Sir,—I am writing to you, and to others involved in Irish local history and genealogy, out of sheer desperation and frustration! I am hoping that in your professional position you may, in some way, be able to raise the problem of access to Irish records with those who have the power to affect matters! If I … Read more
September 14 1911 Canon James McDyer, priest and community leader associated with Glencolmcille, Co. Donegal, born in Kilraine, Glenties, Co. Donegal. 16 1941 Sixteen Irish soldiers were killed in an explosion whilst conducting tests with anti-tank mines in the Glen of Imaal, Co. Wicklow—the worst disaster in the history of the Irish defence … Read more
Why doesn’t the Vatican City, a sovereign state, represented at the United Nations, have a football team? After all, other European micro-states—Liechtenstein, the Faroe Islands (in Ireland’s qualifying group for the 2014 World Cup), Andorra and San Marino (like the Vatican, also surrounded by Italian territory)—have international football teams. Sure, it only has a population … Read more
Sir,—Bookworm (HI 19.4, July/August 2011) states that Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh was the only president of Ireland to resign from office. Not so; Mary Robinson also resigned her office in 1997 in order to take up the post of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.—Yours etc.,DERMOT QUINNDublin 13
Sir,—I’m delighted to see some work being done on the role of navies in Irish history. You and Elaine Murphy are to be congratulated on highlighting a much-neglected topic (‘“Pirates in our channel”: the Cromwellian navy in Ireland, 1649–53’, HI 19.4, July/August 2011). Ireland is an island, but in many works on its history one … Read more