An Irishwoman’s Diary Episode 7: Founder of the first Magdalen Asylum - Arabella Denny

2026-06-21

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This is series 2 of An Irishwoman’s Diary from The Deirdre O’Shaughnessy Podcast, search in your podcast app for An Irishwoman’s Diary to find the six-episode Series 1.She campaigned for healthcare for infants, set up an almshouse for the poor, introduced carpet weaving to Ireland, bred silkworms at her home and, rather incongruously, took shooting lessons to stop her brother-in-law bullying her (it worked!).Lady Arabella Denny (yes, like the sausages – a distant branch of the same family) was a w...

This is series 2 of An Irishwoman’s Diary from The Deirdre O’Shaughnessy Podcast, search in your podcast app for An Irishwoman’s Diary to find the six-episode Series 1.

She campaigned for healthcare for infants, set up an almshouse for the poor, introduced carpet weaving to Ireland, bred silkworms at her home and, rather incongruously, took shooting lessons to stop her brother-in-law bullying her (it worked!).

Lady Arabella Denny (yes, like the sausages – a distant branch of the same family) was a woman before her time.

Irish Examiner columnist Clodagh Finn joins Deirdre to discuss the woman who left very explicit – and unusual – instructions for what was to be done when she died.

Read Clodagh’s column: Clodagh Finn: The life and extraordinary death of Arabella Denny

An Irishwoman's Diary series 1: Meet the Irish women who left their mark on history

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