Nick Maxwell By Erik Stewart Living in an age when aggressive territorial land-grabs have once again become topical issues of the day forces one to reflect on the last time events of this nature were commonplace in Europe. Such reflections quickly lead one to the conclusion that Ireland was not as far removed from such events as … Read more
By Damian Murphy The origins of St John’s Church date back to 1290, when, according to the Liber Primus Kilkenniensis, Mass was first celebrated at the altar of the new Lady Chapel adjoining the choir of the Augustinian Priory of St John the Evangelist (1211). The Lady Chapel was renowned for the uninterrupted sequence of … Read more
By Jack Hepworth Founded a century ago, the Irish Free State was established as a dominion of the British Commonwealth under the Crown. For the predominantly unionist Protestant minority in the Free State, however, the formal separation from Britain prompted difficult political questions. What did it mean to be a ‘unionist’ or ‘loyalist’ after Ireland’s … Read more
By Fiona Fitzsimons In 1831 the Board of Public Works was established by a parliamentary act. It assumed the powers of several pre-existing bodies, combining them into one. The Board had permanent powers and a range of concerns beyond those of its English counterpart. It could set up relief projects, for example, including public work … Read more
By Billy Shortall The 1933–4 Chicago World’s Fair, also known as the Century of Progress Exposition, celebrated the development of Chicago into a modern city. The recently elected Fianna Fáil-led government decided that Ireland should be represented at the spectacle, despite civil servants’ recommendation against participation. They cited the considerable costs involved as an obstacle, … Read more