April 5: TODAY in Irish History (by IrishmanSpeaks) 
1900: Spencer Tracy is born to Irish American father John Edward Tracy and mother, Caroline Brown in Milwaukee. One of the most successful actors of his era, Tracy won oscars in 1938 (Captain Courageous) and Boys Town (1938) where he played Roscommon born Father Edward Flanagan. Flanagan was still alive at the time and gave general approval to the script.
Spencer Tracy in Boys Town
1916: Actor Gregory Peck is born in La Jolla, California. His paternal grandmother was Irish. Peck was nominated Irish American of the Year in 1997 by Irish America magazine. Visiting Ireland in 2000, he said ““I expect that every Irish-American coming to Ireland says visiting makes them feel good to be here. But I feel drawn to Dingle, I feel a sense of coming home. For me that is what it is. This is where my grandmother, Catherine Ashe, came from. And I look forward to coming back again.”
Gregory Peck 1916-2003
1919: Irish nationalists establish an “embassy” in Paris under “ambassadorship” of future President Sean T. O’Kelly. Although, the embassy did not achieve international recognition, it was another strong signal of the intent of the Irish independence movement.
1920: IRA prisoners starts a hunger strike in Mountjoy Jail demanding prisoner of war status.
1922: The Northern Ireland Government formally takes over control of the special constabulary and policing in the six counties. For the next eighty years, the Royal Ulster Constabulary would be almost exclusively a non-Catholic police force, often involved in sectarian discrimination and often subject to murderous attacks by various Republican elements. Between 1969-99, the R.U.C. would lose three hundred officers to violence.
1944: As part of an ongoing cold war, the British government ceases telephone service to Ireland and ends the distribution of newspapers to there. Britain rightly was concerned about leakage of military information to the neutral Ireland which still allowed Nazi Germany an embassy in Ireland.
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For the Love of Being Irish written by Chicago based Corkman Conor Cunneen and illustrated by Mark Anderson which is an A-Z of all things Irish. This is a book that contains History, Horror, Humor, Passion, Pathos and Lyrical Limericks that will have you giving thanks (or wishing you were) For the Love of Being Irish
Watch For the Love of Being Irish author Conor Cunneen – IrishmanSpeaks on his Youtube channel IrishmanSpeaks. Laugh and Learn.
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This history is written by Irish author, business keynote speaker and award winning humoristIrishmanSpeaks – Conor Cunneen. If you spot any inaccuracies or wish to make a comment, please don’t hesitate to contact us via the comment button.
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Today In Irish History 