In 1771 a ‘Signor Pastorini’ (actually the English bishop Charles Walmesley) asked: ‘How long, O Lord, do you defer judging our cause, you who are holy and must detest the cruelties exercised upon us; you, who are true and have told us, you will revenge the injuries done to your servants?’ He also declared that … Read more
The 31st International Eucharistic Congress, held in Dublin in 1932, is one of the most remarkable public events to have taken place in Ireland in the twentieth century. It generated a level of enthusiasm among Irish people that has few real parallels. With extremely favourable weather conditions prevailing in the run-up to and during the … Read more
The Gosselin–Balfour papers show that by December 1887 a member of the Irish Party was employed by British intelligence to report on its internal difficulties, many of which were financial. For example, in June 1888 Gosselin’s agent reported that Sir T. G. Esmonde, a Catholic member of the landed gentry and Irish Party MP, had … Read more
In 1934 the National Athletic and Cycling Association suggested hosting a women’s 100 yards sprint as part of their national championships. The response to this innovation reveals a lot about the position of women in Irish society at that time. Discussion frequently centred on the attire to be worn by sportswomen. Given the restrictions on … Read more
On the night of 21 January 1981 the IRA broke into Tynan Abbey, south Armagh, and killed Sir Norman Stronge, eighth baronet, and his only son, James, before setting the 231-year-old mansion alight. Stronge, 86 at his death, had once been the Stormont MP for mid-Armagh (1938–69), fulfilling the duties of Speaker of the House … Read more