Robert Owen’s visit to Ireland represented an important effort to attract government support for his ‘Village Scheme’ (see sidebar). A select committee would soon meet to investigate the prevailing distress, and Owen, hoping he might give evidence, as he had on child labour, set about familiarising himself with Ireland. From October 1822 to April 1823 … Read more
Robert Owen, having made a fortune as a mill manager in Manchester and from 1800 at New Lanark in Scotland, instituted workplace and community reforms, the basis for a wider social agenda. In 1812 he started work on his essays on A new view of society, designed to promote popular but secular education and to … Read more
Southern Greece, August 1812—The marquis of Sligo, laird of Westport House, Co. Mayo, rocked back on his heels and whistled appreciatively. Like all members of his class, he had enjoyed a classical education and was familiar with the wonders of ancient Greece. And now he stood by the legendary burial chamber of Agamemnon, the king … Read more
At around 5.30pm on Friday 17 May 1974, three car bombs exploded in the centre of Dublin. Just before 7pm another explosion took place outside a pub in Monaghan town. Thirty-three people died as a result of what was the worst single atrocity in the history of the Northern Ireland conflict. The bombings came as … Read more
The most obvious suspects were loyalist paramilitaries, aiming to destroy power-sharing. Since 1969 loyalists had bombed Dublin and several border towns. Immediately after the bombings, Sammy Smyth of the UDA professed to be ‘very happy . . . There is a war with the Free State and now we are laughing at them’. Others suggested … Read more