February 18: TODAY in Irish History (by IrishmanSpeaks) 
1516: Mary, Queen of England and Ireland is born. She was daughter of Henry VIII and Catherine of Arragon. She reigned from 1553-1558 during which she restored Catholicism as the official religion, putting numerous dissenters (i.e. Protestants) to the stake which earned her the title “Bloody Mary.”
1817: Confederate General Walter Paye Lane is born in County Cork. His family emigrated when he was four. Settled in Texas, he became a strong proponent of secession.
Walter Paye Lane
1861: Timothy Francis Quinlan is born in County Tipperary. His family emigrated to Australia when he was two. Quinlan would become immensely wealthy and also be Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Western Australia.
Timothy Francis Quinlan
1882: Northern Ireland plays its first international soccer game against England losing by a record score of 13-0.
1917: County Roscommon born Civil war veteran James Rowan O’Beirne dies at age seventy three. O’Beirne rose to the rank of Brigadier General and was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for having “gallantly maintained the line of battle until ordered to fall back” at Fair Oaks, Va., May 31-June 1, 1862. O’Beirne was a major player in the pursuit of Lincoln assassin John Wilkes Booth.
1935: Ciaran Bourke of the Dubliners fame is born in Dublin.
1948: Following the general election, Eamonn De Valera’s Fianna Fail is ousted from power for the first time in 16 years. John A. Costello is elected Taoiseach of a coalition government.
Taoiseach John A. Costello
Want to learn more about Ireland? See these images and more in the acclaimed For the Love of Being Irish
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.
___________________________________
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
Today In Irish History 