Today In Irish History

Dec 16: TODAY in Irish History:

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Snippets of Irish History by Conor Cunneen IrishmanSpeaks 

Conor is a Chicago based Motivational Humorous Business Speaker, Author and History buff.

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1653: Oliver Cromwell becomes Lord Protector of Ireland

Oliver Cromwell becomes The Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland. Cromwell may well be the most hated English figure in Irish and indeed Scottish history. His campaign in Ireland (1649-1650) bordered on genocide and ethnic cleansing as he “encouraged” a devastated Catholic population to leave their homesteads and go to “Hell or Connaught.”

At both the Siege of Drogheda and the Siege of Wexford, Cromwell’s troops massacred thousands of Irish, many of whom were non-combatants.

According to British Civil War: the Lord Protector of Ireland didn’t exactly live up to his moniker at Drogheda! “Up to 6,000 Parliamentarians were in the town overwhelming all resistance and slaughtering officers and soldiers. A cavalry screen outside the walls prevented escape to the north. Catholic priests and friars were treated as combatants and killed on sight. Many civilians died in the carnage. A group of defenders who had barricaded themselves in the steeple of St Peter’s Church in the north of Drogheda were burned alive when the Parliamentarians set fire to the church. Around 2,000 people died in the storming and massacre of Drogheda; a number of prisoners who surrendered before Cromwell gave the order for no quarter were murdered in cold blood. Surviving members of the garrison captured the following day were transported to Barbados. Parliamentarian losses were around 150.”

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1796: Wolfe Tone and French Fleet Set Sail for Ireland

A French fleet of more than forty ship and fourteen thousand troops set forth for Ireland with Wolfe Tone on board. Tone had secured the support of the French with a promise of an Irish rebellion. The founder of the United Irishmen had an abiding hatred of England declaring his objective was”to subvert the tyranny of an execrable government, to break the connection with England—these were my objects. To unite the whole people of Ireland, to abolish the memory of past dissensions…”

Primarily due to appalling weather which prevented the French fleet disembarking troops, the mission was eventually abandoned.

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wolfe tone 1763-1798

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1920: ‘The American Committee for Relief in Ireland is founded in New York to provide support for those affected by the War of Independence. The purpose of the ACRI was “to devise and consider ways and means of relieving the acute distress due to the recent (1920) occurrences in that country.”

An appeal penned by the late Cardinal Gibbons  of Baltimore (his parents were from County Mayo) appeared in the 1922 annual report:

“I earnestly beg all kind hearted and generous Americans to contribute to the fund for the relief of the many thousands now suffering want in Ireland. Authentic information reveals that villages, towns and cities have been in large part burned or wrecked, homes laid in ruins, factories and creameries destroyed and thousands of persons thrown out of employment, while they and their families are left dependent for food and shelter upon the charity of others. In many places the situation is acute and relief is now being administered by a committee of American and Irish Quakers without distinction of religion or politics.”

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READ: The American Committee for Relief in Ireland report

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

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This history is written by Irish author, business keynote speaker and award winning humorist IrishmanSpeaks – 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 IrishmanSpeaks to 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 (published by IrishmanSpeaks)

Dec 15: TODAY in Irish History:

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Snippets of Irish History by Conor Cunneen IrishmanSpeaks 

Conor is a Chicago based Motivational Humorous Business Speaker, Author and History buff.

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1899: Irish fight Irish in Boer War

The American Civil War was not the only campaign where Irish fought Irish in foreign lands. During the Battle of Colenso (Second Boer War,) members of The Irish Transvaal Brigade under John MacBride fought British forces that included the 1st Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and the Royal Dublin Fusiliers. MacBride would be executed in 1916 as one of the leaders of the Easter Rising. MacBride’s son, Sean received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1974.

12,000 Boer troops defeated 16,000 troops of the British army.

Irish related regiments who fought at Colenso were

The 5th Irish Brigade (Major General Hart)

2nd Royal Dublin Fusiliers: disbanded in 1922.

1st Inniskilling Fusiliers: disbanded in 1922.

1st Connaught Rangers: disbanded in 1922.

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A memorial arch is dedicated at St. Stephens Green Dublin in honor of the Irish soldiers who died fighting for “King and country” in the Boer war. Thousands of Irish fought in the Boer War for the British Army.

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1921: Collins’ Office Raided

In an extremely hostile environment over the Treaty debate, Michael Collins smell some dirty work and addresses the House:

“Mr. Speaker, there is just a little matter to which I would like to refer before anything else is said. It is this. My private office was raided last night and important books and documents were taken. Is there any member here who accepts responsibility for that raid?”

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1923: William Butler Yeats accepts the Nobel Prize for Literature.

His Nobel Lecture is a fascinating insight into the mind of early 20th century Ireland. Referencing Lady Gregory’s play,  he said “The Rising of the Moon could not be performed for two years because of political hostility. A policeman discovers an escaped Fenian prisoner and lets him free, because the prisoner has aroused with some old songs the half forgotten patriotism of his youth. The players would not perform it because they said it was an unpatriotic act to admit that a policeman was capable of patriotism. One well known leader of the mob wrote to me, ‘How can the Dublin mob be expected to fight the police if it looks upon them as capable of patriotism?’ ”

When Yeats suggested “that we would like to perform ‘foreign masterpieces’, a Nationalist newspaper declared that ‘a foreign masterpiece is a very dangerous thing’ !

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Illustration of W.B. Yeats in For the Love of Being Irish by author Conor Cunneen

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1993:  Joint Peace Declaration

Taoiseach Albert Reynolds and Prime Minister John Major sign a Joint Declaration of Peace at Downing Street. The agreement allowed for Loyalist and Republican paramilitaries to take part in formal negotiations if they abided by a three month ceasefire. While the declaration was another step to peace in Northern Ireland, it was denounced initially by both sides. It would be August 1994 before the IRA announced a ceasefire followed by loyalist forces in October. The ceasefires would not hold.

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

___________________________________

This history is written by Irish author, business keynote speaker and award winning humorist IrishmanSpeaks – 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 IrishmanSpeaks to 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 (published by IrishmanSpeaks)