Nick Maxwell Irish history, as recent public controversies about republican violence during the War of Independence have made clear, remains an ideological minefield. Against this background, making a film about one of the most controversial republicans of the last century, Frank Ryan, presents obvious challenges. Before the first scene of The enigma of Frank Ryan had been … Read more
July 17 1935 George William Russell, poet, editor, artist and mystic, known as ‘AE’, died. 18 1610 Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, belligerent Italian painter best remembered for the uncompromising realism of his religious works, died in mysterious circumstances. 21 1920 In Belfast, ‘Protestant and unionist’ workers from Workman Clark’s shipyard marched into … Read more
n Roll up! Roll up! There’s one for everybody! The next decade or so has a virtual conveyor belt of centenaries coming—1912, Home Rule and the Ulster Covenant; 1913, the Dublin Lockout; 1914, the First World War; 1916, the Easter Rising and the Battle of the Somme; 1918, the end of the First World War, … Read more
Islam has become one of the fastest-growing religions and the Muslim population of Ireland has increased significantly in the last twenty years, reaching almost 33,000 according to the 2006 national census, while unofficial estimates suggest a number of around 40,000. The recent growth in numbers of the Muslim community is closely connected to the … Read more
Most of the Irish who were in India in the early phases of the British occupation went there in the military or civilian service of the London-based East India Company. Missionaries and planters followed in the nineteenth century. India was a place where vast fortunes could be made. Successful Irishmen included James Alexander and Robert … Read more