Nick Maxwell

1941 The Rosslare–Fishguard ferry Patrick was sunk by the Luftwaffe a few miles off Fishguard. Twenty-three lives were lost. 1990 Captain Terence O’Neill, latterly Lord O’Neill of the Maine, prime minister of Northern Ireland (1963–9), died. 1959 Seán Lester, Antrim-born civil servant who was the last secretary-general of the League of Nations (1940–5), died. 1817 … Read more

1916 The Ulster Unionist Council agreed to accept Lloyd George’s offer of the permanent exclusion of six north-eastern counties from Home Rule. 1964 The Rivonia Trial in South Africa, which had begun the previous October, concluded. Nelson Mandela and two of his co-accused were sentenced to life imprisonment. 1972 Twelve prominent Irish businessmen were amongst the … Read more

1979 John Wayne, Hollywood actor (72), died. The son of Clyde Robert Morrison (1884–1937), a drunken drugstore proprietor, he weighed in at an amazing 13lbs at birth. Born Marion Mitchell Morrison, Wayne made over 160 films, notably in collaboration with Irish-American director Seán Aloysius O’Feeney, a.k.a. John Ford, and Dublin-born Maureen O’Hara. Wayne himself could … Read more