On the morning of Easter Monday, 24 April 1916, members of the Irish Citizen Army and the Irish Volunteers gathered at Liberty Hall. Though these were separate organisations, James Connolly, the leader of the Citizen Army, had come to an agreement with the military council of the IRB to mount a rebellion jointly with the … Read more
Japan has always been seen as an inscrutable nation. More so than the Chinese, Vietnamese or Korean people, the Japanese have maintained a reputation for being insular, self-contained and private. This inscrutability is visible in their language, culture and mannerisms, but it was never as clear as during the period of Sakoku (‘chained country’). Sakoku … Read more
Dejima, a small artificial island, was created in 1634 by Shogun Iemitsu solely to house foreign traders, sailors and physicians. It also prevented the Portuguese from spreading Christianity, which had become a concern after the Shimabara rebellion in 1637. Travel between the island and the mainland was strictly forbidden, except with special permission. Occasionally scholars … Read more
In the mid-nineteenth century, shows featuring people with unusual physical attributes or abilities peaked in terms of commercial success. Favourite exhibitions included mermaids, Siamese twins, bearded ladies, giants and dwarves. One of the most popular was ‘General Tom Thumb’, so named because of his diminutive stature. Managed by the flamboyant Phineas Taylor Barnum, he achieved … Read more
In 1883 Tom Thumb died of a stroke. He was aged 45. His friend Barnum commissioned a life-sized statue to be placed above his grave in Connecticut. Tom Thumb’s passing was noted with sadness in Ireland, the Freeman’s Journal averring that ‘he was the most notable dwarf of the century’. Lavinia lived until 1919. Although … Read more