February 17: TODAY in Irish History (by IrishmanSpeaks) 
1846: In the House of Commons, Daniel O’Connell warned about the dangers of famine. “It was certain that there was a fearful prospect of a most calamitous season before the people of Ireland. The extent of that calamity had been disputed, and there had been a time when there was a prospect of some portion of it being possibly averted; but he believed that hope had now quite vanished. The calamity was pressing, was imminent—more pressing, more imminent, and more fearful than that House was aware of. In order to understand it, it was right that the House should be made aware of the state of Ireland before the calamity, had impended.”
The level of poverty in Ireland was evidenced by further comments from O’Connell; “The last Population Returns of 1841 showed that, out of the whole rural population of Ireland, 46 per cent lived in a single room; the entire human family and the pigs occupied the same apartment together. The next fact was, that of the civil population—that is, of the inhabitants of towns—36 per cent lived in a single room, and that two or three families sometimes occupied the same room.”
Daniel O’Connell 1775-1847
1945: Academy award winning actress Brenda Fricker is born in Dublin. Fricker won the 1989 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance as Christy Brown’s mother in My Left Foot. The movie was a triumph for Irish film making. Daniel Day Lewis won best actor for his portrayal of the disabled Brown while director Jim Sheridan received numerous Best Director nominations at various film festivals.
1978: In one of the worst atrocities of the Northern Ireland conflict, the IRA plants an incendiary device at the La Mon House Hotel near Belfast killing twelve civilians (all Protestants) and seriously injuring more than twenty others. At the time, the IRA had a policy of bombing commercial premises with loyalist / unionist affiliation and in general providing “adequate” warning. In the La Mon incident, only nine minutes warning was provided where patrons were enjoying the annual dinner dance of the Irish Collie Club. Gasoline canisters ignited by a small bomb caused an immediate fireball, burning many people beyond recognition. The following day the IRA “apologized” for the deaths.
Learn more about Ireland? See these images and more in the acclaimed For the Love of Being Irish
Today in Irish History is edited by Chicago based business keynote speaker, author, award winning humorist and history buff Conor Cunneen – IrishmanSpeaks. As a Chicago based professional speaker, this Irishman’s client base ranges from Harley-Davidson to Helsinki, from Memphis to Madrid as he Energizes, Educates and Entertains his audience to grow their business, people, teamwork and productivity.
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Today In Irish History 