Today In Irish History

November 11: 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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1880: Australian Bushwhacker Ned Kelly Executed

Ned Kelly 1854-1855

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Ned Kelly, outlaw, folk hero and quite probably simply a cold blooded police killer  of Irish parentage is executed. Kelly was born in Victoria to an Irish convict father. The Australian Dictionary of Biography states Kelly was “the eldest son of John (Red) Kelly and his wife Ellen, née Quinn. John Kelly was born in Tipperary, Ireland, in 1820 and sentenced in 1841 to seven years’ transportation for stealing two pigs. He arrived in Van Diemen’s Land in 1842.”

Kelly is famous in folklore for the metal army plate and helmet he wore when captured the previous June 28th. Mick Jagger played Ned Kelly in the 1970 movie of the same name.

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1918: The Irish in World War I

End of World War I. More than 200,000 Irish troops fought in the British army over the four years of conflict. An estimated 30,000 Irishmen died during the war.

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Dublin Fusiliers World War I

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Participation in the British army, at the time and since, was a divisive factor in Irish politics. Some ardent Irish nationalists who fought in the War of Irish Independence against Britain, served in the army believing the war was being fought for the betterment of “small nations.” The majority who fought were from loyalist Ulster, but many from nationalist Ireland served including County Cork born, Michael O’Leary who was one of 37 Irish soldiers to win the Victoria Cross in World War I. George Bernard Shaw’s play O’Flaherty VC – A Recruiting Pamphlet was based on O’Leary’s heroics.

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The first Victoria Cross awarded for World War I was to Westmeath-born Maurice Dease

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Download: Free ebook O’Flaherty VC – A Recruiting Pamphlet

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In Messines, Belgium The Island of Ireland Peace Park was officially opened at 11:00 hours on 11th November 1998 by the then President of Ireland Mary McAleese in the presence of HM Queen Elizabeth II and King Albert II of Belgium.

SEE: Island of Ireland Peace Park

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READ: Ireland’s Great War by John Morrissey (PDF which may take some time to download)

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READ: Ireland and World War I

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1925: George Bernard Shaw Wins Nobel Prize for Literature

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Born in Dublin in 1856, Shaw is the only person to received both a Nobel Prize in Literature and an Oscar (1938), for his work on the film Pygmalion (adaptation of his play of the same name.

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An ardent socialist, Shaw wanted to refuse his Nobel Prize outright because he had no desire for public honors, but accepted it at his wife’s behest: she considered it a tribute to Ireland. Somewhat ironically, the Nobel Prize site states “At the banquet, Mr. Shaw’s thanks were presented by the British Ambassador, Sir Arthur Grant Duff, who expressed particular appreciation of the fact that the Prize given to Mr. Shaw would be used to strengthen the cultural relations between Sweden and Great Britain.”

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READ: George Bernard Shaw Nobel Prize Award Ceremony Speech

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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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