Today In Irish History

January 3: TODAY IN IRISH HISTORY (published by For the Love of Being Irish)

1777:  Northern Ireland  born Colonel John Haslet is killed at the Battle of Princeton. Haslet was a Presbyterian minister and also a medical doctor.

1864: John Joseph Hughes, first Archbishop of the Archdiocese of New York dies. Hughes was born in in County Tyrone in 1797. Ordained a priest in 1826, he served as Archbishop from 1850 until his death. Hughes was a strong supporter of Irish immigrants who suffered dreadful discrimination during his life in America because of their faith and nationality. At a time when many Catholics literally faced mortal danger from anti-catholic movements like the Nativists, Hughes was not afraid to invoke the use of firearms to defend the faith. in 1841, he founded St. John’s College which went on to be Fordham University. Hughes laid the foundation stone for St. Patricks’ Cathedral on August 5th 1858.

Archbishop John Hughes

1922: Treaty debate resumes in Dail. 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, [203] and this is the suggestion: that the men and women in the Dáil who are against the Treaty may continue to be against the Treaty, but they need not cause a division in the Dáil, and they need not cause it by falling in with this suggestion. We cannot be weaker if we accept this Treaty, provided some of you—and I give you all the credit of standing on principle and standing on nothing else against ourselves—as I have said we cannot be weaker, and you cannot have compromised yourselves by allowing this Treaty to go through; and I want to insist that, in my opinion, rightly or wrongly, the Irish people have endorsed this Treaty. Now, if the Treaty is rejected, what happens? The English are absolved from their bargain. You have all said strong things against the English, but they will be absolved from their bargain, and it is not a question of a Treaty or an alternative Treaty. There is neither a Treaty nor an alternative Treaty in the circumstances, and I say the opposition can redeem the country in that way, and they can take all the kudos. They may have all the honour and glory, and we can have all the shame and disgrace.”

Michael Collins image in For the Love of Being Irish

1999: Death of heavyweight boxer “Irish” Jerry Quarry who is the only fighter to have fought Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier twice. He lost them all and was virtually a punch bag for Ali in his second fight. Quarry was voted the most popular boxer in the sport by Boxing Illustrated for three years running 1968-1970, partly because he was promoted as the “Great White Hope.” Quarry was a very brave fighter as many YouTube videos will attest, but he paid a brutal price for twenty-eight years in the ring and a record of 53-9-4 33 ko’s suffering from dementia pugilistica

The first clip highlights one  of Quarry’s best performances against Ernie Shavers.

This clip shows Quarry being outclassed by “Irishman” Muhammad Ali with commentary by broadcaster and commentator Eamonn Andrews

Quarry was never a great boxer, but he never gave up.

Want to learn more about Ireland? See these images and more in the acclaimed For the Love of Being Irish

Editor of Today in Irish History, Conor Cunneen is just the 63rd person in the history of Toastmasters International to be awarded Accredited Speaker designation. Here is a clip of Conor in action that might just get you laughing as we move into the New Year.

BUY Quality Quality Guinness and Ireland Rugby Shirts

For the Love of Being Irish written by Chicago based Corkman Conor Cunneen and illustrated by Mark Anderson which 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 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.

Visit Conor’s YouTube channel IrishmanSpeaksto Laugh and Learn. Tags: Best Irish Gift, Creative Irish Gift, Unique Irish Gifts, Irish Books, Irish Authors, Today in Irish History