Archive for April, 2012

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April 2,

Titanic Sea Trials. General Sir Bryan Thomas Mahon. Irish Medal of Honor Winner

April 2: TODAY in Irish History (by IrishmanSpeaks) Twitter Icon

1862: Birth  in  County Galway of Sir Bryan Thomas Mahon (d.  29 September 1930), British Army general and Irish Senator.

Mahon had a distinguished military career which included the Boer War and commanding the 10th Division at the ill-fated Gallipoli campaign until he was posted to Egypt May 1916. Later that year he was appointed Commander-in-Chief, Ireland (1916-1918). This British Pathe clip shows Mahon in Ireland.

He was appointed to Seanad Éireann by the President of the Executive Council, William T. Cosgrave, in 1922. This though did not prevent him suffering during the Irish Civil War as his County Kildare property was burned down by anti-Treaty forces in February 1923. He was elected to the Seanad in 1928, and served until his death in 1930.

General Sir Bryan Thomas Mahon

General Sir Bryan Thomas Mahon

 

1871: Birth in County Waterford of Thomas Francis Prendergast who would win the Congressional Medal of Honor “For distinguished conduct in the presence of the enemy in battle while with the Eighth Army Corps, 25, 27, 29 March, and 5 April 1899” during the Phillipine-American War.

 

1912: Titanic sails under her own power for first sea trials, less than TWO weeks before the commencement of her ill fated voyage. She is officially certified as “good for one year from today.”

titanic sea trials april 2

Titanic sea trials April 2, 1912

Want to learn more about Ireland? See these images and more in the acclaimed For the Love of Being Irish
Irish gift ideas. Best selling Irish booksRonnie Drew and Luke Kelly - Musical Irish Gifts to the worldJoyce Image in For the Love of Being IrishMichael Collins: Image from For the Love of Being Irish

BUY Quality Quality Guinness and Ireland Rugby Shirts
Guinness Rugby Shirts - Brilliant!Rugby Shirt - Ireland


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

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April 1,

St. Clair Augustine Mulholland, Dail Eireann Second Meeting, Brian O’Nolan

April 1: TODAY in Irish History (by IrishmanSpeaks) Twitter Icon

1839: Birth of St. Clair Augustine Mulholland (d. Feb 17, 1910) in Lisburn, Co. Antrim. Mulholland was brevetted to Brigadier General  in the Union Army in the American Civil War and was awarded the  Medal of Honor for gallantry at the Battle of Chancellorsville. He was part of Thomas Francis Meagher’s famous Irish Brigade at the Battle of Fredericksburg.

St Clair Mulholland

County Antrim born St. Clair Mulholland

Mulholland  was wounded during the charge at Marye’s Heights. He was one of the lucky ones surviving an assault that decimated the Irish Brigade. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism during the Battle of Chancellorsville 4-5 May 1863 with 116th Pennsylvania Infantry. The citatation reads: “In command of the picket line held the enemy in check all night to cover the retreat of the Army.”

Writing in his memoirs about Chancellorsville, Mulholland vividly recounts the death of colleague Major John Lynch who was reduced to an “unrecognizable mass of quivering flesh and bones” after being hit by a Confederate shell.

Following the Civil War, he continued to make a major contribution to US society becoming Chief of Police in Philadelphia in 1868.

1912: Just 9 days before her scheduled departure, the Titanic sea trials are postponed due to severe weather on the River Lagan.

Titanic sea trials April 2

1919: Second Meeting of the first Dail. (First meeting January 21) at which Éamon de Valera is elected President and Michael Collins, Minister for Finance. Other appointments for a parliament Britain did not recognize were:

Minister for Home Affairs Arthur Griffith

Minister for Foreign Affairs Count Plunkett

Minister for Defence Cathal Brugha

Minister for Labour Constance Markiewicz

Minister for Local Government W. T. Cosgrave

Minister for Industries Eoin MacNeill

Minister for Irish Seán T. O’Kelly

1966: Death of Irish satirist, author and playwright Brian O’Nolan, better known as Myles na gCopaleen or Flann O’Brien.

Flann O'Brien - one of the great irish gifts to literature

Want to learn more about Ireland? See these images and more in the acclaimed For the Love of Being Irish
Irish gift ideas. Best selling Irish booksRonnie Drew and Luke Kelly - Musical Irish Gifts to the worldJoyce Image in For the Love of Being IrishMichael Collins: Image from For the Love of Being Irish

BUY Quality Quality Guinness and Ireland Rugby Shirts
Guinness Rugby Shirts - Brilliant!Rugby Shirt - Ireland


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

Posted in Today in Irish History | 3 Comments »

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