The French fleet had slipped past the principal Royal Navy squadron blockading Brest, but their departure had not been unobserved. Earlier in December, Captain Sir Edward Pellow’s frigate squadron and local spies had seen increased activity at Brest and anchored at Falmouth to notify the Admiralty that the French were about to take to the … Read more
The Irish in occupied France were fortunate to have an unjustly forgotten individual to look after their interests. When the official Irish legation followed the French government to Vichy, Count Gerald O’Kelly de Gallagh, from County Tipperary, was posted back to Paris as ‘special plenipotentiary’. Count O’Kelly thus defied German and Vichy French instructions for … Read more
Excerpt/translation from Kerzhentsev’s Revolutsiayannaya Irlandiya (1918): Easter Monday in Ireland — a day with an aura of reverence. Therefore, the arrival of a small group of Irish volunteers in the province did not give rise amongst individuals to any particular attention. The vigilance of the administration was weakened, even more so, [as] many responsible people were on … Read more
Patrick Joseph Ramsbottom (1891–1965)—my great-grand uncle. Edward Ramsbottom (1901–66), brother of Patrick—my great-grandfather. Eamonn Ramsbottom (b. 1937), son of Edward—my grandfather. Linda Murphy (b. 1969), née Ramsbottom, daughter of Eamonn—my mother. Adam Murphy (b. 2004), son of Linda—me!
This competition for primary and post-primary schools is sponsored by the Department of Education and Skills, Mercier Press, UCC School of History and History Ireland. There are four categories: Ireland and the First World War; revolution in Ireland; local or regional issues; and national issues. There will be prizes for the best primary and post-primary … Read more