This year the town of Kinsale chose to commemorate the four-hundredth anniversary of its famous battle according to the new style system of dating. The Irish and the Spaniards fought the battle on 3 January 1602 according to the new calendar laid down by Pope Gregory XIII nineteen years previously, whereas the English fought the … Read more
Before the second half of the thirteenth century no Irish king of Connacht was able to maintain himself without the support of the leading Anglo-Norman family there, the de Burghs. The head of the family, Richard de Burgh, was decisive in the king-making process in Connacht: his choice of king usually prevailed. And so it … Read more
Sir,—It has been brought to my attention that you published thefollowing in your Autumn 1999 issue [‘Scotland and Ireland through theages’]: ‘Nevertheless the Gaels believed their time had come when aking of Irish descent, James VI of Scotland, ascended the throne ofEngland (1603)…’ [‘From the editors’, p.5]. What is the Irishconnection in the line of … Read more
Sir,—Congratulations on a truly excellent magazine for Autumn 2001dealing with Ireland’s relationship with Spain. I was, however,disappointed with the treatment of the Milesians. Your editorial statesthat there is ‘categorically…no genetic link between the Irish andSpain’. However, research by Professor David Goldstein (UniversityCollege London) has found that there is indeed a link between theCeltic peoples (or … Read more
Sir,—I must take issue with some of Adrian Smith’s points about RobertGregory (HI, Winter 2001, ‘Major Robert Gregory and the Irish Air Acesof 1917-18’). Firstly I have to differ, as do others, with his opinionof Gregory, that he ‘was never more than a moderately talented artist’.What evidence does the writer have to support this contention? … Read more