# The Secret Life of May O’Callaghan: The Kremlin’s Irish Insider

An episode of [Irish History Podcast](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/363368392), 20 Aug 2025, 45 min.

Audio: https://sphinx.acast.com/p/acast/s/irishhistory/e/68a463fc352b565deb254cc3/media.mp3

In 1973, just two people attended the lonely funeral of May O’Callaghan, an Irish emigrant in North London. Few could have imagined that this quiet woman from Wexford had once stood at the very heart of Soviet power. In the 1920s, May O’Callaghan worked in the Kremlin as the Soviet Union emerged, working alongside figures like Stalin, Trotsky, and the future Marshal Tito. For decades, her remarkable story was forgotten until historian Maurice Casey uncovered her story in his acclaimed book, Hotel Lux. In this episode, I interview Maurice about May's life and the extraordinary journey that took May from Ireland to the corridors of Soviet power. Get your copy of Hotel Lux: https://linktr.ee/hotelluxpreorders Check out Maurice's personal website: mauricejcasey.com Support The Irish History Podcast patreon.com/irishpodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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