Hidden Histories: Richard Francis Burton
On The Record with Gavan Reilly Highlights
English - March 19, 2023 13:10 - 12 minutes - 11 MBEducation radio Homepage Download Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
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Today marks the birthday of Richard Francis Burton.
Though he did share some characteristics with his more famous hard-living namesake, Burton was a famed British explorer with strong links to Ireland, and one who lived one of the most peculiar lives of the nineteenth century.
It included sneaking into Mecca in disguise - at a time when non-Muslims were banned from entering - and penning the first English language translation of the Kama Sutra.
A controversial explorer, he rests in what might be Britain’s strangest grave.
Gavan is joined by Donal Fallon for another episode of Hidden Histories to discuss.