By Joseph E.A. Connell Jr With the end of the First World War in November 1918, and with Sinn Féin winning a majority of Irish seats in the December general election, the British government faced its obligation under the Home Rule suspensory measure of 1914 to return to the Irish question. It became apparent that … Read more
Born in Naples, among his better-known works are illustrations of the sinking of the Titanic and of the Lusitania. Most famous of all was a wartime painting entitled ‘Goodbye, Old Man’, depicting a soldier bidding farewell to his dying horse. Matania produced the first picture of the opening of Tutankhamen’s tomb by Howard Carter in 1922. In … Read more
Cenn áit—lordship centre (lit. ‘head place’). Crannog—defended settlement constructed on a man-made island. Tír Maine—area consistent with the barony of Athlone, Co. Roscommon, plus the civil parishes of Ahascragh, Killosolan and Killian, Co. Galway. Trícha cét—unit of landholding in medieval Ireland (lit. ‘thirty hundreds’). Uí Maine—area largely consistent with the modern diocese of Clonfert. The … Read more
‘Monstrum horrendum Upon ye engine tearmed a sow made by ye rebells Dempsies alias deuills in ye vicars house within the church yard of Geshell for ye [?]undermineing of ye Castle Ryse hellish monster from that sacred den; For thy foule carcass could noe other pen, Or roome be found to make thy filthy … Read more
Daniel Davitt was, like so many of the Irish Volunteer Army, an ordinary working man. At the time of the Easter Rising he was 30 and living in the tenements of Russell Street, Dublin, with his wife, Elizabeth and two small children, Vincent and Eileen. The family were poor but proud, just about surviving on … Read more