Nick Maxwell The Irishman who took a bullet for Bolívar The uniform of Colonel William Owen Ferguson, 1800–28 Lar Joye of the National Museum of Ireland kicks off a new regular series on historical artefacts and the stories behind them. The National Museum of Ireland, Decorative Arts and History’s permanent exhibition Soldiers and Chiefs: The Irish at … Read more
Augustus (Gusty) Spence, a shipyard worker and former regular soldier in the Royal Ulster Rifles as well as an active Orangeman, has recalled accepting a lift early in 1965 to a farm near Pomeroy, Co. Tyrone. Once there, he and three others were led into a building lit by hurricane lamps. In the presence of … Read more
The UVF man incinerated in the bungled Ballyshannon attack in October 1969,Thomas McDowell, a quarry worker and father of ten, is stillcommemorated on UVF rolls of honour. As recently as 2006 one of itspublications, The Fallen and the Brave, puts his name at the head of alist of its volunteers killed in the Troubles. It … Read more
Long day’s journey into night Eugene O’Neill Gaiety Theatre, Dublin, Dublin Theatre Festival, October 2007 by Eamon O’Flaherty Garry Hynes’s production of O’Neill’s last and possibly greatest play was one of the highlights of this year’s Dublin Theatre Festival. A mixed cast of two Irish and two American actors tackled one of the most demanding … Read more
On May Eve 1858 a fierce storm blew across the west coast of Ireland. On Sunday 2 May, some boys cutting through Drumcliff graveyard, about a mile and a half outside Ennis, Co. Clare, made a shocking discovery—a grave had been excavated, and a coffin that had been buried 7ft deep had been forced open. … Read more