Archive for February, 2014

February 2,

James Joyce – Dublin Burns British Embassy – Gene Kelly

February 2: TODAY in Irish History:

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Joyce Image in For the Love of Being Irish

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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1882: James Joyce

James Joyce, possibly the most famous Dubliner ever enters the world on this day in 1882.

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Joyce Image in For the Love of Being Irish
James Joyce

Images from For the Love of Being Irish written by Conor Cunneen. Illustrated by Mark Anderson

Author signed copies available at My Irish Gift Store

FTLO Being Irish_J2

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1972: Rioters Burn British Embassy in Dublin

On the day that 11 Bloody Sunday victims are buried, the British Embassy in Dublin is burned to the ground by furious demonstrators protesting over the killing of 13 people in Derry on  January 30. Emotions were running extremely high on both sides of the border following the killings, not helped by the British government’s vacuous reaction in the House of Commons, the day after the killings.

Up to 3o,000 demonstrators had been protesting outside the Embassy since the events of Sunday January 30th. An initially peaceful demonstration turned nasty and violent. At one stage, the government of Jack Lynch considered bringing in the army to defend the Embassy, but opted not to do so because of the fear of serious violence and attacks on the army by IRA elements.

Burning of British Embassy Dublin
Crowd outside British Embassy before it was fire-bombed

The Republic of Ireland was a cauldron of anti-English rhetoric and emotion. Editor of Today in Irish History Conor Cunneen remembers: “The day after the killings, the Christian Brother superior of our high school came into class and announced all schools would be closed the following to commemorate ‘the murder of 13 Irish people’ by English soldiers.”

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READ: Burning of British Embassy

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1996: Hoofer Gene Kelly dies in his sleep. The fleet footed dancer and star of Singin’ in the Rain, An American in Paris and other popular movies was the grandson of Irish immigrants.

Gene Kelly: Singin’ in the Rain

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READ: Profile of Gene Kelly

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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

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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)

   

February 1,

The Great John Ford – Irish VC Winners – Wolfe Tone

February 1: TODAY in Irish History:

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John Ford at today in Irish history

John Ford 1894-1973

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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1796:Wolf Tone in France

Theobald Wolfe Tone

Wolfe Tone arrives at Le Havre under the assumed name of James Smith, having travelled from the United States where he had been living for a time. Tone was one of the founding fathers of the United Irishmen which with the aid of France attempted to gain independence for Ireland. He would spend 9 months in France, generating French support for the Irish cause.

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1873: Kilkenny born Victoria Cross Winner John Barry

John Barry, who would be awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross for his bravery during a Boer War incident is born in Kilkenny.

Kilkenny born John Barry VC
Private John Barry VC 1873-1901

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His citation reads “During the night attack on the 7th and 8th January, 1901, on Monument Hill, Private Barry, although surrounded and threatened by the Boers at the time, smashed the breach of the Maxim gun, thus rendering it useless to its captors, and it was in doing this splendid act for his country that he met his death.” Like many Irish at the time, Barry enlisted into the Royal Irish Regiment (December 1890) and saw active service in India before his involvement in the Boer War.

Barry’s VC medal was sold at auction in 2000 for £85000.

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1894: Film Director John Ford

John Ford is born in Maine to Irish immigrant parents. His father was born in Spiddal, Co. Galway. His mother from the Aran Islands. Film site IMDb states “John Ford is, arguably, The Great American Director.” Although born John Martin Feeney, he never forgot his Irish roots.

In For the Love of Being Irish, An A-Z of Ireland, author Conor Cunneen when writing of “Q for The Quiet Man” writes of Ford and what he did for Irish tourism:

FTLOBI Quiet Man

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1922: Harry Hammon Lyster VC

County Dublin born Harry Hammon Lyster dies, age 92. Lyster rose to the rank of Lieutenant General in the British army won the Victoria Cross at the age of 27 during the Indian Mutiny of 1858. He is buried in Maidenhead, England.

Lieutenant General Harry Lymon Lyster

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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)