#OTD in 1939 – IRA Army Council declare war on England and the Sabotage Campaign (S-Plan) begins a day later.

15/01/2019.Reading time 9 minutes.

On 12 January 1939, the Army Council sent an ultimatum, signed by Patrick Fleming, to British Foreign Secretary Lord Halifax. The communiqué duly informed the British government of “The Government of the Irish Republic’s” intention to go to “war”. Excerpt from the ultimatum: I have the honour to inform you that the Government of […]

#OTD in 1923 – Anti-Treaty IRA men burn the home of Free State Senator John Philip Bagwell at Marlfield, Clonmel, Co Tipperary, including the extensive library built up by his father, historian Richard Bagwell.

09/01/2019.Reading time 2 minutes.

The Bagwells of Marlfield could trace their arrival in Ireland to John Bagwell (Backwell), a captain in Cromwell’s New Model Army. Marlfield House was the residence of the Bagwells, a wealthy and politically influential Irish Unionist family in south Tipperary from the eighteenth to the twentieth centuries. It is located about three kilometres west of […]

#OTD in 1878 – Death of Fenian General John O’Neill.

08/01/2019.Reading time 7 minutes.

O’Neill is best known for his activities leading the Fenian raids on Canada in 1866 and 1871. He was born in Drumgallon, Clontibrit, Co Monaghan, where he received some schooling. He emigrated to New Jersey in 1848 at the height of An Gorta Mór. He received an additional year of education there and worked […]

#OTD in 1922 – Michael Collins Defends Treaty as Debate Resumes.

03/01/2019.Reading time 2 minutes.

Treaty debate resumes in Dáil. An emotional Michael Collins said: “Well, the suggestion is this: I have my own feelings about the Treaty. I have feelings about it perhaps very much keener than Deputies who are against it. Well, I believe that the Treaty was inevitable, and this is the suggestion: that the men and […]

#OTD in 1957 – Death of Seán Sabhat and Feargal O’Hanlon; killed during a raid led by Sean Garland against an RUC Barracks in Brookeborough, Co Fermanagh.

01/01/2019.Reading time 3 minutes.

Seán is mostly widely known as Seán South from Garryowen. There have even been several songs written to his honour under this misconception. In reality South was from O’Connell Avenue in Limerick, but due to the poetic license of Seán Costello also a Limerickman, he’ll forever be linked with Garryowen. Seán Sabhat, also known as […]

#OTD in Irish History – 28 December:

28/12/2018.Reading time 8 minutes.

In the Liturgical Calendar, today is the Feast of the Holy Innocents and, in Irish folklore, it was very unlucky to start something new. It was also believed that whichever day of the week the feast fell, that day would be unlucky throughout the following year. 1673 – Birth of Marmaduke Coghill (in Dublin), lawyer, […]

#OTD in 1969 – Death of Politician and IRA leader during the War of Independence and Civil War, Dan Breen.

27/12/2018.Reading time 3 minutes.

Dan Breen 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 Sean Treacy and others, he ambushed and killed two RIC (Royal Irish Constabulary) constables James McDonnell and Patrick […]

#OTD in Irish History – 19 December:

19/12/2018.Reading time 9 minutes.

1751 – The Irish Parliament authorises application of a revenue surplus to the reduction of the national debt which causes a dispute between the House of Commons and the Government. 1813 – Thomas Andrews, scientist and research chemist, is born in Belfast. 1864 – Birth of William Plunket in Dublin. He was Governor of New […]

#OTD in Irish History – 17 December:

17/12/2018.Reading time 11 minutes.

1538 – Pope Paul III excommunicates Henry VIII of England. 1785 – Birth of general and military historian, Sir William Napier, in Celbridge, Co Kildare. 1823 – Death of Oliver Pollock. Born in Bready, Co Tyrone, he was a merchant and financier of the American Revolutionary War, of which he has long been considered a […]

#OTD in 1921 – In an extremely hostile environment over the Treaty debate, Michael Collins smells some dirty work and addresses the House.

15/12/2018.Reading time 1 minute.

MR. MICHAEL COLLINS: Mr. Speaker, there is just a little matter to which I would like to refer before anything else is said. It is this. My private office was raided last night and important books and documents were taken. Is there any member here who accepts responsibility for that raid? PRESIDENT DE VALERA: As […]

Stair na hÉireann/History of Ireland

Tag: IRA