LARISSA NOLAN IRELAND'S first brothel madam was a member of the aristocracy who was led into a life of prostitution after years of domestic abuse.

The secret and often tragic life of 18th-Century prostitute Margaret Leeson - alias Pimping Peg - is unlocked in a radio series this week by history post-graduate student Lisa-Marie Griffith.

Ms Griffith explains how Margaret was the first woman to provide a house in Dublin where upper-class men could go and pay for sex.

She accommodated a mixture of characters throughout her career - from lawyers to bank governors, down to conmen and petty villains.

After 30 years in the business, she decided to reform and became penniless, ending up in prison, and she was forced to write her memoirs in a bid to raise some cash.

She died at the age of 70, predictably enough from venereal disease, broken and alone.

Margaret Leeson's life began in 1727, in Killough, Co Westmeath, the daughter of a wealthy Catholic landowner who was related to the Earl of Cavan.

But her idyllic rural childhood was shattered when her mother and eldest brother died and Margaret's father passed control of his estates to his cruel son Christopher.

Christopher took complete control of Margaret, frequently beating her to the point that she once attempted to elope to escape his violence.

On one occasion, he beat her so badly with a horsewhip that she vomited blood and was confined to bed for three months. Margaret eventually escaped to Dublin, where she met a man called Dardis who turned her on to a life of prostitution.

Dardis proposed to her, but they did not have the money to wed, so she let him sleep with her as often as he wished - and so Margaret was introduced to a succession of men who were willing to pay her for sex.

Enter two characters, only known as Mr Lawless and Mr Leeson, a wealthy English merchant from whom she took her assumed name.

Mr Leeson fell for Margaret's charms and put her up in a house in Ranelagh, Dublin; but while Leeson was away she would sneak in her other lover, Mr Lawless.

Leeson finally found out and, on discovering her infidelity, left her penniless.

Lawson went on to become her longest client and partner and they lived together for five years, having five children together.

But as ever, tragedy struck; their money eventually ran out, the children died oneby one and Lawless left for America, leaving Margaret heartbroken.

She returned to a life of prostitution and found that many wealthy men were willing to entertain her and pay her way.

She soon regained her position in high society and bought a house in Dublin's old Pitt Street, which became her most luxurious brothel, fitted out with every comfort and boasting prostitutes hand-picked by Margaret herself.

It became a well-known establishment amongst well-bred men and her clients included a lord lieutenant who insisted on sleeping only with Margaret, swearing he would pay his fortune if only his wife was as good in bed as she was.

But things were not so jolly for so long and Margaret fell into a depression and attempted suicide - an act that led her to give up the game completely.

She built a retirement home in Blackrock and hoped to retire on her IOUs, a plan that backfired when none of the owing clients paid up.

After being arrested by an ex-client for a debt of £15, she was thrown into jail, where she decided to write her memoirs to earn some much-needed money.

Three volumes of The Memoirs of Mrs Leeson, Madam, were published in 1794, and she vowed to name and shame all her clients in the fourth volume.

But before that time came, she was attacked and viciously gang-raped and contracted a venereal disease, which became advanced.

She died at the age of 70 and was buried in St James's churchyard.

Her story - Pimping Peg; Profit and Penance - will be told as part of Anna Livia's 'Delving Into Dublin's Past' series on Tuesday at 4pm.