicurean Journey’ by Turtle, with Ali Dunworth as MC. The event was hailed as ‘groundbreaking’ by McKenna’s Guides, who declared that Adare Manor’s culinary project ‘echoes another voyage of discovery, that undertaken by Rene Redzepi and his cohort before they opened Noma, in Copenhagen. Redzepi wrote a big, handsome book about that, and now @turtlebunbury has done the same for Adare Manor, with the fine “Adare Manor: An Epicurean Journey”.’
Above: Turtle was a guest on Nick Barksdale’s Study of Antiquity and the Middle Ages YouTube channel. He spoke about Ireland in the age of the Romans.
Dec 6: Three-page feature in the Sunday Business Post‘s Food & Wine magazine with extract from Turtle’s new book, ‘Adare Manor – An Epicurean Journey’.
Dec 4: Turtle speaks of his writing career for ‘The Irish Chronicles: Literary Ireland Past & Present’ webinar with Adams & Butler, alongside Pat Liddy (Dublin & Jewish history specialist), Simon O’Connor (MoLI) and Damien Brennan (Yeats Scholar); Turtle interviewed by Carlow IT history students; Maxol reviewed in Checkout magazine.
Dec 3: Zoom launch for 2021 edition of Carloviana, with article on The Bunburys of Johnstown by Turtle.
Nov 28: Turtle interviewed on the John Toal Show, BBC Ulster, about Maxol and Ireland’s Forgotten Past. ‘What I love about Turtle’s writing,’ says John, ‘is that he takes a subject that you might only have a slight connection with, and then he tells you a story that pulls you right into the middle of it. The only other person I can think of who does that is Bill Bryson.’
Nov 24: Belfast Telegraph to publish an 8-page commemorative supplement in conjunction with launch of “Maxol – The Story of an Irish Family Business (1920-2020)” in Northern Ireland.The book was to be launched in May 2020 (at the The Little Museum of Dublin), following an address by Turtle to the Maxol Retailer’s Conference in the K Club. Both events were postponed due to Covid-19.
Nov 22: The Sunday Times carries an 8-page supplement on the new Maxol book and the centenary of the company, including an article by Graeme Lennox headed ‘Turtle Bunbury’s Chronicle of Determination and Drive’.
Nov 21: Turtle and Noel McMullan interviewed about the new Maxol book on Down to Business with Bobby Kerr (Newstalk Radio). A photo of Dilly the Dog features in the Irish Times in an article entitled ‘Dog’s life: Pads for pooches with (bow-)wow factor’ by Alanna Gallagher.
Nov 20: First copies of ‘Maxol – Celebrating 100 Years’ by Turtle Bunbury circulate. Turtle’s role in researching and writing the book is profiled on Newstalk 106.
Nov 4: Tourism Ireland alert 2700 German media about Turtle’s historical background, just as US election count is underway.
Oct 29: BBC History Extra airs interview with Turtle by Ellie Cawthorne about ‘Ireland’s Forgotten Past.’
Oct 21: On the day his godson Shamus Bunbury turns 19, Tom Crampton’s CommonsPass, a new digital health passport, is profiled on CNN, including interview with Paul Meyer, fellow godfather to Alastair Crampton.
Oct 20: Sasha Sykes’ work described by Megan Burns in Image Magazine as ‘wonderful’; Tom Sykes files a story from County Carlow to the Daily Beast headlined ‘Ireland Goes Into Total Lockdown in Desperate Bid to Save Christmas as Europe’s Second Wave Gathers Force.’
Oct 19: ‘Violet Gibson, the Irish Woman who Shot Mussolini’, produced by Barrie Dowdall and Siobhan Lynam, wins Best Documentary Feature at the 21st Kerry International Film Festival. Turtle was among the talking voices on the documentary.
Oct 12: Turtle appears on TODAY with Hoda & Jenna (NBC) discussing the Choctaw donation of 1847.
Oct 10: Sasha Sykes Bloom! screen and lamp feature in ‘How To Spend It’ by Clara Baldock. Having appeared in Fortune earlier in the week, Tom Crampton’s Commons Project (to establish standard certifications for Covid-19 test results) also features in the Financial Times.
Oct 9: Turtle spends 12 minutes on Sean Moncrieff’s show on Newstalk discussing volcanos, brandy at the Boyne, Cromwell’s tailor, the railways in the west of Ireland and Operation Shamrock.
Oct 2: Turtle livestreams his debut Zoom lecture, discussing ‘Ireland’s Forgotten Past’ at the Dublin History Festival.
Sept 20: Sasha Sykes installation at Brown Thomas profiled in The Irish Times; Ally Bunbury’s account of Ballyoliver published in The Carlow Nationalist.
Sept 18: Publication of ‘The Magic Life of Sheds’ by Henry Cole and Tom Sykes, coincides with 82nd birthday of the 5th Baron Rathdonnell.
West Cork History Festival
August 22: Turtle’s article on the Butler Gallery published in the Home & Design section of The Irish Times.
August 8: Turtle speaks at the online West Cork Virtual History Festival. The impact of Covid 19 is such that the following events for Turtle were cancelled, aside from the launch of Ireland’s Forgotten Past: Kells (Hinterland), Borris (the Festival of Writing and Ideas), Woodbrook, Dromana, and Ballinure, County Wicklow; Irish Georgian Society’s London Chapter at the Traveller’s Club, Pall Mall, London.
July 30: Turtle’s history of the Browne’s of Browne’s Hill is published in the Irish Times. Turtle is subsequently interviewed about the house, and its impending sale, by Sue Nunn on KCLR.
July 29: Jarrod Dickensen livestreams from Nashville to Knocknagan.
Turtle talks with Ruadh Butler on ‘Stranger Than Fiction’ (above) and Sue Nunn for ‘The Way It Is’ (below)
July 18: Ally Bunbury scores the cover of The Irish Times Life & Style supplement with her article on ‘The Zen of Hens.’
July 5: Sasha Sykes profiled by Ruth O’Connor in the Business Post – “The Wild Flowers of a Singular Artist”. The Vanishing Ireland facebook group clocks its 120,000th member.
July 7: Turtle interviewed by Ruadh Butler for Stranger Than Fiction channel. Their chat covered such events as Edward the Bruce’s invasion of Ireland, how Prince Lionel of Antwerp moved the Irish administrative capital to Carlow and the curious ties of Anne Boleyn to Carrick-on-Suir.
July 4: Turtle chats with Rachel Ryan on 98FM‘s Saturday Social about some of Dublin City’s forgotten past.
June 26: Turtle chairs a Zoom discussion called ‘A Ripple in Time’ at the online Half-Moon Festival, examining the link between Ireland and the Choctaw Nation. His panel featured sculptor Alex Pentek, musician Grant Crawford, writer Jessica Militante and event organizer TC Crawford.
June 20: Sebastian Barry chooses ‘Ireland’s Forgotten Past’ for The Guardian’s ‘Books to help you escape lockdown’, describing it as ‘a delicious book … a stirring atlas of Irishness.’
June 14: Turtle quoted in ‘Morristown Lattin‘ by Breda Reid on Sunday Miscellany, RTE Radio One, as she discusses the house behind the phrase immortalised in Ulysses: ‘I’ll make you dance, Jack Lattin’.
June 6: Ally Bunbury feature article in the Irish Times takes three families who built their own outdoor ovens from scratch, namely the Jelletts, the Bielenbergs and the Avelings.
June 4: Carlow Nationalist publishes feature on Lisnavagh Garden’s opening to the public on Sunday afternoons in June.
May 23: Turtle’ new office features as a cover story in The Irish Times ‘Home and Design’ section, with two photographs by Ally.
May 26: Turtle publishes ‘Full Circle’, highlighting some episodes of remarkable humanity from the Great Hunger that afflicted Ireland in the 1840s, and how such acts of kindness have come full circle during the Coronavirus pandemic. The podcast is to raise money for Good Grub and the Navajo nation.
May 6: Irish generosity to Navajo and Hopi prompts new interest in Choctaw gift of 1847, leading Harmeet Kaur to quote Turtle’s findings in her article for CNN.
May 1: BBC History Magazine describes ‘Ireland’s Forgotten Past’ as ‘… a magnificently eclectic collection … Bunbury is a skilled storyteller who carries his learning lightly and his readers with him. Helped by Joe McLaren’s fine illustrations, readers of all ages will enjoy squinting through this stained-glass window of a book and marvelling at these weird and wonderful flickerings of the Irish past.’
Ripple in Time – The Choctaw Donation of 1847
April 27: Current Archaeology describes ‘Ireland’s Forgotten Past’ as ‘accessible [and] beautifully illustrated’.
April 6: Irish Central pitches ‘Ireland’s Forgotten Past’ as ‘informative and entertaining.’
April 5: Ally Bunbury reads a chapter from The Inheritance for The Holding Cell.
April 4: Glowing review of Ireland’s Forgotten Past in Meath Chronicle.
Spring: Martin Russell, Book Editor at the Irish American Post profiles Turtle for the Spring 2020 issue, calling him ‘a real Man About Ireland and Raconteur Extraordinaire’. See ‘Writing Isn’t a Slow Stroll for Turtle Bunbury’
March 28: ‘Bunbury certainly can spin a good yarn. His voice is warm and engaging. I imagine families in cars using the book as a more accessible guide to Ireland. You could mark up the handy map on the frontispiece with the places you’ve visited.’ Josephine Fenton, Irish Examiner.
March 26: Laois Nationalist highlights Turtle’s new book, ‘Ireland’s Forgotten Past.’
March 23: ‘In the Pleasure Groove’ by John Taylor and Tom Sykes is ranked at No. 13 on Rolling Stone magazine’s ’50 Greatest Rock Memoirs of All Time’, described as ‘a wildly funny tour of the pop hustle … full of poignant introspection and gentlemanly warmth.’
March 21: The Irish Times publish an exclusive extract from Turtle’s book, about Ireland in the Roman age.
March 14: Ireland’s Forgotten Past enters Ireland’s Non-Fiction hardback charts at No. 9; Ally Bunbury’s article ‘Alexa vs the Angelus: the vanishing sights and sounds of an Irish kitchen’ is published in The Irish Times.
March 13: As Ireland goes into lockdown mode, ‘Ireland’s Forgotten Past’ appearing in nationwide press, with the Leinster Leader, the Tuam Herald, Wexford Today, the Limerick Post and Cork Independent weighing in favourably. The proposed launch of the book was cancelled because of Covid.
March 12: The Irish Echo (New York) publishes an interview with Turtle about life as a historian and his new book, ‘Ireland’s Forgotten Past’; the proposed launch of the book at the Thomas Prior Hall in Dublin 4 on March 26 is postponed because of the Cover-19 pandemic. Four days later, Turtle’s scheduled talk at the Oxford Literary Festival is also cancelled.
March 6: The Offaly Express profile Ireland’s Forgotten Past, describing it as ‘fascinating.’
March 3: Turtle profiled by Oliver Callan on The Tubridy Show. You can hear it here, or read a review here. On the same day, The Irish Echo in New York profiled The Crown, with a nod to Turtle’s book on The Irish Pub.
Feb 27: Kate Hickey of Irish Central gives a glowing review to Lisnavagh House.
Feb 23: Steve Whitaker, literary correspondent with the Yorkshire Times gives Turtle’s book ‘Ireland’s Forgotten Past’ a massive thumbs up. “Turtle Bunbury has pulled off a feat of exquisite skill – the upholding of a mandate to edify entertainingly without overwhelming his audience in scholarly aridity. Ireland’s Forgotten Past is a rare and cherishable thing: combining assiduous research with a nose for ribald fun, Bunbury disinters the odd, the arcane and the profoundly surprising from the dark recesses of a mostly unknown history.”
Feb 15: Carlow Live announces Turtle’s upcoming book, Ireland’s Forgotten Past.
Jan 10: Leinster Leader profiles May Morris, a Vanishing Ireland icon, who was Kildare’s oldest woman.
Jan 9: Turtle interviewed by Clem Ryan on KFM Radio Kildare about the late May Morris, a Vanishing Ireland icon, who died aged 106.
Jan 1: Turtle’s account of Lisnavagh House published in History Ireland (Vol. 28, No. 1).
2019
On show at St Peter’s Church, Cork, throughout 2019, ‘A City By The Sea‘ offers a whistle-stop journey through Cork’s long and extraordinary maritime history. Curated by Turtle, the show is replete with colourful tales of the pirates, patriots, emigrants, heroines, chancers and warriors who sailed upon the Lee and beheld this majestic harbour in ages past. The exhibition was relocated to Cork Airport in 2020.
Dec 17: Publication of ‘Weir & Sons 150 – A Celebration,’ edited by Turtle Bunbury, designed by John Power and published by Richard Power.
Dec 13: Turtle teams up with Chief Gary Batton of the Choctaw Nation and sculptor Alex Pentek to tell the story of a remarkable act of kindness during the Great Hunger for a Backstory podcast, produced by Melissa Gismondi.
Dec 12: SHEmazing recommends Turtle’s ‘Adare Manor’ book as its top ‘must buy coffee table book’ for Christmas 2019.
Dec 3: The Carlow Nationalist runs a story by Turtle on collecting Prince August toy soldiers as a child, as well as a piece on Ally and Turtle attending the launch of the Adare Manor book.
Turtle’s book on Adare Manor launched in November 2019.
Dec 1: Turtle ponders his Favourite Tree for a cover story of sorts in The Irish Garden … it’s the oak at Lisnavagh. The Waterford News & Star Christmas Annual profiles Caroline Lady Waterford following her interview with Turtle at All Together Now.
Dec 1: Limerick Leader profiles Turtle’s book on Adare Manor and describes it thus: ‘This elegant hardback coffee table book consisting of almost 200 pages is superbly woven together by the author, an award-winning author and historian, with excellent images going back over the centuries with enthralling stories about the Quin, and Wyndham Quin families, including the seven Earls of Dunraven.’
Nov 27: The Kerryman profiles Turtle’s book on Adare Manor.
Nov 22: I Love Limerick homes in on the Adare Manor book.
Nov 21: Turtle interviewed by Joe Nash on the Limerick Today show on Live95, alongside Anita Higgins and Sarah Ormston of Adare Manor, about his new Adare Manor book, as well as the Past Tracks project. The radio show won “Best Current Affairs Programme Local / Regional” at the 2018 IMRO Radio Awards.
Nov 20: Launch of ‘Adare Manor – The Renaissance of an Irish Country House,’ written by Turtle Bunbury and designed by John Power. The book was lunched in the Maigue Suite at Adare Manor by Colm Hannon, General Manager, with the Countess of Dunraven and Noreen McManus amongst those in attendance. See photos here.
Nov 16: Sasha Sykes ‘Collected Flowers’ appears in Ruth Monahan’s book ‘Blathanna: Irish Spaces in Flower’, referenced in the Irish Times.
Nov 13: Turtle launches Herbie Brennan’s book ‘Nectanebo’ at Slaney House, Tullow.
Nov 6: The Dublin People runs a feature on Past Tracks exhibits at Dun Laoghaire Station; Turtle interviews Isaac Boss for McCarthy’s Whiskey.
Oct 30: Paula Campbell at the Leinster Leader runs a feature on the Past Tracks exhibits at Athy and Naas/Sallins Stations.
Oct 26: Dr Terence Dooley presents ‘The burning of country houses in the Irish revolution 1920-23’ at Lisnavagh House as part of the Big House Festival, followed by Mina Choi’s “House Plays” on Sunday 27 October in which Turtle and William Bunbury play the vital paramedics.
Oct 22: The Dublin People runs a feature on Past Tracks exhibit at Malahide Station.
Oct 19: The Argus News runs a feature on Past Tracks exhibit at Dundalk’s Clarke Station.
Oct 16: Dundalk Democrat runs a feature on Past Tracks exhibit at Dundalk’s Clarke Station.
Oct 15: Sligo Champion runs a feature on Past Tracks exhibit at Sligo’s MacDiarmada Station; the Munster Express does likewise with Waterford station, as well as a two-page feature on the launch.
Oct 12: Turtle launches ‘Past Tracks’ in Plunkett Station, Waterford, with Irish Rail and Flahavan’s Oats. The project is also highlighted in the Limerick Post. Noreen Clohessy, Iarnród Éireann District Manager for Limerick area, remarked: “I am delighted that my customers have such interesting information to read, while they wait for their train. Too many of us now have our heads constantly stuck in phones or other devices and it is important to appreciate the world around us. We cannot move into the future if we do not appreciate that past and these little nuggets that Turtle Bunbury has created are living history”. Turtle was also interviewed by social historian Bernadette Phillips for her ‘Moments In Time With Bernadette’ series.
Oct 11: Turtle presents a section on Athy for RTE’s Nationwide, homing in on the ‘Past Tracks’ project. That same morning, he discussed the project with Ryan Tubridy (RTE Radio One), Damien Tiernan (WLR) and Eimear Ni Bhraonáin (KCLR). ‘You’re speaking my language,’ said Ryan. ‘I love it! This is the way forward in history terms.’
Interview on ‘Moments In Time With Bernadette’
Oct 7: Turtle delivers a private talk on the history of a Dalcassian family at Ashford Castle, County Galway.
Sept 27: Turtle delivers talk on Irish history, and its links to India, to members of True North (Mumbai) at Sraffan House, County Kildare.
Sept 24: Bernadette Phillips gives a shout out about her interview with Turtle for her Moments In Time show.
Sept 21: The National Inventory of Architectural Heritage publish Turtle’s account of Lisnavagh House as its ‘Building of the Month,’ neatly tying in with the first glimpse of the miniature of the house by Thomas Murray.
Sept 19: Writing in The Irish Examiner, Kya de Longchamps hails ‘Vanishing Ireland’ as ‘one of the best-known of Irish resources [of ephemera] recounting a huge variety of the Irish experience, largely through photographic imagery.’
Sept 5: Turtle appears on RTE One’s screening of US series of ‘Who Do You think You Are?’, explaining the concept of Irish workhouses to American singer-actress Mandy Moore.
Sept 1: Sasha Sykes nominated for Best Collectors Piece at the 2019 Image Interiors & Living Design Awards.
Aug 29: Turtle presents ‘Transatlantic Connections’ at Ballyroan Library, Dublin. Inspired by the centenary of Alcock and Brown’s flight, he looked at the diverse ways in which Ireland and the Americas have connected since the New World was discovered.
Aug 7: Elizabeth Lee of the Carlow Nationalist zeroes in on Ally’s inspirational role in overhauling the Barnardo’s garden in Tullow with the backing of Topline Doyle’s.
Aug 3: Turtle interviews Caroline Lady Waterford at the All Together Now festival in Curraghmore, County Waterford about the challenges and joys of running the “Big House” at Curraghmore for over half a century.
July: Turtle features on the Travel Channel show ‘Legendary Locations’, presented by Josh Gates, as per above. Directed by Jonathon Ulrich, the episode focused on an alleged Viking massacre in the Dunmore Caves.
July 14: Turtle presents ‘Shades of Portarlington: Refugees, Midwives & Engineers in 18th century Ireland’ at Emo Court, Co Laois.
June 28: Marc-Ivan O’Gorman’s radio docudrama ‘Last Thoughts‘, about the life and music of John Field, which includes a brief cameo by Turtle, wins Silver at the New York Festival’s Radio Awards in 2019.
June 27: Turtle presents ‘Around the World in 1847’ at the Chalke Valley History Festival near Salisbury, England, after an introduction by festival trustee Penny Marland.
June 23: Turtle presents a private talk on ‘Vanishing Ireland’ at Ballyfin House, County Laois.
June 22: Turtle escorts a delegation from the Young Presidents Association through Dublin City.
June 16-17: Turtle leads US executive tour of Dublin, taking in Trinity College, St Patrick’s Cathedral, the Guinness Storehouse and Epic – The Irish Emigration Musem; the latter had just won Europe’s Leading Tourist Attraction at the World Travel Awards 2019.
June 13: Turtle delivers at private talk on ‘Norse Vikings in Ireland’ at Ballyfin House, County Laois.
June 12: Turtle films promo for Irish Whiskey Assets at Fumbally Stables in Dublin.
June 8: Turtle’s obituary of Alex Findlater is published in the Irish Times.
June 4: Turtle delivers a talk on the ‘Massacre of Mullaghmast’ in Portlaoise Library.
May 30: Turtle appears on NBC’s screening of US series of
‘Who Do You think You Are?’, explaining the concept of Irish workhouses to American actress Mandy Moore. (Repeat)
May 27: Turtle films episode of Nationwide in Athy, homing in on his ‘Past Tracks’ project.
May 25-26: Alice, Jemima and Bay Bunbury compete in the Acrobatics National Championships and NDP National Championships in Dublin; Sasha Sykes exhibition at Emo Court begins.
May 24: Turtle presents a talk on ‘Clones & the Normans’ at a Church of Ireland Children’s Fund-raiser at Bishopscourt, Clones, Co. Monaghan.
May 18: Silvia Bence-Jones hosts a ‘Vanishing Ireland’ talk by Turtle at Glenville Park, Glenville, County Cork.
May 14: Turtle’s account of the History of Dublin 8 is published in The Irish Times.
May 13: Feature on Turtle’s inspirational attic finds appears in The Field.
May 11: Turtle chairs the ‘History and Research in Partnership’ panel at the Junior Cycle for Teacher’s first annual symposium in Collins Barracks. The panel comprised of Catherine Corless, Ida Milne, Donal Fallon and Kevin McCarthy, as well as history teacher Brianan McGrane and two students Zara Griffith and Rory McPherson.
May 9: Turtle records TV interview on Violet Gibson’s attempt to assassinate Mussolini.
May 4: Turtle delivers lecture on ‘The Normans: Thoughts on Chivalry, Conquest, Rabbits & Pointy Helmets’ at the Bannow 1169 Norman Festival in Carrig-on-Bannow, County Wexford.
April 30: Vanishing Ireland inspires article ‘Islands of Ireland: Sketches from Illauneeragh’ about Coleman Coyne.
April 16: Turtle pens history of the Dennis family of Fort Granite for the Mealy’s auction.
April 11: Weir’s 150 dinner at the Mansion House, Dublin.
April 4: Article on Weir’s the jeweller published in The Gloss.
March 23: Turtle delivers talks on the First World War and Vanishing Ireland at the Freemason’s Hall in Dublin.
March 19: Turtle interviewed about the Choctaw donation to Irish Famine relief by Allison Herrera on Jefferson Public Radio.
March 12: Ally Bunbury’s article on the impending sale of the Skinny House becomes one of the most read stories of the day in the Irish Times.
Feb 28: Turtle presents ‘A Norman Story’ at a Failte Ireland workshop to promote New Ross and the Hook Peninsula.
Feb 18: Turtle’s account of John Henry Foley’s 1861 marquette of Oliver Goldmith appears in Whyte’s ‘Irish & International Art’ auction catalogue.
Feb 2: Turtle interviewed on the John Tole Show on BBC Radio Ulster about the Moores of Fordestown; Ally Bunbury pens a column on being positive for the Daily Mail‘s You magazine.
February 1-22: Ally Bunbury’s books ‘Infidelity’ (published in new paperback format) and ‘The Inheritance’ to be part of a major ‘Valentines promotion’ by Poolbeg in conjunction with WH Smith Ireland. The promotion will be ‘Buy One Get One Half-price’ and both books will be prominently displayed at the airport shops, including Dublin, Cork, Shannon and Arnotts.
Jan 28: Turtle interviewed by Pat Kenny on Newstalk 106 about three brothers from County Meath who each have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Jan 24: Turtle interviewed on Drivetime with Mary Wilson about the Moores of Fordstown.
Jan 23: Turtle interviewed on LMFM by Gerry Kelly about the Moores of Fordstown, three brothers who each have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The Irish Sun, the Irish Mirror, the Daily Star and the Irish Indepndant all pick up on the story next day, as do Newstalk, RTE Radio 1 and BBC Radio Ulster. The campaign is spearheaded by Louise Walsh, with support from Turtle.
Jan 22: Lynda Kiernan advises Leinster Leader readers about Turtle’s appearance alongside Mandy Moore in Season 10 of ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’ ; Cartoon Saloon (Gilly Fogg et al) nominated for Best Animation (Short) Oscar for ‘Late Afternoon.’
Jan 19: Ally Bunbury’s article on Curious Collections in the Irish Times; Sasha Sykes in Harper’s Bazaar.
2018
Dec 3: Turtle appears alongside American actress Mandy Moore on the new US series of ‘Who Do You think You Are?’ The show catches the eye of the Daily Mail (UK), Irish Central, RTE, The Irish Post, the Irish Daily Mirror and the Irish Independent. The series was produced for TLC by Shed Media and Lisa Kudrow & Dan Bucatinsky’s Is Or Isn’t Entertainment.
Dec 1: Turtle launches the book ‘Slí na Manach – Our Photographic Camino: One Hundred and Forty Years of Photographs of the Cistercian Way with the Monks of Mount Saint Joseph Abbey’ (Cistercian Press, 2018) by Dom Laurence Walsh at Mount Saint Joseph Abbey, Roscrea, Co. Tipperary. Meanwhile, the Irish Times highlights Sasha’s screens as ‘a Christmas gift that would be treasured for life.’
Nov 30: Turtle filming ‘Legendary Locations’ for the Travel Channel at the Dunmore Caves.
Nov 26: Sasha Sykes profiled as one of three ‘Homo Faber’ artists from Venice on ‘Nationwide.’
Nov 25: Turtle delivers a talk entitled ‘A Scandal in Bavaria: The Rise & Fall of Lola Montez’ in Johannissaal at Schloss Nymphenburg, Munich, the home of Ludwig I, just 100 metres from where Lola’s portrait hangs in the Gallery of Beauties. He spoke as a guest of the Munich Irish Network, with an introduction by Michael Collins, Irish Ambassador to Germany. The event forms the backdrop for an RTE article by Patrick Howse on the impact of Brexit on the ex-pat community in Munich.
Nov 24: The Bunbury Sweep – Jemima, Bay, Rosie and Alice scoop a bundle of medals at the ‘Tumbling’ gymnastics event in Mallow, with Bay bagging two golds.
Nov 18: Turtle interviewed by Sue Nunn on KCLR about the passing of the Murphy brothers, cover stars of the last ‘Vanishing Ireland’ book.
Nov 10: Jonathan Kennedy, co-owner of the Long Hall, on East 34th Street, Manhattan, tells Peter McDermott of the Irish Echo that his interior was inspired by ‘the beautifully produced 2008 coffee-table book “The Irish Pub,” by travel writer Turtle Bunbury (a past contributor to the Irish Echo) and James Fennell’, particularly “a pub in Bunbury’s own County Carlow — M. O’Shea in Borris.”
Nov 8: Sasha Sykes ‘1.8’ exhibition opens at Voltz Clarke Gallery on 141 East 62nd Street, New York.
Nov 4: Marc-Ivan O’Gorman’s radio docudrama ‘Last Thoughts‘, about the life and music of John Field, airs on RTÉ Lyric fm, including a brief cameo by Turtle.
Nov 3: Ally Bunbury’s article on a few days lovehomeswap in Paris appears in the Irish Times.
Nov 2: Turt’s tales of ‘Kildare – The Thoroughbred County’, ‘Ancient Kildare & The Kings of Leinster’, ‘Big Houses & Hard Times’, ‘Endurance & Tragedy’ and ‘Sacred Kildare’ go online at Into Kildare.
Nov 1: Turtle delivers a short talk of the Irish experience in the Great War at the launch of Fallen, an art installation at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin, recalling all the Irish who died in the war. The event also included an introduction by Dr William Morton, the Dean of Saint Patrick’s; a reading by Jennifer Johnston; poems by Jane Clarke (Refugee) and Jessica Traynor (Nocturne); a solo by Gabriel Fauré (Pie Jesu); and an organ solo of Elgar’s Nimrod. The evening was compèred by Bryan Dobson, the presenter of RTÉ’s Morning Ireland. Upwards of 400 people were present.
Oct 30: 7.5 million people tune into the Great British Bake Off final in which eventual winner Rahul Mandal telepathises his angst into an exploding glass … and on stage comes the belle Faenia Moore to clear it all up.
Oct 20: Ally Bunbury’s article on top notch bathtubs appears in the Irish Times.
Oct 19: Turtle’s account of Canon Hall, the Building Pastor, is retold in the Irish Independent.
Oct 18: In celebration of the European Year of Cultural Heritage, Turtle delivered a talk at the Market House, Monaghan town, on William Francis De Visme Kane’s research into the Black Pig’s Dyke, the largest Iron Age earthwork in Ireland, and European butterflies. Hosted by Shirley Clerkin, the Monaghan Heritage Officer, the evening offered a wide exploration of the archaeological monument with other talks by artist Siobhan McDonald and archaeologists Cóilín O’Drisceoil and Aidan Walsh. Frank McNally profiled Kane in the Irishman’s Diary column in the Irish Times on the same day.
Oct 18: Launch of ‘A Biker’s Life: Misadventures on (and off) Two Wheels’ by Tom Sykes and Henry Cole at Warr’s Harley-Davidson, Kings Road, London, with Liz Hurley in attendance.
Oct 14: Turtle interviewed by the author Deirdre Purcell at the 2018 Kildare Readers’ Festival, held at the Riverbank Arts Centre, Newbridge, Co. Kildare.
Oct 11: Turtle delivers keynote address on ‘Castles & Conquest’ for Ireland’s Ancient East “Cluster Workshop” on New Ross and the Hook Peninsula. The event takes place at Brandon House Hotel.
Oct 9: Imogen Kavanagh pens an article entitled ‘A College Immortalised in Literature‘ for the Univeristy Times, following an interview with Turtle and other graduates.
Sept 29-Oct 7: The ‘Gyre (From the Sea)‘ room divider by Sasha Sykes is one of the highlights of the PAD (Pavilion of Art & Design) Fair 2018 in London where, as Corinne Julius notes in Home & Property, her resin screens ‘suspend seaweed and birds’ nests in time’ at the Peter Petrou Gallery. Sasha Sykes’ work ‘is based on foraged materials, which she incorporates in poetic furniture pieces’ says Rosa Bertoli in Wallpaper; Gyre is an ‘example of her experimental prowess with the natural world, featuring different species of seaweed that the Irish artist has gathered over the course of a year and a half, arranged in a sculptural form inspired by the work of Eileen Gray.’ ‘Screens stole the show’, agreed the Sunday Times Style magazine, zeroing in on Sasha’s ‘towering resin-brick screen filled with foraged seaweed. Modelled on the work of the modernist designer Eileen Gray, this piece has the power to transform any space.’ ‘Each of Sasha Sykes’s resin objects take 40 hours to produce,’ says Tom Morris in Architectural Digest; Gyre is ‘a tessellated jigsaw of forms she forages on the shoreline and casts in resin’. Augusta Pownall in DeZeen recounts how Gyre is ‘constructed from panels of cold cast resin that contain pieces of deep sea seaweeds brought to the coast of Ireland during Hurricane Ophelia. The seaweeds appear to swirl across the resin. Sykes collected, dried and treated the pieces of seaweed as quickly as possible so that they didn’t lose their shape.’ “It has to be dried before it goes in to the resin,” explains Sasha Sykes. “And then it comes back to life. You get the colours, you get the feel, you get the forms. There was never really any industrialisation in Ireland. We went from farming to pharmaceuticals. We should have a much closer relationship to the sea, but we’re actually quite scared of it.”
Sasha en route to Venice.
Sept 25: Turtle gives a talk on Ireland and the Great War as part of the ‘Peace of Mind’ Project at the Clones Family Resource Centre in County Monaghan. “The purpose of the project is to cultivate mutual understanding between people of the two conflicting traditions – Nationalist and Unionist – in a manner that heals divisions and strengthens mutual respect.”
Sept 22: Sasha profiled in The Irish Times by Gemma Tipton on the back of her Venice exhibition, as well as the Financial Times.
Sept 21: Turtle presents ‘A History of Corkagh’ at the Carnegie Library in Clondalkin, Dublin, for Culture Night.
Sept 17: Turtle leads a walking tour through Dublin, taking in the Mansion House, the Book of Kells, the Old Library at Trinity College and the House of Lords on College Green.
Sept 14-30: Sasha Sykes selected by the Michelangelo Foundation to exhibit the 2018 Homo Faber in Venice.
Sept 10-12: Turtle’s tales of Irish canals and waterways provide the main content for Waterways Ireland’s ‘Reflections’ The Lasting Legacy of Our Waterways exhibition at the World Canals Conference in Athlone.
Sept 8: Ally’s article on ‘The Animal Magic of Agas’ appears in The Irish Times.
August 18: Turtle considers Daniel Robertson’s parrots on Mary Brophy’s RTÉ Lyric documentary on ‘Politics, Pleasure & Empire: Making Ireland’s Great Gardens’; the documentary won a silver medal at the 2018 New York Festival Radio Awards. Turtle is name-checked in Ernie Whally’s four-star review of Ballyvolane in the Sunday Times.
August 9: Turtle escorts a 48-strong delegation from the Allstate Circle of Champions on a tour of Kilkenny City. The previous night the group had enjoyed a private performance by Christina Aguilera at the 3Arena in Dublin.
August 6: Turtle delivers a brief history of Kilkenny Castle to Guardian Life in the Parade Tower, Kilkenny City.
August 5: Turtle delivers a brief history of Lyons, Oughterard and the battle of Glenmama to the Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, including Deanna Muligan, President and CEO, at Cliff at Lyons, County Kildare. He is introduced by Leyla Lesina, Head of Agency Distribution at Guardian Life.
July 20:Turtle delivers a talk on the McCarthy family history at Sheen Falls in County Kerry; Ally Bunbury is interviewed on Radio Kerry about her article on tweaking.
July 19: Travel writer Richard Turen references Turtle in his article ‘Experiencing Ireland’s Comeback Firsthand‘, published in Travel Weekly.
July 18: Turtle delivers a talk on the O’Farrell family history at the Longford Arms Hotel for the 7th gathering of the Farrell Clan; the Longford Leader‘s take on the event can be found here.
July 6: ‘The Landed Gentry and Aristocracy of County Kildare’ is twice referenced in the Irish Independent – once by Celine Naughton in reference to the Earls of Drogheda, the other on account of the Lattin family of Morristown Lattin.
July 5: Turtle delivers his “maiden” in the House of Lords in London when he launches John Kirwan’s book ‘The Butlers of Ireland and the House of Ormond’ in the River Room as part of the Butler Rally. The group also visit Hever Castle, the Merchant Taylor’s Hall and the New Temple where William Marshal is buried.
June 20: Ally Bunbury reflects on lessons learned from spending time with Eric Craigie, her fantastically eccentric grandfather, in the Irish Times.
June 16: Country Living supplement of Irish Farmer’s Journal runs a cover story on ‘How Bertha Got Her Revenge’, recounting how Turtle’s encounter with the famous Kerry cow inspired the name of Bertha’s Revengegin from Ballyvolane House. The publication coincided with a visit from Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall who stayed overnight at Ballyvolane; Justin Green gallantly ensured there were copies of ‘1847’ and ‘The Glorious Madness’ on the bookshelf in their bedroom.
June 7: Paul Gogarty, Mayor of South Dublin County Council, launches ‘Corkagh – The Life and Times of a South Dublin Mansion’ by Turtle Bunbury at the Round Tower Heritage Centre in Clondalkin, County Dublin. Rosaleen Dwyer, County Heritage Officer at
South Dublin County Council, also addresses those gathered.
June 4: ‘A Word with Colm O’Regan’ airs on RTE Radio One, as Turtle appears alongside Colm O’Regan, Tara Flynn and Paul Tylak to ponder the significance of travel and holidays.
June 1: Turtle delivers a talk on contemporary Ireland at the new Carriage House in Adare Manor, County Limerick. He is introduced by Richard Turen, founder of Churchill & Turen, a luxury vacation-planning firm. Richard is the winner of more “World’s Best” Awards than any other travel consultant in the United States.
May 31: Turtle’s article on Sir Hugh Lane published in Irish Daily Mail as a tie-in with the release of the film, ‘Citizen Lane’.
May 26: As Sasha Sykes prepares to exhibit in Venice at the Italian city’s architectural Biennale, both the Sunday Business Post and the Sunday Times home in on her.
May 26: Turtle interviewed by Justin Webb on the Today Show, BBC Radio 4, in the wake of Ireland’s abortion referendum; Tara Flynn appears on the same slot. Tom Sykes of the Daily Beast also quotes him: ‘I see it as another step in Ireland’s advance to becoming one of most liberal democracies on Earth. There has been so much change here in the space of 20 years. If in 2000 AD, you’d predicted Martin McGuinness and Ian Paisley becoming pals, or Queen Elizabeth bowing her head for those who died in the fight for Irish freedom, or the country having a 39-year-old half-Indian gay doctor as our Taoiseach, or that the Irish people would vote in favour of same sex marriage you’d have been sent to your bedroom to sleep it off.’
Ally Bunbury’s ‘Infidelity’ is reviewed by the Irish Independent who describe it as ‘a funny, escapist novel full of quirky twists and turns that leaves you wanting more.
May 25: Turtle gives a talk on his Monaghan connections at a Church of Ireland Children’s Fund-raiser at Bishopscourt, Clones, Co. Monaghan.
May 20: ‘Ireland Salutes John Henry Foley‘ takes place at Dublin Castle, co-hosted by Turtle Bunbury and Sé Merry Doyle.
May 19: Ally Bunbury tackles basements in a feature published in the Irish Times.
May 18: Turtle’s article on John Henry Foley, and eight of his finest works, features in the Irish Daily Mail, who declare that it is ‘time to put Foley on a pedestal.’
May 9: Turtle’s feature marking 70 years since the death of Kick Kennedy is published in Irish Daily Mail; Ally interviewed by Bernadette and Stan Phillips for ‘The World in View‘.
May 7: Ally is interviewed by Dave Fanning on the Tubridy Show about her new book ‘Infidlity’.
May 5: Turtle appears on ‘A Word with Colm O’Regan’ at Project Art Theatre in Dublin, alongside Tara Flynn and Paul Tylak, as they ponder the significance of travel and holidays.
May 3: A fabulous turn-out for the launch of ‘Infildelity’, the second novel by Ally Bunbury, at the Freemason’s Hall in Dublin, with Gunpowder gin and SynerChi provding the fine beverages. With talks by Ally, Turtle and Paula Campbell of Poolbeg Press.
April 19: Brian Donaldson, CEO of the Maxol Group, announces at the 2018 Maxol Retail Conference that Turtle Bunbury will be writing the history of the company ahead of their 2020 centenary.
Above: The launch of Ally Bunbury’s ‘Infidelity.’
April 16: On Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB) Radio, the Green Island host Harry O’Donoghue welcomes in-studio guests author and historian Turtle Bunbury and Georgia Southern University Center for Irish Research & Teaching director, Dr. Howard Keeley. Listen here.
April 12: Launch of Vanishing Ireland exhibition at McAuley Place Community Centre in Naas, County Kildare, with talks by Turtle and James.
April 2: Profiled in the Irish Independent, Hugo Jellett selects Sasha Sykes as his favourite designer.
April: The Centenary Souvenir Edition of Ireland’s Own carries a story entitled ‘Sky Patrol with Erskine Childers’ by Turtle.
March 21: Natasha Frost quotes Turtle in article on the Choctaw donation published in Atlas Obscura.
March 20: Turtle delivers the Seventh Annual Distinguished Lecture in Irish Studies at Georgia Southern University’s Statesboro Campus, hosted by Howard Keeley. That evening, he gave a talk on ‘Vanishing Ireland’ to the Irish Heritage Society at Sun City-Hilton Head, hosted by Tom Collins. Meanwhile, in Ireland, the Irish Daily Mail publishes Turtle’s account of Hopit, the Irish warhorse.
March 17: Turtle delivers the St Patrick’s Day after-dinner talk to the Hibernian Society of Savannah (founded 1812) at the Convention Centre on Savannah’s Hutchinson Island, an event hosted by Dr. Francis P. Rossiter, Jr. Also speaking was Maurice Fitzpatrick, director of the John Hume documentary “In the Name of Peace.”
March 16: Turtle gives a talk on architectural and family connections between Ireland and Georgia at the Ford Plantation, near Savannah, hosted by Austin and Marti Sullivan. Robert O’Byrne also spoke on the past, present and future of the Irish Georgian Society.
March 12: Turtle’s account of the Choctaw’s extraordinary gift to the Irish in 1847 is published in the Irish Times. He speaks about the same event that evening with Sue Nunn on KCLR Radio. Elsewhere, following an extensive petition and campaign, including articles by Turtle, New York Senator Chuck E Schumer announces that the U.S. Navy will name one of its next destroyers, the Arleigh Burk-class DDG-127, after Irish-born Vietnam veteran Marine Corporal Patrick ‘Bob’ Gallagher (1944-1967).
March 14: Sasha Sykes profiled by Carol O’Callaghan in the Irish Examiner.
March 6: Turtle writes article on the history of Irish gold for the Irish Daily Mail.
Feb: Turtle working on Cork 1918 exhibition for St Peter’s Church, Cork.
Jan 30: Turtle writes feature article on Matthias Buchinger, the Little Man of Nuremberg, for the Irish Daily Mail.
Jan 15: Turtle pens his debut Irishman’s Diary column for the Irish Times, following a visit to see ‘The Greatest Showman’ about P. T. Barnum. A personal milestone.
Jan 13: Turtle tackles the 1918 sinking of the RMS Leinster by a German U-boat as a double-page feature article in the Irish Daily Mail.
Jan 2: In 2015, voters legalized same-sex marriage. In 2016, a gay, biracial man became Taoiseach (prime minister). In May 2018, the Catholic country will vote on whether to repeal one of the strictest abortion laws in the Western world. Turtle joins Frank Langfitt as NPR News (USA) to discuss the decline of the Catholic Church in Ireland and the upcoming Abortion Referendum.
Jan 1: Turtle writes feature article to mark 250th anniversary of the birth of Maria Edgeworth for the Irish Daily Mail.
2017
Dec 20: Ally Bunbury long-listed for the Kate O’Brien Award 2018.
Dec 22: Turtle’s Night of the Big Wind article named 5th most popular literary article of 2017 by The Irish Times Books.
Dec 17: Turtle referenced in article in The Times entitled ‘Malone fortifies his keep with €44m’by Ros Kavanagh.
Dec 14: Turtle’s story ‘The King of Crackers’, about Tom Smith and the invention of the Christmas cracker, appears in Ireland’s Own Christmas Annual 2017.
Dec 13: The Hidden Story delivers second part of story-telling course in Wexford County Council.
Dec 9: Feature article on Meghan Markle’s Irish ancestry appears in Irish Daily Mail.
Dec 7: Turtle profiled by Bank of Ireland’s ThinkBusiness – The Business of History; Turtle’s obituary of Dorothea Findlater features in the Leinster Leader; Turtle submits his historical report for Waterford Distillery.
Dec 6: ‘Nationwide’ special focuses on Niall Power, with cameos by Bob Geldof, Ronan Collins, Johnny Logan, the Power family and Turtle.
Dec 1: Turtle’s account of the McClintock family of Rathvinden, County Carlow, is published in the 2017 edition of Carloviana.
Nov 30: The Hidden Story deliver story-telling course in Wexford County Council, Carricklawn, Wexford.
Nov 28: Feature article on the history of Boland’s Mill, Dublin, appears in Irish Daily Mail.
Nov 26: Turtle makes a guest appearance on Mary Brophy’s RTÉ Lyric documentary on ‘Politics, Pleasure & Empire: Making Ireland’s Great Gardens’.
Nov 25: Turtle’s obituary to Dorothea Findlater, the oldest woman in Ireland, published in the Irish Times.
Nov 24: Feature article on Jonathan Swift and his two lovers appears in Irish Daily Mail as a tie in with the Dean’s 300th anniversary. His article on the Knights Templar is also published at about this time.
Nov 17: Turtle presents ‘1847 – A Chronicle of Genius, Generosity & Savagery’ as a dinner talk in two halves at award-winning Ballyvolane House in County Cork.
Nov 15: Turtle and Ally appear on Hilton Park episode of ‘Lords and Ladles’ on RTE One. (Repeat)
Nov 14: Turtle presents talks on ‘1847’ and ‘Vanishing Ireland’ to Year II Diploma students at University College Cork.
Nov 4: Turtle and Ally appear as a double act in an interview with Breda Brown for Inside Books, following an interview with Shane Hegarty.
Oct 28: Irish Times inadvertently lists Turtle as a best-selling children’s author in a quiz! Pressure on …
Oct 16: Turtle’s article on the Night of the Big Wind of 1839 blows the proverbial doors off on social media as Hurricane Ophelia blitzes Ireland. Quickly notching up 3.8K likes and 5.7K shares on Facebook, the article is subsequently published by The Irish Times.
Oct 7: Turtle presents ‘1847’ as the keynote speech at the annual seminar of the County Kildare Federation of Local History Groups. The event took place in the Celbridge Hunting Room of Castletown House.
Sept 24: Turtle’s article on Little Al Cashier, the woman for Louth who served in the US Civil War, published by the Daily Beast and scores at least 45,000 views to become the second most visited story on the site that day.
Sept 20: Turtle presents ‘Vanishing Ireland’ to the West Wicklow Historical Society in in Timmins’s Bar, Baltinglass.
Sept 1: Turtle’s article on Little Al Cashier, the woman for Louth who served in the US Civil War, published in Irish Daily Mail.
Aug 17: Turtle’s article on Niall Power published in Irish Daily Mail.
Aug 15: Robert Allen pens ‘Unlikely Coincidences’ for The Link (Vol. 41, No. 2, p. 40), the British Columbia Land Surveyor’s Magazine, about the strange connections between himself and Turtle via Edward Colley and Tyrone Guthrie.
Aug 1: Niall Power’s book launch profiled in the Kilkenny People.
July 26: Turtle delivers a rapid history of innovation and creativity in the Dublin Docklands to the Accenture Ninjas, followed by a pint in the Long Hall.
July 25: Turtle joins Ronan Collins in launching Niall Power’s book ‘Timing is Everything’ at The Field (with Rob Strong) in Kilkenny; Turtle’s article on the remarkable soldier Flora Sandes appears in the Irish Daily Mail.
July 22: Turtle Bunbury’s History Festival of Ireland cited as a model for the inaugural West Cork History Festival at Rosebank, a dower house of the Lissard Estate just outside Skibbereen.
July 20: Turtle reviews ‘A Bloody Night – The Irish at Rorke’s Drift’ by Dan Harvey for Irish Daily Mail.
June 26: Turtle delivers post-breakfast lecture on ‘A Brief History of Ireland’ to the Guardian Life Insurance Company’s Top Gun Travelers at the K-Club, Straffan, County Kildare, with an introduction by Peter Cook.
June 23: Turtle presents a lecture on ‘1847’ at the Hinterland Festival of Literature & Arts in Kells, Co. Meath. Ally Bunbury also reads from ‘The Inheritance and other works, including Diana Athill and Eric Craigie, while other performers at the festival include Matthew Spangler, Glen Gendzel, Ian Cobain, John Bowman, Sinead Crowley, Myles Dungan and Nerys Williams.
June 14: Turtle delivers lecture on Carlow Castle and Myler FitzHenry to the William Marshall Tour in Ireland at the Visual Art Centre in Carlow.
June 13: Turtle presents an after dinner talk on the Elizabethan antics of the Wingfield family, Viscounts Powerscourt, to the WIngfield Society at Salterbridge, Cappoquin, County Waterford.
June 11: Turtle hosts ‘Remarkable Years’ at Festival of Writing & Ideas 2017, Borris House, County Carlow, alongside Rick Stroud, Rowan Somerville and Margaret MacMillan. Other acts performing at the festival include Sebastian Barry, Roddy Doyle, Lemn Sissay, Emmet Kirwan, Catherine FitzGerald, Tim Smit, Max Porter, John Stanistreet, John Hegarty, Edmund White, Jo Berry, John Boyne and Artemis Cooper.
June 4-5: Turtle escorts Aramark board of directors on tour of Dublin City.
June 4: Turtle delivers a talk on the Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland to the William Marshall Tour at the Brookwood restaurant in Dublin.
May 30: Turtle guest stars on ‘When Diplomacy Fails‘ podcast with Zack Twamley.
May 22: Irish Independent gives ‘The Inheritance’ the thumbs up. “Pitched as ‘The Devil Wears Prada meets Bridget Jones’ this sparkling debut novel embodies the best of both. Bunbury, take a bow.”
May 20: Turtle presents after-dinner talk to 90 senior international travel editors and writers at the Travel Classics International Writers Conferences 2017 in the Medieval Mile Museum in Kilkenny. The Irish Daily Mail publishes a major feature by Turtle exposing the manner in which Ireland’s oldest road has been harvested for peat compost.
May 14: The ‘Genealogy Roadshow’ TV series commences another airing on RTE television, with Turtle as co-presenter.
May 5: Irish Daily Mail publishes Turtle’s article on Samuel Clayton, an Irish Freemason who was convicted of forgery in 1815 and transported to Sydney where he engraved the first bank notes of New South Wales.
May 4: Turtle presents ‘A Brief History of Ireland – North and South” to the Securian Financial Group (USA) at the Europe Hotel, Killarney, Co Kerry.
May 3: Ally discusses the inspiration behind ‘The Inheritance’ with the Kilkea Literary Society.
May 2: Turtle launches “Forger Freemason Freeman: Samuel Clayton” by Margaret Smith at the Freemason’s Hall, in Molesworth Street, Dublin, in conjunction with Richard Andrews, Australian Ambassador to Ireland.
April 29: Irish Independent describes ‘The Inheritance’ as ”
Jane Austen spiked with a dash of ‘Made in Chelsea’.”
April 27: Article on Strokestown estate and the Europa Nostra Award 2017 appears in Irish Daily Mail.
April 13: Turtle brings delegation from the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) on a tour of Dublin City.
April 12: Turtle makes afternoon outing into Dublin Bay courtesy of Pat Ward.
April 8: Sasha Sykes ‘Pieces of Me‘ features in the Irish Times.
April 5: Turtle presents ‘The McClintock Story: Loch Lomond to Drumcar’ at Bellingham Castle, Castlebellingham, Co. Louth, as a fund-raiser for Drumcar church and lychgate. The event was hosted by the Annagassan & District Historical Society.
April 3: Turtle presents ‘Ancient, Sacred Sites’ to the Lingaun Valley group in Kilkieran Cottage, Co. Kilkenny, as part of the Hidden Story’s project to boost the valley’s credentials with the Ireland’s Ancient East initiative. Ally is interviewed on ‘The Six O’Clock Show’ on TV3 by Martin King and Samantha Mumba about her new book; she is introduced as Ireland’s answer to Jilly Cooper.
April 2: Ally and Turtle’s romance runs as Andrea Smith’s ‘Bondings’ feature in the Sunday Independent; the Sunday Times pick up on Ally’s bonk-busting headline in Carlow Nationalist.
March 29: Official launch of ‘City by the Sea: A Maritime History of Cork’ at St Peter’s Church, Cork City, by Des Cahill, Lord Mayor of Cork. Turtle, the curator of the exhibition, also gives a speech, shortly before he is interviewed for the ‘Local Legend’ slot by Dave MacArdle on Red FM. The launch is sponsored by Bertha’s Revenge milk gin.
March 28: “Ally Bunbury’s Best-Selling Bonkbuster” makes the front page of the Carlow Nationalist.
March 23: An interview with Bernadette Phillips airs on TCRfm ‘The World In View’ Show.
March 18: Turtle presents ‘Incredible Stories of the Irish Abroad‘ at EPIC – The Irish Emigration Museum in the chq Building, Custom House Quay, Dublin, as part of the St. Patrick’s Festival. Earlier that day he enjoys a 15-minute radio interview with Dave Fanning on 2FM, discussing his book ‘1847’, his career as a travel writer, what it was like to grow up at Lisnavagh and homing in on the subject of his EPIC Ireland talk.
March 13: Turtle interviewed about the Irish abroad by Angela Faull on CRC 102.9fm.
March 12: ‘The Inheritance’ by Ally Bunbury is No. 9 in Ireland’s original non-fiction chart; articles appear in Examiner and Irish Times online.
March 5: Ally and Turtle feature in Victoria Mary Clarke’s column in the Sunday Independent.
March 4: Ally Bunbury profiled in The Gloss (The Irish Times).
March 2: Launch of ‘The Inheritance’ by Ally Bunbury (Poolbeg) at the Royal Hibernian Academy, 15 Ely Place, Dublin 2. Over 180 attendees show up and book sales through Dubray come in at about 160 copies by the close of the event.
Feb 16: Turtle launches the Kilkenny Whiskey Guild at the Medieval Mile Museum in St. Mary’s, Kilkenny.
Feb 15: Turtle presents ‘The Fighting Irish’ at a SSAFA fundraiser in the Oak Room at the Mansion House, Dublin, raising €1950.
Feb 10: Turtle’s article on the Big Snow of 1947 is the cover story of Ireland’s Own magazine.
Jan 17: Turtle interviewed about ‘1847’ by Angela Faull on CRC 102.9fm.
Jan 6: Turtle delivers after-dinner talk to Balfarm farmers at Lisnavagh.
Jan 3: Turtle’s story of aviator and war hero Arthur Corrie Lewin features on Journal.ie
Jan 1: Gold star review of ‘1847’ in Books Ireland magazine – ‘consistently entertaining, thoroughly researched and a pleasure to read‘.
2016
Dec 18: Turtle guests on Newstalk’s ‘Talking History’ show. The host Patrick Geoghegan describes ‘1847’ as “… the book that I have been buying for my friends this Christmas … a very entertaining read indeed … a brilliant read, an incredible insight into what was going on around the world in the darkest year in Irish history.” Click here for more; the relevant chat comprises the last 10 minutes of the show.
Dec 9: Turtle is guest speaker at Netgear’s Christmas dinner party at Luttrellstown Castle; Turtle’s feature about a trip with his daughters on the Rath Wood Santa Train appears in the Irish Daily Mail.
Dec 8: Launch of Trinity Tales in the Long Room, Trinity College Dublin; Turtle is one of the contributors.
Dec 7: Turtle presents a brief history of the Lingaun River Valley in Tullahought Community Hall, COunty Kilkenny.
Nov 26: Turtle profiled in The Irish Times Home & Property section, with nods to Sasha Sykes, Dan Shaw-Smith, Sylvia Drew, an Ikea map of the world and a giraffe-length bathtub.
Nov 17: Turtle presents ‘1847 – A Chronicle of Genius, Generosity and Savagery’ to Blessington Historical Society, County Wicklow, Ireland.
Nov 16: Turtle attends Irish Book Awards as honorary guest of Eason’s Books.
Nov 13: Turtle presents talks on 1847 and the ‘Vanishing Ireland’ project to Year II Diploma students in the Geography Building at University College Cork.
Nov 10: Turtle’s take on Donald Trump’s electoral victory in among those published in The Irish Times.
Nov 4: Launch at Hodges Figgis of What If? A Chronicle of What Might Have Been, edited and illustrated by Annie West, in which Turtle is one of 24 contributors.
Oct 26: Turtle participates in Gradlink mentoring programme at Trinity College Dublin’s School of Histories & Humanities. This coincides with a short feature on him in ‘Trinity Today‘ magazine; Lenny Abrahamson is on the cover of the same edition.
Oct 20: Turtle interviewed about 1847 by Declan Meeny for the Morning Show on East Coast FM.
Oct 18: Ballyfin House, Co. Laois, voted No. 1 by Condé Nast Traveler in its 2016 Readers’ Choice Awards for the Top 50 Hotels in the World.
Oct 16: Turtle presents ‘Vanishing Ireland – A Photographic Record of the Old Ways and the Old Days’ at the Irish Books Arts & Music Celebration in Chicago.
Oct 15: Turtle is one of the headliners at the Irish Books Arts & Music Celebration which takes place in the Irish-American Center on Knox Avenue, Chicago. In one afternoon, he presented ‘1847 – A Chronicle of Genius, Generosity and Savagery, then participated in “Tea with our Literary Titans” alongside JFK expert William Doyle and crime writer Ken Bruen, before sitting on a Panel Debate entitled “What does it mean to be an Irish writer?” alongside Messrs. Doyle, Bruen and
Ruan O’Donnell.
Oct 13: Turtle attends gala dinner of the Irish Georgian Society in Chicago.
Oct 7: Turtle on the panel for ‘An Evening For Book Lovers’ with Deirdre Purcell, Mary O’Rourke and Caroline Grace Cassidy; Rick O’Shea of 2FM is the interviewer. The event took place at the Royal College of Physicians in Dublin, and was a charity event in association with Eason’s Book
Club to raise funds for Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin.
October 4: ‘1847’ smashes into Top Ten charts at No. 8, just five days after its launch. Bruce Springsteen tops the chart.
October 1: Turtle presents ‘Easter Dawn’ at the Paths to Freedom Roadshow in Carrick-on-Shannon, County Leitrim. He later presents ‘Creative Sparks – The Cast of the Easter Rising’ at the Muse of Yeats Festival in Rossnaree House, County Meath.
September 29: The Dublin launch of Turtle’s new book ‘1847 – A Chronicle of Genius, Generosity and Savagery’ is a sell-out, capped by a magnificent rendition of ‘The City of Chicago’ by Luka Bloom.
September 26: Turtle interviewed about ‘1847’ by Sean O’Rourke on RTE Radio One.
September 24: Turtle launches the annual Rathgall Painters Guild exhibition at Rathwood, County Carlow.
August 23: Turtle speaks at Coole, County Westmeath, at an event marking the death of Maurice Dease, winner of the first Victoria Cross of the Great War.
August 6: Turtle on RTE Radio One’s ‘Countrywide’, recalling the glory day of Big Bertha’s wake.
June 30: Turtle discusses his book ‘The 1916 Rising – The Photographic Record’ at the prestigious Chicago Cultural Center, in an event organized by the Irish Consul, the Irish Georgian Society and the Irish Fellowship of Chicago. For images, see here. It was the Irish Consul’s biggest event in Chicago during 2016. Turtle’s ‘lively presentation on the roots of the Easter Rising … highlighted the personal stories of those involved in the Rising. Bunbury’s nuanced perspective on the upheaval was punctuated with humor and pathos. His account stressed the long-term causes of the Easter Rising and the crucial role that Irish-Americans played in its planning and execution.’
June 19: Turtle gives the Sunday morning Breakfast Talk at Immrama Festival of Travel Writing in Lismore, Co. Waterford. Other speakers include Kim Phúc (best known as the nine-year-old child depicted in the Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph taken during the Vietnam War) and BBC correspondant Fergal Keane. For Turtle’s thoughts on the weekend, see The Fortunate Irish.
June 18: Turtle interviewed about the twilight of the Big House on RTE Radio One’s Countrywide with Frances Shanahan.
June 4: Turtle presents ‘A Global History of Ireland’ at Ballyfin House, Co. Laois, Ireland.
June 1: Turtle presents ‘The Somme – a Wider Set of Reflections and Experiences’ in the Music Room, Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin.
May 31: Turtle delivers after-dinner talk at the Cruise Europe Conference in the Guinness Storehouse, Dublin.
May 20: Turtle presents ‘The World in 1847’ as a fund-raiser for orphans at Bishopscourt, Clones, Co. Monaghan.
May 6: Article on The chq Building features in Irish Daily Mail.
May 4: Turtle is amongst the experts interviewed on ‘Nationwide’ about The chq Building, the venue for the new EPIC Ireland exhibition.’
April 30: Turtle presents ‘Easter Dawn – American Perspectives’ as part of ‘Ardcarne Remembers 1913-1923 Weekend’ at Cleen Hall, Knockvicar, near Boyle, Co. Roscommon.
April 29: Article on Killer Gas at Hulluch features in Irish Daily Mail.
April 27: Interview on Spirit Radio about the Battle of the Somme; article on Irish connections to the Alamo features in Irish Daily Mail.
April 14: Turtle delivers ‘Easter Dawn: Local Perspectives’ as a fund-raiser to St Columba’s National School in Tullow, County Carlow.
April 13: Socialist History applauds ‘Easter Dawn’.
April 12: Feature article on the Shakespeare Ireland forgery scandal of 1795 appears in Irish Daily Mail.
April 11: ‘A private tour with historian Turtle Bunbury’ is touted as one of the highlights on offer in an interview with Siobhán Byrne Learat of upscale tour operator Adams & Butler in the Irish Examiner. Turtle gives a talk to a group of upmarket tour operators at Powerscourt House on the same day.
April 5: Launch of the ‘Vanishing Ireland’ exhibition at Castletown House, Celbridge, Co. Kildare. Among those in attendance are the Ambassador of Italy, His Excellency, Mr. Giovanni Adorni Bracces, Matt Dempsey, President of the Royal Dublin Society and former Fianna Fáil politician Martin Mansergh. The exhibition to run until October 2016.
Poster for the ‘Paths to Freedom’ roadshow.
April 2: Turtle presents ‘Easter Dawn’ at the Paths to Freedom Roadshow in Athlone.
March 28: Al Jazeera interview – ‘What the 1916 Easter Rising means for Ireland today’ – Al Jazeera spoke to Ireland’s president as well as Turtle ‘and other prominent society members’ on the occasion of Easter Rising centenary.
March 16: Turtle delivers a talk on ‘Easter Dawn – Alternative Perspectives’ at the European Insurance Forum at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Dublin.
March 5: Turtle is after-dinner speaker at annual meeting of the Northern Rangers.
Feb 27: Turtle presents ‘Easter Dawn’ at the Paths to Freedom Roadshow in Tallaght.
Feb 25: Turtle presents ‘Orange and Green: from the Battle of the Boyne to 1916′ for the Irish Perinatal Society’s ”1916-2016: Making the New Island of Ireland’ conference in County Meath.
Feb 23: Easter Dawn is No. 33 in the Nielsen Top 100 Irish books (after 19 consecutive weeks in the chart) while ‘The Glorious Madness’ bounces back into the charts at No. in 58.
Feb 22: Turtle presents ‘Easter Dawn’ at Paths to Freedom Roadshow in Sligo.
Feb 21: Roaringwater Journal applauds ‘The Glorious Madness’ in article entitled ‘Outposts of Empire’.
Feb 1: Life Force Magazine profiles 18 Vanishing Ireland characters in an extensive feature.
Jan 16: ‘Easter Dawn’ features as 2nd ranked book in review of ten Easter Rising books by Ronan McGreevy in The Irish Times.
Jan 16: Turtle presents keynote talk on ‘Easter Dawn – American Perspectives’ at the Drew Transatlantic Connections Conference in Bundoran, County Donegal. Other speakers include Bruce Morrison, Mike Nesbitt, Kevin Cullen, Martin McGuinness, Christine Kinealy and Michael Patrick MacDonald.
Jan 12: Turtle and Ally attend Irish premiere of ‘Room’ at the Lighthouse Cinema, Dublin.
Jan 10: An article in Irish Independent by John Spain states that Easter Dawn’s sales of 1,356 copies, worth €39,188, makes it one of the few books about the Easter Rising to make the Nielsen chart for the top 1,000 titles sold in Ireland in 2015.
Jan 7: Story about Big Bertha the cow and Bertha’s Revenge gin in Irish Daily Mail.
2015
Dec 18: Irish Independent round up of 1916 books applauds ‘Easter Dawn’ as ‘…informative, if sometimes quirky pen-portraits of the main actors, and other lesser characters. There is a wealth of contemporary source material and photographs and evidence of assiduous research and archival retrieval.’
Dec 16: Turtle launches ‘Bertha’s Revenge’, a new small batch Irish Milk Gin, in the Assembly Rooms in Dublin, with his recollections of attending the wake of Big Bertha, the oldest cow in the world. A stuffed Bertha is also in attendance, having survived high rains to make the trip to Dublin.
Dec 13: ‘Easter Dawn’ reviewed in Irish Mail on Sunday: ‘A hugely readable account … Bunbury’s odyssey is engaging’.
Dec 8: Turtle presents ‘Easter Dawn – Reflections on 1916’ to the Ormonde Military History Society at the Club House Hotel in Kilkenny.
Dec 1: Turtle and Ally attend premiere of ‘The Importance of Being Ernest’.
Dec 3: Turtle presents ‘150 Years of the Clonmel Show’ at Tipperary County Museum, Clonmel.
Dec 3: Article on Dan Donnelly the boxer features in Irish Daily Mail.
Nov 29: Obituary to Joe O’Hanrahan appears in The Irish Times.
Nov 21: Turtle presents ‘Of Gunpowder, Huguenots & Ha’Pennys – 300 Years at Corkagh’ for Clondalkin’s ‘History and Heritage Day’.
Nov 14: The Dublin Book Festival presents ‘The People of the 1916 Rising’ – Turtle Bunbury, Felicity Hayes-McCoy, Lucy Mc Diarmid and Fearghal McGarry in conversation with Tommy Graham.
Main Theatre, Smock Alley Theatre, Dublin.
Nov 10: Turtle presents a talk on the Easter Rising and Vanishing Ireland to Year II Diploma students at University College Cork.
Nov 7: Brian McGlinchey, Projects Director for Joe Biden in Wilmington, Delaware, requested that an oak tree to be planted at Lisnavagh (through Ever Irish Gifts in the US) in memory of Joseph R. Biden, III (Beau Biden).
Nov 5: Turtle escorts VIPs from Web Summit founders on tour to Dublin’s Freemasons Hall, the Book of Kells and the Long Room at Trinity College Dublin. His group comprises of Dick Kramlich (New Enterprise Associates), Ed Catmull (Pixar), Faye Dinsmore, Liam Casey (PCH), Michael Birch (Monkey Inferno), Paddy Cosgrave (Web Summit) and Scott Harrison (charity: water).
Oct 20: Turtle presents talk on Irish history at the ‘Meet in Ireland 2015’ event at InterContinental Hotel in Dublin 4.
Oct 18: Turtle guest writes the ‘My Week’ column for the Sunday Times.
Oct 17 (Sat): Article on Costa Brava and LoveHomeSwap is cover story on travel supplement of Irish Daily Mail.
Oct 15: ‘Easter Dawn – The 1916 Rising’ successfully launched in Glasnevin Museum by George McCullough, Chief Executive of the Glasnevin Trust.
Oct 14: Escorting eleven Icelandic business heads on a walking tour of the Dublin Docklands.
Oct 13: Turtle presents ‘Easter Dawn – The Cast of the 1916 Rising’ to the Old Athlone Society in Officer’s Mess, Custume Barracks, Athlone, Co. Westmeath.
Sept 25: Presentation of “Easter Dawn” talk during history weekend at Greystones Golf Club hosted by the Wicklow La Touche Legacy Committee and the Greystones Archaeological & Historical Society. After his talk he launched the eighth and latest volume of the GAHS’s journal.
Sept 24: ‘Easter Dawn’ goes into bookshops nationwide, following signing of 300 copies by Turtle at Eason’s.
Sept 23: Article on the Cherokee and Hellfire clubs in Irish Daily Mail.
Sept 16: Part 2 of article on Turtle’s eye operation appears in Irish Daily Mail.
Sept 8: Part 1 of article on Turtle’s eye operation appears in Irish Daily Mail.
Sept 5: Turtle leads tour through Dublin for Adams & Butler, incorporating Connoisseur Experience at Guinness Storehouse and the Book of Kells.
August 29: Glorious Madness promoted in Irish Independent.
August 28: Article on Jack the Ripper’s last victim in Irish Daily Mail.
August 26: Turtle addresses Friends of the National Gallery at Lisnavagh House, County Carlow.
August 21: Article on William Arrol in Irish Daily Mail for launch of Heritage Week.
August 19: Turtle gives talks to the Butler Society at Lisnavagh House, County Carlow, and at the Visual Art Centre in Carlow Town.
August 18: Name-checked in The Irishman’s Diary in The Irish Times in relation to article on Tom Kent.
August 17: Article on the artist Adam Buck in Irish Daily Mail.
August 16: Obituary to John William Seoighe in Sunday Independent.
August 7: Feature on Brendan Bracken in Irish Daily Mail.
July 28: Turtle speaks at at the Guinness Storehouse for the launch of National Heritage Week, as coordinated by the Heritage Council.
July 13: ‘Dave Gallaher: Donegal All Black’ airs on Setanta Ireland with Turtle as guest interviewee.
July 6: Article marking 200th anniversary of first Bianconi coach journey appears in Irish Daily Mail.
July 5: Clonmel Horse Show.
July 4: Turtle discusses Clonmel Horse Show on CountryWide with Frances Shanahan.
July 3: Article on Clonmel Horse Show appears in Irish Examiner.
June 19: Butler Society meeting in Kilkenny Castle; article on Walt Disney in Irish Daily Mail.
June 10: Turtle launches ‘The Woodman Diary‘ in Iontas Building at Maynooth University. The project was developed by students enrolled in An Foras Feasa’s Digital Scholarly Editing module under the supervision of Professor Susan Schreibman.
June 5: 2015 Festival of Writing & Ideas at Borris House, Co. Carlow.
June 4: Turtle meets with Eamon Gilmore TD, Pat Gilmore and Jarlath MacNamara at Leinster House to discuss life of Irish-American bandmaster Patrick Sarsfield Gilmore.
May 31: Turtle joins Sammy Leslie of Castle Leslie Estate and Lord Dunleath of Ballywalter Park as guests on the Marian Finucane Show.
May 27: ‘Doneraile Conspiracy’ episode of Genealogy Roadshow airs on RTE. (Repeat).
May 22: Turtle presents a talk on “Easter Dawn: The Personalities of the 1916 Rising’ as part of the ‘Paths to Freedom’ conference at King House, Boyle, Co. Roscommon.
May 21: Article on being called Turtle appears in Irish Daily Mail.
May 7: Article of sinking of Lusitania appears in Irish Daily Mail.
April 29: Article on Joshua Dawson and the Mansion House in Irish Daily Mail.
April 27: Article on the battle of Seddelbahr and Corporal Willie Cosgrove published in Irish Daily Mail.
April 24: Article on Anthony Trollope’s bi-centenary published in Irish Daily Mail.
April 18: Turtle presents ‘The Vanishing Ireland Chronicles’ at Fullerton Hall in the Art Insitute of Chicago, in conjunction with ‘Ireland: Crossroads of Creativity, 1690–1840.‘
April 18: Article on the Choctaw Nation’s contribution to Irish Famine relief in Irish Daily Mail.
March: Spring 2015 edition of Inspirato features major article by Turtle on traditional muscial pubs of County Clare, with photographs by James Fennell. For article, click here.
March 24: Irish Daily Mail publishes ‘The Venerable Mary Aikenhead’.
March 19: Irish Daily Mail publishes Sackville Carden & the Dardanelles.
March 17: ‘Ireland: Crossroads of Art and Design 1690-1840’ opens at the Art Institute of Chicago on St. Patrick’s Day, running until June 7. Turtle Bunbury provides the narration for the exhibition tour, which draws over 200,000 visitors.
March 16: The Guardian publishes Turtle’s Top 10 Hidden Ireland travel tips.
March 13: The Scottish Daily Mail publish article on what its like to be called Turtle Bunbury.
March 7: Keith Jeffery reviews ‘The Glorious Madness’ in the Irish Times.
February 25: Turtle presents ‘Cork Harbour: A Voyage Through Time’ at the Board Room of the Port of Cork Building as part of Failte Ireland’s symposium, ‘Developing Cork’s Maritime Heritage as a Signature Experience’.
February 19: Turtle interviewed about Arthur Conan Doyle’s Irish roots on student drivetime show ‘Hooked on a Feeling’.
February 15: Patrick Geoghegan interviews Turtle about ‘The Glorious Madness’ on Talking History, Newstalk Radio.
February 13: Turtle features on ‘From Tipperary to Salonika: Ireland and the Music of the Great War’ (RTE Lyric FM) in which Myles Dungan examines the role of music in recruitment and morale in WW1.
February 12: Turtle presents a short talk on Sackville Carden’s ill-fated invasion of the Dardanelles at Martinstown House, County Kildare.
February 9: Glorious Madness glowingly reviewed by Destructive Music.
February: Article in Irish Daily Mail on campaign to have a US battleship named for the Vietnam veteran Corporal Patrick Gallagher.
January 23: Turtle short-listed for Travel Extra Travel Journalist of the Year Awards for 2014 cover story on Ireland in National Geographic Traveler.
January: Article on Captain Jack White in Irish Daily Mail.
2014
December 30: ‘The Glorious Madness’ at No. 25 in Irish book charts over Christmas.
December 24: Turtle explains the story of the Christmas Truce to Kieran Cuddihy on Newstalk Breakfast.
December 23: Article on the Christmas Truce appears in Irish Daily Mail; ‘The Glorious Madness’ still at No. 26 in Irish book charts.
December 16: ‘The Glorious Madness’ at No. 26 in Irish book charts.
December 13: Emmanuel Kehoe gives ‘The Glorious Madness’ the thumbs up in Sunday Business Post.
December 12: Irish Independent hails ‘The Glorious Madness’ as ‘outstanding’, ‘marvellous’ and ‘excellent’.
December 11: Article on Emmet Dalton appears in Irish Daily Mail.
December 7: Final episode of Series 2 of Genealogy Roadshow airs on RTE One (R). Interview on ‘Savage Sunday’ with Anton Savage on Today FM. Gay Byrne gives ‘The Glorious Madness the thumbs up on Lyric FM. Myles Dungan applauds book on The History Show, RTE Radio One.
December 6: ‘First Encounters‘ with Turtle and Hugo Jellett in The Irish Times Magazine; John Toal’s interview with Turtle airs on BBC Radio Ulster.
December 5: ‘Why I Wrote “The Glorious Madness“‘ by Turtle appears in The Irish Times on-line.
December 4: Antonia Hart of The Gloss magazine profiles Turtle as one of three ‘hip historians’. The magazine goes out to readers of The Irish Times.
December 2: ‘The Glorious Madness’ at No. 40 in Irish book charts.
December 1: Padraig Yeates gives thumbs up to ‘The Glorious Madness’ in the Dublin Review of Books.
November 30: TheJournal.ie publishes article by Turtle on eight lesser known Irish war veterans; Series 2 of Genealogy Roadshow airs on RTE One (R).
November 26: Irish Book Awards takes place in Dublln City. ‘The Glorious Madness – Tales of the Irish & the Great War’ is short-listed for the for TheJournal.ie Best Irish-published Book of the Year 2014.
November 25: Article on ‘Irish Nuns of Ypres’ features in Irish Daily Mail.
November 24: Turtle presents a 2.5 hour talk on Irish history, the Great War, genealogy and the ‘Vanishing Ireland’ project to Year II Diploma students at University College Cork.
November 23: Series 2 of Genealogy Roadshow recommences on RTE One (R).
November 22: Turtle presents ‘The Glorious Madness’ at the Great War Roadshow in Thurles, County Tipperary.
November 21: Turtle discusses his new book with Kate Egan on ‘Morning Edition’, RTE One.
November 16: Turtle considers ‘The Irish and World War One’ with Dr. Myles Dungan in the Main Theatre of Smock Alley Theatre at the 2014 Dublin Book Festival.
November 14: ‘An Evening with Turtle Bunbury’ at Lisnavagh House, County Carlow, Ireland.
November 13: The Courts Centenary Commemoration Committee (chaired by the Chief Justice) host its lecture in the Round Hall of the Four Courts in Dublin by Dr. Myles Dungan, with additional narration by Turtle. Entitled ‘The Irish Law Times goes to war’, Dr. Dungan’s lecture views the Great War through the prism of the specialist legal journal ‘The Irish Law Times’.
November 6: Ivan Yates interviews Turtle about ‘The Glorious Madness’ on Newstalk Breakfast.
Oct 30: ‘The Glorious Madness – Tales of the Irish & the Great War’ is short-listed for the for TheJournal.ie Best Irish-published Book of the Year 2014.
Oct 25: Turtle Bunbury’s ‘Musical Heirlooms’ airs on Sarah Carey’s ‘Talking Points, Newstalk 106-108fm – you can listen to it c/o http://www.newstalk.com/Turtle-Bunburys-Musical-Heirlooms … The Irish Times and Irish Independent report on the launch of ‘The Glorious Madness’ which is listed as one of the Irish Times‘ best books of 2014.
Oct 24: ‘The Glorious Madness’ goes on sale; Irish Daily Mail publishes Turtle’s feature article on Irish involvement in the Charge of the Light Brigade.
Oct 22: Articles on Hoppy Hardy, John Howard Alexander and Flora Sandes published in The Irish Times supplement.
Oct 21: The author Sebastian Barry delivers an astonishing speech to launch ‘The Glorious Madness – The Irish & World War One’ by Turtle Bunbury (Gill & Macmillan) at the Hibernian Club in Dublin.
Oct 18: Turtle speaks at the writing.ie Book Lunch at the Royal St George Yacht Clun, Dun Laoghaire, alongside Jennifer Johnston, Martina Devlin, Julia Kelly, Lia Mills, Kate Beaufoy, Sheila O’Flanagan, Liz Nugent, Emma Hannigan, Andrew Rudd, TV3 chef and Karen Perry.
Oct 14: Conor Nagle of Gill & Macmillan interviews Turtle for a ‘History Class: Tales of the Irish in the Great War’ @ The Little Museum, with food served by Domini Kemp, proprietor of Hatch & Sons. First sighting of new book, ‘The Glorious Madness’.
THE GREAT WAR ROADSHOW, 2014: Over the course of 2014, Turtle toured Ireland as one of the lecturers with the Great War Roadshow, speaking at events in Carlow, Cavan, Dublin, Meath, Roscommon, Tipperary and Wicklow. His fellow lecturers included Myles Dungan, John O’Keefe, Ciaran Wallace, Gordon Power and Damian Shiels.
Oct 14: Article on General Gough, the Limerick warrior who tamed the Punjab Sikhs, appears in Irish Daily Mail.
Oct 11: Peter Greenberg Worldwide show at Dublin’s Marker Hotel is set to air, including interview with Turtle about the early Dublin docklands and the importance of humour to the Irish psyche.
Oct 7: Turtle gives a talk on 1847 and the Bronte family’s Irish roots as part of the ‘Exiles’ program for Liberal Studies Group in Kilkenny at the Maynooth Outreach Campus in St. Kieran’s College, Kilkenny City.
Oct 3: Article called ‘Who Killed Honor Bright?’ appears in Irish Daily Mail. Turtle presents a short history of Ireland at Four Seasons Hotel, Ballsbridge, Dublin.
Sept 28: Turtle presents the Jim Brennan Memorial Lecture at the Festival of History in Charlesland Golf & Country Club, Greystones, County Wicklow. The event is co-hosted by the Wicklow La Touche Legacy Committee and the Greystones Archaeological & Historical Society.
Sept 24: Turtle and the actress Kathy Rose O’Brien co-present a talk on the “Season” in the Drawing Room at Dublin Castle as part of the Dublin UNESCO City of Literature (Autumn series).
Sept 20: Turtle presents ‘The Glorious Madness’ at the Great War Roadshow, hosted by Roscommon Libraries, at King House, Boyle. Fellow speakers: Myles Dungan, Gordon Power, Ciaran Wallace & Oliver Fallon.
Sept 13: Turtle presents ‘The Glorious Madness’ at the Great War Roadshow, hosted by South Dublin County Council at County Library Tallaght. Fellow speakers: Myles Dungan, John O’ Keefe, Ciaran Wallace & Michael J. Whelan.
Sept 11: Turtle delivers opening speech at turning of the sod for the new Walsh’s Whiskey Distillery at Holloden House, Royal Oak, County Carlow.
Sept 3: Article on General Gough and the Punjab appears in Irish Daily Mail.
August 24: TVO (Ontario) airs ‘Antiques to the Rescue’ about the Kavanaghs of Borris House, in which Turtle journeys to London and tells the tale of the remarkable 19th century explorer, politician and paraplegic Arthur McMurrough Kavanagh.
August 21: Official Launch Of the ‘South Kildare Heritage Trail – Explorer`s Way’ at Burtown House and Gardens in County Kildare, with keynote speakers Ms Heather Humphreys TD, Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, historian Turtle Bunbury on ‘Burtown & the Quakers’ and Jonathan Shackleton, Antarctic specialist and cousin of explorer Ernest Shackleton.
August 19: Article on Mountjoy Square and the Gardiner estate in Irish Daily Mail.
August 9: Article on the GPO’s bi-centennial in Irish Daily Mail.
August 7: Turtle talks of Sackville Carden, Willie Cosgrove and others at the Great War Roadshow, Johnston Central Library, Cavan. Fellow speakers: Myles Dungan, John O’ Keefe, Ciaran Wallace & Dr. Brendan Scott.
August 4: As world leaders gather in the Belgian City of Liège to commemorate the formal outbreak of the Great War, Turtle joins George Hook on Newstalk’s The Right Hook to ponder the Irish soldiers who served. [Scroll to 6:40]
August 2: Turtle conducts a guided tour of Maguire strongholds in County Fermanagh, including the mound where 15 Kings of Fermanagh were inaugurated.
August 1: Turtle interviewed for Peter Greenberg travel show about Dublin docklands, Celtic Tigers and the importance of humour.
July 29: Article on the Kilcoole gun-run of 2014 appears in the Irish Daily Mail.
July 26: RTE News publishes Turtle’s account of the Howth gun-run of 1914 as part of its Centenary coverage.
July 17: Turtle presents a short talk on Denis O’Kelly and the racehorse Eclipse at the Tullow Agricultural Show press reception in the Tara Arms.
July 11: Article about the Byerley Turk in Irish Daily Mail.
July 3: Turtle presents his first talk on ‘The Glorious Madness – Tales of the Irish in the Great War‘, as part of the Great War Roadshow at Hay Kells Festival in County Meath. The talk took place in St. Columbas’ Church.
June 28: Article on assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand appears in Irish Daily Mail.
June 17: Article on Irish-born slave trader Richard Brew appears in Irish Daily Mail.
June 8: Day Two of the History Festival of Ireland at Huntington Castle. Turtle joins James Durney, John Kirwan and Jérôme aan de Wiel (chair) for a discussion on Leinster & the Great War.
June 7: Day One of the History Festival of Ireland at Huntington Castle, Clonegal, County Carlow. Turtle introduces Jarlath MacNamara’s talk on ‘Patrick Sarsfield Gilmore’ and takes part in a panel debate about public history with Maurice Earls, John Regan, Tommy Graham and Catriona Crowe.
May 31: Talk on Cecil Parke and other Monaghan connections to the Great War, hosted at Bishopscourt, Clones, County Monaghan. Moneys raised for benefit of Protestant Orphan Society.
May 25: ‘Genealogy Roadshow’ Series 2, RTE One, 7pm. The series concludes with the “Derry” show.
May 18: ‘Genealogy Roadshow’ Series 2, RTE One, 7pm: The “Cork” show.
May 17 (Sat): Great War Roadshow commences at Waterford Library; Turle joins Myles Dungan and Gordon Power in a discussion of genealogical archives available for those researching ancestors who served.
May 14: Talk on the McClintock Bunburys of Lisnavagh to the Irish Georgian Society in Dublin. All funds raised to IGS.
Above: Promotional poster for the second series of the Genealogy Roadshow.
May 11: ‘Genealogy Roadshow’ Series 2 commences on RTE One with the ‘Powerscourt’ show.
May 10: Carillon Bells Recital at Charterhouse, Surrey.
April 28: Article on the Irishmen who built the Transcontinental Railroad appears in The Irish Daily Mail.
April 26: ‘Vanishing Ireland’ talk at Beyond the Grave conference hosted by Limerick City Archives and Mary Immaculate College.
April 25: Article on Lord Haw-Haw appears in The Irish Daily Mail.
April 11: Articles on Louis Brennan and Noah’s Irish family appear in The Irish Times and The Irish Daily Mail respectively.twice
April 10: Talk for Barnados Fundraiser at ely bar & brasserie in the CHQ building, IFSC, Dublin. His talk centres upon the Crimean War Banquet and the development of the Dublin Docklands. A combination of ticket sales and table donations raised €15,189 for the Barnardos Family Support Centre on Buckingham Street.
April 6: Turtle in Dublin filming for new documentary about Dave Gallagher, the Donegal man who captained the first All Black rugby team.
April 1: Feature on Ireland is the cover story of National Geographic Traveler.
March 15: Article on the Irish in the Spanish Civil War appears in Irish Daily Mail.
March 14: Article on Cecil Parke, the original Clones cyclone, appears in Irish Daily Mail.
March 13: Turtle’s article on Ireland is cover story of on-line April 2014 edition of National Geographic Traveler.
Turtle scores cover story on National Geographic Traveler, April 2014.
March 1: ‘Irish Manor Houses’, a look at five of Ireland’s finest big houses, written by Turtle and photographed by Jace Rivers, appears in the online version of National Geographic Traveler.
February 22: Feature article by Turtle on the executed 1916 leader Tom Kent appears in Irish Daily Mail.
February: Turtle’s story on ‘Vanishing Ireland’ published in Irish Country Magazine.
January 20: Irish Times publishes Turtle’s tale of the Connemara headstone uncovered by Storm Hercules.
January 16: Turtle’s story on Violet Jessop published in Southern Cross (Argentina).
January 12: The History Show on RTE Radio One broadcasts a five minute reading by Turtle on ‘The Night of the Big Wind.’
January 5: The Mail on Sunday profiles Wistorical and Vanishing Ireland in a feature article on the power of social media.
January: Cara (Jan-Feb edition) applauds Vanishing Ireland as ‘a perfect symbiosis between text and images – both similarity affectionate, respectful, humorous, slightly melancholic but never sentimental or nostalgic. This is invaluable social history’.
2013
December 31: ‘The Night of the Big Wind’ by Turtle Bunbury and Ray Cleere forms the cover story of the first edition of ‘Ireland’s Own’ in 2014.
December 26: Newstalk airs a one-hour ‘Hidden Histories’ special, featuring the best of Turtle’s 2013 reports, in their lunchtime slot.
December 24: TVO (Ontario) airs ‘Antiques to the Rescue’ about the Kavanaghs of Borris House, which features a lengthy cameo by Turtle.
December 16: Turtle passes curatorial baton for the 2014 History Festival of Ireland to historian Angus Mitchell.
December 15: Mary O’Sullivan of Sunday Independent profiles Turtle and Ally’s life and home in ‘My Favourite Room’.
December 14: John Spain, Books Editor at the Irish Independent, praises the new Vanishing Ireland as ‘another magical book’ in his round up of the best books of the year.
December 8: The Sunday Times hails the new Vanishing Ireland as ‘a beautiful and remarkably simple book that will melt the hardest of hearts. Bunbury has a light writing style that lets his interviewees, elderly folk from around the country, tell their stories without interference. It’s neither patronising nor overly romantic about the past; just narrating moving tales … The portraits by Fennell are striking, warm and dignified, with a feeling of being invited into people’s lives’.
December 8: The Sunday Independent calls the new Vanishing Ireland ‘a fascinating ode to this island’s elders’ with ‘stunning photography’ and ‘sometimes funny, sometimes tragic, but always fascinating interviews’ to create ‘a unique testament to the old way of life and a vital document for preserving the wit, insight and knowledge of this island’s elders’.
December 3: TG4 airs ‘John Henry Foley – Sculptor of the Empire’, directed by Sé Merry Doyle, co-written and researched by Turtle. (Repeat)
December: The Irish Arts Review hails Vanishing Ireland as ‘an extraordinary, powerful new collection of poignant interviews.’
November 26: Turtle and James attend 2013 Irish Book Awards in Dublin at which ‘Vanishing Ireland’ is pipped by Fintan O’Toole’s ‘History of 100 Objects’ for Best Irish Published Book of the Year.
November 26: ‘800 Years of Carlow Castle’, a 16-page supplement written by Turtle, published in the Carlow Nationalist.
November 19: Turtle gives talk on Irish history, genealogy and the ‘Vanishing Ireland’ project to Year II Diploma students at University College Cork.
November 19: The Carlow Nationalist publishes Turtle’s obituary to Betty Scott, as well as an announcement of the Irish Book Awards.
November 17: A repeat of ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’ airs on RTE One, with Turtle explaining Norman ancestry to former Miss World, Rosanna Davison.
November 16: Turtle gives ‘Vanishing Ireland’ talk at Banquet Hall in Smock Alley Theatre, Temple Bar, as part of Dublin Book Festival.
November 15: ‘Nationwide’ with Vanishing Ireland and the Cistercian monks airs on RTE One.
November 12: Turtle’s final ‘Hidden Histories’ slot on Newstalk Breakfast considers a positive side of the Great Famine with Ivan Yates and Chris Donoghue.
November 10: Turtle unites with James Fennell and Niall Martin to film ‘Nationwide’ episode on Cistercians of Roscrea.
October 31: The fourth ‘Vanishing Ireland’ book is short-listed for the Best Irish Published Book of the Year 2013 at the Bord Gáis Energy Irish Book Awards.
October 30: Turtle gives a talk on the Bunbury family history at the 50th Anniversary Dinner of the Irish Peers Association at the Turf Club in London.
October 23: Turtle gives a talk entitled ‘The Dublin Docklands – An Urban Voyage’ at the Little Museum of Dublin.
October 22: Turtle considers the history of Irish vampires on Newstalk Breakfast with Chris O’Donoghue and Ivan Yates.
October 20: The passing of Betty Scott, 89-year-old inspiration for the Vanishing Ireland project. She is buried in Rathvilly two days later.
October 19: Turtle gives a ‘Vanishing Ireland’ talk at the Centre Culturel Irlandais in Paris for the Poésie and Prose Literary Festival alongside poetesses Katie Donovan and author Martin Page.
October 9: Turtle gives ‘Vanishing Ireland’ talk for the London Irish Writers’ Week at St. Paul’s Church, St. Paul’s Green, Queen Caroline Street, Hammersmith. He was introduced by Chris O’Malley, Director of Irish Arts Foundation.
October 3: Publication of ‘Vanishing Ireland: Friendship & Community’, the fourth volume in the series.
September 25: Turtle delivers ‘Vanishing Ireland’ talk on as part of Carlow Reaching Out’s ‘My People, My Place, My Heritage’ Training Programme at Ballon Community Centre, County Carlow.
September 22: ‘Genealogy Roadshow’, a repeat of Series 1, commences on RTE One.
September 22: Turtle and James Fennell give ‘Vanishing Ireland’ talk and tour as part of Culture Weekend at Burtown House, County Kildare.
September 17: Article on Daniel O’Connell appears in Irish Daily Mail.
September 11: Turtle gives talk on Irish history as part of Carlow Reaching Out’s ‘My People, My Place, My Heritage’ Training Programme at Tara Arms in Tullow, County Carlow.
September 5: Article on Rosie Hackett Bridge appears in Irish Daily Mail.
August 20: Turtle delivers his talk ‘Of Gunslingers, Tarantulas, Elvis & Walt – A Global History of the Irish Abroad’ at Graiguenamanagh Library, County Kilkenny.
August 17: Interview with Joe Rock appears in The Irish Times Magazine.
August 15: ‘Of Gunslingers, Tarantulas, Elvis & Walt – A Global History of the Irish Abroad’ at Lismore Castle in County Waterford.
July 18: ‘Of Gunslingers, Tarantulas, Elvis & Walt – A Global History of the Irish Abroad’ at Lyrath Hotel in Kilkenny, following an interview with Sue Nunn on KCLR.
July 17: ‘Vanishing Ireland’ commences 6-week exhibition at the Irish Georgian Society’s new HQ in the City Assembly House on South William Street, Dublin.
June 16: Turtle takes on the role of Richard Piggott for a spoken re-enactment of the inquiry into Charles Stewart Parnell’s alleged criminal activities with Myles Dungan as Charles Russell at History Festival. Turtle is also on hand to reveal the family history of Nicky Byrne of Westlife, live on stage at the History Festival, alongside Nicola Morris, director of Timeline Research.
June 15-16: Turtle curates 2013 History Festival of Ireland at Duckett’s Grove in County Carlow on 15th & 16th June 2013. Fifty leading historians and thinkers from Ireland, the UK, Canada and the USA contribute to a dazzling array of over 30 debates, discussions, readings and interviews. The event is backed by Eigse and much of the acclaim is due to Hugo Jellett.
June 11: An interview with Turtle by Jonathan de Burca Butler appears in The Examiner under the heading ‘Shining a Light on the Past Secures the Future‘. Turtle is ‘unapologetically militant in his aims for the event,’ writes Jonathan. ‘It is 100% to get more people interested in history, and not just to broaden interest but also people’s understanding, because there’s so much spoon-fed baloney about it.”
‘Vanishing Ireland’ was the cover story for the Irish Times Magazine on Saturday 2 February 2013. The feature article, written by Turtle, offered a musing upon the passing of old Ireland.
June 7: Turtle interviews Peter Somerville-Large about his witty Big House novel ‘Mixed Blessings’ (2012) at the Borris House Festival of Writing and Ideas 2013.
June 6: The History Festival profiled by the Gathering Ireland 2013.
June 3: Turtle starts as in-house historian for Newstalk Breakfast with Chris Donoghue and Norah Casey.
June 2: Turtle interviewed for Martin Bridgeman’s ‘People In Profile’ on KCLR96FM. Click here to listen to the complete show.
May 15: Turtle delivers talk on ‘The Irish Abroad’ at Lisnavagh House to raise funds for St Columba’s National School in Tullow
May: Turtle profiled in ‘Spot-On – An Irish Executives Interview‘ by Pascal Derrien.
April 17: Turtle judges “Travel Writer of the year” for the National Student Media Awards (aka The Smedias). The winner is Michael Phoenix
April: Article on Trim Castle for Irish Daily Mail.
March 15: Turtle gives talk entitled ‘Of Gunslingers, Tarantulas, Elvis & Walt – A Global History of the Irish Abroad’ at Marsh’s Library as part of St. Patrick’s Festival. He subsequently appears on RTE One in the ‘St. Patrick’s Festival Highlights’ with Nicky Byrne, Grand Marshall of the Parade.
Feb 2: ‘Vanishing Ireland’ is the Irish Times Magazine cover story with a feature, written byTurtle, reflecting upon the passing of old Ireland and his collaboration with James Fennell.
2012
December 10: Kathryn Thomas interviews Turtle about the Wistorical project on The John Murray Show (RTE Radio One).
December 6: Turtle delivers talk on ‘Vanishing Ireland’ and ‘Wistorical’ to the Liberal Studies Group in Kilkenny.
A Wistorical Collage
November 23: Wistorical launches on Facebook.
November 7: Turtle gives talk on ‘The Lisnavagh Story’ at Royal Dublin Society, Dublin.
November: Turtle is a judge for the inaugural schools debate hosted by Carlow IT’s Department of Built Environment.
November 1-2: Turtle delivers talk on ‘Vanishing Ireland’ and ‘Big House Archives’ to the Irish Ancestry Research Centre at the University of Limerick.
Oct 23: Turtle gives talk on ‘The Bunburys & ‘Vanishing Ireland’ at the Casino Club in Chicago on behalf of the Irish Georgian Society.
Oct 22: Turtle gives talk on ‘The Bunburys & ‘Vanishing Ireland’ at University Club in New York on behalf of the Irish Georgian Society.
Turtle with John Foster filming ‘Antiques to the Rescue’ in Dublin.
Sept: Turtle appears on BBC2’s ‘Antiques to the Rescue’, with John Foster and Morgan Kavanagh, talking about Borris House in Co. Carlow. UK viewers can watch a clip here.
August 24-25: Turtle gives talk on ‘A History of the Dublin Docklands’ at Tall Ships Festival, Dublin.
August 22: Turtle gives talk on ‘Lisnavagh & the Butler Family’ at Butler Family Rally in Lisnavagh House, County Carlow.
August 21: Turtle launches ‘The Sugar Factory & Carlow Remembers’ exhibition at Visual Arts Centre, Carlow, with a talk on ‘The History of Sugar’.
August 14: Turtle gives lunchtime talk on ‘The Genealogical Resources of the Big House’ at the National Library of Ireland, Dublin.
August: Article on Dublin Underground for Irish Daily Mail.
July: Articles on the Irishman who sketched the Zulu Dawn for Irish Daily Mail and South Africa’s Mail & Guardian.
Turtle Bunbury, Nicola Morris and John Grenham outside Slane Castle for the first series of the Genealogy Roadshow.
June: Turtle curates the inaugural 2012 History Festival at his family home, Lisnavagh House, County Carlow. He gives a talk on Lola Montez and is interviewed about ‘Vanishing Ireland’ by Robert O’Byrne. The History Festival is an Éigse initiative.
June 8: Arlene Harris profiles Turtle’s thoughts on history in the Irish Examiner ahead of the inaugural History Festival of Ireland.
June: ‘Genealogy Roadshow’, series one, has a second repeat run on RTE One.
June: Article on the Marquis of Sligo & Agamemnon’s Tomb for Irish Daily Mail.
April: Turtle judges “Travel Writer of the year” for the National Student Media Awards (aka The Smedias).
March: ‘Genealogy Roadshow’, series one, has a repeat run on RTE One.
2011
The first series of the Genealogy Roadshow aired on RTE in 2011.
December 25: ‘Vanishing Ireland 3’ emerges as the best-selling Picture Book in Ireland
Dec 2: The WildGeese.com’s Daniel Marrin speaks with Turtle about his work on the Vanishing Ireland series here.
November 28: Turtle talks with Gerry Kelly about the Vanishing Ireland project on LMFM.
November 25: Turtle talks about the new book with Dáithí Ó Sé, Claire Byrne and Joe Duffy on The Daily Show (RTE One).
November: Turtle’s 4-page feature article about the explorer Sir Richard Burton is published in US edition of Playboy.
November: Turtle delivers a talk on the Vanishing Ireland Project in the Clones Library, County Monaghan.
Turtle Bunbury and Sarah O Hanlon at Kehoe’s in South Anne Street, Dublin for the launch of the Powers Ireland’s Best Snug, 2011. Turtle was a judge. Picture by Brian McEvoy.
November: Turtle is judge of Powers Whiskey Ireland’s Best Snug competition, embarks on road trip with his sister Sasha Sykes. The winner is Dylan’s Whiskey Bar. Turtle later fields questions about what makes a classic Irish snug while seated in Kehoe’s of Dublin with Brian Daly for TV3’s ‘Morning Ireland’.
Nov 1: Turtle spoke with Derek Mooney about the third Vanishing Ireland book on ‘Mooney’ (RTE Radio One).
October 20: ‘Vanishing Ireland – Recollections of Our Changing Times’, the third volume in the series, is launched at the Hunt Museum, Limerick, with a wonderful talk by legendary GAA commentator Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh. Nellie Shortall, Din Lane and Jack Lonergan from the book are amongst the attendees.
Oct: Turtle delivers a talk on the Vanishing Ireland Project at the Turf Grass Producers International, Dublin.
Aug-Sept: Turtle is one of the three presenters of ‘Genealogy Roadshow’, a new four-part series which combines ‘The Antiques Roadshow’ with ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’
Turtle delivers ‘A Brief History of Technology’ at 2011 Carlow Enterprise Awards.
October 18: ‘Vanishing Ireland – Recollections of Our Changing Times’ is launched at the Hugh Lane Gallery. Maisie Grannell and George Hawkins from the book are amongst the attendees.
September: Turtle is the Ireland Fund of Monaco’s Writer-in-Residence at the Princess Grace Irish Library. He gives two talks on the Vanishing Ireland project in the Principality of Monaco.
September: ‘Genealogy Roadshow’, series one, premieres on RTE One.
September: Turtle’s article on his great-grandmother’s Edwardian scrapbooks is published in The World of Interiors.
September 9: Start of a 6-week ‘Vanishing Ireland’ exhibition at the Hunt Museum in Limerick City. A crowd of 110 attended the exhibition on Friday 23rd September, exactly one week after Turtle and James gave a well-received walk and talk tour of the show.
Sept 4: Turtle interviewed by Ciara Swyer for ‘Waking Hours’ by the Sunday Independent‘s Life Magazine.
August: Daisy Banks of Five Books talks with Turtle about five books that inspired him to become a family historian.
August: Turtle launches the Greenway Artists Project in Mulranny, Co Mayo..
August: John Grenham talks about behind the scenes action at ‘The Genealogy Roadshow’ in the Irish Times.
May: Turtle talks about Obama’s visit to Ireland with Michael Patrick Shiels on Michigan’s Morning Show (1240 WJIM).
May: Eliz Lee reports on Turtle’s upcoming ‘Genealogy Roadshow’ series in the Carlow People.
March: Turtle goes on the ‘Moncrieff Show’ on Newstalk to ponder the unfortunate Easter 1916 soldier Guy Pinfield.
March: Turtle visits Queensland, Australia, as a guest of Australian Tourism. He features on Australian television to review how the state is recovering after the dreadful floods earlier in the year.
Feb-March: Four page feature by Turtle called Big House Hospitality, Hidden Ireland in Cara (Feb-March 2011), the Aer Lingus in-flight magazine, and a four-page feature on Irish sporting icons in Ireland of the Welcomes.
Turtle on ‘Wogan’s Ireland’ with the late Sir Terry Wogan.
Feb: Turtle joins Sean Moncrieff on Newstalk 106 to talk about the delectable Lola Montez, born 180 years ago that very month.
Feb: Turtle talks with Titia Ketelaar of the Dutch newspaper NRC Handelsblad about the Irish economy and positive steps forward.
January 23: Turtle joins Myles Dungan and Seona MacReamoinn on The History Show (RTE Radio One) to talk about Lola Montez, the femme fatale and exotic dancer from Ireland who became the most powerful woman in Bavaria in 1847. Listen to a podcast of the show, dated 23rd January 2011, here.
January 18: BBC One airs ‘Wogan’s Ireland’ in which Turtle tells Sir Terry Wogan about the battle of the Boyne and the alcohol that decimated the Jacobite rations.
2010
Dec: Meadhb Monahan interviews Turtle about his book ‘Sporting Legends of Ireland’ for Eolas.
Nov 9: ‘Around the World in 1847’ talk for the Friends of the National Gallery of Ireland.
Oct: ‘Vanishing Ireland – Further Chronicles of a Disappearing World’ short-listed for Bord Gáis Energy IES Irish Published Book of the Year 2010.
Addressing the Friends of the National Library of Ireland at Lisnavagh House.
Autumn: Turtle and co-author James Fennell discuss their new book, ‘Sporting Legends of Ireland’ on Ireland AM (TV3), ‘Sport at 7’ with Darragh Maloney (RTE Radio One) and Tom Dunne (Newstalk 106, as per sporting legends interview on newstalk.m4a). The book is nominated for the William Hill Irish Sports Book of the Year.
August 27: ‘Around the World in 1847’ for the Bloomfield & District Residents Association.
August: A profile of the Bunbury family by Ros Drinkwater, focusing on the new yoga retreat for Mums at Lisnavagh, appears in Sunday Business Post.
Turtle interviews 88-year-old Baby Rudden, the cover-girl of the second ‘Vanishing Ireland’, for RTE 1’s ‘Nationwide’
July 5: Turtle made his debut as a presenter on ‘Nationwide’ in a show watched by 33.8% of Irish television audiences. His chosen subject was 88-year-old Baby Rudden, the cover-girl of the second ‘Vanishing Ireland – Further Chronicles of a Disappearing World’.
April 15: ‘Around the World in 1847’ talk for the Bray Cualann Historical Society.
March: Turtle gives his verdict on the Easter 1916 flag up for auction in New York to Sean Moncrieff (Newstalk) and Tom McGurk (4FM).
March: Repeat airing of the award-nominated TV documentary ‘John Henry Foley – Sculptor of an Empire’ (TG4) about the eminent Irish Victorian sculptor, researched and co-scripted by Turtle Bunbury.
March: An in-depth interview on The Sue Nunn Show (KCLR) with Turtle about gentry, walled gardens, Sri Lankan style and the Vanishing Ireland project.
February 15: ‘Around the World in 1847’ talk for the Princess Grace Irish Library in Monaco.
Feb: Turtle recently escorted Nationwide‘s Niall Martin on a tour of the Grand Canal Docks for a show that aired on RTE One, Monday 22 February 2010. Some 447,000 people tuned in to watch the episode.
Jan 23: Turtle talks with Brian O’Connell of the Irish Times about what makes centenarians live so long for an article entitled ‘When Your Birthday is a Presidential Affair’.
Jan: Turtle outlines his plans for 2010 in the Carlow People.
Turtle and Rosanna Davison (de Burgh) during filming of ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’
2009
Dec 17: Turtle and James live in Newstalk 106 studio with Tom Dunne on a day when the reputation of the Roman Catholic church in Ireland was once again on the slide.
Dec 11: Turtle and James in studio with Matt Cooper on The Last Word
(Today FM), discussing the book, in the same show that broadcast Paul Gogarty’s infamous ‘F.U. Deputy Stagg’.
Nov 28: Faces Full of Stories – a three page interview in the Irish Times with Turtle and his ‘Vanishing Ireland’ colleague James Fennell by Miriam Mulcahy.
November: John Toal finds the common ground between Turtle and Vanishing Ireland’s cover star, Baby Rudden, on Saturday Magazine (BBC Ulster).
Nov: ‘Your History in a Book’ gets thumbs up from The Irish Times, The Australian and The Irish Post (Elaine Sheridan). Turtle also talked about tracing ancestors who served in British forces the First World War with Maura O’Neill on ‘Saturday Breakfast’ (4FM).
Oct 27: Turtle and James Fennell talk of ancient humour, barefoot children and the good old, bad old days with Mark Cagney and Elaine Crowley on Ireland A.M. (TV3). The interview was repeated on Ireland AM’s best of the week review on Saturday 31st October.
Oct 26: Turtle discusses the Vanishing Ireland project with Ryan Tubridy (RTE Radio One) in a bank holiday special, extracts of which were repeated on RTE 1’s ‘Playback’ review on Saturday 31st October.
Oct 25: An exploration of the motives behind the Vanishing Ireland project in the Sunday Tribune by Claire O’Mahony, who hails it as ‘a rich and mesmerising social history to be preserved for future generations.’
Oct: Turtle explains the concept of the Your History in a Book to Aedín Gormley on Arts News (Lyric FM).
Sept: Meadhb Monaghan of the Impartial Reporter interviews Turtle in the context of his new ‘Vanishing Ireland’ book and touches on the his History in a Book concept.
Sept: Turtle launches ‘Your History in a Book’, a project through which he writes privately commissioned corporate and family histories. Each history is extensively researched, stylishly written and beautifully produced as a leather-bound hardback coffee table book, including interviews with family members and family photographs.
Sept: Turtle appeared on Who Do You Think You Are? (RTE One) with former Miss World Roseanna Davison, escorting her to the de Burgh’s Georgian townhouse and the Manuscripts Room of the National Library.
Sept: Turtle tracks the family history of former rock star and DJ Tom Dunne back to the coopers of the Guinness brewery and the muddy trenches of the First World War, for The Tom Dunne Show (Newstalk 106).
August: Turtle remarks on the latest figures from the Vintners Federation in the Irish Examiner.
June: ‘Outbreak – Killer Influenza’ airs on RTE One, in which Turtle was a consultant, examining the effects of the Spanish Flu epidemic which killed more than 20,000 across Ireland (and 50 million worldwide).
Spring: Turtle reviewing hotels throughout Ireland for the Alastair Sawday’s ‘Special Places to Stay‘ series.
March: NWA passengers reading Turtle’s tips on where to dine, shop and hang out in Dublin in World Traveller. Meanwhile, Aer Lingus passengers were reading Turtle’s account of the Irish pub in Cara magazine. Other articles by Turtle on the shelf include a look at Huntington Castle in County Carlow for Wealth, a review of Temple House in County Sligo for Objekt and a review of a County Louth sea lodge in 25 Beautiful Homes.
Feb 11: On an episode of ‘Nationwide’ (RTE One), Turtle Bunbury and James Fennell talk Ireland through the decline of the Irish pub live from O’Shea’s of Borris and Lenehan’s of Kilkenny.
Feb 4: Turtle interviewed by Moncrieff (Newstalk 106) shortly after birth of a second daughter Bay, announces her birth to the nation.
Feb: A wholesome profile of the Bunbury family of Lisnavagh in The Gloss by Catherine Heaney.
A second volume of ‘Vanishing Ireland’ becomes a major bestseller.
2008
Nov 26: ‘John Henry Foley – Sculptor of the Empire’ airs on TG4 at 9:30pm on a Wednesday. The film was short-listed for the Best Documentary BIFF Award at the 2008 Magners Irish Film Festival in Boston. The Sunday Independent described it as a documentary that showed ‘all the signs of a work that was not just well done, but that needed to be done’. The Sunday Business Post concurred that ‘Sé Merry Doyle’s film has put [Foley] in his proper place – on a pedestal – for that’s what he deserves’.
Nov 19: Launch of the eagerly awaited documentary ‘John Henry Foley – Sculptor of the Empire’ at the National Museum of Ireland. Examining the life and works of the controversial Victorian sculptor, the documentary premiered at the 20th Galway Film Fleadh and screened on TG4 in the autumn of 2008. Directed by Se Merry Doyle of Loopline Films, Turtle was closely involved as both historical researcher and co-scriptwriter of the BIFF award-nominated film. Foley’s best known works include the Albert Memorial in London, Sir James Outram in Calcutta and various statues commemorating Daniel O’Connell, Lord Gough, Henry Grattan, Edmund Burke and Oliver Goldsmith in Dublin.
Dec: Turtle Bunbury and James Fennell’s book ‘The Irish Pub’ selected as Bookseller’s Choice for Christmas 2008 by Hughes and Hughes and short-listed in The Irish Times Christmas Gift Special. The book is published by Thames & Hudson. Bruce Springsteen is amongst over 8,000 people who now have this book in their library.
Nov: ‘Vanishing Ireland’ shortlisted for the 2008 Best Irish Published Book of the Year, just as Turtle completes his sixth book, ‘Dublin Docklands – An Urban Voyage’, an illustrated history for the Dublin Docklands Development Authority. The docklands book is published in early 2009.
Nov: Emily Hourican gives an in depth look at the inspiration behind ‘The Irish Pub’ book for Hospitality Ireland.
Oct 10: Turtle and James Fennell explain the ups and downs of the Irish pub trade to Mark Cagney on ‘Ireland AM’ (TV3).
Oct: Turtle and James pew down in Belfast’s Crown bar and talk pubs with John Toal for Saturday Magazine (BBC Radio Ulster).
Oct: Turtle’s book ‘The Irish Pub’ – his third with photographer James Fennell – is published. ‘Delightful’ says The Irish Times. ‘A brilliant history of the Irish pub’ declared Country Life. ‘Fascinating’ wrote the Independent-on-Sunday. ‘A masterpiece of pub porn’ concluded Victoria Mary Clarke. The sumptuous hardback sold over 4,000 copies in its first four weeks and generated considerable coverage on BBC News, BBC World, The Today Show (BBC Radio 4) and Saturday Magazine (BBC Radio Ulster), as well as Ireland AM (TV3), The Tom Dunne Show (Newstalk 106) and local radio stations nationwide. The book was also a major feature story in The Guardian, Country Life, The Independent (UK), The Irish Times, The Irish Examiner, Sunday Independent, The Irish Mirror, The Daily Mail, Sunday World, The Dubliner and the Oct/Nov 08 issue of Cara. Published by Thames & Hudson, the book offers a colourful tour of 39 classic pubs from across all 32 counties of Ireland.
Having visited over 700 pubs to make ‘The Irish Pub’ book, Turtle was interviewed by the BBC in 2009.
Oct: Turtle provides BBC One’s Mark Simpson with some key thoughts on the fate of the Irish pub. See also here. Turtle’s thoughts are aired on The Today Show across the UK.
Summer: Aer Lingus passengers read Turtle’s article on the state of the Irish pub in Cara magazine. The story of a converted coach house in Bray marked one of the main features in Volume 9 of The White Book. Turtle’s Irish Times ‘Curiosities’ homed in on the glory days of Ballroom Floor Gloss, scary children’s book ‘Struwwelpeter’, the bizarre Foxes Earth in County Kildare, Bindon Blood Stoney’s Diving Bell and the passage grave on Baltinglass Hill. Candida Taylor’s Sotogrande hideaway was one of the lead features in the July 2008 issue of Homes & Gardens. An interview with Turtle entitled ‘How I Got Here’ appeared in the Irish Independent on April 24th. An article on three Irish villages at a Crossroads (Borris, Co. Carlow, Clogh, Co. Kilkenny and Grangecon, Co. Wicklow) featured in The Irish Times Magazine on April 5th. Meanwhile, Turtle’s verdict on Ireland’s oldest pub was in Visitor. Other articles by Turtle on the shelf in 2008 include a look at Huntington Castle in County Carlow for Wealth, a review of Temple House in County Sligo for Objekt and a review of a County Louth sea lodge in 25 Beautiful Homes. An extract from ‘Vanishing Ireland’ formed a major feature in both Country Life and the Irish Independent before Christmas. Work begins on ‘Vanishing Ireland – Volume 2’, due to be published in 2009.
An interview with Turtle by Barbara Harding entitled ‘The Time Traveller’ appeared in the Irish Independent in April 2008.
August 23-24: The brainchild of BAFTA-nominated director Kevin Allen and two-time Booker Prize nominee Pat McCabe, the Flat Lake Literary & Arts Festival 2008 takes place at Hilton Park, Clones, Co. Monaghan. Turtle and Ally are core members of the team at an event in which Seamus Heaney, Canadian Poet Laureate George McWhirter and Paul Brady led the field, while others on the bill included Barry McGuigan and his band, Jinx Lennon, Rowan Somerville, Edna O’Brien, Dylan Moran, Paul Muldoon, Ciaran Carson, Medbh McGuckan, Bernard Louchlin, Little John Nee, Adrian Dunbar, Dermot Healey, John Maher, Sean O’Reilly, Eoin Mcnamee and Ailbhe Slevin. Pat McCabe’s ‘Radio Butty’ broadcast live from a biscuit tin receiver throughout. The X -Tractor Talent Contest witnessed all manner of singing ‘n dancing to general buffoonery and old style recitals. (The ‘Flat Lake Interviews’ saw literary heavyweights Colm Toibin and Eugene McCabe one day; film maverick Neil Jordan took the hot-seat alongside Stephen Rea the next. The nail biting Damien Hirst Auction thrilled spectators as bidding figures spiralled out of control).
July: Turtle’s story of a modern Sotogrande hideaway is one of the lead features in Homes & Gardens.
April 24: An interview with Turtle by Barbara Harding entitled ‘The Time Traveller’ in the Irish Independent.
April 5: Turtle’s article on three Irish villages at a Crossroads features in The Irish Times Magazine. Meanwhile,his verdict on Ireland’s oldest pub ran in Visitor.
2007
Dec: Extracts from ‘Vanishing Ireland‘ form a major feature in both Country Life and the Irish Independent.
‘Vanishing Ireland’ is one of the best-selling books of 2007. The first volume featured photographic portrait interviews with sixty characters of senior vintage from all across Ireland. The book was short-listed for the Eason’s Irish Published Book of the Year and was the No. 1 selling Picture Book in Ireland for Christmas 2006. The book was declared ‘a triumph’ by the Daily Mirror.
May: James Fennell’s book on ‘Irish Furniture’ was launched by the Irish Georgian Society.
Turtle is Homes Editor of The White Book. He frequently reviews hotels and restaurants throughout the world for international magazines and for the Alastair Sawday’s ‘Special Places to Stay’ series.
Turtle features in TG4’s 2007 series about the Presidents of the Irish Republic, weighing in with some family background on the enchanting Erskine Childers.
2006
Dec 8: Turtle and James feature on Nationwide (Dec 8), along with Paddy Lowery, a farmer from the Slieve Blooms, and Ginger Powell, the oldest practicing vet in Ireland.
Oct 19: Turtle makes debut on ‘Today with Pat Kenny’ (RTE Radio One).
Oct: Turtle Bunbury and James Fennell release the first volume of ‘Vanishing Ireland’ to considerable acclaim in Ireland, Britain and the USA. Turtle and James appear in studio with Moncrieff (Newstalk 106), Ireland AM (TV3) and Seoige & O’Shea (RTE1).
April: Eliz Lee takes a look at the inspirations which led Turtle to start writing in the Carlow People.
March: Turtle and James’s book, ‘Living in Sri Lanka’ (Thames & Hudson, 2006) is also widely acclaimed for its positive portrayal of post-tsunami Sri Lanka. The Financial Times declare it ‘a sumptuous portrait of an unforgettable architectural landscape’, devoting an entire page in pink to the book. The Australian applaud ‘page after glorious page of airy villas with colonnades’. The Essential KBB declared it Book of the Month. In Style nominate it The Hot Read. Elle Decoration proclaimed it a Hot Summer Read. Over 8000 copies of the book had sold by Christmas and the book helps earn Turtle the Travel Extra Longhaul Journalist of the Year Award.
Sasha Sykes cube on cover of idFX, 2003
2004
Dec: Henry Bauress tackles Turtle’s take on the Kildare Gentry in the Leinster Leader.
2002-2003
Turtle produces histories of Desart Court, Rathsallagh and Molesworth Street in Dublin.
1999-2002
Returning to Ireland on the eve of the new millennium, he spent two years working with the travel company, Trailblazer.com, an early victim of the Dot Bomb crash of 2002. On 20 November 2000, he was interviewed by Grainne Hehir for an article entitled ‘Ireland’s Entrepreneurs Feel the Heat’ in the Wall Street Journal. During this time, he wrote a monthly column for The Dubliner entitled Turtle Talk.
He simultaneously developed his interest in Irish and world history, traveling to Zimbabwe, South Africa, Mexico, Sri Lanka and Spain with the photographer James Fennell. Before long, the duo were contributing articles to magazines and newspapers all around the world.
Turtle travels extensively around his native Ireland. His original plan was to set off on a tractor and write a canny but poignant bestseller. However, traffic being what it was by those days, that plan was scuppered. And then someone else did it with a fridge. “Write Around Ireland” was the result of Turtle’s sporadic wanderings, a gently humorous historical take on more than 200 towns and villages across Ireland.
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Turtle was born on 21st February 1972, the third son of the 5th Baron Rathdonnell. Raised at Lisnavagh House, Rathvilly, Co. Carlow, Ireland, he received his early education in Baltinglass, Co. Wicklow, before moving to Castle Park School in Dublin. From 1980 to 1985, he was at Glenalmond College in the Scottish Highlands where he accidentally secured the necessary A-Level results to read law at Trinity College Dublin. He opted to postpone college and go traveling.
At the age of eighteen, Turtle left Ireland for the U.S.A., working his way across the continent from New York to Los Angeles over three months. He subsequently spent six months in New Zealand and Australia, returning to Ireland via Malaysia to commence his legal studies in Dublin.
The law did not suit him and in 1994 Turtle happily transferred to history and began to study Ireland in the age of the Vikings. He spent one year at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands before returning to Dublin to complete his degree at Trinity in 1996. His first feature was an examination of Santa Claus, written for his home county newspaper, The Carlow Nationalist, while in Groningen.
Armed with a degree in modern history from Trinity College Dublin, he moved to Hong Kong in 1996 where he enjoyed nearly three years working as a freelance correspondent with the South China Morning Post, BC Magazine, the Hong Kong Standard and Business News Indochina. He returned to Ireland in the autumn of 1998.