Today In Irish History

TODAY IN IRISH HISTORY (published by For the Love of Being Irish)

1798: Irish nationalist Wolfe Tone dies in jail from an apparently self-inflicted wound. Tone had been condemned to death for sedition by the British authorities. On the morning of his mooted execution, November 12th, he attempted to kill himself with a pen knife.

On being condemned, Tone stated from the dock:

I have laboured to abolish the infernal spirit of religious persecution, by uniting the Catholics and Dissenters. To the former I owe more than ever can be repaid. The service I was so fortunate as to render them they rewarded munificently; but they did more: when the public cry was raised against me—when the friends of my youth swarmed off and left me alone—the Catholics did not desert me; they had the virtue even to sacrifice their own interests to a rigid principle of honour; they refused, though strongly urged, to disgrace a man who, whatever his conduct towards the Government might have been, had faithfully and conscientiously discharged his duty towards them; and in so doing, though it was in my own case, I will say they showed an instance of public virtue of which I know not whether there exists another example.

READ: Interesting Blog on Wolfe Tone

READ: Short History of Wolfe Tone

1918: Irish politician, Labour party leader and one time Tanaiste (deputy prime minister) Brendan Corish is born in Wexford. He also served as  Minister for Health and Minister for Social Welfare in coalition governments.

1863:President Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address dedicating a national cemetery at the site of the battlefield in Pennsylvania where   numerous Irish fought and died during the fearsome battle of the previous July.

Patrick Kelly

On July 2nd, the  Irish Brigade under County Galway born Colonel Patrick Kelly suffered 200 casualties. By the end of the battle, an Irish Brigade which had started the war with 2,500 men was reduced to 300. Kelly himself was killed at theSiege of Petersburg in 1864.

1935: Corporate guru, former CEO of GE, Jack Welch is born to Irish Catholic parents in Salem, Massachusetts.

1957: One of Ireland’s greatest ever footballers Jack O’Shea is born in Cahirciveen, Co. Kerry.

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This history is written by Irish author, business keynote speaker and award winning humoristIrishmanSpeaks – Conor Cunneen. If you spot any inaccuracies or wish to make a comment, please don’t hesitate to contact us via the comment button.

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