Archive for May, 2012

May 25,

1798 Rebellion. Oscar Wilde Convicted. Home Rule Bill on this day in Irish History

May 25: TODAY in Irish History:

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Today in Irish History: Curated by Conor Cunneen IrishmanSpeaks

Chicago Motivational Humorous Business Speaker, Author and History buff.

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ON THIS DAY

1798: United Irishmen Rebellion continues with a number of bloody skirmishes throughout the country with ill-trained, enthusiastic rebels fighting professional English soldiers. The “Battle of Carlow” sees an estimated 600 Irish rebels killed with only nominal English casualties. Atrocities are reported in Carnew, Co. Wexford and Dunlavin, Co Wicklow where over thirty rebels / civilians are executed in each location.

Torture of 1798 rebels

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1895: Oscar Wilde is convicted of gross indecency for homosexual acts or what Wilde believed was the “Love that dare not speak its name,” which the Irish playwright referred to

“is such a great affection of an elder for a younger man as there was between David and Jonathan, such as Plato made the very basis of his philosophy, and such as you find in the sonnets of Michelangelo and Shakespeare. It is that deep spiritual affection that is as pure as it is perfect. It dictates and pervades great works of art, like those of Shakespeare and Michelangelo, and those two letters of mine, such as they are. It is in this century misunderstood, so much misunderstood that it may be described as “the love that dare not speak its name,” and on that account of it I am placed where I am now. It is beautiful, it is fine, it is the noblest form of affection. There is nothing unnatural about it. It is intellectual, and it repeatedly exists between an older and a younger man, when the older man has intellect, and the younger man has all the joy, hope and glamour of life before him. That it should be so, the world does not understand. The world mocks at it, and sometimes puts one in the pillory for it.”

Wilde would be sentenced to two years hard labor which he would spend in Pentonville and Wandsworth emerging a broken man – physically and financially. He would die in Paris in 1900 aged 46.

Oscar Wilde image in For the Love of Being Irish

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1914: British House of Commons passes the third Home Rule Bill granting a form of self-government to Ireland. The bill passed with a majority of 77 votes but would never come into effect. Loyalist opposition delayed implementation of self-government and the onset of World War I forced further postponement.

By the time the war ended, Ireland had seen the 1916 Rising, the execution of its leaders and in December 1918, Sinn Fein won 73 seats in the General Election and proclaimed an Independent Irish Parliament.

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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.

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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 HistoryTODAY IN IRISH HISTORY (published by IrishmanSpeaks)


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

May 24,

Irish Civil War Ends. Packy Bonner. Sean Kelly Cyclist – Today in Irish History

May 24: TODAY in Irish History:

_______________________________________________________________________

Today in Irish History: Curated by Conor Cunneen IrishmanSpeaks

Chicago Motivational Humorous Business Speaker, Author and History buff.

_____________________________________________________________________________

ON THIS DAY

 1921: Following the Government of Ireland Act 1920 the first election to the Parliament of Northern Ireland is held. Ulster Unionist Party members won a two-thirds of votes cast and 40 of the 52 seats in the assembly.

Full Election Results

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1923: Anti-Treaty leaders Frank Aiken and Eamonn De Valera call an end to the Irish Civil War. The 11 month vicious war  cost the lives of many public figures, including Michael Collins, Cathal Brugha and Liam Lynch. Both sides carried out brutal acts: the anti-treaty forces murdered TDs and burned many historic homes, while the government executed anti-treaty prisoners, officially and unofficially. The bitterness of the war consumed Irish politics for the rest of the 20th century.

Michael Collins illustration in For the Love of Being Irish

De Valera finally realized that the aggressive action by the Irish government was too strong for anti-Treaty forces and issued a statement to his followers.

“Soldiers of the Republic. Legion of the Rearguard: The Republic can no longer be defended successfully by your arms. Further sacrifice of life would now be in vain and the continuance of the struggle in arms unwise in the national interest and prejudicial to the future of our cause. Military victory must be allowed to rest for the moment with those who have destroyed the Republic.”

Eamonn De Valera

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1956: Sean Kelly, one of two world class cyclists (Stephen Roche also) to fly the Irish flag in the 80s is born in Carrick-on-Suir, Co. Waterford. The big man won over 200 professional races in a 17 year career. Including Paris-Nice seven years in succession. He won the points classification in Tour de France in 1982, 1983, 1985 and 1989 and won five stages. His best tour performance was winning the Vuelta a Espana in 1988.

Kelly was a fearless rider and a formidable descender, clocking a career top race speed of 124 km/h, while descending from Col de Joux Plane to Morzine on stage 19 of the Tour in 1984.

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SEAN KELLY WINS MILAN-SAN REMO

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1960: Irish goalkeeping legend Packy Bonner is born in Co. Donegal. Bonner played 80 games for Ireland and 642 for Glasgow Celtic. He is best remembered for the penalty save against Romania in a penalty shootout in the 1990 World Cup when the country literally went mad, work stopped and the drink poured as Ireland made its way to the quarter finals of the biggest soccer tournament in the world

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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 HistoryTODAY IN IRISH HISTORY (published by IrishmanSpeaks)


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