Today In Irish History

February 28: TODAY in Irish History:

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Champ Barry McGuigan

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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1881: Writer Pádraic Ó Conaire

 Author and short story writer Pádraic Ó Conaire is born in Galway. Most of his best work was published in the Irish language.  Though he wrote 26 books, over 400 short stories and 6 plays, he died destitute in Dublin having abandoned his wife in family in London fourteen years previously.

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1922: Death of Mary Ellen “Ella” Quinlan

Ella Quinlan, Mother of Eugene O’Neill

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Death of  Eugene O’Neill’s mother Mary Ellen “Ella” Quinlan. Ella married Kilkenny born actor James O’Neill in 1877. Eugene was born one year later. In O’Neill’s semi-autobiographical tome Long Day’s Journey into Night, his mother is represented by a lonely and disillusioned Mrs. Tyrone.

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READ: Biography of Ellan Quinlan

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1961: Barry McGuigan – World Boxing Champ

Champ Barry McGuigan

Irish boxing legend Barry McGuigan is born in Clones Co. Monaghan. McGuigan’s dad Pat McGeegan was famous in his own right as a very popular singer in Ireland who represented Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1968

Known as the Clones Cyclone, McGuigan won the World Featherweight Title in 1985 when he defeated Eusebio Pedrosa in a fifteen round decision. He made two successful defences of his crown before losing a decision to Stevie Cruz in Las Vegas in 1986 in a fight Ring Magazine named as Fight of the Year.

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McGuigan has stayed active in the fight game doing regular media work. He is also manager of Carl Frampton, another boxing phenomenon from Northern Ireland who is currently European Super Bantamweight champ and whom  McGuigan believes can win the World title. 

On Twitter, McGuigan has over 70,000 followers @ClonesCyclone

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1985: IRA Mortar Attack Kills Nine at Newry RUC Barracks

The Provisional IRA launches a mortar attack on Newry RUC barracks. One mortar scores a direct hit on the barracks canteen resulting in the deaths of 9 RUC personnel. It was the highest death toll the RUC suffered on a single day.

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1998: Goodbye Father Ted – Dermot Morgan

Death of comedian and actor Dermot Morgan aged 47 from a heart attack. Morgan was one of the most popular comedy actors on Irish and UK TV during the 1990s. His most successful work was in the wildly successful Father Ted series where he played a disfunctional scheming priest Father Ted Crilly who lived on Craggy Island somewhere off the coast of Ireland. Morgan and the show itself won BAFTA awards for best comedy work.

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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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