Irish History, Culture, Heritage, Language, Mythology
Patriot, William O’Brien, was born in Dromoland, Co Clare. His mother was Charlotte, née Smith, whose father owned a property called Cahirmoyle in Co Limerick. William inherited it and adopted the additional surname of Smith, thereafter he is known as William Smith O’Brien. In the 1820’s he took his seat in parliament as the Conservative […]
Read More
1570 – Elizabeth I is excommunicated by Pope Pious V. Pope Pius V issued a papal bull in 1570, called Regnans in Excelsis, declaring ‘Elizabeth, the pretended Queen of England and the servant of crime’ to be a heretic and releasing all her subjects from any allegiance. 1852 – Death of popular poet and editor […]
Read More
“No person knows better than you do that the domination of England is the sole and blighting curse of this country. It is the incubus that sits on our energies, stops the pulsation of the nation’s heart and leaves to Ireland not gay vitality but horrid the convulsions of a troubled dream.” –Daniel O’Connell In […]
Read More
John Mitchel was one of the great propagandists of his day, although the causes he espoused often placed him on the wrong side, he was loved and loathed in equal measure. He was one of the few Irishmen to have incurred the wrath of the British government and of the Federal administration of the USA. […]
Read More
Once Catholic emancipation was achieved, Daniel O’Connell campaigned for repeal of the Act of Union, which in 1801 had merged the Parliaments of the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. To campaign for repeal, O’Connell set up the Repeal Association. He argued […]
Read More
‘She is in your hands — in your power. If you do not save her, she cannot save herself. I solemnly call on you to recollect that I predict, with the sincerest conviction, that one-fourth of her population will perish unless you come to her relief.’ Featured Image | The crypt of Daniel O’Connell | […]
Read More
1807 – Irish sailor, Patrick Watkins, was marooned on Floreana, an island of the Galápagos Islands, arriving on this date in 1807 to 1809. He was the first resident of the Galapagos. According to later accounts, Watkins managed to survive by hunting, growing vegetables, and trading with visiting whalers, before finally stealing an open boat and […]
Read More
In the Liturgical calendar, today is the Feast day of St Brigid. Saint Brigid of Kildare or Brigid of Ireland (c. 451-525) is one of Ireland’s patron saints along with Saints Patrick and Colm Cille. Her feast day is 1 February or Imbolc, the traditional first day of spring in Ireland. She is believed to […]
Read More
1667 – Cattle exports to England are prohibited. 1671 – Catholic gentry present petition to Charles II. 1688 – Birth of Lionel Cranfield Sackville, 1st Duke of Dorset, PC. He was an English political leader and Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. Dorset served twice as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, from 1731 to 1737 and again from […]
Read More
When Ellis Island officially opened on 1 January 1892, the first passenger processed through the now world-famous immigration station was an Irish girl named Annie Moore. The 17-year-old girl was travelling with her two younger brothers, Anthony and Phillip, on the S.S. Nevada. The ship had departed from Queenstown (now Cobh, Co Cork) on 20 […]
Read More