Posts tagged ‘fianna fail’

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)

   

August 29,

Death of Eamonn De Valera on this day in Irish History

August 29: TODAY in Irish History:

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De Valera 1916 at today in irish history

De Valera 1916 Rising

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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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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1906: Death of Medal of Honor Winner -James Quinlan

Medal of Honor winner James Quinlan from County Tipperary
Medal of Honor winner James Quinlan from County Tipperary

James J. Quinlan (September 13, 1833 – August 29, 1906) was a Union Army officer during the American Civil War and a recipient of America’s highest military decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions at the Battle of Savage’s Station. His citations states he “led his regiment on the enemy’s battery, silenced the guns, held the position against overwhelming numbers, and covered the retreat of the Second Army Corps.”

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1975: Death of Eamonn De Valera, a man who probably more than anyway shaped the culture of Ireland (good and bad) for almost fifty years. He was a man loved by his supporters but distrusted and hated by those who blamed him for the Irish civil war. (That latter sentence could equally apply to Michael Collins from the opposite side of the political divide.)

A young Dev

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Although born in Brooklyn, New York, “Dev” had an almost mystical and spiritual belief about an Ireland that he wanted to exist.

De Valera is famous for something he never said, an Ireland of “maidens dancing at the crossroads, ” but in a 1943 he did envisage “The ideal Ireland that we would have, the Ireland that we dreamed of, would be the home of a people who valued material wealth only as a basis for right living, of a people who, satisfied with frugal comfort, devoted their leisure to the things of the spirit – a land whose countryside would be bright with cosy homesteads, whose fields and villages would be joyous with the sounds of industry, with the romping of sturdy children, the contest of athletic youths and the laughter of happy maidens, whose firesides would be forums for the wisdom of serene old age.”

De Valera was one of the leaders of the 1916 Rising and only avoided execution because of his American citizenship and/or the general revulsion about the execution of the 1916 leaders. He was an immensely astute (manipulative) politician and a natural leader of the Sinn Fein TDs elected in the 1918 election.

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De Valera 1916 at today in irish history
De Valera captured – 1916

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His standing amongst his fellow TDs is evidenced by his being elected President of the first Dail Eireann (Irish Parliament) by a unanimous vote. During the War of Independence, he spent many months in the United States drumming support and finance for the Irish cause.

Huge crowd to see De Valera, Fenway Park Boston

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It is not clear why he did not get directly involved in the Treaty negotiations in London. Instead, he sent Michael Collins to negotiate on behalf of the Irish people. The signing of the Treaty on Dec 6th provided legislative autonomy for twenty six counties of Ireland, but resulted in the partition of Ireland and the foundation of the state of Northern Ireland. De Valera refused to accept the January 1923 vote of Dail Eireann approving the Treaty. Soon Ireland was again in a bloody conflict, but this time it was Irishman against Irishman in a vicious conflict laced with atrocity after atrocity on both sides.

De Valera and the anti-Treaty-ites were forced to call a halt to their campaign in May 1923. (It Is worth noting that the various campaigns conducted by the IRA throughout the rest of the 20th century derive from their lack of acceptance of this surrender or of the Treaty vote. The IRA never accepted the legitimacy of either government in the North or the Republic.)

Disillusioned with Sinn Fein and its abstentionist policies, De Valera founded Fianna Fáil in 1926. In order to take his seat in the Dail in 1927, he accepted the oath of allegiance (to the English crown) stating it to be but an empty formula. Fianna Fail came to power in 1932 and dominated the Irish political landscape for most of the century.

As Taoiseach, he kept Ireland neutral during WWII, much to the chagrin of Churchill who desperately desired Ireland’s ports. The antipathy between the two men led to a number of verbal spats with De Valera acquitting himself extremely well in the eyes of his countrymen. De Valera also responded superbly to Lloyd George protestations prior to the Treaty negotiations of 1921

The “brilliant but austere De Valera” (in the words of JFK) brought international opprobrium on Ireland when he visited the German ambassador in Dublin to offer condolences on the death of Hitler. 

In 1959, after thirty-three years at the head of Fianna Fáil, Eamon de Valera resigned as leader and Taoiseach and was elected President of Ireland (succeeding Sean T. O’Kelly), a position he held until 1973.

READ: Churchill – De Valera Relationship at WinstonChurchill.org

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READ: Fianna Fáil Biography of De Valera

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Eamonn De Valera Documentary

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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)