Irish History - February 5

This day in Irish History the following occurred:

February 5
1811 - Maurice Lenihan, journalist and historian, is born in Waterford 1820 - Death of William Drennan; physician, poet, educator and political radical, he was one of the chief architects of the Society of United Irishmen. He is also known as the first to refer in print to Ireland as "the Emerald Isle". Burial takes place in Clifton Street burial-ground in Belfast and, according to his will and with deliberate symbolism, his coffin is borne to the grave by three Catholics and three Protestants 1880 -The Irish Rugby Football Union is founded in Dublin 1960 - The Gael-Linn film Mise Éire - I am Ireland - with music by Seán Ó Reada, has its first public showing 1961 - The Sunday Telegraph begins publication 1967 - The Musicians' Union bans the Rolling Stones's Let's Spend The Night Together from Eamonn Andrews' television show 1998 - It is announced that the Ulster Democratic Party, which was suspended from the Northern talks in the wake of Ulster Freedom Fighters-orchestrated sectarian killings, will not be granted a reprieve in time for the upcoming Dublin Castle negotiations 1999 - The French arrive in force in Dublin for tomorrow's Five Nations clash at Lansdowne Road 2001 - Extra British troops are deployed in an attempt to prevent further loyalist pipe bomb attacks on Catholic homes in north Belfast 2003 - A 120-strong 12th Infantry Battalion from Sarsfield Barracks is sent to Shannon to beef up security at the airport. The troops will remain until the threat of further attacks on military planes abates 2003 - The trial of three Irishmen charged with training members of the FARC guerilla movement resumes in Bogota, Columbia. 2006 - Former Bishop of Galway Eamonn Casey returns to Ireland after 14 years in exile. The cleric fled the country after he admitted to fathering his son, Peter.

Sources: Irish Culture and Customs,
The Celtic
League, Irish