Posts tagged ‘de valera’

September 30,

USS The Sulllivans – De Valera Agrees to Peace Conference at Today in Irish History

September 30: TODAY in Irish History:

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USS The Sulllivans

USS The Sulllivans

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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Eamonn De Valera Responds to Lloyd George Proposal for Conference

Eamonn De Valera

Eamonn De Valera

“We have received your letter of invitation to a Conference in London on October 11th ‘with a view to ascertaining how the association of Ireland with the community of Nations known as the British Empire may best be reconciled with Irish National aspirations.’

“Our respective positions have been stated and are understood, and we agree that conference, not correspondence, is the most practicable and hopeful way to an understanding. We accept the invitation, and our delegates will meet you in London on the date mentioned ‘to explore every possibility of settlement by personal discussion’.”

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1942: Churchill on “Armed Raids from Eire”

In the house of Commons, Winston Churchill responded to parliamentary queries about “Armed raids from Eire” into Northern Ireland. During the latter part of 1942, a small but determined group of IRA volunteers continued to attack British forces and property in Northern Ireland. Quite often, the IRA parties would disappear across the border to the Republic of Ireland.

Hansard Report for September 30th:

Major Sir Ronald Ross asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of recent attacks by armed parties from neutral territory and the ease with which enemy agents can at present get information as to British and United States Forces in Northern Ireland, an effective boundary under military control will now be established between the United Kingdom and neutral land frontiers; and whether the censorship and control of travel at present in force between two portions of the United Kingdom will be transferred to traffic and mail between the United Kingdom and neutral territory?

Churchill:

The primary responsibility for dealing with criminal outrages, including those in which the criminals use arms, rests on the civil authorities, who can call for the assistance of the military authorities if need arises. Appropriate arrangements have been made in Northern Ireland for the provision of such assistance if required. I understand the Government of Northern Ireland are satisfied that the situation is well in hand. As regards control of the land boundary careful examination has shown that such a scheme as my hon. and gallant Friend suggests would not be the best method of preventing leakage of information. For this purpose other measures are taken which I am advised are more appropriate and effective. It would not be practicable to adopt the proposal in the last part of the Question to dispense with the existing control over traffic and communications from Great Britain.

Ross:

Is my right hon. Friend not aware that the responsibility for the defence of the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland, from attack from without is an Imperial responsibility of the Government of the United Kingdom, that these attacks were from without, and that at the present time there is no serious attempt made to prevent information from Northern Ireland, even as to the passage of convoys which are visible from the coast of Antrim, from going down to organised enemy organisations in Eire?

Churchill:

I have never pretended to regard the situation as satisfactory, but the arrangements made go a considerable way to mitigate the danger.

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1943: Ray Burke, Corrupt Mininster For Foreign Affairs

Ray Burke, Fianna Fail TD, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Minister for Justice is born. Once one of the most powerful and domineering political forces in Ireland, Burke was forced to resign from his role as Foreign Affairs minister amidst claims of bribery and corruption from builders and developers. The government instituted Flood tribunal found that the former minister received corrupt payments from property developers and other business interests in the 1970s and 80s. In 2004, he pleaded guilty to tax evasion and was subsequently sentenced to six months jail.

ray burke and bertie aherne
Paragons of Irish Political Virtue – Ray Burke and Bertie Aherne. Both would find themselves in hot water for “payments” received.

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1943: Navy Destroyer USS The Sullivans is commissioned

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USS The Sulllivans
USS The Sulllivans. In service 1943-1965

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The US Navy commissions the destroyer The Sullivans. The ship commemorated the tragic five Sullivan brothers who were killed November 13 1942 after their ship USS Juneau  was hit by a Japanese torpedo at the Battle of Guadalcanal. Only 10 of the almost 700 crew survived. The Sullivan brothers were descendants of an Irish immigrant.

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The Five Sullivan Brothers

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READ: The USS Sullivans

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WATCH: A Short History of Ireland

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)

   

September 15,

De Valera Meets Churchill – Ireland’s First Olympic Gold – Muhammad Ali

September 15: TODAY in Irish History:

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Churchill and De Valera meeting 1953

Snippets of Irish History by Conor Cunneen IrishmanSpeaks 

Conor is a Chicago based Motivational Humorous Business Speaker, Author and History buff.

***********************

***********************

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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1905: Dr. PAT O’CALLAGHAN – IRELAND’S FIRST OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST

Pat O’Callaghan is born near Kanturk, Co. Cork. (Other articles reference O’Callaghan’s birth dates as Twenty three years later, Dr. Pat O’Callaghan would become a national hero winning the first ever Olympic gold medal for the Independent Ireland in the Hammer Throw competition at the Amsterdam Olympics. O’Callaghan had to pay his own fare from Ireland to compete! He repeated the gold medal in Los Angeles in 1932.

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Hammer Thrower Pat_O'Callaghan
Hammer Thrower Pat O’Callaghan 1905-1991

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O’Callaghan spent a number of years in the US after winning his second gold medal. His high public profile with Irish America ensured a number of unique offers including movies and wrestling. He returned to Ireland in the late 30s and pursued a distinguished medical career.

READDr. Pat O’Callaghan profile at Sport-Reference.com

The following interesting articles on O’Callaghan each offer different birth days for a man who helped generate strong positive international profile for Ireland

READ: Pat O’Callaghan at Tipperary Athletic  (Hover over image to enlarge for reading)

READDr. Pat: The Boy from Duhallow

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1953: De Valera and Churchill Meet at Downing Street for First Time

Long time antagonists Eamonn De Valera and Winston Churchill meet for the one and only time at Downing Street.

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Churchill and De Valera meeting 1953
Churchill and De Valera 1953

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The two dominant political figures of their respective countries had a healthy dislike of each other. Churchill believed (correctly) that De Valera’s rebuke of the Treaty vote and the subsequent Irish civil war was an undemocratic act. In 1938, when De Valera in a fine act of diplomatic negotiation secured Ireland’s treaty ports from Britain (despite Irish Free State independence,  the ports were still under British authority.) Churchill bitterly criticized the action by his predecessor Neville Chamberlain.  Although De Valera could not have appreciated it at the time of the negotiations, the fact that the ports were not under the control of Britain during the war helped ensure Irish neutrality remained viable.

Very public spats between the two leaders erupted at various times, not least when De Valera, to the astonishment of the world offered condolences to Germany on the death of Adolf Hitler. On May 13, an enraged Churchill criticized “The Long Fellow” as Dev was often called in a radio address. In one of his finer moments, Dev responded to Churchill on May 16th in a very stately and conciliatory manner that evoked widespread support in Ireland and helped redeem De Valera’s reputation internationally.

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LISTEN: Eamonn De Valera Response to Churchill

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By all accounts, the meeting at Downing Street in 1953 was a relatively cordial affair. Indeed, the following year, Dev sent birthday greetings to the eighty year old Churchill, something that a few years previously might have been thought unthinkable.

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1978: Irish American Muhammad Ali Defeats Leon Spinks

Muhammad Ali defeated Leon Spinks in the Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans to win the world title for a record third time. The great fighter had Irish origins and visited Ennis, Co. Clare – his ancestral home – in 2009 as you can see in this YouTube clip. Ali twice fought and defeated “Irish” Jerry Quarry in the early 70’s.

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shamrockshamrockshamrockshamrockshamrockshamrockshamrockshamrock

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WATCH: A Short History of Ireland

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)