Sir,—Your readers may be interested to learn that the painting Iron and Coal by William Bell Scott, which illustrates Eoin Dillon’s article on modernity, economic crisis and international aid (HI 22.3, May/June 2014), has an Irish dimension. The painting is the last of a series of eight on the history of Northumbria commissioned by Sir … Read more
Sir,—I enjoyed Conor Nelson’s article on Erskine Childers and the Howth gunrunning and Joe Connell’s ‘Countdown to 2016’ piece on the same topic (HI 22.3, May/June 2014). However, I feel the need to clarify a couple of points in the latter. Firstly, Joe is obviously conflating the Asgard arms landing of 1914 with the failed … Read more
I’m sure I’m not the only native of Dublin intrigued by Quincey Dougan’s article (HI 22.3, May/June 2014) on Dublin unionists arming and drilling in 1914 to take on the British Army in the event of Home Rule, and to shock and overawe whatever moral force a Home Rule parliament might have been able to … Read more
Sir,—Having spent three years researching a biography of Howe Peter Browne, second marquess of Sligo, the sensational and misleading title of Turtle Bunbury’s article—‘Lord Sligo’s plunder of ancient Greece’ (HI 22.3, May/June 2014)—not surprisingly caught my eye. On a reading of the article the title sadly reflects the many other inaccuracies within. Lord Sligo’s ‘plunder … Read more
Sir,—Fergus Whelan’s interesting report of the Hutcheson Institute seminar (HI 22.3, May/June 2014) raises a number of significant issues. In the first place there is a vexed question concerning the title. The Ulster Covenant is described as being ‘In Defence of Modernity’, but what is political ‘Modernity’? Technologically, the concept is easy to understand; the … Read more