1761 – Robert Simms, a founder of the United Irishmen and proprietor of the Northern Star, is born.

1780 – Miles Byrne, United Irishman and officer in Napoleon’s Irish Legion, is born in Monaseed, Co Wexford.

1856 – Birth of Sir John Lavery, an Irish painter best known for his portraits.

1875 – Death of John Mitchel, Irish nationalist activist, solicitor and political journalist. Born in Camnish, near Dungiven, Co Derry.

1884/1920 – Tomás MacCurtain (born in Cork City), revolutionary and Lord Mayor of Cork is both born and assassinated on this date.

1914 – After 60 cavalry officers at the Curragh resign their commissions – an incident known as ‘the Curragh mutiny’ – the War Secretary states that the army will not be used to coerce Ulster into Home Rule.

1919 – The birth of Cairbre, the MGM lion, in Dublin Zoo. He wasn’t African or even Californian, he was a genuine Dub and was named after Cú Chulainn’s charioteer, or a High King of Ireland.

1922 – IRA volunteers crossed into Northern territory and attacked the USC barracks in Aughnacloy.

1923 – Birth of Cornelius Joseph “Con” Martin in Rush, Co Dublin. He was an Irish footballer. Martin initially played Gaelic football with Dublin before switching codes and embarking on a successful soccer career, playing for, among others, Drumcondra, Glentoran, Leeds United and Aston Villa. Martin was also a dual international and played and captained both Ireland teams – the FAI XI and the IFA XI. In 1949 he was a member of the FAI XI that defeated England 2–0 at Goodison Park, becoming the first non-UK team to beat England at home.

1928 – William Sydney Callaghan, Methodist clergyman, is born in Dublin.

1964 – Death of Brendan Francis Behan, an Irish poet, short story writer, novelist, and playwright who wrote in both Irish and English. He was also a committed Irish Republican and a volunteer in the Irish Republican Army.

1961 – Birth of Michael O’Leary, Chief Executive Officer of the Irish airline Ryanair. He is one of Ireland’s wealthiest businessmen.

1971 – Brian Faulkner succeeds James Chichester-Clark as Prime Minister of Northern Ireland.

1972 – Donegall Street Bombing: the PIRA detonated its first car bomb, on Donegall Street in Belfast. Allegedly due to inadequate warnings, four civilians, two RUC officers and a UDR soldier were killed while 148 people were wounded.

1989 – Senior RUC men, Chief Superintendent Harry Breen and Superintendent Bob Buchanan, negotiating cross-border security co-operation in south Armagh, are ambushed and shot dead by the IRA.

1993 – Ireland beat England 17-3 in the final game of the Five Nations Championships at Lansdowne Road, Dublin.

1993 – Warrington Bomb Attacks: after a telephoned warning, the PIRA exploded two bombs in Warrington, Cheshire, England. Two children were killed and fifty-six people were wounded. There were widespread protests in Britain and Ireland following the deaths.

2001 – Thousands of second level students across the country take to the picket lines to protest the nationwide strike by teachers.

2003 – Hundreds of anti-war protesters gather outside the Dáil to protest the use of Shannon Airport by the US military.

2006 – Eczema gene identified in study led by Irish doctors. The findings are regarded as hugely significant as the first steps towards finding a cure. The study was led by Dr Alan Irvine, a consultant paediatric dermatologist at Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin, Dublin, and Prof Irwin McLean, a geneticist at the University of Dundee in Scotland. Dr Irvine is from Enniskillen and Prof McLean is originally from Ballymoney, Co Antrim.

2010 – Triple Crown dream dies. Ireland saw their dream of a fifth Triple Crown in seven years dashed following a woeful performance which saw them slump to a 23-20 defeat to Scotland.

Image | Giant’s Causeway, Co Antrim | Derek Heeps Photography

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