Nick Maxwell

By Pat Poland In the early hours of the morning of 1 September 1939, the German pocket-battleship Schleswig-Holstein quietly entered the mouth of the River Vistula near the city of Danzig (present-day Gdansk in Poland), ostensibly on a friendly visit. The unsuspecting Polish garrison on the island of Westerplatte allowed the battleship to sail deep … Read more

By Emma Quinn A March 1931 article in the Irish Examiner announced that a ‘solemn decree protesting against “so-called sexual education of youth” had been issued’ by the Vatican. The same year, the Carrigan Committee submitted its final report on sexual behaviour in the Irish Free State; this provided a plan for legislative reform to … Read more

By Arthur Matthews Kevin O’Higgins, the Free State minister for justice and vice-president of the Executive, died a violent death on 10 July 1927. On his way to Mass on a sunny Sunday morning, he set off on the short walk along Cross Avenue, Booterstown. Unluckily for O’Higgins, three IRA gunmen, Timothy Coughlan, Archie Doyle … Read more

By Ruadhán MacFadden Wrestling was once a common feature of life and society in Ireland. Throughout the medieval period we see frequent literary references suggesting that it was considered a ‘must-have’ skill for any martially inclined man of the time. A young Cúchulainn quickly demonstrates his potential by effortlessly throwing ‘fifty kings’ sons’ to the … Read more

By Ruairí Nolan On a crisp, cool evening in early July 1867 the steamboat G.A. Thompson chugged its way down the Missouri River, Montana, towards Camp Cooke. As a lone sentry patrolled the upper decks, he spotted from the corner of his eye a man hastily making for the rear of the boat, dressed in … Read more