Today In Irish History

April 9: TODAY in Irish History:

General Thomas Alfred Smyth

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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1864: Death of Union General Thomas Alfred Smyth

On the day that Lee surrenders to Grant at Appomattox, Cork born Union General Thomas Alfred Smyth succumbs to wounds suffered two days previously.

Smyth was the last Union General to be killed in the Civil War. He died on the day of Lee’s surrender at Appomattox, having been mortally wounded by a sniper two days previously. He fought at Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, and was a Brigade Commander at Gettysburg. . Following his death, he was posthumously brevetted Major General, US Volunteers.

READ: Smyth bio at the excellent Irish in the American Civil War

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More on General Thomas Alfred Smyth at FindAGrave.com

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1922: IRA Claims to be Legitimate Army

The anti-Treaty IRA members reconvene to put into effect their motion from March 26 when it stated the IRA would be the legitimate army of the Irish Republic, which was in defiance of the Dail Eireann vote. Civil war was now a virtual certainty as the delegates adopted a new constitution and elected a new 16-member Executive including Joe McKelvey, Liam Mellows, Rory O’Connor who would die in the upcoming conflict. A 7 man IRA army council under chief of staff Ernie O’Malley was established. For the next 90 years, the IRA in one form or another would be involved in violent conflict in Ireland. Not only does the IRA not recognize the state of Northern Ireland, it has never accepted the legitimacy of a democratically elected Republic of Ireland government.

IRA Leader Liam Mellows

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1981: Bobby Sands Elected MP 

IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands is elected MP for Fermanagh and South Tyrone in a by-election necessitated by the death of sitting MP Frank Maguire. In a hugely emotional campaign, Sands defeated Unionist candidate Harry West. Sands who was serving a fourteen year sentence for IRA activities and other prisoners in Long Kesh opted for hunger strike in an effort to gain political status. He would be the first of ten IRA members who would die on hunger strike. Over 100,000 attended his funeral.

Bobby Sands mural, Falls Road Belfast

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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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