This Day in Irish History

This Day in Irish History

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27 February 1937 – Charles Donnelly killed in Spanish Civil War
The 22-year-old poet and UCD alumnus fought in the Connolly Column.
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This Day in Irish History
24 February 1854 – Daniel Florence O’Leary dies in Bogotá
Born in Cork, O’Leary is remembered for his role in the liberation of multiple Latin American countries.
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This Day in Irish History
20 February 1921 – The Clonmult Ambush
The attack marked the IRA’s greatest loss of life in the War of Independence.
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This Day in Irish History
17 February 1856 – MP and fraudster John Sadleir takes his own life
Sadleir has been described as the “Victorian Bernie Madoff”.
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This Day in Irish History
13 February 1881 – First public meeting of Ladies’ Land League
The Freeman's Journal described it as “the largest gathering of women ever assembled in Ireland.”
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This Day in Irish History
February 10th 1942 – James Dillon criticises Irish neutrality at Fine Gael ard fheis
The TD for Monaghan resigned from the party shortly after.
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This Day in Irish History
February 6th 1971 – First soldier killed in Troubles
Gunner Robert Curtis was shot dead in Belfast, the first of more than 500 soldiers to die.
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This Day in Irish History
February 3rd 1899 – RIC district inspector killed in scuffle with Canon James McFadden, the “fighting priest of Gweedore”
The Donegal priest was a fierce defender of the rights of tenant farmers.
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This Day in Irish History

January 2023

January 30th 1595 – Crumlin burned to ground by sons of Fiach McHugh O’Byrne
The Wicklow chief authorised the attack after his base in Ballinacor was garrisoned.
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This Day in Irish History
January 27th 1941 – Four Irish soldiers killed when mine explodes in Wexford
Three died instantly, while a fourth succumbed to his injuries later.
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This Day in Irish History
January 23rd 1898 – United Irish League founded in Westport, Co Mayo
The organisation sought to rectify the depressed state of agriculture in the west of Ireland.
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This Day in Irish History
January 20th 1395 – Niall Mór O’Neill swears fealty to Richard II
The king of Tír Eóghain met with the English monarch in Drogheda.
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This Day in Irish History
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