Podcast: How two sisters from Cork were at the heart of European culture 

Sarah and Amelia Curran were at the heart of European culture

How two sisters from Newmarket in Cork came to associate in such exalted circles is a fascinating story.

Sarah Curran was best known to generations as the tragic fiancée of United Irishman Robert Emmet, but in her own right she was a writer, poet and talented musician who made connections across Europe. 

Her sister Amelia was a notable artist who painted the famous portrait of Frankenstein author Mary Shelley and that of her husband, the Romantic poet, and came to the attention of US vice president Aaron Burr, currently enjoying a resurgence in notoriety thanks to the musical Hamilton.