#OTD in 1869 – Jeremiah O’Donovan Rossa, Fenian, contests and wins a Tipperary by-election in abstentia, but is declared ineligible as a convicted felon.

The Tipperary by-election of 1869 was fought due to the death of the incumbent MP of the Liberal Party, Charles Moore. Independent Nationalist, Jeremiah O’Donovan Rossa was returned to the British House of Commons for the Tipperary constituency, in which he defeated the Liberal Catholic, Denis Caulfield Heron, by 1054 to 898 votes. The election […]

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#OTD in 1984 – Brighton Hotel Bombing | The PIRA attempted to assassinate British Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, and her cabinet.

The IRA detonated a 100lb bomb at the Grand Hotel Brighton where the Conservative Party was holding its annual conference. Five people died while Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher narrowly escaped injury. Following the bombing, the IRA issued a statement, “Today we were unlucky, but remember, we only have to be lucky once; you will have […]

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#OTD in 1851 – Birth of nationalist politician, John Dillon, in Blackrock, Co Dublin.

John Dillon served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for over 35 years and was the last leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party. By political disposition Dillon was an advocate of Irish nationalism, originally a follower of Charles Stewart Parnell, supporting land reform and Irish Home Rule. He became a leading land reform agitator as […]

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#OTD in 1775 – Birth of Daniel O’Connell in Cahersiveen, Co Kerry.

Daniel O’Connell was born in Cahirsiveen, Co Kerry. He would go on to be one of the most important figures in Irish political and Catholic civil rights history. He campaigned for Catholic Emancipation – the right for Catholics to sit in the Westminster Parliament, denied for over 100 years – and Repeal of the Union […]

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#OTD in 1917 – The Representation of the People Bill, which passed its first reading to the House of Commons will allow women in Ireland/UK to vote in general elections for the first time.

While the legislation only proposes extending the franchise to women 30 years or over, this corresponds to an additional six million voters on the register. The bill also removes existing complications for men’s franchise, makes provision for those serving at the front and introduces a limited form of proportional representation. That it will pass unchanged […]

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#OTD in 1949 – The Republic of Ireland withdraws from the British Commonwealth. The British Parliament recognises the declaration but asserts sovereignty over the six northern counties.

The withdrawal of the twenty-six counties from the British Commonwealth is recognised officially by Britain, thereby, becoming the independent Republic of Ireland. The Ireland Act 1949 passed by the House of Commons recognised the withdrawal. Éamon de Valera had introduced his Constitution (Bunreacht na hÉireann) in 1937, the Irish Free State, or Éire as it […]

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#OTD in 1847 – An ailing Daniel O’Connell makes his final speech to House of Commons pleading for help for a starving Ireland.

‘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 | […]

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#OTD in 1881 – Irish Land League organiser, Michael Davitt, is arrested again for his outspoken speeches when he had accused chief secretary of Ireland W. E. Forster of ‘infamous lying’.

Davitt’s ticket of leave was revoked and he was sent to Portland jail. Parnell protested loudly in the House of Commons and the Irish members protested so strongly that they were ejected from the House. The government passed the Irish Coercion Bill. On Gladstone’s return to office in 1880, William Edward Forster was made Chief […]

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#OTD in 1948 – The Republic of Ireland Act is signed into law by President Seán T. O’Kelly at Áras an Uachtaráin in the presence of the Government of Ireland.

The Republic of Ireland Act 1948 is an Act of the Oireachtas which declared that Ireland may be officially described as the Republic of Ireland, and vested in the President of Ireland the power to exercise the executive authority of the state in its external relations, on the advice of the Government of Ireland. The […]

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#OTD in 1869 – Jeremiah O’Donovan Rossa, Fenian, contests and wins a Tipperary by-election in abstentia, but is declared ineligible as a convicted felon.

The Tipperary by-election of 1869 was fought due to the death of the incumbent MP of the Liberal Party, Charles Moore. Independent Nationalist, Jeremiah O’Donovan Rossa was returned to the British House of Commons for the Tipperary constituency, in which he defeated the Liberal Catholic, Denis Caulfield Heron, by 1054 to 898 votes. The election […]

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