#OTD in 1919 – An unofficial government policy of reprisals began in Fermoy, Co Cork.

Two hundred British soldiers looted and burned several commercial buildings in the town, after 23 Cork Volunteers, under the leadership of Liam Lynch, augmented by Mick Mansfield and George Lennon of Waterford attacked members of the Royal Shropshire Light Infantry en route to services at the Wesleyan Church. Four soldiers were reportedly wounded, one fatally. […]

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#OTD in 1935 – Birth of Liam Clancy, of the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem fame.

The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem shot to fame after appearing with his brothers on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1961. Scheduled to perform two songs, they were forced to extend their appearance when the show’s headliner cancelled. The following year they sold out audiences. After the Clancy brothers stopped touring / broke up, Liam […]

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#OTD in 1869 – Birth of athlete, Tom Kiely, in Carrick-on-Suir, Co Tipperary.

Tom Kiely competed in the 1904 Summer Olympics held in St. Louis, Missouri, in the all-round, which consisted of 100 yd run, shot put, high jump, 880 yd walk, hammer throw, pole vault, 120 yd hurdles, 56 pounds weight throw, long jump and 1 mile run. He won the gold medal. Kiely was thirty-four at […]

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#OTD in 1894 – Birth of nationalist revolutionary and politician, Dan Breen, in Grange, Donohill, Co Tipperary.

One of the most famous fighters in the fight for Irish freedom, Dan Breen is born in Co Tipperary. He was an iconic IRA figure in both the War of Independence and also the Civil War. Breen was involved in what is accepted as the first action of the War of Independence 1919-1921 when with […]

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#OTD in 1848 – Young Irelander Rebellion | Tipperary Revolt – In Tipperary, an unsuccessful nationalist revolt against British rule is put down by police.

The Young Irelander Rebellion (sometimes called “Famine Rebellion” or the Battle of Ballingarry of 1848). It took place during the Great Irish Hunger (1845-1849) or ‘Battle of the Widow MacCormack’s cabbage garden’) was a failed uprising of the Young Ireland political movement, which took place on 29 July 1848 in the village of Ballingarry, Co […]

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#OTD in 1902 – Death of Thomas William Croke D.D., the second Catholic Bishop of Auckland, New Zealand (1870-1874) and later Archbishop of Cashel and Emly, Co Tipperary.

Thomas Croke was born in Castlecor (parish of Kilbrin), Co Cork, in 1824. He became the second Catholic Bishop of Auckland New Zealand before returning to Ireland as Archbishop of Cashel and Emly. He was a strong and public supporter of Irish nationalism aligning himself with the Irish National Land League during the Land War, […]

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Devil’s Bit, Co Tipperary

According to local legend, the mountain got its name because the devil took a bite out of it. There is a small gap in the mountain between one outcrop of rock (known as the Rock) and another small plateau. The bite the devil allegedly took made this gap. The legend suggests that the devil broke […]

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#OTD in 1815 – Charles Bianconi, opens his first horse-drawn coach service, between Clonmel and Cahir, Co Tipperary, a distance of 10 miles.

Charles Bianconi was an Italo-Irish entrepreneur, a brilliant salesman and knew how to develop his brand. He is possibly the first person in Irish transport history who tried to brand his business; he engraved his automobiles, when no one else was doing anything like that. After working as an engraver and print seller in Dublin, […]

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#OTD in 1880 – Ned Kelly the Australian bushranger captured at Glenrowan.

Edward “Ned” Kelly was an Australian bushranger of Irish descent. His legacy is controversial; some consider him to be a murderous villain, while others view him as a folk hero and Australia’s equivalent of Robin Hood. Kelly was born in Victoria to an Irish convict father. The Australian Dictionary of Biography states Kelly was “the […]

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