1661 – Birth of scientist, archaeologist, physician and MP, Sir Thomas Molyneux, in Dublin. He was the first to assert that the Giant’s Causeway was a natural phenomenon.

1859 – Death of novelist, Sydney, Lady Morgan, née Owenson. Born in Dublin, she is best known as the author of The Wild Irish Girl.

1886 – Birth of socialist politician and trade unionist, Jack Beattie, in Belfast.

1912 – The Titanic, the world’s largest ship built at Belfast’s Harland and Wolfe, hit an iceberg at 23:40.

1917 – Birth of actress Valerie Hobson in Larne, Co Antrim.

1919 – Limerick Soviet commenced general strikes in protest against English militarism in Ireland; for three weeks in April, the city’s Trades Council took over the entire running of the city, published their own newspapers and issued their own currency. The Soviet received worldwide publicity and was seen by the British government as a major threat to their power in Ireland.

1920 – Detective Constable Harry Kells of DMP “G” Division was mortally wounded by IRA.

1920 – After large demonstrations and a general strike in support of prisoners, 90 were released. In Milltown Malbay a group of RIC and Army shot at a crowd who were celebrating the prisoners’ release, killing three and wounding nine.

1921 – Sir Arthur Vicars was assassinated in Kilmorna, Co Kerry by the IRA.

1922 – Led by Rory O’Connor, forces against the Anglo-Irish Treaty seized the Four Courts in Dublin. The provisional government later attacked the garrison, which started the civil war.

1923 – Austin Stack, Deputy IRA Chief of Staff, was captured by Free State troops near Ballymacarbry. He was carrying a document accepting a proposal by the Catholic Bishop of Cashel to end the war by calling a ceasefire and dumping arms.

1923 – Free-State forces converged on a ruined castle at Castleblake, Co Kilkenny after receiving information that it was being used as a dugout by the Republicans. Free State Lieutenant Kennedy called on the occupants to surrender and fired three shots through the door. A grenade was thrown from inside the shelter, mortally wounding Lieutenant Kennedy. Free-State troops then rushed the building. Two republican fighters (Ned Somers and Theo English) were killed in the firefight and several others were captured.

1923 – A 62-year-old woman, Bridge Geoghegan, was shot dead accidentally by republican guerrillas in Ballybay, Co Monaghan. A weapon discharged when they arrived at her house demanding food and shelter.

1836 – Birth of handballer, Pat Kirby, in Tuamgraney, Co Clare.

1952 – Birth of drummer, Simon Crowe, in Dublin. is one of the current drummers for the new wave band The Boomtown Rats. The original name of the Boomtown Rats was the “Nightlife Thugs”. The name Boomtown Rats was taken from a novel entitled Bound for Glory by Woody Guthrie.

1952 – Birth of Mickey ‘Ned’ O’Sullivan in Kenmare, Co Kerry. He is a GAA football manager and former player. He played football with his local club Kenmare and was a member of the Kerry senior inter-county team at various times from 1972 until 1980. O’Sullivan captained Kerry to the All-Ireland title in 1975 and later served as manager of both the Kerry and Limerick senior football teams.

1972 – The PIRA exploded twenty-four bombs in towns and cities across Northern Ireland. There was also fourteen shootouts between the PIRA and security forces.

1972 – Limerick-born, Terry Wogan, launched his first radio show on BBC Radio 2. He had previously hosted successful shows on RTÉ.

1983 – Inaugural meeting of Aosdána in The Old Parliament House, Dublin.

1991 – Bishop Desmond Tutu, from South Africa, attended an Anglican conference in Newcastle, Co Down. Tutu said that Sinn Féin should be invited to attend the forthcoming talks on the future of Northern Ireland.

1994 – Teresa Clinton (34), a Catholic Civilian, was shot dead by the Ulster Freedom Fighters, a cover name (pseudonym) used by the Ulster Defence Association, during a gun attack on her home, off Ormeau Road, Belfast. Her husband had been a former Sinn Féin election candidate.

1995 – The RUC discovered 40 weapons and hundreds of rounds of ammunition which were believed to belong to the Ulster Volunteer Force. The cache was found in Holywood, Co Down. Three men were arrested following the discovery. A second cache of arms was later found in the town.

1998 – Irish authorities released nine IRA prisoners from Portlaoise Prison. On their release the prisoners pledged their ‘complete support’ for the leadership of Sinn Féin.

1998 – Patrick J. Kennedy, son of Edward and nephew of JFK, unveils a commemorative plaque and declares the fully refurbished and redecorated White House Hotel in Kinsale open once more.

1998 – Poll results indicate that Unionists and nationalists in Northern Ireland will have equal representation on a power sharing executive if the 1997 General Election results are repeated.

1999 – Liz O’Donnell, Irish Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, acknowledged that the Hillsborough Declaration would not be the basis for resolving the decommissioning impasse.

2003 – An international survey rates Dublin as one of the safer cities in the world. At 18 in the rankings, it is well ahead of many other cities.

Photo: Connemara, Co Galway, Fiachra Mangan Photography

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