Sir,—Professor Morgan Kelly—famous as the man who predicted the banking collapse and was brushed aside for his pains—recently suggested that the reason for the downward slide in the international ratings of both UCD and TCD was grade inflation, as it is called: more simply expressed as ‘the failure to fail’. But there may also be … Read more
Sir,—In 1889, approximately 1,772 emigrants from Ireland (including members of my family) embarked on the SS Dresden in Cobh, Co. Cork, for Buenos Aires. Since then there has been very little research done to recover the memory of their migratory experience within Argentina. We know from anecdotal evidence that several families re-emigrated to the USA … Read more
Sir,—Congratulations on your special issue ‘Ireland & WWI’ (HI 22.4, July/ Aug. 2014), which made very interesting reading. Allow me to add some additional information. One gets the impression from reading Edward Madigan’s article on the Cross of Sacrifice, erected recently at Glasnevin Cemetery, that Company Sergeant-Major Martin Doyle was serving with the Royal Dublin … Read more
Sir,—I feel that I must respond to Dr Timothy Bowman’s comments in his review of my biography of Brigadier General F. P. Crozier, Broken Sword (HI 22.4, July/Aug. 2014). He describes me as a ‘popular’ historian, a term often used by academics to describe those who work in the same field but lack Ph.Ds. I … Read more
Sir,—As we are now in the zone of commemorations of the First World War, one aspect of Ireland’s involvement tends to be forgotten. Ireland was in the front line in one of the most critical engagements of that war. I refer to the submarine campaign waged against British (and Irish) supply lines. The situation became … Read more