In Our Time on BBC Radio 4 is always good listening, whatever the subject, but recently featured this fascinating discussion on the Interregnum, which looked at Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales in the 1650s. One of the contributors was Micheál Ó Siochrú Professor in Modern History at Trinity College Dublin.

An unexpected post on the website of Seton Hall University in New Jersey about Alice Stopford Green, historian, activist and independent member of the Seanad from 1922 until her death in 1929.

This striking portrait of Stopford Green is from the university's website.

Dublin Castle has a new exhibition called Vicereines of Ireland: Portraits of Forgotten Women and you can watch an introductory video here. And if you are in or near Dublin, you can visit the exhibition from today - looks like it includes some amazing paintings, many of them on loan.

One of our 2021 speakers will be Briony Widdis from Queen's University Belfast. The title of her talk will be confirmed shortly but will relate to one of our Festival themes this year, Ireland & Empire. Briony is co-organiser of a really interesting academic conference next year which looks at a similar theme and has a call out for speakers - more information here. The full title is Ireland, Museums, Empire, Colonialism: Collections, Archives, Buildings and Landscapes.

And finally, the Great Parchment Book of Waterford, which contains city records from 1356 to 1649, has been digitised and is available to view here. There are 450 pages in all, and the original is on display at Waterford Treasures.