January 27: TODAY in Irish History:
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Nobel Prize winner Mairead Corrigan
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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1850: Edward J. Smith, captain of the Titanic
Edward J. Smith, captain of the ill-fated Titanic is born in Stoke-on-Trent. The Titanic was built at the at the Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast. It’s final point of departure was Queenstown (now Cobh), Co. Cork, April 11 1912.
E.J. Smith, Titanic Captain
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Rare Footage of Captain Smith on Titanic sister ship Olympic
NOTE: Despite intro to video, this is Smith viewing Titanic sister ship Olympic also built in Belfast
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READ: Biography of Titanic Captain Edward J Smith
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1944: Nobel Prize Winner Mairead Corrigan
Nobel Prize winner Mairead Corrigan
Mairead Corrigan-Maguire, Northern Ireland peace campaigner and Nobel Prize winner is born. Belfast women Mairead Corrigan and Betty Williams were awarded the 1976 Nobel Peace Prize for their efforts to bring peace to the divided community of Northern Ireland.
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READ: Mairead Corrigan biography at NobelPrize.org
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Both women were effectively non-political and not involved in citizen activity prior to an incident in Belfast August 10, 1976. After being fatally shot by British troops in the Finaghy Road area of Belfast, IRA man Danny Lennon’s car went out of control with horrific results. Mairead Corrigan’s sister Anne was pushing her six week infant Andrew with her two other children eight year old Joanne and two year old John. The out of control car slammed into the family, killing the three children. Another son was uninjured.
Following the tragedy Corrigan and Williams founded a Community of Peace People which brought thousands from both communities to the streets seeking peace in Northern Ireland.
In a further tragic element to this story, the tragic Anne Corrigan took her life some years later.
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READ: History of the Peace People
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1951: Thin Lizzy Drummer Brian Downey
Brian Downey, drummer and co-founder of Thin Lizzy with Phil Lynott is born in Dublin.
Thin Lizzy, Lynott, Downey and Eric Bell
Along with Lynott, Downey was the only original member of Lizzy to stay with the band from beginning to end, although he did opt out of a 1978 tour claiming “exhaustion.” Today, he continues to play with an incarnation of Thin Lizzy.
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Read: Bio of Brian Downey at DrumSoloArtist.com
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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.
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Today In Irish History 