During the later middle ages the Gaelic-speaking regions of Ireland and Scotland witnessed a revival in influence. In Ireland, the decline of Anglo-Norman power in the mid-fourteenth century facilitated a partial indigenous ‘reconquest’, whilst in Scotland the Hebridean population escaped Norse rule to maintain a degree of autonomy within the kingdom of Scotland. At the forefront … Read more
Because they recorded exactly what was in front of the camera when the shutter was opened, old photographs are a particularly potent source of information about the historical past. In recent years the local history market has been flooded with an array of books based on compilations of such material. These publications have proved extremely … Read more
On 2 February 1773, four peers—Lord Townshend, the Earl of Bellamont and their seconds Lords Ancram and Ligonier—assembled in Marylebone Fields on the outskirts of London to determine an affair of honour. The dispute arose from an injury Townshend was deemed to have done Bellamont the previous year when he was Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. … Read more
1916 after 1916The 1916 Rising and its aftermath redefined the Irish nationalist movement. New parties and new names emerged and in June 1917 a provisional committee was formed to draw up a new Sinn Féin constitution. Apart from Arthur Griffith’s Sinn Féin and the IRB, the other bodies were all new: the Liberty Clubs (Volunteers), … Read more