Mike McCormack

October 10 is the birth date of Father Theobold Mathew, yet sadly there will be very little, if anything, about this remarkable Irishman in the media. In his day, however, he was internationally known as the Apostle of Temperance. This is his story. Born on Oct 10, 1790 at Thomastown, Co Tipperary, young Toby Mathew grew up with 11 brothers & sisters on the estate of the Earl of Llandaff, who employed his father. Educated at St Canice's Academy and Maynooth, he joined the Capuchin Order in 1810 and was ordained in 1813. His first assignment was a small church in Kilkenny which was no easy … [Read more...] about Father Theobold Mathew

Four hundred years ago the last of Irish royalty left Ireland and the Gaelic system of government came to an end. It would be known in history as the Flight of the Earls and it happened on September 4, 1607. Most are familiar with the English incursions into Ireland over the years since the Norman invasion and the opposition of the Irish Chieftains. Some led rebellions, others sought cooperation, and a few tried both. Up to the reign of Henry VIII (1509-47), southern Ireland had been divided into properties ruled by ‘earls’ created by the Crown. They were mostly independent but Henry VIII … [Read more...] about Flight of the Earls

By the mid 1800s, Ireland was in the hands of landlords who took more and more of the fertile land, forcing the Irish to survive on smaller and smaller plots, until they became totally dependent on the crop that could produce the most yield per acre – the potato. It was a difficult life, but at least they weren't starving, for potatoes are a remarkable source of vitamins and minerals. Then late on August 20, 1845, a potato fungus was discovered at the Dublin Botanical Gardens. The following day, August 21, is a date remembered in Irish history as the first day of An Gorta Mor - the Great … [Read more...] about The Queen's Visit

Independence Day, July 4th is America's biggest holiday. Its her birthday; but it doesn't mark the day she won her independence, it marks the day when it was declared. And the Irish were there. Great numbers if them filled the ranks of Washington’s patriot army from foot soldiers to high ranking officers, and those who were unable to suffer the hardship of a colonial soldier, contributed in other ways. The military won the war, but who led the march toward the battlefield? It was the settlers, merchants, and community leaders who really shaped our destiny, for they were the ones who dreamt the … [Read more...] about The Fourth of July

The 17th century dawned in Ireland during the 9-years war of the northern Chieftains against the Crown. By 1602 that conflict was over; Red Hugh O'Donnell had been poisoned, the Irish had capitulated, and Queen Elizabeth was dead. Against the treachery that threatened their heirs and families, the noblest Chieftains of the north - The O'Neill, the O'Donnell, and the Maguire - left Ireland forever in what became known as the Flight of the Earls. The Irish were leaderless, the Clan system had been broken, the great Gaelic Houses destroyed, and a foreign power had been established in possession … [Read more...] about The Battle of Benburb

It was Easter, 1916, and a group of patriotic Irishmen combined to work for the independence of their native land. Their leaders were Tom Clarke, the unrepentant Fenian returned from America to rejuvenate the aged Irish Republican Brotherhood; Padraic Pearse, a poet, playwright and schoolteacher who taught the history and language of Ireland; and James Connolly, a champion of the laboring class who had dedicated his life to organizing Irish workers against employers who exploited them, and who formed the Irish Citizen Army to protect them. It was a time of promised change. World War I was … [Read more...] about On Sunday He Rose, On Monday We Rose

Roger Casement was born in Antrim on September 1, 1864 to a Protestant father and a Catholic mother. At 17, he went to work for the Elder Dempster Shipping Company in Liverpool; three years later he was sent to west Africa. There he joined the British Colonial Service and was gradually advanced to a position in the British Consulate there. Always a fair and honorable man, he was horrified at the inhuman treatment of native workers in the Congo, and wrote a report exposing those conditions. The story was published, and when Casement returned to England in 1904 he was celebrated. In London he … [Read more...] about Sir Roger Casement Caught on April 21

In March we think of St. Patrick and his story is on our national website AOH.COM, so this month we will tell of a remarkable military unit named for our patron saint. When America was a young country, not yet matured with the wisdom born of experience, we made mistakes. The acceptance of slavery, the treatment of native Americans, prejudice against Catholics, and armed opposition to labor unions, were but a few. But the wisdom of our founding fathers and the form of government they established gave all people a voice, and in time saner heads prevailed in the electoral process and the nation … [Read more...] about The San Patricios

February is the month of Saint Brigid, but it is also the month in which Victor Herbert was born. The grandson of Irish composer, painter, and novelist Samuel Lover, he first saw the light of a Dublin day on February 1, 1859. Young Victor spent much of his childhood at the home of his famous grandfather who influenced him greatly. After his father died, Lover suggested that his widowed daughter send her son to Germany for an education. His musical education began as a piccolo player, but he soon took up the cello in which he made rapid progress, playing in orchestras conducted by Liszt, … [Read more...] about Victor Herbert

One-Hundred Forty Five years ago, on January 17, 1861, Marie Gilbert passed away. It is no surprise if you don't know of her, for she gained her fame under another name, and hers is a most interesting story. Born in Limerick in 1818, her father was in the military, and Marie and her mother dutifully accompanied him to India where he was posted. When he died in 1825, Mrs. Gilbert remarried an officer from Scotland, but young Marie was not happy. A rebellious and independent child, she was sent to Scotland to continue her education, and hopefully improve her manners at a boarding school. She … [Read more...] about What's in a Name?