Historical Happenings

Today, when we hear of the intransigence of some extremists in Northern Ireland, it may help to look at where we were just 40 years ago this month and realize how far we’ve come.  Back in 1973, the Nationalist command structure in Belfast was losing the support of people once sympathetic to their cause.  It was as a result of the slanted coverage distributed by the British-controlled press to the media around the world.  Even the people in the Republic to the south were being insulated from the true story and, as a result, had lost much of their enthusiasm for the cause.  Reports of IRA … [Read more...] about Forty Years Ago

William of Orange defeated King James II at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690, and claimed the Throne of England.  He had beaten and deceived the Celts of Ireland into submission, and turned his attention to the Celts of the Scottish Highlands.  He demanded that all clan Chieftains swear an oath of allegiance, and surrender their lands to the Crown by 1 January, 1692 or suffer government reprisal.  By that date, the clan of MacIan MacDonald of Glencoe had not yet signed.  On 31 December MacIan had travelled to Fort William to ask the governor, Colonel Hill, to administer the required oath, but … [Read more...] about Glencoe

At midnight on the rainy night of November 24, 1865, there was hardly a soul to be seen on the streets of Dublin.  Policemen on duty took shelter in doorways, blowing on their fingers to warm them in the bitter cold. Not far away and colder than the policemen six men, soaked to the skin, were waiting outside Richmond Prison.  When they spoke, they spoke in whispers and watched the high wall of the prison for a signal.  In a cell within the prison, a man paced back and forth.  He too awaited a signal for he knew that unless plans miscarried, this was the night he was to be rescued.  His name … [Read more...] about James Stephens

There are many heroes associated with the Confederate States of America (CSA) whose stories have been forgotten or swept under the rug; after all, the winners write the history.  Among those forgotten in our northern history books are Irish Catholic priests like Rev. Tom O’Reilly of Cavan, Rev. Abram Ryan of Tipperary parents and  Rev. Peter Whelan of Wexford.  Rev. O’Reilly earned fame as the man who threatened General Sherman with a mutiny by the Irish Catholics in his army if he torched the church district of Atlanta at the start of his infamous march to the sea; Sherman acquiesced and the … [Read more...] about Reverend Peter Whelan – The Angel of Andersonville