Many thanks to brother Jim "Bear" O'Connell for once again leading another great induction ceremony for our Junior AOH boys from Bishop Canevin High School. The ceremony was held October 24 at the school and was witnessed by AOH brothers Denny Donnelly, Padraig McCann and Rich O'Malley . Six new members were inducted to raise the total to 43 members. Officers: Christopher Clarke, Senior, President Thomas Kennedy, Junior, Vice President Nicholas Midgley, Junior, Secretary Thomas Molitaris, Junior, Treasurer Nick Bianco, Junior, Marshall Brandon Karabinos, Junior, Sentinel Calvin Cooper, Junior, Reporter
Senior Members: Brian Billigen, Stephen Dukes, Lawrence Hunt, David Mulholland, Daniel Sullivan, Andrew Tomcik, Zachary Young
Junior Members: Lucas Briola, Riley Burgess, Matthew Coleman, Eric Jutca, Adam Karabinos, Jacob Presken, Zachary Retort
Sophomore Members: Patrick Baker, Benjamin Dugan, Sean Eckle, Michael Fitzpatrick, Sean Flanagan Jr, Robert Fraino, Albert Gestiehr, Nathan Kelly, Nicholas Killen, Patrick Leyland, Alexander Maloney, James McCaffrey, Stephen Molitaris, Logan Moore, Nico Palmosina, John Philbin, Patrick Philbin, Ethan Shatzer, David Smallhoover Freshman Members: Bennett Cooper, Ryan Praskovich, David Varley
October 28 1659 - Birth of Nicholas Brad, Anglican clergyman and poet, in Bandon, Co. Cork 1758 - Edward Moore, 5th Earl of Drogheda and former MP for Dunleer, drowns with his son Edward, chaplain to the House of Commons, en route from England to Dublin 1875 - Death of William Howard Glover, composer and music critic 1907 - John Harold Hewitt, poet who wrote the Glens of Antrim, is born 1909 - Birth in Dublin of Sir Francis Bacon, painter 1958 - The State Opening of Parliament is televised for the first time 1976 - Máire Drumm, Irish Republican and Sinn Féin vice-president, is assassinated in her hospital bed by Unionist gunmen 1999 - Ulster Unionist and Sinn Féin politicians grapple with a new formula designed to break the deadlock in the peace process 2000 - Athlete Sonia O'Sullivan returns to her hometown of Cobh and is presented with the Freedom of The Town 2001 - Republican sources claim the IRA has destroyed up to 300 weapons in its first act of decommissioning.
October 29 1835 - Michael William Balfe's opera Siege of Rochelle is first performed at the Drury Lane Theatre in London 1885 - Confederate Civil War Gen. Joseph Finegan, from Co. Monaghan, dies in Rutledge, Florida 1892 - Death of Clonakilty artist, William Hartnett 1922 - Birth of Neil Blaney, politician, in Rosnakill, Co. Donegal 1953 - The Health Act provides for a free mother-and-child healthcare scheme in the Republic 1958 - The Dáil announces a bill to introduce a system of proportional representation into the Republic 1972 - Gilbert O’Sullivan reaches no. 1 in the British charts with Clair 1998 - The tax on tourists row flares up again when members of the Dáil Committee on Tourism clash over a proposed £1 levy on visitors to the Aran Islands 1998 - In tribute to emigrants who sailed to the New World on coffin ships, Coillte announces plans for the establishment of the Forest of Dunbrody on the outskirts of New Ross, Co Wexford. The public, and particularly Irish-Americans, will be invited to buy a tree in the name of their loved ones 2001 - Hardline unionists seek to block David Trimble's re-election as Northern Ireland First Minister 2001 - Over £3.5m will be spent converting Limerick's city centre into a pedestrian area. Within five years, only buses, taxis and delivery vehicles will be able to travel up O'Connell Street 2002 - Continuous heavy rain brings severe flooding to many parts of the country 2002 - Thousands of homes and businesses face massive disruption to Christmas mail delivery following a vote by postmasters in favour of industrial action 2002 - Broadcaster Gerry Ryan becomes the latest homegrown celebrity to feature in the Irish version of Madame Tussaud's collection when he unveils a life-size model of himself at the Dublin museum.
October 30 1751 - Birth in Dublin of dramatist and orator, Richard Brinsley Sheridan 1816 - Sir Richard Quain, physician to Queen Victoria, is born in Mallow, Co. Cork 1865 - Róis Ní Ógáin (Rose Mabel Young), Gaelic scholar and editor of Duanaire Gaedhilge, is born 1928 - Birth of Sir Charles Brett, architectural historian 1972 - Northern Ireland Secretary of State, William Whitelaw's paper "The Future of Northern Ireland" declares no UK opposition to unity by consent 1998 - The South County Bar in West Douglas has become the first pub in Cork to win the James Joyce Pub Award 2000 - The Good Friday Agreement hangs in the balance with the Government seeking to establish whether or not the North’s First Minister David Trimble can ban Sinn Féin Ministers from cross-Border committee meetings 2001 - One of the country's largest estates, Farnham, on about 1,200 acres in Cavan, is bought for around £5m by a locally-born businessman, pharmacist Roy McCabe 2001 - A major anti-litter initiative is launched which will hold every town in Ireland accountable for its cleanliness 2002 - The crisis in the Northern Ireland peace process deeps after the IRA announces its decision to end contact with the arms decommissioning body 2003 - A wreath to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the death of Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty, the Vatican priest who is credited with saving the lives of thousands of people during the second World War is laid on his grave in Cahersiveen Co Kerry.
October 31 1641 - The Ulster rebels take Dundalk 1804 - Morgan O'Connell, soldier and politician, is born in Dublin 1838 - General Sir William Frances Butler, soldier and author, is born in Suirville, Co. Tipperary. He had a remarkable and often controversial military career spanning over 50 years. During the Land War he became a great personal friend of Charles Stewart Parnell and campaigned for tenants' rights and Home Rule. Late in 1900 Sir William was promoted to Lieutenant General, a rank he held until his retirement in 1905. The last five years of his life were spent at Bansha Castle among his own people. He died in Bansha Castle on June 7 1910 and his funeral to Killaldriffe was one of the largest seen in the region 1845 - A committee is formed to examine the extent of the potato crop failure and suggest remedies 1883 - Birth of Sara Allgood, stage and Hollywood actress, in Dublin. Considered one of the greatest character actresses of her time, the crowning point of her career came with her nomination for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in "How Green Was My Valley" in which she played Mrs. Morgan. She began her acting career with Dublin's world famous Abbey Theatre and had a long career on stage before making her film debut in: "Just Peggy". Film credits include "The World, The Flesh and The Devil", Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" with Spencer Tracy, "The Lodger" with George Sanders, "Jane Eyre" with Orson Welles and Joan Fontaine, "The Keys of the Kingdom" with Gregory Peck, "Cheaper by the Dozen" and “Sierra” - her last film. She moved to the U.S. in the 1940s and became a U.S. citizen in 1945. She died on September 15, 1950 in Woodland Hills, California of a heart attack at age 66 1930 - Birth of Michael Collins, an Irish-American born in Rome, and pilot of the command module of the Apollo 10 lunar landing in 1969 1939 - Comedian Tom O'Connor is born in Merseyside, Liverpool 1998 - Dungarvan's milk processing plant in Co. Waterford, operational since the turn of the century, closes with the loss of 135 full-time jobs 1999 - In Co. Wexford, a millennium party catches the imagination of Halloween revellers as the ESB Drum Carnival entertains ghouls and goblins of all ages. The carnival features the largest drum in the world - a staggering 15ft in diameter and part lambeg and bodhran in design 2001 - Pierce Brosnan, Aidan Quinn, and Julianna Margulies, are on location at Castleknock College, Dublin, for the filming of Evelyn which is being produced by Brosnan's film company 2002 - Distributors predict the film The Magdalene Sisters will hit the €1 million mark within five weeks, making it one of the biggest-grossing movies ever screened in Ireland 2002 - In a meeting with employers and unions in Dublin Castle, Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy says the boom is finally over and workers face a pay freeze of up to a year. 2006 - Demolition work finally gets under way at the former high-security Maze Prison, where thousands of republican and loyalist paramilitary inmates were detained during the Troubles. The 360-acre site near Lisburn in Co Antrim will be cleared for housing, a multi-purpose sports arena and what is called a "centre for conflict transformation."
November 1 1625 - Birth near Oldcastle, Co. Meath of St. Oliver Plunkett, Archbishop of Armagh who was canonized in 1975 1790 - Edmund Burke's "Reflections on the Revolution in France" is published 1798 - Sir Benjamin Guinness, owner of the Guinness brewery from 1855, is born in Dublin 1838 - Birth in Ballylough, Co. Antrim of Anthony Traill, provost of Trinity College, Dublin 1857 - John Joly, geologist and physicist, is born in Co. Offaly 1884 - Founding of the Gaelic Athletic Association 1920 - Following a mutiny in India by soldiers of the Connaught Rangers in protest at events in Ireland, Private James Daly is court-martialled and executed by firing squad; he is the last member of the British army to be executed for mutiny 1920 The enrolment of the Ulster Special Constabulary begins 1920 - Kevin Barry, an 18-year-old medical student, is hanged in Dublin for his part in a raid in which six soldiers were killed 1945 - Demobilisation of the Irish Army begins 1972 - VAT is introduced into Ireland 1999 - After stumbling on a huge complex of tombs and structures on his property which date back to the Stone Age, it is reported that farmer Tom Coffey may have uncovered one of Ireland’s most important archaeological sites 2001 - The global economic downturn claims another 1,100 Irish jobs as workers are let go in Navan, Dundalk, Carlow and Dublin 2001 - Northern Ireland faces the threat of new Assembly elections as the British and Irish governments prepare to block David Trimble's bid to be re-elected as First Minister of the power-sharing executive at Stormont 2001 - Industry experts warn that up to 2,000 jobs will be put at risk if the Government's proposal to ban bituminous coal and petroleum coke nationwide goes ahead. Consumers could also face increases in their home-heating costs of up to 25% 2002 - For the first time in his life, Bertie Ahern needs a decoy to break through a crowd as angry IFI workers protest outside a Fianna Fáil fundraising dinner In the Liturgical Calendar, today is All Saints’ Day.
November 2 1719 - The Toleration Act for Protestant Dissenters is passed 1752 - Philip Twisden, Bishop of Raphoe and son-in-law of the politician Thomas Carter, dies bankrupt on this date, having been shot while allegedly masquerading as a highwayman 1797 - Tyrone Power, actor and great-grandfather of the Hollywood movie star of the same name, is born near Kilmacthomas, Co. Waterford 1800 - Thomas (Buck) Whaley, MP for Enniscorthy, dies at Knutsford, apparently on his way from Liverpool to London. It is rumoured ‘that he was stabbed in a fit of jealousy by two sisters to whom he was paying marked attentions at a time when each of them was in ignorance of his concealed attachment to the other. Sarah, or Sally Jenkinson is stated to be the lady from whom he received his death wound.’ She is said to have been won by Whaley from the Prince of Wales in a wager 1826 - Birth of Henry Smith, mathematician, in Dublin 1903 - Samhain Festival held in Dublin 1950 - Death of George Bernard Shaw 1978 - Launch of RTÉ 2 television 1986 - Sinn Féin Poblachtach founded in Dublin 1999 - In Ireland’s Marian village of Knock, a decision to replace the familiar Cnoc Mhuire road signs with An Cnoc creates major protests among residents 2002 - A commuter aircraft, with 40 passengers on board, including rock group Aslan, overshoots the runway and ends up with its nose in the sea; no-one is injured.
November 3 1380 - Edmund Mortimer, 6th Earl of Ulster, holds a parliament at Dublin, which confirms the Statutes of Kilkenny 1692 - The only session of the exclusively Protestant Irish parliament of William III and Mary ends on this date 1717 - Henry Luttrell, soldier and suspected betrayer of the Jacobites, is assassinated in Dublin 1788 - Thomas Steele, landlord and supporter of Daniel O'Connell is born in Derrymore, Co. Clare 1815 - Birth in Dungiven, Co. Derry of John Mitchel, patriot and founder of the newspaper the United Irishman 1854 - The Catholic University of Ireland is opened with J. H. Newman as its first rector 1903 - Tomas O Fiaich, Irish language author and Cardinal-Archbishop of Armagh is born 1917 - Birth of Conor Cruise O'Brien, diplomat, political commentator and writer 1932 - Birth in Rooskey, Co. Roscommon of Albert Reynolds, politician and businessman, Fianna Fáil leader and Taoiseach from 1992-1994 1969 - Introduction of the breathalyser into Ireland 1999 - A two-shilling book of Irish stamps, forgotten since being bought in the 1930s, is set to fetch £1000 at auction. The stamps - six at two pence, nine at a penny and six at a halfpenny - were almost certainly bought for use when they were purchased some time between 1931 and 1940.The orange coloured front cover bears the word STAMPAI and an advert proclaiming: McCairns for Vauxhalls and Bedfords, Showrooms, 2 Dawson Street, Dublin 1999 - Former US Senator George Mitchell says he has no intention of imposing a deadline on the peace negotiations with Northern Ireland’s political leaders 2000 - Sinn Féin is given the go ahead to legally challenge David Trimble’s contentious ban on the party’s ministers attending North South Ministerial Council meetings 2000 - The country’s first graduates of Science in Electronics Manufacturing are conferred with their degrees 2000 - The first All Ireland Food Safety Campaign is launched. It is aimed at reducing the number of food poisoning cases on both sides of the border In the liturgical calendar, today is the feast day of Maél Máedoc Úa Morgair - St. Malachy of Armagh.
Where did the name Jack O' Lantern come from and why is it associated with Halloween?
In the ancient Celtic areas, people celebrated at the end of the harvest, which marked the beginning of winter and darkness. The myth says that an unsavory character named Stingy Jack was wandering the countryside about this time of year, and was carrying a lit coal inside of a turnip. When the Irish and Scottish immigrants came to this country, they brought the story with them - but the turnip turned into a pumpkin. Jack of the Lantern, became, you guessed it, Jack O' Lantern - the star performer at every Halloween celebration.
The Jack O' Lantern has evolved over the years to become all kinds of designs on a pumpkin - whether it's carved or painted. Of course, you can also see them on cookies, cakes, desserts - and even pancakes and waffles.
Historical representation of the Free Derry Fleadh in August 1969 some of the people behind Free Derry such as Eamonn McCann organized a fleadh ceoil to lift the community's spirits. It featured some of Ireland's greatest musicians. Tommy Makem talks about performing Four Green Fields and the way in which the song affected the crowd.
Here is the late, great Tommy Makem with his Four Green Fields...
1879 - Founding of the Land League by Michael Davitt 1803 - Execution of Thomas Russell, United Irishman, in Downpatrick for “high treason” 1805 - The Irish dead at the Battle of Trafalgar include Lieutenant William Ram, son of Abel Ram, MP for Co. Wexford, who is killed on board the Victory 1901 - Douglas Hyde's Casadh an tSúgán - The Twisting of the Rope - is presented at The Gaiety Theatre in Dublin and becomes the first staged Irish-language play 1904 - Birth of poet Patrick Kavanagh in Inishkeen, Co. Monaghan 1999 - President Mary McAleese leads mourners at the removal of former Taoiseach and Fianna Fáil leader, Jack Lynch, from Dublin’s Royal Hospital to the Church of St Paul of the Cross, Mount Argus 1999 - Hundreds of striking nurses from the midlands join a rally through the streets of Dublin 2001 - Gas pipeline work on a hillside at Kilmacanogue in the Wicklow Mountains uncovers the remains of a house dating back to 2,000 BC. Only eight similar discoveries have been made thus far in Ireland 2002 - The Real IRA pledges to continue their campaign of violence, ignoring a call by the prisoners in Portlaoise to disband and confirm the organisation has split 2002 - Even on paper Keane is faster than McCarthy; on the day of its launch, just one copy of Mick McCarthy’s World Cup diary is sold at Waterstones outlet on Dawson Street in Dublin 2003 - The last flight of the Concorde supersonic jet arrives at Belfast International Airport, Aldergrove.
October 22 1389 - Thomas Mortimer who was appointed justiciar on 5 March is replaced by John de Stanley who lands at Howth on this date 1641 - Rory O'More, Lord Maguire and Sir Pheilim O'Neill initiate a major revolt in Armagh. Known as the Ulster Rebellion, in the ensuing six months, at least 4, 000 Protestants are killed and Catholics are massacred in reprisals 1740 - Birth in Dublin of Sir Philip Francis, civil servant, duellist, and gambler; he may have been the author of the Junius Letters 1761 - John Ponsonby is unanimously re-elected Speaker of the Irish parliament 1906 - Charles Lynch, pianist, is born in Parkgariff, Co. Cork. He gave his first public recital at nine and won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music, London, at fifteen. In addition to concert recitals he broadcast regularly with the BBC and in 1937 acted as assistant to Sir Thomas Beecham at Covent Garden 1955 - Belfast-born Ruby Murray has two singles in the British top 20 — I’ll Come When You Call and Evermore. Her much quoted achievement was that she had five top 20 songs at one time - a feat only surpassed by pop singer Madonna four decades later 1993 - Former South African President Nelson Mandela visits Dublin 1998 - Demonstrations by construction workers sweep the country in protest at the jailing of two builders in Mountjoy for a second night. A number of protesters are arrested after they clash with gardaí in Dublin 1998 - The remains of four males are uncovered by workmen during excavation work for a new drainage system to serve the South Tipperary town of Carrick-on-Suir. A coin dated 1805 found nearby, leads locals to believe the remains date from the early 19th century when a fever hospital stood on a nearby site, now occupied by St Brigid's Hospital 1999 - The coffin of former Taoiseach, Jack Lynch, is removed from St. Paul of the Cross Church, in Harold's Cross in Dublin, after an interdenominational service, on the first leg of its journey to Cork city, where a state funeral will take place 2002 - Some of the worst storms on record lash the North wreaking havoc on roads and flooding hundreds of homes.
October 23 1662 - The Irish parliament orders the annual observance of this date as a day of thanksgiving for deliverance from the 1641 rising; for over a century, church services on this day will remind Protestants of Catholic disloyalty 1766 - Birth of John Claudius Beresford, banker, MP, and controversial figure in 1798 rebellion, during which he was alleged to have flogged suspects at his riding house in Marlborough Street, Dublin; the slogan 'Mangling done here gratis by Beresford and Co.' was daubed on it 1771 - Benjamin Franklin ends his visit to Ireland 1931 - The IRA and other organizations are declared illegal in the Free State and the Catholic Church excommunicates members of all of them, including Saor Eire, which soon dissolves 1948 - Gerry Robinson, (UK businessman, is born in Co. Donegal 1969 - Samuel Beckett wins Nobel Prize for Literature. He was born in Foxrock, Dublin on Good Friday,13 April 1906. (Although his birth certificate says it was a month later). "Waiting for Godot" is generally regarded as his best-known play 1970 - Charles Haughey, former Minister for Finance, is acquitted of charges that he and Neil Blaney, former Minister for Agriculture, imported arms for the IRA 1999 - The Guinness Jazz Festival in Co. Cork receives a spiritual blessing with the surprise appearance of an infamous cleric. Mother Bernadette Marie O’Connor, or the artist (formerly) known as Sinéad O’Connor, performs in Ireland for the first time in five years 2001 - Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble welcomes official confirmation that the IRA has put a quantity of guns and explosives beyond use 2001 - The Government announces it will sell off one-third of Aer Lingus at a knock-down price in order to fund a drastic rescue plan for the airline. 2001 - Former Northern Ireland Secretary Mo Mowlam is presented with the International Woman of the Year Award at a ceremony in Dublin. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson's wins the Overall Award at the Irish Tatler Women of the Year Awards 2002 - Thornton’s in Stephen’s Green, Dublin, is awarded the Jameson Restaurant of the Year. It is among the national award winners announced to coincide with the launch of Georgina Campbell’s Jameson Guide Ireland 2003.
October 24 1642 - Irish Confederate rebels establish government at Kilkenny 1789 - Work begins on the construction of the Royal Canal 1854 - Birth of Sir Horace Plunkett, agricultural reformer and politician 1880 - Fanny Parnell launches the Ladies' Land League in New York. Known as the Patriot Poet, Fanny Parnell is the leading spokeswoman throughout the United States for the organization 1942 - Birth of Frank Delaney, writer and broadcaster, in Tipperary town 1990 - The IRA kills 6 soldiers and a civilian in bomb attacks at Derry and Newry 1998 - New British proposals for a European defence force which could undermine Irish neutrality are outlined at a key summit of EU heads of government in Austria 1999 - The first state funeral ever held in Co. Cork takes place for former taoiseach Jack Lynch at St Mary and Anne’s Cathedral in Cork 1999 - Westlife become the first boy band to score number ones with their first three singles; and, as their song Flying Without Wings hits the top, they beome only the third act ever to see all of their first three releases go straight into the charts at number one 2000 - Hallowe'en firework displays are dampened after gardaí seize rockets and bangers worth close to £1 million in a warehouse north of Omeath, Co. Louth 2002 - President Mary McAleese is named the Irish Tatler Woman of the Year. Northern Ireland Woman of the Year is awarded to blind world water-skier champion Janet Gray 2003 - A smoking ban in all enclosed workplaces except private dwellings is signed into law. Prisons will be excluded to prevent security and conduct problems. The law will go into effect on January 26, 2004. Hoteliers and publicans consider legal action.
October 25 1212 - John Comyn, Archbishop of Dublin, dies and is buried in Christ Church Cathedral 1784 - A radical reform congress commences in William Street, Dublin 1818 - Birth of opera singer Catherine Hayes in Limerick 1899 - Birth of Micheál Mac Liammóir, actor and writer 1909 - The Engineering and Scientific Association of Ireland assures the population that flying machines will never be of any practical use 1920 - Terence MacSwiney, the Mayor of Cork, dies in a London prison after 73 days on hunger strike. His last words to a priest by his side were, "I want you to bear witness that I die as a soldier of the Irish Republic." 1922 - The Dáil approves the Constitution of the Irish Free State 1960 - Death of Harry George Ferguson, environmental pioneer, aircraft designer, inventor of the Ferguson tractor and revolutioniser of mechanised farming. He was from Dromore, Co. Down 1985 - First commercial flight from Knock Airport (Horan International Airport) in Co. Mayo 1999 - Inter-party talks resume at Stormont as the Northern Ireland peace process enters its final and most crucial phase 2000 - The Provisional IRA throws beleaguered Ulster Unionist Party leader David Trimble a lifeline after it agrees to allow a number of its arms dumps to be re-examined by international inspectors 2002 - Limerick-born movie star, Richard Harris, loses his battle to cancer.
October 26 1601 - A Spanish army under Don Juan del Aguila, which had landed at Kinsale on 21 September, is besieged by Lord Mountjoy on this date 1771 - John (Juan) MacKenna, who would rise to fame in South America, was born in Clogher, Co. Tyrone 1791 - Founding of the United Irishmen movement 1831 - Birth of painter Nathaniel Hone in Dublin 1837 - James Lawlor Kiernan, Union general in America's Civil War, was born in Mount Bellew, County Galway 1932 - Margaret "The Unsinkable Molly" Brown, daughter of Irish immigrants, dies in New York 1943 - Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge, the coordinating body for Irish-language organizations, is formed 1997 - The country's first women soldiers hold their passing out parade 1998 - A price war rages over the video of Oscar-winning Titanic, which is set to become Ireland's biggest selling video of all time. 1999 - A major opinion poll reveals that a majority of people in Northern Ireland would vote ‘yes’ in a new referendum on the Good Friday Agreement 1999 - A line of tractors backs up for miles as a cavalcade of farmers make their way to the annual Great Maam Cross Fair - the last great fair of the millennium 2000 - The new Manchester United Superstore is officially opened in Dublin 2000 - The country’s 350,000 secondary school students are asked by the Department of Defence to propose a name for a new £20m naval patrol boat.
October 27 1651 - Surrender of Limerick 1673 - A proclamation declares the banishment of Catholic bishops and priest and the closure of religious houses and schools under Charles II's reign 1878 - Between October 24 and this date, Fenians propose a 'New Departure': an alliance with the Parnellites 1905 - Birth in Dublin of Bryan Guinness, 2nd Lord Moyne; brewer and writer 1980 - Beginning of the Hunger Strike by seven Republican prisoners in the 'H' Blocks at Long Kesh. They are later joined by three female prisoners at Armagh Prison 1998 - 200 delegates of the 24,000-strong INO (nurse's union) vote unanimously to reactivate industrial action if their claims are not met 1999 - Fifty bar workers are to sue their bosses in the first smoking related personal injury claim in the history of the State 1999 - NUI Galway marks its 150th anniversary 2000 -The IRA says that the re-examination of a number of its arms dumps by the international inspectors has already taken place 2002 - Severe storm batters Ireland causing power cuts and interruptions in road, rail, air and sea transport services 2002 - After comments by British prime minister Tony Blair that the continued existence of the IRA is an obstacle to rescuing the peace process, Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams says the IRA is never going to disband in response to ultimatums.
Members interested in running for office and submitting their name on the November ballot should review the following roles and responsibilities. Terms are for two years.
The term of office is only 2 years.
PRESIDENT
Preside at all meetings.
Appoint committees for the good and welfare of the Order.
Plan meetings and activities.
Hold the Officers responsible for the activities entrusted to them.
Sign all official documents and papers of the Div.
VICE-PRESIDENT
Shall have the same powers and perform all the duties of the President in his absence.
Be responsible for promoting the Degree work of the Division.
RECORDING SECRETARY
Notify members of all meetings.
Keep accurate minutes of meetings.
Keep accurate membership roster.
Countersign all lawful orders of the Division.
Notify applicants of their election & members of their suspension.
Make detail reports on all facts of the Division to the State & National Boards.
Carry out all duties as directed by the bylaws and as directed by the Division he serves.
FINANCIAL SECRETARY
Keep accurate records of membership, showing date proposed, date initiated and dates members received their Major Degrees.
Collect all dues, fees, assessments and fines and keep an accurate record thereof.
Pay the Treasurer all money collected at the close of each meeting.
Keep attendance record of all meetings.
Make annual financial report.
Notify visiting committee of sick members.
TREASURER
Be the custodian of all funds, bonds, securities and instruments held in the name of the Ancient Order of Hibernians in America, and deposit same for safe keeping in a bank or savings institution.
Keep an accurate record of all monies received and disbursed.
Keep vouchers of all disbursements.
Present a financial report to the Division at all meetings.
CHAIRMAN OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE/ GRIEVANCE OFFICER
Be in charge of the Grievance Committee that tries all charges filed in writing against another member.
Act as Chairman of the Arbitration Board to settle and adjust all disputes and grievances arising in the Division.
Perform other duties as assigned by the Division President.
Could act as membership chair. All new, reinstated or transfer memberships should be processed through this office.
MARSHAL
Set up the meeting room for all Division meetings.
Assists the President in ascertaining that all members attending the meeting are members in good standing.
Assists the President during initiation of candidates and interrogates the candidates according to the ritual.
Escorts visiting dignitaries to a place of honor in the hall.
Assists the President in miscellaneous activities.
SENTINEL
Acts as doorkeeper during meetings.
Ascertains that all members are in good standing as they seek entrance to the meeting.
Assists the Marshal during the Order of the Shamrock Degree.
The Balmoral School of Piping and Drumming will be hosting the Balmoral Classic starting Friday, November 9 with a reception at the Pittsburgh Athletic Association from 7 p.m. - 11 p.m. On Saturday, November 10, the event continues at 9 a.m. with the U.S.A Invitational Junior Solo Piping Championship at the Mellon Institute Auditorium. An evening concert will be held at 7:30 p.m. at the Carnegie Music Hall featuring the St. Laurence O'Toole Pipe Band and will be followed by a post-concert reception. The event will end on Sunday, November 11, with a Remembrance Day Parade beginning at 10 a.m. in downtown Pittsburgh. Admission is $35 for both Friday and Saturday or $20 for each day. Tickets can be purchased through ProArts Tickets at 412.391.2060x223. For more information please contact George at 412.323.2707.
Thanks to George Bado for these great pictures of the stained glass windows at Old St. Luke's Church in Carnegie, PA donated by the old AOH Division 3 many, many years ago.
October 14 1693 - The Earl of Tyrone dies and apparently appears promptly to Lady Nicola Hamilton, the widow of Tristram Beresford MP; he makes a number of predictions that turn out to be correct; one of them was that she would die on her 47th birthday See our article A Triple Treat for Halloween 1702 - Irish Brigade of France fights in the battle of Friedlingen 1767 - George Townshend, 4th Viscount Townshend, becomes Lord Lieutenant of Ireland 1783 - Edmond Sexton Pery is unanimously re-elected as Speaker of the Irish parliament 1791 - Wolfe Tone visits Belfast for the first time; the Society of United Irishmen is founded there on this date by Tone, Henry Joy McCracken, Thomas Russell and Samuel Neilson 1814 - Birth of author and patriot, Thomas Osborne Davis in Mallow, Co. Cork 1880 - Nationalist and Gaelic League activist, Mary Ellen Spring-Rice is born 1882 - Eamon de Valera, nationalist campaigner, Fianna Fáil leader, Taoiseach and president of Ireland, is born in Brooklyn, New York of a Spanish father and an Irish mother 1920 - Tipperary IRA man, Sean Treacy, is killed in a gun battle in Talbot Street, Dublin 1932 - Between October 4 and this date, strikes, marches and protests are held in Belfast against low unemployment payments, temporarily uniting Catholic and Protestant unemployed; payments are raised 1998 - A 15th century painting of Pietro de Francesco Degli Orioli which is part of the Murnaghan collection goes up for auction in Dublin 1999 - More than 1,000 mourners gather in Belfast for the funeral of Patrick Campbell, a hard line republican paramilitary who was murdered in a drugs dispute 2000 - David Guiney, well known Irish sporting personality and journalist, dies in Dublin. Mr Guiney won an AAA title for the Shot Putt in 1948 and went on to compete for Ireland in the Olympic Games in London that year 2001 - The first multiple State funeral is held in honour of 10 IRA Volunteers, including Kevin Barry, who were executed for their role in the War of Independence. More than 80 years after they were buried in the grounds of Mountjoy Prison, the bodies of the 10 men were exhumed and reinterred in a special new plot at Glasnevin Cemetery. The ten men were Kevin Barry, Thomas Bryan, Patrick Doyle, Frank Flood, Patrick Moran, Thomas Whelan, Bernard Ryan, Thomas Traynor, Edmond Foley and Patrick Maher.
October 15 1582 - Pope Gregory reforms the calendar introduced by Julius Caesar in 45BCE: 4 October is followed by 15 October. However, the reform will not be implemented in Britain and Ireland till 1752 1690 - After taking Cork on 28 September, Marlbourough takes Kinsale for the Williamites, who now control Munster 1763 - Birth of United Irish leader, Lord Edward Fitzgerald at Carton House in Co. Kildare 1842 - First issue of "The Nation" published 1949 - Death of Eoin MacNeill, Irish historian and founder of the Irish Volunteers 1964 - UK general election; unionists win all 12 Northern Ireland seats; Harold Wilson forms a Labour government 1980 - Ronnie Bunting, Protestant Irish nationalist, is assassinated 1995 - Seamus Heaney wins the Nobel Peace Prize 1999 - The music world mourns the death in Co. Kildare of Derry-born tenor Josef Locke 2001 - Palestinian President Yasser Arafat asks Ireland to use its influence on the UN Security Council to help resume peace talks in the Middle East 2002 - Following the suspension of the Northern Ireland Government and Assembly, London resumes direct rule of Northern Ireland 2002 - The hero of the Polish Solidarity movement, Lech Walesa, makes an impassioned plea to the Irish people to vote Yes to Nice.
October 16 1678 - Proclamations against Catholic clergy and schools in Ireland are issued 1827 - Cavan-born Thomas Baron von Brady, general in the Austrian army, dies in Vienna 1854 - Oscar Wilde, playwright, novelist and essayist is born in Dublin 1890 - Michael Collins is born in Clonakilty, Co. Cork 1961 - RTÉ reports on the closure of the West Clare Railway Photo: From the County Clare Library 1961 - Opening of Cork Airport 1981 - Ben Dunne, joint managing director of Dunnes Stores, is kidnapped by the IRA 1998 - Taoiseach Bertie Ahern leads the applause for Nobel Peace Prize winners John Hume and David Trimble, describing it as a deserved tribute to two of the principal architects of the Good Friday Agreement.
October 17 1171 - Henry II, fearful that Strongbow will grow too powerful in Ireland, lands at Waterford with an army. The Normans, Norse and Irish all submit to him, except for the most remote Irish kings 1738 - In a duel at Mullingar, Arthur Rochfort, MP for Co. Westmeath, shoots Dillon Pollard Hampson in the stomach. Hampson, a former Junior Grand Warden of the Grand Lodge of Irish Freemasons, recovers 1803 - Birth of Young Irelander, William Smith O'Brien in Dromoland, Co. Clare 1882 - The Irish Nationalist League is founded 1886 - John Dillon announces "Plan of Campaign" for Irish tenants against unfair rents 2000 - Ireland becomes the 30th country to pick up the TV show, "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" 2002 - Chieftains’ harpist Derek Bell dies unexpectedly during a recovery period from minor surgery in the United States.
October 18 1718 - Birth in Dublin of actress, Peg Woffington 1791 - First public meeting of the Society of United Irishmen in Belfast 1881 - A “no rents manifesto” is issued by the Land League under the guidance of Parnell 1900 - Sarah Makem, Irish traditional singer, is born 1970 - Máirtin Ó Cadhain, Irish language writer and author of Cré na Cille, dies 2000 - More than 20,000 passengers are stranded as Aer Lingus grounds planes in the worst strike to hit the airline in 20 years 2001 - The five-star Aghadoe Heights Hotel in Killarney named AA Hotel of the Year.
October 19 1610 - Birth of James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormond; royalist soldier; and three times Lord Lieutenant of Ireland 1680 - Birth of John Aberneth, dissenting clergyman, near Moneymore, Co. Tyrone 1745 - Jonathan Swift dies 1751 - Birth in Dublin of Charles Edward Kilmaine who was a general in the French army 1913 - Irish historian, novelist and poet, Emily Lawless dies 1955 - Archbishop McQuaid calls for an international football match against Yugoslavia in Dublin to be cancelled, but it goes ahead in front of a capacity crowd 1989 - After serving 15 years in prison, the "Guildford Four" - Gerard Conlon, Patrick Armstrong, Carole Richardson and Paul Hill* are released in what is considered to be one of the biggest-ever miscarriages of justice in Britain *Paul Hill is taken to a Belfast prison where he was serving time for murder; he was also expected to be released 1991 - Seán Kelly wins the Tour of Lombardy 1998 - Discussions between British Prime Minister Tony Blair, David Trimble and Martin McGuinness fail to break the deadlock on the surrender of arms 1998 - Justice Minister John O'Donoghue imposes tough new visa rules to curb the arrival of Slovakian gypsies, following an influx of 1,600 in search of asylum in Britain in just two months 1998 - Agriculture Minister Joe Walsh admits that the Irish beef crisis, which has seen prices collapse to a 25-year-low, could deteriorate even further 1999 - On the first day of their historic industrial action, thousands of striking nurses take to the picket lines 2000 - The Dalai Lama meets with fellow Nobel peace laureate John Hume MP at the Ulster Hall, Belfast. The Buddhist spiritual leader is in Belfast for three days at the invitation of the World Community for World Peace. Photo Credit: Martin McCullough 2000 - A fourth man is arrested in connection with the Omagh bombing 2001 - Taoiseach Bertie Ahern becomes the latest target of the anthrax scare sweeping the country after a letter containing an unidentifiable white powder is sent to Government Buildings in Dublin 2001 - The dying wish of IRA volunteer Patrick Maher is fulfilled when his remains are brought from Sarsfield Barracks to his native Co Limerick for burial tomorrow with full military honours. Mr Maher, 32, was executed after his alleged part in the rescue of IRA man Seán Hogan from a heavily guarded train in Knocklong in May 1919, which resulted in the death of RIC man Peter Wallace. Mr Maher had always protested his innocence.
October 20 1674 - Birth of James Logan, Colonial statesman and scholar in Lurgan, Co. Armagh 1775 - Two hundred passengers are lost in the shipwrecks of the brigs Trevor Totty and Nonpareil. Among the casualties are The Hononorable Major Francis Caulfield, MP for Charlemont, his wife and daughters; also lost is Mr French, Member for the County of Roscommon 1794 - John Gustavus Crosbie, candidate in a parliamentary by-election for Co. Kerry, takes offence at some real or supposed breach of neutrality on the part of Sir Barry Denny, the sitting MP. A duel follows on this date; at the first fire Denny is shot fatally through the head 'by the haphazard aim of a man who had never before discharged a pistol in his life' 1808 - Death of composer Michael William Balfe in Dublin. He is best known for his opera "The Bohemian Girl" 1881 - The Land League is outlawed 1892 - Birth near Castleblaney, Co. Monaghan of General Eoin O’Duffy, first commissioner of the Garda Síochána (Blue Shirts) 1933 - The Irish Free State government purchases the copyright of Peadar Kearney's "The Soldiers Song" which becomes the national anthem 1949 - Birth of Eddie Macken, showjumper, in Granard, Co. Longford 1962 - Birth of Nicholas English, Tipperary hurler, in Cullen, Co. Tipperary 1998 - Dance superstar Michael Flatley and his former manager John Reid dramatically settle their multi-million pound court wrangle 1999 - Death in Dublin of former Taoiseach, Jack Lynch 2001 - President Bill Clinton calls on all sides not to give up on the Good Friday Agreement; he also pledges to visit Northern Ireland while still in office 2002 - The Irish vote Yes to the Nice Treaty.
Thouhgt I'd bring a little more culture to this blog with these guys.
These Celtic Tenors brought down the house at the Pittsburgh Irish Festival with Remember Me - Recuerdame. Check out their web site here. They do sing traditional Irish songs too.
Here's a longer compilation of the Celtic Tenors with Dierdre Shannon - lovely. Nice opening with Danny Boy.
October 7 1731 - A complaint is made to the House of Commons 'that Mr Anthony Tenison did, in a violent and notorious manner, assault John Bourke, Esq., a Member of this House, by presenting a pistol to his breast, and threatening to shoot him, on the thirtieth of December last' 1878 - Birth of Margaret (Gretta) Cousins, Irish women's rights activist. 1910.- Premiere of Percy French’s play The Immigrant’s Letter 1919 - A cabinet committee is appointed to consider Irish self government 1935 - Birth of Thomas Kineally, Irish-Australian author of Schindler’s List which was originally called Schindler's Ark 1968 - Death of Margaret Mary Pearse, Irish language educator 1998 - The Bank of Ireland announces an unprecedented 20-year fixed rate of 6·99% within the first of a wave of interest cuts that will bring Irish rates into line with Europe for the introduction of the euro on January 1 1999 - The Corrs and The Divine Comedy emerge as Ireland’s favourite music stars winning three awards each at the Hot Press Rock Awards in Dublin. U2's "Sweetest Thing" wins for "Best Single"; Westlife picks up the prize for best Irish pop act; and Robbie Williams’s sell out concert at The Point Theatre, Dublin, wins him best live performance by an international act 1999 - Ireland moves a step closer to raising the recruitment age of the armed forces from 16 to 18 1999 - Aiming to raise awareness of world poverty, The Corrs and chartered accountants KPMG jointly launch the NetAid web site 2000 - The tenants of a Dublin inner city community refuse to leave their houses after been evicted. The tenants of 28 cottages - - almost all single mothers - block access to their homes when they go up for viewing to prospective buyers 2001 - The 46th Murphy's Cork Film Festival opens with a showing of Disco Pigs which was partly filmed in the city 2002 - Police in Northern Ireland are attacked with bottles and other missiles after a crowd of youths go on the rampage through Kilkeel, Co. Down 2002 - The peace process faces its gravest crisis with the announcement that Ian Paisley’s DUP two ministers will withdraw from the government 2002 - A man is shot and critically wounded in east Belfast in what is believed to be an escalation of a bitter feud between the Loyalist paramilitary groups, the UDA and UVF.
October 8 1822 - Birth in Dublin of Richard D'Alton Williams. He is educated at Carlow Academy and studies medicine at Saint Vincent's Hospital, Dublin. He becomes a member of the Young Ireland movement and contributes poetry to The Nation under the pseudonym 'Shamrock'. In 1848, he is tried for treason for articles he publishes in the Irish Tribune, but he is successfully defended by lawyer and fellow poet Samuel Ferguson 1949 - Edith Oenone Somerville, Irish novelist, dies in Castletownshend, Co. Cork.In her late twenties, she meets her second cousin Violet Florence Martin who writes under the pseudonym Martin Ross. They become lifelong companions and literary partners, collaborating on a series of humorous novels about the rural Irish gentry. Their most important literary achievement is their novel The Real Charlotte which is published in 1894 1959 - Birth of musician Gavin Friday 1962 - Kerrygold butter is launched on the world market 1974 - Seán MacBride, President of the International Peace Bureau, Geneva, Switzerland, and President of the Commission of Namibia, United Nations, New York, USA, is awarded a half share of the Nobel Peace Prize 1998 - Minister for Defence, Michael Smith TD strongly defends his decision to close down six army barracks after several delegates stage a walk-out at the PDFORRA conference in Ennis, Co Clare 1999 - Rosmoney Shellfish of Co. Mayo is crowned as Ireland’s Best Oyster Grower in the 1999 BIM Guinness Quality Oyster Awards 1999 - On the grounds of Belfast City Hall, a six-foot statue is dedicated to the memory of the late James Magennis. He is finally honoured in his native Belfast 54 years after he was awarded the Victoria Cross for gallantry during the Second World War 2000 - Catholic bishops begin a three-day meeting in Maynooth during which they will attempt to reach agreement on the ordination of lay people as deacons 2000 - More than 40,000 jubilant supporters turn out to welcome the victorious Co. Kerry football team and the Sam Maguire Cup back to the Kingdom 2001 - Northern Ireland's political institutions are plunged into a new crisis as Ulster Unionists begin a phased withdrawal of ministers from the power-sharing executive 2002 - Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams claims that the raid on his party’s Stormont offices last week is a plot to throw the peace process into crisis 2002 - Catholic Bishops back the Nice Treaty, stating there is a stronger case for voting in favour than against.
October 9 1651 - The Navigation Act provides that goods imported to any Commonwealth lands shall be carried in English ships only 1849 - First tenant protection society established at Callan, Co. Kilkenny. 1913 - Birth of golfer Harry "The Brad" Bradshaw near Delgany, Co. Wicklow 1968 - Champion racehorse, Arkle, is retired to see out the rest of his days in Bryanstown, Kildare 1974 - Death of poet and playwright Padraic Fallon. He was born in Athenry, Co Galway in 1905. His only collection during his lifetime, "Poems" was published a few months before his death 1978 - Birth of Nicholas Bernard James Adam Byrne in Dublin. Better known as Nicky Byrne, singer with the boyband Westlife 2000 - The Dinn Ri, Carlow Town, Co. Carlow, scoops the Black & White Pub of the Year Award for a third time 2001 - Nearly 450 jobs are lost as the economic fallout from the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the US continues to hit home. More than 1,600 workers at Waterford Crystal are also preparing for a complete shutdown next week for five days 2002 - SDLP Leader Mark Durkan urges the British and Irish Governments to do everything possible to minimise the damage to the Good Friday Agreement. Following talks in Downing Street with British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Mr Durkan acknowledges that the power-sharing government in Stormont may have to be suspended after allegations of an IRA spy ring operating within the Northern Ireland Government 2003 - The famous cranes at Belfast's Harland and Wolff shipyard, which dominate the city's skyline, are listed as historic monuments to ensure their preservation.
October 10 1084 - Patrick, Bishop of Dublin, dies in a shipwreck 1711 - The Linen Board meets for the first time 1771 - During his visit to Ireland, Benjamin Franklin attends a meeting of the House of Commons on this date 1790 - Birth in Co. Tipperary of Fr. Theobald Matthew, “The Apostle of Temperance” and campaigner against alcohol 1819 - Birth in Templemore, Co. Tipperary of Charles Stanley Monck, the first Governor General of Canada 1865 - Magee College is opened as a combined arts and Presbyterian theological college in Derry/Londonderry 1899 - Irish Transvaal Committee is formed to aid Boers against the English 1899 - Eoin O Grownley, Irish language scholar, dies 1969 - The Hunt Committee Report on Ulster police recommends abolition of the B-special troops and the creation of the Ulster Defence Regiment 1971 - Birth in Cork of Roy Keane, football player for the Cobh Ramblers, Nottingham Forest, Manchester United and the Republic of Ireland 1981 - The Fureys reach no. 14 in the British charts with When You Were Sweet Sixteen 1990 - RTÉ reports on the closure of Phoenix Park Racecourse 1998 - THE IRA and Sinn Féin embark on a series of secret talks with Protestant churchmen and community leaders in a bid to prevent the peace process and the new Northern Ireland Assembly foundering 2000 - Taooiseach Bertie Ahern and British Prime Minister, Tony Blair signal the start of a concerted attempt to rescue the faltering Northern Ireland peace process 2001 - Taoiseach Bertie Ahern joins the ranks of the publicly contrite world leaders when he finally apologises to three journalists for the tapping of their telephones in the early '80s 2002 - After 22 years at the National Museum in Dublin, an eighth-century silver chalice, silver paten and stand and a decorated bronze strainer ladle are returned to their original resting place at the monastic site of Derrynaflan, near Littleton Bog, Co Tipperary.
October 11 1649 - Massacre at Wexford when the town falls to Cromwell 1703 - John Asgill, newly elected MP for Enniscorthy, is expelled from the Irish parliament on this date on account of a pamphlet he published in Dublin in 1698, arguing that man may pass into eternal life without dying. The pamphlet is burned by the common hangman. He will spend much of the rest of his life in prison in England, for blasphemy or for matters arising from land speculation in Ireland 1741 - Birth of James Barry, painter, in Cork 1911 - Birth of writer Brian O'Nolan aka Myles na gCopaleen and perhaps better known as Flann O'Brien 1921 - Anglo-Irish negotiations open with Griffith and Collins leading the Irish delegation 1922 - The Irish Constitution for the Free State, drafted by the Thomas Cosgrove Dáil, is adopted 1974 - Adoption of the Celtic League American Branch 1999 - Hospitals begin scaling down their services after nurses vote overwhelmingly to go on strike 1999 - Taoiseach Bertie Ahern pays tribute to Mo Mowlam’s courage and understanding after it emerges that she is leaving her Northern Ireland post 2000 - In an historic move, Ireland’s Bishops vote at the autumn meeting of the Irish Bishop’s Conference in St Patrick’s College, Maynooth to seek the permission of Pope John Paul II to establish a Permanent Diaconate in Ireland. What this means is that Irish men will be ordained as deacons in the Catholic Church within the next five years and will have powers to officiate at weddings, baptisms and funerals 2002 - Eamon Dumphy announces he will quit his popular radio drive-time show “The Last Word” on Today FM 2002 - Geraldine Kennedy is appointed editor of The Irish Times and becomes the first female editor of a national daily newspaper In the liturgical calendar, today is the feast day of St. Chainnigh.
October 12 1645 - Archbishop Rinuccini arrives in Ireland 1671 - Peter Drake, soldier and memoir author, is born in Co. Meath 1798 - French fleet intercepted off Donegal. Wolfe Tone captured when the Hoche strikes its colors 1876 - Jerome Connor, sculptor, is born near Anascaul, Co. Kerry 1911 - Birth in Portrush of Fred Daly, the only Irishman to win a golf 'major' - the British Open in 1947 1938 - Birth in Co. Waterford of Brendan Bowyer, legendary singer with the Royal Showband 1945 - Emer Colleran, microbiologist and environmentalist, is born in Castlebar, Co. Mayo 1969 - Louis Gavan Duffy, Irish language educator, dies 1970 - Founding in Dublin of what is considered to be the first Celtic rock band, Horslips 1975 - Sir Oliver Plunkett is canonised 1999 - Former US Senator George Mitchell moves his make or break review of the Good Friday Agreement to London, just hours after new Secretary of State Peter Mandelson arrives in Northern Ireland to meet the North’s political leaders 2000 - Roman Catholic and Protestant Bishops are on a collision course following Archbishop Dr Desmond O’ Connell’s backing of the controversial document “Dominus Iesus” which proclaims the Catholic Church to be the one true church 2002 - Paddy's Bar, owned by Cork woman Natalia Daly, is destroyed in a series of explosions which kill more than 200 people in Bali. Most of those killed or injured are Australian tourists; the dead and injured also include Swiss, Germans, Swedes, Americans, Britons and Italians. Three Irish people are still unaccounted for.
October 13 1494 - Poynings lands at Howth and summons a parliament to Drogheda. He then campaigns in the north 1729 - William Conolly resigns as Speaker of the Irish House of Commons on grounds of ill health. Sir Ralph Gore is elected unanimously in his place 1823 - Sara Atkinson, a writer on religious and historical subjects is born 1881 - Charles Stewart Parnell and others are arrested for Land League activities 1923 - Republican prisoners in Mountjoy prison begin mass hunger strike 1928 - The Dublin Gate Theatre Company produces its first play - Ibsen's Peer Gynt - in the Peacock Theatre 1940 - Mick Doyle, rugby player and coach, is born in Castleisland, Co. Kerry 1998 - Farmers, furious over the collapse in cattle prices, stage an overnight sit-in protest at the Department of Agriculture and Food in Dublin and warn much tougher action will be taken 2000 - Provisional IRA gunmen are blamed for the murder of a leading member of the Continuity IRA, Joseph “Jo Jo” O’Connor who is shot dead in West Belfast 2002 - Three Irish tourists are among 25 people still unaccounted for following a massive bomb blast which ripped through two packed bars on the Indonesian resort island of Bali.
