Today In Irish History

February 11: 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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1896: Salomé opens in Paris

Oscar Wilde languishes in Jail as his play Salomé opens in Paris at Théâtre de l’Oeuvre.

Salome is a one act play, originally written in French, based on the biblical tale of Salome who asks for the head of John the Baptist on a platter as a reward for dancing the Dance of the Seven Veils

Image of Oscar Wilde in For the Love of Being Irish by Conor Cunneen. Illustrations my Mark Anderson.

Purchase Author Signed Copies at My Irish Gift Store

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Oscar Wilde image in For the Love of Being Irish

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1923: IRA Kill Father of Kevin O’Higgins

The IRA murder the elderly father of Justice Minister Kevin O’Higgins. Higgins had taken a hard line against the anti-Treaty rebels including sanctioning the execution of Rory O’Connor, the best man at his wedding. Higgins himself would be assassinated by the IRA in 1927.

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1926: Audience riots at Sean O’Casey Play

Sean O’Casey 1889-1964

Audiences riot in Dublin during Sean O’Casey’s The Plough and the Stars. The riots were a protest partly against the sexual undertones, but also because the pacifist O’Casey was deemed to be criticizing the 1916 rising. An angry William Butler Yeats speaking of the audience said “You have disgraced yourselves again.” Sean O’Casey’s other works include The Shadow of a Gunman and Juno and the Paycock

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1936:The Daunt Rock Rescue

The Ballycotton lifeboat Mary Stanford returns to its home port in East Cork following probably the most famous sea rescue in Irish maritime history. Ballycotton fisherman Patrick Sliney was Coxswain of the life boat which spent over 60 hours at sea, in a successful attempt to save six men from the lightship that guarded the Daunt rock. The Royal National Lifeboat Institute website states:

“A Gold Medal was awarded to Coxswain Patrick Sliney, Silver Medals to Second Coxswain John Lane Walsh and Motor Mechanic Thomas Sliney, and Bronze Medals to Crew Members Michael Coffey Walsh, John Shea Sliney, William Sliney and Thomas Walsh for the service on 11 February when the Daunt Rock lightship broke away from her moorings. The seas were so mountainous that spray was flying over the lantern of the lighthouse 196ft high. The lifeboat was away from the station for 79 hours and at sea for 49 hours; the crew had no food for 25 hours and they only had three hours sleep. The eight crew were rescued after the lifeboat went alongside the vessel more than a dozen times. This was one of the most exhausting and gallant services in the history of the RNLI.”

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Daunt Rock commemoration stamp

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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)

Posted on February 11, at 3:24 am in Famous Irish People   |  RSS feed |   Reply   |   Trackback URL