‘Dedication’ by Patrick MacGill – The Navvy Poet

16/01/2019.Reading time 3 minutes.

‘Dedication’ by Patrick MacGill –The Navvy Poet I speak with a proud tongue of the people who were And the people who are, The worthy of Ardara, the Rosses and Inishkeel, My kindred– The people of the hills and the dark-haired passes My neighbours on the lift of the brae, In the lap of the […]

#OTD in 1761 – John MacNaghten, a gambler, duellist and criminal, is hanged at Strabane jail for his involvement in the killing of Mary Anne Knox, daughter of Andrew Knox MP.

15/12/2018.Reading time 3 minutes.

One of the earliest recorded public hangings associated with Lifford Courthouse is that of John MacNaghten in 1761. Such was the publicity surrounding the case that even though it is over 250 years ago, the incident is still remembered this day and is now part of local folklore. It was in the newly-built County Gaol […]

#OTD in Irish History – 20 November:

20/11/2018.Reading time 8 minutes.

1762 – Francis Andrews is appointed first professor of history at the University of Dublin. 1800 – Richard Rothwell, painter, is born in Athlone, Co Westmeath. 1830 – Birth of Patrick Henry Jones, who attained the rank of Brigadier General in the Union army during the American Civil War is born in Co Westmeath. Jones […]

#OTD in 1798 – Theobald Wolfe Tone is tried and convicted of treason.

10/11/2018.Reading time 3 minutes.

Wolfe Tone was one of the founders of the United Irishmen. In efforts to free Ireland from English rule, he had encouraged a French invasion of Ireland which due to bad planning and bad luck was never successful. In October 1798, French forces consisting of eight frigates were intercepted by British ships off Buncrana, Co […]

#OTD in Irish History – 22 October:

22/10/2018.Reading time 13 minutes.

In the Liturgical calendar, today is the Feast Day of Pope Saint John Paul II. He is widely known to Catholics as Saint John Paul the Great, especially in the names of institutions. It is traditional to celebrate saints’ feast days on the anniversary of their deaths, but that of John Paul II (22 October) […]

#OTD in 1798 – French fleet intercepted off Donegal and Wolfe Tone is captured when the Hoche strikes its colours.

12/10/2018.Reading time 2 minutes.

“To unite Protestant, Catholic and Dissenter under the common name of Irishmen in order break the connection with England, the never-failing source of all our political evils, that was my aim”.” –Theobald Wolfe Tone Theobald Wolfe Tone was one of the founders of the United Irishmen. In efforts to free Ireland from English rule, he […]

#OTD in 1857 – Birth of Peadar Toner Mac Fhionnlaoich, known as Cú Bladh (The Hound of Ulster).

05/10/2018.Reading time 2 minutes.

He was an Irish language writer during the Gaelic Revival. He wrote stories based on Irish folklore, some of the first Irish language plays, and regularly wrote articles in most of the Irish language newspapers such as An Claidheamh Soluis. Cú Uladh was born in Allt an Iarainn, Co Donegal to Micheal McGinley and Susan […]

#OTD in 1942 – Twenty miles off the coast of Donegal, the luxury Cunard liner Queen Mary – converted into a troop carrier for the war smashes into her escort ship, the British cruiser Curaçao.

02/10/2018.Reading time 3 minutes.

The Curaçao which had connected with the Queen Mary to escort her for the final two hundred miles to the port of Greenock, Scotland sinks with the loss of 338 men. As were his orders, Captain Cyril of the Queen Mary which was carrying an estimated 15,000 US troops does not stop to mount a […]

#OTD in Irish History – 24 September:

24/09/2018.Reading time 14 minutes.

1661 – Faithful Tadpole is admitted as a clerical vicar choral of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin. 1786 – Birth of Irish passenger-car entrepreneur, Charles Bianconi, in Costa Masnaga, Italy. 1798 – United Irishman, Bartholomew Teeling, is hanged in Dublin. 1801 – James Moore O’Donell, former MP for Ratoath, is killed in a duel with Major […]

#OTD in 1607 – The Earls of Tyrone and Tyrconnell, along with a close circle of family and associates, boarded a ship at Rathmullan on Lough Swilly, bound for Spain.

04/09/2018.Reading time 5 minutes.

This event has become known as ‘The Flight of the Earls’ and is widely regarded as one of the most enigmatic events in Irish history, virtually defying explanation. A French ship sailed from the northern harbour of Rathmullan in Lough Swilly. On board were Hugh O’Neill, Earl of Tyrone, and Rory O’Donnell, Earl of Tyrconnell, […]

Stair na hÉireann/History of Ireland

Tag: Co. Donegal