December 16: TODAY IN IRISH HISTORY (published by IrishmanSpeaks)
1653: Oliver Cromwell becomes The Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland. Cromwell may well be the most hated English figure in Irish and indeed Scottish history. His campaign in Ireland (1649-1650) bordered on genocide and ethnic cleansing as he encouraged a devastated Catholic population to leave their homesteads and go to “Hell or Connaught.”
At both the Siege of Drogheda and the Siege of Wexford, Cromwell’s troops massacred thousands of Irish, many of whom were non-combatants.
Massacre at Siege of Drogheda
1922: ‘The American Committee for Relief in Ireland is founded in New York to provide support for those affected by the War of Independence. The purpose of the ACRI was “to devise and consider ways and means of relieving the acute distress due to the recent (1920) occurrences in that country.”
An appeal penned by Baltimore’s Cardinal Gibbons whose parents were from County Mayo appears in the annual report:
“I earnestly beg all kind hearted and generous Americans to contribute to the fund for the relief of the many thousands now suffering want in Ireland. Authentic information reveals that villages, towns and cities have been in large part burned or wrecked, homes laid in ruins, factories and creameries destroyed and thousands of persons thrown out of employment, while they and their families are left dependent for food and shelter upon the charity of others. In many places the situation is acute and relief is now being administered by a committee of American and Irish Quakers without distinction of religion or politics.”
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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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Today In Irish History 