Archive for January, 2014

January 10,

Michael Collins and the Ploughman – Bowler Mick Barry – John Roach

January 10: 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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WATCH: A Short History of Ireland

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1887: John Roach – Shipbuilder

Death of Mitchelstown, Co. Cork born John Roach who became the most prominent shipbuilder in America during and after the civil war.

John Roach, Shipbuilder
Mitchelstown born shipbuilder John Roach

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In a laudatory obituary, the New York Times referred to Roach as “America’s Most Noted Shipbuilder.

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READ: New York Times obituary of John Roach

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1919: Legendary Road bowler Mick Barry

Bowler Mick Barry is born just outside Cork City. Road Bowling is a uniquely Irish sport, although it is played in some pockets of the USA. Held on public roads, bowling draws very large crowds to events mainly in Cork and Armagh, generating significant levels of excitement and gambling. Barry’s achievements were recognized by his native Cork City in December 2010.

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1922: Arthur Griffith Elected President

arthur griffith
Arthur Griffith

Michael Collins and the Ploughman

Following Eamonn De Valera’s resignation the previous day, Michael Collins uses a farming analogy to highlight the importance of voting in a new President of Dail Eireann.

“(T)he Irish nation at the present moment is a ship without a captain, and a ship, we all know, cannot get on without a captain. I want to move this motion so that we may have some captain for the ship. I saw a thing happening down at home years ago that I can illustrate my remarks with, I think, in an apt way. I remember one day passing along the road and I saw two horses standing in a field with a plough behind them, and there was no ploughman. I watched that thing for about two hours, and the ploughman was still absent. The horses that were able to plough were idle—there was no ploughman between the handles. There was no work done. Now, a bad ploughman is better than no ploughman, and the Irish nation is watching us at the present moment; in the same way as I watched that scene they are watching us. They see the horses idle, the plough idle; they see that we are doing nothing at all; they see that we are not taking action to put any sort of ploughman between the handles. I knew where the ploughman was. He was in some place wasting his time. We are very much before the Irish nation at the present moment in the position of that ploughman.”

The Dail elected Arthur Griffith President of the Provisional Government. Michael Collins becomes Minister for Finance. Éamon de Valera and 56 of his supporters walk out of Dáil Éireann.  The official Dail record shows that insults continued to be thrown right to the end.

MR. DE VALERA: As a protest against the election as President of the Irish Republic of the Chairman of the Delegation, who is bound by the Treaty conditions to set up a State which is to subvert the Republic, and who, in the interim period, instead of using the office as it should be used—to support the Republic—will, of necessity, have to be taking action which will tend to its destruction, I, while this vote is being taken, as one, am going to leave the House.

MR. DE VALERA then rose and left the House, followed by the entire body of his supporters.

MR. M. COLLINS: Deserters all! We will now call on the Irish people to rally to us. Deserters all!

MR. CEANNT: Up the Republic!

MR. M. COLLINS: Deserters all to the Irish nation in her hour of trial. We will stand by her.

MADAME MARKIEVICZ: Oath breakers and cowards.

MR. M. COLLINS: Foreigners— Americans—English.

MADAME MARKIEVICZ: Lloyd Georgeites.

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In Happier Times

Griffith, De Valera, Collins
Front Row L-R: Griffith, De Valera, Collins, Harry Boland

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NEW                    NEW

Product Details

SHEIFGAB! Staying Sane, Motivated and Productive in Job Search.

An insightful, realistic, yet humorous book on the job search process by Today in Irish History Curator Conor Cunneen

Special accessible price for job seekers on Kindle of $2.99

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

Irish gift ideas. Best selling Irish booksRonnie Drew and Luke Kelly - Musical Irish Gifts to the worldJoyce Image in For the Love of Being IrishMichael Collins: Image from 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)

   

January 9,

Irish Troops at Gallipoli – De Valera Resigns – Playwright Brian Friel

January 9: TODAY in Irish History:

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https://i0.wp.com/upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/be/10th_%28Irish%29_Division_at_Basingstoke.jpg

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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WATCH: A Short History of Ireland

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1916: The Irish at Galllipoli

https://i0.wp.com/upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/be/10th_%28Irish%29_Division_at_Basingstoke.jpg

10th (Irish) Division – here at a church service – fought at Gallipoli

Final evacuation from the ill-advised Gallipoli invasion which saw the death of 3,500-4,000 Irish soldiers fighting either in Australian, New Zealand or British uniform. An estimated 44,000 allied soldiers died. As with most Irish who fought in WWI, their sacrifice received scant recognition by parochial Irish government until 2010.

Of the 1,100 of the 1st Royal Dublin Fusiliers who landed on April 25th 1915 where “the water of the bay ran red with blood,” the Military History Society of Ireland, states that only 11 would survive the entire campaign unscathed. The botched campaign forced the resignation of Winston Churchill as First Lord of the Admiralty.

Liam Clancy’s rendition of Eric Bogle’s masterpiece And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda sums up the horror of the campaign.

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The Irish in Gallipoli by Francis Ledwidge

Poet Francis Ledwidge

Poet Francis Ledwidge fought with the 10th Irish in Gallipoli. Ledwidge was one of many with strong nationalist feelings who signed up with the British Army believing both in the cause to free small nations and also believing it would ultimately hasten Irish freedom. Ledwidge was killed in Flanders July 31, 191.

The Irish in Gallipoli by Francis Ledwidge

Where Aegean cliffs with bristling menace front
The Threatening splendour of that isley sea
Lighted by Troy’s last shadow, where the first
Hero kept watch and the last Mystery
Shook with dark thunder, hark the battle brunt!
A nation speaks, old Silences are burst.

Neither for lust of glory nor new throne
This thunder and this lightning of our wrath
Waken these frantic echoes, not for these
Our cross with England’s mingle, to be blown
On Mammon’s threshold; we but war when war
Serves Liberty and Justice, Love and Peace.

Who said that such an emprise could be vain?
Were they not one with Christ Who strove and died?
Let Ireland weep but not for sorrow. Weep
That by her sons a land is sanctified
For Christ Arisen, and angels once again
Come back like exile birds to guard their sleep.

For MORE on FRANCIS LEDWIDGE

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1922: De Valera Resigns

In Dail Eireann, Eamonn De Valera resigns as President of the Republic stating: “In view of the vote that was taken here on Saturday and which I had definitely to oppose as one that was tending to subvert the Republic which I was elected to my present position to defend and maintain; and as it appeared to me also to be a vote which would tend to subvert the independence of the country, I could no longer continue—as I was beaten in that —I could no longer continue in my present office feeling I did not have the confidence of the House. I therefore wish to place my resignation in the hands of the Assembly.”

A motion to re-elect De Valera as President is defeated along pro and anti-treaty lines by 60 votes to 58.

arthur griffith
Arthur Griffith

Following the vote, De Valera opponent and former colleague Arthur Griffith said: “Before another word is spoken I want to say: I want the Deputies here to know, and all Ireland to know, that this vote is not to be taken as against President De Valera. It is a vote to help the Treaty, and I want to say now that there is scarcely a man I have ever met in my life that I have more love and respect for than President De Valera. I am thoroughly sorry to see him placed in such a position. We want him with us.”

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1929: Playwright Brien Friel is born in Omagh, County Tyrone.

Brien Friel
Brien Friel

Friel is one of the most successful Irish playwrights ever. His work includes Philadelphia, Here I Come and Dancing at Lughnasa

The latter won three Tony awards in 1992 for Best Play, Best Featured Actress in a Play – Brid Brennan as Agnes and Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play – Patrick Mason

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NEW                    NEW

Product Details

SHEIFGAB! Staying Sane, Motivated and Productive in Job Search.

An insightful, realistic, yet humorous book on the job search process by Today in Irish History Curator Conor Cunneen

Special accessible price for job seekers on Kindle of $2.99

.

shamrockshamrockshamrockshamrockshamrockshamrockshamrockshamrock

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

Irish gift ideas. Best selling Irish booksRonnie Drew and Luke Kelly - Musical Irish Gifts to the worldJoyce Image in For the Love of Being IrishMichael Collins: Image from 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)