Next week marks the 100th anniversary of the formation of the Irish Volunteers. The group helped shaped the course of Irish history and left behind a legacy that still lives on today.

The Volunteers were formed in part as a reaction to the creation of the Ulster Volunteer Force in 1913. The formation remains one of the most important events in the achievement of Irish independence. The group's short existence - the remaining members became part of the Irish Republican Army in 1919, following the original group's ideological split soon after its foundation - is one of the most complex and fascinating chapters in our country's history.

Pat was joined in studio by two guests, who discussed the origins of the Irish Volunteers and the group's historical impact. 

Éamon Ó'Cuív is the Fianna Fáil spokesperson on agriculture, food and community affairs. He discussed his interest and family connection to the Irish Volunteers through the role his grandfather, Éamon de Valera, played.

Dr. Ruan O'Donnell is a senior lecturer in history from the University of Limerick, and an authority on the history of Irish Republicanism.

A 50th anniversary edition of The Irish Volunteers, 1913 - 1915: Recollections and Documents, edited by FX Martin, has been released to coincide with this month's centenary. De Valera himself provided a foreword for the original edition back in 1963.

You can listen to the full interview with Ó'Cuív and O'Donnell via the player above.