Posts tagged ‘irish writers’

October 30,

Richard Brinsley Sheridan – Potato Famine Death by Starvation – Muhammad Ali

October 30: TODAY in Irish History:

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Richard Brinsley Sheridan

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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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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1751: Richard Brinsley Sheridan

Richard Brinsley Sheridan is born in Dublin. Sheridan was a playwright, poet, Whig MP and owner of the London Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.

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Richard Brinsley Sheridan 1751-1816

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His plays include, The RivalsThe School for Scandal and A Trip to Scarborough. A fine debater and wit, he said of a fellow Member of Parliament: “The Right Honourable Gentleman is indebted to his memory for his jests, and to his imagination for his facts.”

He is also credited what might be one of the best chat up lines ever. “Won’t you come into the garden? I would like my roses to see you.”

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Here’s to the Maiden of Bashful Fifteen by Richard Brinsley Sheridan

Here’s to the maiden of bashful fifteen;

Here’s to the widow of fifty;

Here’s to the flaunting extravagant quean,

And here’s to the housewife that’s thrifty.

Chorus

Let the toast pass,–

Drink to the lass,

I’ll warrant she’ll prove an excuse for the glass.

Here’s to the charmer whose dimples we prize;

Now to the maid who has none, sir:

Here’s to the girl with a pair of blue eyes,

And here’s to the nymph with but one, sir.

Chorus

Let the toast pass,–

Drink to the lass,

I’ll warrant she’ll prove an excuse for the glass.

Here’s to the maid with a bosom of snow;

Now to her that’s as brown as a berry:

Here’s to the wife with her face full of woe,

And now to the damsel that’s merry.

Chorus

Let the toast pass,–

Drink to the lass,

I’ll warrant she’ll prove an excuse for the glass.

For let ’em be clumsy, or let ’em be slim,

Young or ancient, I care not a feather;

So fill a pint bumper quite up to the brim,

And let us e’en toast them together.

Chorus

Let the toast pass,–

Drink to the lass,

I’ll warrant she’ll prove an excuse for the glass.

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Here’s to the Maiden of Bashful Fifteen

Sheridan is buried at Poets’ Corner in Westminster Abbey.

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READ: Richard Brinsley Sheridan Bio

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1846: Daniel Hayes: Death by Starvation

The Cork Examiner reports:

“A Coroners Inquest was held on the lands of Redwood, in the Parish of Lorha, on yesterday, the 24th, on the body of Daniel Hayes, who for several days subsisted almost on the refuse of vegetables, and went out on Friday morning in quest of something in the shape of food, but he had not gone far when he was obliged to lie down, and, melancholy to relate, was found dead some time afterward.”

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1974: Muhammad Ali – Heavyweight Champ

Muhammad Ali becomes heavyweight champion of the world for the second time when he knocks out champion George Foreman in the eighth round of the “Rumble in the Jungle,” in Kinshasa, Zaire. 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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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)

   

October 20,

W.B. Yeats gets Hitched – Death of Jack Lynch – General Eoin O’Duffy at Today in Irish History

October 20: TODAY in Irish History:

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W. B. Yeats

W. B. Yeats illustration in “For the Love of Being Irish”

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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1892: General Eoin O’Duffy

Birth of Eoin O’Duffy, IRA man, Michael Collins protégé, Commissioner of the Garda Síochána and General Franco supporter, near Lough Egish, Co Monaghan.  O’Duffy first came to fame when he led an IRA group which captured the first R.I.C. barracks during the War of Independence.

Following the signing of the Treaty, he was active with pro-government forces during the Civil War. He was appointed Commissioner of the newly formed Garda Siochana in September 1922. He is credited with building a professional, impartial police force before being fired by de Valera in 1933.

Garda Commissioner Eoin O'Duffy
Eoin O’Duffy – Garda Commissioner 1922-1933

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As he grew older, O’Duffy became more obviously authoritarian and fascist in outlook. He joined the Army Comrades Association which exhibited mannerisms reminiscent of Hitler’s SA. He was often greeted with “Hail O’Duffy” and Nazi like salutes by blue shirt clad supporters. The term “Blue shirt” is often used by anti-Fine Gael critics as a less than complimentary term.

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Garda Commissioner Eoin O'Duffy, blueshirt
“Hail O’Duffy”

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O’Duffy was  a founding member of Fine Gael, but that party soon got tired of his politics and forced him to resign the presidency of the party.

O’Duffy (with encouragement from the Catholic Church) recruited Irish volunteers to fight for Franco’s troops in Spain. O’Duffy returned to Ireland in 1937, where he lived in relative anonymity until his death in 1944.

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1917: William Butler Yeats

Fifty-two year old William Butler Yeats finally gets married, but not to Maud Gonne, the love of his life. Instead he  marries 25-year-old Georgie Hyde-Lees (1892–1968). Although only weeks previously, Yeats had proposed to Maud Gonne’s daughter Iseult MacBride from her marriage to John MacBride, the marriage of Yeats and Hyde-Lees was a happy one producing two children.

In For the Love of Being Irish, author Conor Cunneen writes:

WB Yeats in For the Love of Being Irish

Illustration of W.B. Yeats in        For the Love of Being Irish

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1979: Rugby Player Paul O’Connell

Irish and Munster rugby captain and talismanic leader Paul O’Connell is born in rugby mad Limerick

READ: Paul O’Connell biography at Irish Rugby Football Union

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1999: Death of Jack Lynch

Death of former Taoiseach and Charlie Haughey nemesis (and vice-versa) Jack Lynch.

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Lynch was Taoiseach during a particularly difficult time in 20th Century Irish history 1966-1973 when the Troubles in Northern Ireland erupted and a Southern government was riven by actions that should be taken. He sacked two ministers Charles Haughey and Neil Blaney for their alleged involvement in diverting government funds to support IRA gun-running. In criminal proceedings, both were found not guilty of gun running although Haughey – probably the most corrupt politician in  Republic of Ireland history –  probably perjured himself during the trial.

Despite some mis-steps, Lynch’s even hand maintained relationships with  Britain during an explosive period including the Bloody Sunday shootings and the burning of the British Embassy in Dublin .

Lynch’s second tenure in power between 1977-1979 was riven by internal Fianna Fail disquiet as Charles Haughey engineered his successful efforts to gain leadership of the party and thus Taoiseach. Although a likeable man, Lynch was not above blatant manoevering for political benefit. Fianna Fail’s return to power in 1977 was on the back of a promise to abolish rates on private houses – an action that was totally unjustified and one that the Irish economy still suffers from today, supported as it is by a very narrow tax base.

In his younger days, Jack Lynch was a superb hurler and footballer winning one All Ireland football medal and five All Ireland hurling medals for the rebel county.
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Funeral of Jack Lynch (1917-1999)

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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)