Biddy Early | Witch or Wise Woman

05/11/2022.Reading time 9 minutes.

Legend would have it that Biddy was an entity worth fearing. She had four husbands and outlived them all. She had a magic glass bottle that she used to foretell deaths and disasters. Her fury could freeze a horse in its tracks; in a good mood she could save you or your prized livestock from […]

#OTD in Irish History | 20 October:

20/10/2022.Reading time 10 minutes.

1612 – Birth of Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of Burlington, 2nd Earl of Cork, in Youghal, Co Cork. He was an Anglo-Irish nobleman who served as Lord High Treasurer of Ireland and was a Cavalier. 1674 – Birth of James Logan, Colonial statesman and scholar in Lurgan, Co Armagh. 1775 – Two hundred passengers are […]

#OTD in 1803 – Birth of William Smith O’Brien in Dromoland, Newmarket on Fergus, Co Clare.

17/10/2022.Reading time 2 minutes.

William Smith O’Brien was a Protestant Irish nationalist Member of Parliament (MP) and leader of the Young Ireland movement. He also encouraged the use of the Irish language. He was convicted of sedition for his part in the Young Irelander Rebellion of 1848, but his sentence of death was commuted to deportation to Van Diemen’s […]

#OTD in Irish History | 16 October:

16/10/2022.Reading time 13 minutes.

In the Liturgical calendar, today is the Feast Day of St. Gall (Gallen, or Gallus, c. 550 – c. 646). He was an Irish disciple and one of the traditionally twelve companions of Saint Columbanus on his mission from Ireland to the continent. 1588 – Birth of Franciscan friar and historian, Luke Wadding, in Co […]

#OTD in Irish History | 10 October:

10/10/2022.Reading time 16 minutes.

World Mental Health Day World Homeless Day 1084 – Patrick, Bishop of Dublin, dies in a shipwreck. 1580 – Over 600 papal troops land at Dún an Óir, Co Kerry, to support a rebellion. After a three-day siege, the English Army behead over 600 Irish and Papal soldiers and civilians. 1711 – The Linen Board […]

#OTD in 1967 – A day after being captured, Marxist revolutionary Ernesto “Che” Guevara is executed in Bolivia.

06/10/2022.Reading time 5 minutes.

Socialist revolutionary and guerilla leader Che Guevara, aged 39, is killed by the Bolivian army. The U.S.-military-backed Bolivian forces captured Guevara on 8 October while battling his band of guerillas in Bolivia and assassinated him the following day. His hands were cut off as proof of death and his body was buried in an unmarked […]

#OTD in 1920 – Rineen Ambush | Six RIC men were killed by the IRA in an ambush in Rineen, Co Clare.

22/09/2022.Reading time 9 minutes.

One of the most memorable encounters of the War of Independence took place at Dromin Hill, Rineen on this date. The purpose of this act was to get revenge for the murder of Martin Devitt, an Irish soldier who was shot dead in an ambush in February of that year in the locality. A secondary […]

#OTD in 1847 – Birth of teacher and founder of the Gaelic Athletic Association, Michael Cusack, in Co Clare.

20/09/2022.Reading time 7 minutes.

Michael Cusack was born in the parish of Carron on the eastern fringe of the Burren in north Clare. He lived in a small cottage with his parents, four brothers and one sister. The Cusack homestead still stands today. Little is know of his childhood. On Sundays after Mass, Cusack and the other boys in […]

#OTD in Irish History | 27 August:

27/08/2022.Reading time 13 minutes.

1695 – The second Irish parliament of William III is called in Dublin; Robert Rochfort is unanimously elected Speaker. 1798 – General Humbert appears outside Castlebar. The Government forces are deployed to cover the direct route and Humbert unexpectedly appears on their flank. Humbert attacks. French advance causes Militia to run. Government defence collapses and […]

#OTD in Irish History | 11 August:

11/08/2022.Reading time 7 minutes.

In the Liturgical Calendar it is the Feast Day of Saint Attracta (also called Araght, and Naomh Adhracht in Irish), the patron saint of the parish of Tourlestrane, Co Sligo. Her legend states that she fled from home and took her vows as a nun under St Patrick at Coolavin. She then moved to Lough […]

Stair na hÉireann | History of Ireland

Tag: Co. Clare

Biddy Early | Witch or Wise Woman

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#OTD in Irish History | 20 October:

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#OTD in 1803 – Birth of William Smith O’Brien in Dromoland, Newmarket on Fergus, Co Clare.

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#OTD in Irish History | 16 October:

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#OTD in Irish History | 10 October:

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#OTD in 1967 – A day after being captured, Marxist revolutionary Ernesto “Che” Guevara is executed in Bolivia.

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#OTD in 1920 – Rineen Ambush | Six RIC men were killed by the IRA in an ambush in Rineen, Co Clare.

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#OTD in 1847 – Birth of teacher and founder of the Gaelic Athletic Association, Michael Cusack, in Co Clare.

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#OTD in Irish History | 27 August:

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#OTD in Irish History | 11 August:

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