Nick Maxwell 1980 General Tom Barry (83), leader of the West Cork flying column responsible for the ambushes at Kilmichael (Nov. ’20) and Crossbarry (March ’21), and author notably of Guerrilla days in Ireland (1949), died. 1850 Sir Robert Peel (62), founder of the Conservative Party and British prime minister, died. In nationalist Ireland Peel would perhaps … Read more
1931 Willie Millar, actor, born in Glengormley in north Belfast, one of nine children of a poor Presbyterian family. Back in 1959 the must-see movie was the William Wyler-directed adaptation of the Lew Wallace bestseller Ben-Hur (1880), or Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ, to give it its full title, a 212-minute—that’s 3 hours and … Read more
Sir,—With reference to Bruce Kelley’s fine article on Isaac Butt (HI 28.3, May/June 2020), may we add a footnote? Every schoolboy/girl knows about Isaac Butt and Home Rule, and probably about Butt’s notorious inability to get on top of his personal finances. However, what is little known, and rarely referenced, is Butt’s contribution to the … Read more
Sir,—Your editorial on Aodh mac Conchobhuir Mhic Aodhagáin was indeed most interesting. He was one of the subjects discussed in a marvellous two-day conference held in May 2019 in Trinity College, Dublin, entitled Tales, Anecdotes and Marginalia from Irish Literature, and organised by the Department of Irish and Celtic Languages under Damian McManus and his … Read more
BY AODHÁN CREALEY JULY 04/1931 Willie Millar, actor, born in Glengormley in north Belfast, one of nine children of a poor Presbyterian family. Back in 1959 the must-see movie was the William Wyler-directed adaptation of the Lew Wallace bestseller Ben-Hur (1880), or Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ, to give it its full title, a … Read more