Irish History, Culture, Heritage, Language, Mythology
988 – The Norse King Glúniairn recognises Máel Sechnaill mac Domnaill, High King of Ireland, and agrees to pay taxes and accept Brehon Law; the event is considered to be the founding of the city of Dublin. 1614 – Arthur Annesley, 1st Earl of Anglesey, politician and author, is born in Dublin. 1794 – Birth […]
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1751 – The foundation stone of the Rotunda Hospital, Dublin, is laid by the Lord Mayor of Dublin. 1790 – The “Gentleman’s Magazine” reports, regarding the MP for Cork, James Bernard who died on this date: ‘Though he had an immense fortune, he did not live at the rate of £300 a year. His tailor’s […]
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In the Liturgical calendar the Feast Day of Saint Kilian, also spelled Killian (or Cillian). He was an Irish missionary bishop and the apostle of Franconia (nowadays the northern part of Bavaria), where he began his labours towards the end of the 7th century. According to Irish sources, Kilian was born in Mullagh, Co Cavan […]
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1815 – Charles Bianconi, opens his first horse-drawn coach service, between Clonmel and Cahir, Co Tipperary, a distance of 10 miles. 1844 – Anti-Irish, anti-Catholic Nativists riot in Philadelphia against the increasing influence of the Catholic (i.e. Irish) Church and the influx of Irish immigrants. At least fifteen people die in the rioting. 1858 – […]
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1681 – Despite witnesses against him being discredited, Oliver Plunkett is hanged, drawn and quartered in London. 1690 – Battle of the Boyne: the Jacobite forces (Irish, French, Germans and Walloons) are defeated by the Williamites (Irish, English, Dutch, Germans and Danes). The Williamite victory, being seen as a defeat for Louis XIV, is welcomed […]
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The first assault on Athlone came in 1690 after the defeat of the Irish at the Battle of the Boyne. General Douglas leading a substantial force, consisting mostly of Ulster regiments was the Williamite commander. His troops possibly numbered 10,000. When he arrived at Athlone he was confident that he would quickly conquer the town […]
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1691 – The Fall of Athlone: Despite the bravery of legendary Sergeant Custume and others, severely outnumbered, the Connacht side of the town fell. The remainder of the Irish garrison retreats to Limerick. 1790 – Birth in Knockfin, Co Laois of Arthur Jacob – noted oculist and Professor of Anatomy in the Royal College of […]
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In the Liturgical calendar, today is the Feast Day of Saint Peter and Paul. 1315 – The Irish annals state that Edward de Brus “took the hostages and lordship of the whole province of Ulster without opposition and they consented to him being proclaimed King of Ireland and all the Gaels of Ireland agreed to […]
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On 14 April 1922 a column of 200 men led by Rory O’Connor occupied the Four Courts, hoping to provoke an armed confrontation with British forces which were in the process of evacuating from Ireland following the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty the previous winter which had split the IRA into two opposing factions. The […]
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Poet, writer and nationalist John Boyle O’Reilly was born in Dowth Castle, Co Meath, near Drogheda. For his part in the IRB and Fenian conspiracy, O’Reilly was sentenced to twenty years’ penal servitude. He served nearly two years in English prisons before being put aboard the convict ship Hougoumont, and transported to Australia in 1868, […]
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