Today In Irish History

November 17: 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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1814: Monaghan’s Confederate General Joseph Finegan

Joseph Finegan 1814-1885

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Joseph Finegan who served as a General in the Confederate Army and was victorious at the Battle of Olustee  is born in Clones, County Monaghan. Finegan emigrated to the United States in the 1830s. He settled in Florida where he became a highly successful businessman.

During the civil war, Fineagan was commissioned a Brigadier General. Finegan’s campaign included  the battles of  Olustee  and Cold Harbor.

At Olustee, Finegan’s 5,000 troops defeated Union forces under Brigadier General Truman Seymour. Finegan has been criticized for failing to pursue Union troops in disarray.

Finegan is one of many forgotten Irish who fought for the Confederate cause. These include Confederate Chaplain John B. Bannon and one of the most impressive officers on either side of the conflict, Cork-born Patrick Cleburne.

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READ: Civil War biography of Joseph Finegan 

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READ: Finegan at Battle of Olustee

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1930: Fianna Fail Politician and Minister Brian Lenihan.

Brian Lenihan embraced by Charlie Haughey

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Brian Lenihan Snr. is born in Dundalk. Lenihan was a hugely popular Fianna Fail politician who served as Tánaiste, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Justice. An extremely likeable character, Lenihan was famous for defending the indefensible whenever Fianna Fail was in trouble which some would suggest meant he was kept quite busy. Lenihan was once described by the acerbic John Kelly of Fine Gael as “like a lighthouse in the Bog of Allen: brilliant but useless”. He was defeated by Mary Robinson in the election for President of Ireland in 1990.

Lenihan’s son Brian followed in his father’s footsteps and served in government in a number of ministerial roles including Minister for Finance between 2008-2011.

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1940: Dubliner Luke Kelly is Born

Luke Kelly, beloved member of The Dubliners is born. Kelly left school when he was 13 to work as a messenger boy before going on to work as a docker, builder, drain digger and a furniture remover. Activities and experiences which which added passion and reality to many of the gritty, working class songs he was so good at. He was a founding member of The Dubliners in 1962 with whom he gained fame and fortune.

This image of Luke Kelly appears in For the Love of Being Irish.

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Kelly left school when he was 13 to work as a messenger boy before going on to work as a docker, builder, drain digger and a furniture remover. Activities and experiences which which added passion and reality to many of the gritty, working class songs he was so good at. He was a founding member of The Dubliners in 1962 with whom he gained fame and fortune.
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1974: Erskine Childers, fourth President of Ireland, dies.

Erskine Childers 1905-1974

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In a lengthy and distinguished career as a TD, Childers role in cabinet included Minister for Posts and Telegraphs, Minister for Transport and Power and Minister for Health. His father Robert Erskine Childers was executed by Irish Government forces in the Civil War.

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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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