#OTD in 1932 – Birth of internationally celebrated Irish folk musician, artist, poet and storyteller, Tommy Makem, in Co Armagh.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam. Tommy Makem was an internationally celebrated Irish folk musician, artist, poet and storyteller. He was best known as a member of The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem. He played the long-necked 5-string banjo, guitar, tin whistle, and bagpipes, and sang in a distinctive baritone. He was known as […]

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#OTD in 1976 – Vice president of Sinn Féin and commander of Cumann na mBan, Máire Drumm, was assassinated by loyalists while recovering in Mater Hospital, Crumlin Road, Belfast.

‘The only people worthy of freedom are those who are prepared to go out and fight for it every day, and die if necessary.’ –Máire Drumm Máire Drumm was the vice president of Sinn Féin and a commander in Cumann na mBan. She was killed by Ulster loyalists while recovering from an eye operation in […]

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#OTD in 1641 – Rory O’More, Lord Maguire and Sir Pheilim O’Neill initiate a major revolt in Armagh.

The Irish Uprising of 1641 was a long-term result of the “plantation” policy of Tudor and Stuart monarchs under which Ireland was aggressively colonised by Protestant settlers from England and Scotland. From the mid-16th century, Irish landowners were dispossessed to make way for the settlers and a vicious cycle developed whereby rebellion against the English […]

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#OTD in Irish History | 15 October:

1582 – Pope Gregory reforms the calendar introduced by Julius Caesar in 45BCE: 4 October is followed by 15 October. However, the reform will not be implemented in Britain and Ireland till 1752. 1690 – After taking Cork on 28 September, Marlbourough takes Kinsale for the Williamites, who now control Munster. 1763 – Birth of […]

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#OTD in Irish History | 27 September:

World Tourism Day 1662 – An “act for encouraging Protestant strangers and others to inhabit and plant in the kingdom of Ireland” is passed in the Irish Parliament under Charles II. 1725 – Patrick Darcy, scientist and soldier, is born in Kitulla, Co Galway. 1739 – Birth of Francis Russell, Marquess of Tavistock. He was […]

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#OTD in Irish History | 21 September:

1170 – Diarmait Mac Murchada and the Normans march on the Norse kingdom of Dublin, avoiding an Irish force that awaits them to the south of it. Dublin falls to them on this date. Some Norsemen, including the king of Dublin, Ascall mac Ragnaill, flee to the Hebrides or the Isle of Man. 1601 – […]

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#OTD in Irish History | 24 August:

In the Liturgical calendar it is the Feast Day of Abbán moccu Corbmaic, also Eibbán or Moabba, a saint in Irish tradition. He was associated, first and foremost, with Mag Arnaide (Moyarney or Adamstown, near New Ross, Co Wexford) and with Cell Abbáin (Killabban, Co Laois). His cult was, however, also connected to other churches […]

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Celtic Mythology | Devorgilla

Dervorgilla came from Norway and was a stranger in Ireland. She had listened to so many tales about Cú Chulainn that she decided he would have to be her only love. She left Norway accompanied by her maid alone. To accomplish the journey the both changed into swans and flew to Lough Cuan in Ireland. […]

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#OTD in 1998 – Drumcree Conflict | The annual Orange Order march was prevented from marching through the nationalist Garvaghy area of Portadown, Co Armagh.

Security forces and about 10,000 loyalists began a standoff at Drumcree church. During this time, loyalists launched 550 attacks on the security forces and numerous attacks on Catholic civilians. On 12 July, three children were burnt to death in a loyalist petrol bomb attack. This incident brought an end to the standoff. The Drumcree conflict or Drumcree […]

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The Kilnasaggart Pillar Stone

The Kilnasaggart Pillar Stone in Co Armagh is one of the oldest known inscribed stones in Ireland. Kilnasaggart stone stands in a field not far from Kilnasaggart Bridge. It is a tall pillar stone, 2 metres high, and inscribed with some Ogham script, crosses, most within circles, and a Gaelic inscription. The pillar-stone is said […]

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