November 3: 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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1846: Cork Examiner reports on famine deaths
“In the letter of an “Out-Door Pauper” from Macroom, will be found the recital of the death at Sleaven, from famine, of a poor woman, returning from the Workhouse, where she and her children had received their daily meal. The Tallow Relief Committee, in a resolution just forwarded to the Lord LIEUTENANT and which we give elsewhere, announce the death of another man, named KEEFFE, of Kilbeg, who also perished for want of food.”
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1908: Irish Women’s Franchise League
Irish Women’s Franchise League is founded by Hanna Sheehy Skeffington and Margaret Cousins. with the intention of gaining voting rights for women. Full voting rights were introduced with the onset of Irish independence in 1922.
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Hanna Sheehy Skeffington – Kathleen Shannon – Kathleen Sheehy
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READ: Irish Women’s Franchise League
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1944: Death of Al Smith
Al Smith 1873-1944
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In 1928, Alfred Emanuel “Al” Smith was the first Catholic to represent any of the major political parties in a presidential election. Smith’s grandmother hailed from County Westmeath. Smith grew up on the Lower East Side of Manhattan in a melting pot that included Irish, Germans, French, Polish, Italian emigrants. Smith was known as a “man of the people” and is memorialized as such by The Alfred E Smith Foundation, founded by Francis Cardinal Spellman. Today it is a significant fund raiser for charity. Each election year, presidential candidates are expected to attend, make witty remarks and profound commentary about Smith. In 2008, then candidate Obama spoke eloquently of a man who a man who fought for many years to give Americans nothing more than fair shake and a chance to succeed. He touched the lives of millions as a result.”
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1974: IRA Coach Bomb Conviction.
Judith Ward is wrongly convicted for the 1972 IRA coach bombing on the M62 which killd 12 soldiers and family members. The English born Ward had spent some years in Ireland. The mentally undwell Ward was convicted on the basis of a rambling confession (which police tailored to fit the facts) and faulty forensic evidence. In The Provisional Ira in England: The Bombing Campaign 1973-1997, author Gary McGladdery quotes the IRA as stating Ward “was not used in any capacity by the organisation. She had nothing to do what-so-ever with the military coach bomb (on 4 February 1974), the bombing of Euston Station and the attack on Latimer Military College. Those acts were authorised operations carried out by units of the Irish Republican Army.”
Seventeen years later, she would be exonerated. Other IRA atrocities which saw wrongful convictions included the Guildford Four, Birmingham Six and the Maguire Seven.
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Judith Ward celebrating her release
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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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Today In Irish History 