100 years ago, on June 29, an Irish hero died who has the unique position in history to be remembered by more people for what was said at his grave than for what he did in life. It should be otherwise for he was a key part of Irish independence. Further, what was said at his grave was inspired by his life and can be considered his final act of rebellion because as a result, enrollment in the Irish Volunteers soared. But, who was this man that he could inspire such action – even from the grave? His name was Jeremiah O’Donovan and he was born on September 10, 1831 in Co. Cork, to a tenant … [Read more...] about JEREMIAH O’DONOVAN ROSSA
Historical Happenings
BRIAN BORU
A centenary is a 100-year anniversary and next year we will commemorate the Centenary of the Easter Rising. However, last year Ireland commemorated a millenium, or a thousand year anniversary, of the battle of Clontarf in which the power of the Vikings in Ireland was forever broken – the only country to ever do so. Wherever Vikings settled, they took control, but when they tried to control Ireland they failed. For two centuries they attacked towns and monasteries, making quick raids and plundering wherever and whenever they could. Their failure came at the hands of Brian mac Kennedy in … [Read more...] about BRIAN BORU
CUMANN na mBAN
On Saturday, April 29, 1916, after leaving the burning GPO for their substitute Moore Street HQ, Pádraic Pearse said that, when the history of this fight would be written, the foremost page in the annals should be given to the women of Dublin who had taken their place in the fight for the establishment of the republic. He also told the women that their presence had inspired the men whose heroism, wonderful though it was, paled before the devotion and duty of the women of Cumann na mBan and he prayed that God would give them the strength to carry on the fight. Just who were these Irish … [Read more...] about CUMANN na mBAN
GRACE
One of Ireland’s most tragic daughters, Grace Evelyn Gifford, was born on March 4, 1888, the second youngest of 12 children of a Catholic father and a Protestant mother in Rathmines, Dublin. As was then the practice, the boys were brought up Catholic and the girls as Protestants. Grace went to school in Dublin and later studied under Irish artist William Orpen who regarded her as most gifted. In 1907 she attended a Fine Art School in London and returned to Dublin in 1908 to work as a caricaturist, publishing cartoons in several magazines. She earned little money, but enjoyed a lively … [Read more...] about GRACE
THE COUNTESS OF IRISH FREEDOM
She was called the Countess of Irish Freedom by playwright Sean O’Casey and though she was born with a silver spoon in her mouth, she spat it out and risked her life for the common people of Ireland that she loved so much. Constance Gore-Booth was born into a well-to-do Anglo-Irish family on Feb. 4, 1868 in London. Her father had a large estate in Co. Sligo where she moved in the circles of the Protestant Ascendancy growing up as a noted horsewoman and a crack shot as well as a beautiful young woman. Yet, she couldn’t help comparing her life to the lives of the poor dispossessed Irish … [Read more...] about THE COUNTESS OF IRISH FREEDOM