The name of Charles Thomson is not as familiar today as it was in the early days of America when it was widely known and respected. Born in County Derry, Thomson was one of the most influential men of the entire American Revolution. He served as Secretary of the Continental Congress for over 15 years (the entire life of that body) and was, in fact, the Chief Executive of the American Government several times between 1776 and 1789. During brief illnesses of the Congress Presidents and after John Hancock's resignation from the post in 1786, Thomson served as President, the highest office in the … [Read more...] about CHARLES THOMSON
Historical Happenings
CIVIL WAR COMES TO IRELAND IN JUNE
Sinn Féin won 73 out of the 105 Irish seats in Parliament in the post-war General Election in December, 1918. They refused to sit at Westminster and instead set up their own government called Dail Eireann on 21 January 1919. On that same day the War of Independence began. After almost three years of brutal warfare, with British atrocities on a civilian population that they felt supported the Dail, the British were beaten to the bargaining table and a treaty was signed. The treaty created the Irish Free State, a self-governing Dominion of the Empire; it was approved by the Dáil 64 to 57 on 7 … [Read more...] about CIVIL WAR COMES TO IRELAND IN JUNE
SAINT COLMCILLE
by Mike McCormack, AOH National Historian On 12 May, 563, Saint Colmcille established a monastery on the island of Iona. Thirty-four years later he died on 9 June 597, which is his universal feast day. In that short time, he exceeded the herculean task that he had set for himself of bringing 3,000 souls to Christ. The story of how and why this all came about is a remarkable one and one that is fully explained in the Major Degrees of our Order. However, without revealing the lesson imparted in that major event, we can entice those who have yet to take that final step toward full membership … [Read more...] about SAINT COLMCILLE
A TALE OF TWO O’HARES
Here are two stories and both are absolutely true – and worth reading! The first began on 5 September 1893 when a son was born in St. Louis, MO to Irish-American parents Patrick Joseph and Cecilia Malloy O'Hare. Then named him Edward and he grew up to be a successful lawyer. He married Selma Louth who gave him three children: Edward (1914), Patricia (1919) and Marilyn (1924). In 1927, Edward moved to Chicago in hope of finding a better life. At the time, Al Capone virtually owned the city and was involved in everything from bootleg booze to prostitution. Capone needed a good lawyer and Eddie … [Read more...] about A TALE OF TWO O’HARES
Mary MacSwiney
On March 27, 1872, Mary MacSwiney (Maire Nic Shuibhne) was born in Surrey, England, of an Irish father and an English mother. She grew up in Cork beset by illness which culminated with the loss of an infected foot. Educated as a teacher, by 1900 she was teaching in a convent school. Her mother's death in 1904 led to her return to Cork to head the household and secure a teaching post back at St Angela's. The MacSwiney household was intensely separatist. They read Arthur Griffith newspaper, although they rejected his dual monarchy policy. She refused to join Griffith's Sinn Féin because she … [Read more...] about Mary MacSwiney