December 29: TODAY IN IRISH HISTORY (published by For the Love of Being Irish)
1808: Seventeenth President of the United States, successor to Abraham Lincoln, first President to be impeached Andrew Johnson was born into abject poverty in Tennessee. Johnson’s ancestors hailed from Co. Antrim
President Andrew Johnson of Irish descent
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1829: Confederate chaplain and sometime diplomat John B. Bannon is born in Roosky, Co. Roscommon. Shortly after being ordained at Maynooth in 1853, he emigrated like so many of his parishioners and settled in St. Louis. For much of the war, he was chaplain to the First Missouri Confederate Brigade.
Father John Bannon
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Bannon was captured and released twice before being asked by Confederate President Jefferson Davis to conduct a diplomatic mission to the Vatican to persuade Pope Pius IX to recognize the Confederacy. Following his (failed) Vatican mission, he returned to Ireland where he discouraged Irish support for the Union and in particular warned of what was effectively press-ganging of Irish (and other) immigrants by Union forces as soon as they came off the boat. One scam involved encouraging immigrants to declare US citizenship as soon as they landed. Once that declaration was made, the poor unfortunate was immediately conscripted as a US citizen.
Bannon never returned to America and became a Jesuit priest, dying in 1913.
Here you can read a fascinating excerpt from Phillip Thomas Tucker’s The Confederacy’s Fighting Chaplain: Father John B. Bannon.
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Want to learn more about Ireland? See these images and more in the acclaimed For the Love of Being Irish
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See Chicago based IRISH Inspirational Motivational Business Speaker Conor Cunneen, editor of Today in Irish History Conor Cunneen speaking on Changin’ Times. Learn and Laugh with an Irishman who is one of less than 70 people in the world to be awarded Toastmasters Accredited Speaker designation.
For the Love of Being Irish written by Chicago based Corkman Conor Cunneen and illustrated by Mark Anderson is an A-Z of all things Irish. This is a book that contains History, Horror, Humor, Passion, Pathos and Lyrical Limericks that will have you giving thanks (or wishing you were) For the Love of Being Irish
Watch For the Love of Being Irish author Conor Cunneen – IrishmanSpeaks on his Youtube channel IrishmanSpeaks. Laugh and Learn.
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This history is written by Irish author, business keynote speaker and award winning business humorist IrishmanSpeaks – Conor Cunneen. If you spot any inaccuracies or wish to make a comment, please don’t hesitate to contact us via the comment button.
Visit Conor’s YouTube channel IrishmanSpeaks to Laugh and Learn.
Conor Cunneen is one of less than 70 people in the history of Toastmasters to be awarded Accredited Speaker designation.
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Today In Irish History 