Plagues of the past: What can our history teach us about dealing with Covid-19?

A new TV series on past epidemics in Ireland highlights how poverty, overcrowding and poor sanitation made the diseases all the more lethal

A scene from the new TG4 series, Eipidéím.

A new series exploring past epidemics in Ireland is set to hit our screens next week. Presented by historian Síobhra Aiken and GP Maitiú Ó Tuathail, Eipidéim will explore the devastating impact caused by diseases such as tuberculosis, polio, and smallpox.

The show’s creators are hoping the series will open up new conversations about how the world deals with epidemics and what we can learn from them.