By Dennis Kennedy In this crowded decade of centenaries, are there any plans for an Independence Day? I mean a celebration of 100 years of a self-governing Irish state—the real thing, not the mythical Republic of 1916. How about 16 January, the day in 1922 when His Majesty’s lord lieutenant formally handed over Dublin Castle … Read more
Sir,—I am sorry to have to correct you, but you were inaccurate in your report of the result of the by-election in Waterford on 22 March 1918 (HI 26.3, March/April 2018, ‘On this day’). In fact, Captain W. Redmond defeated Dr V. White (Sinn Féin), not the other way around.—Yours etc., JODIE COOKE 6th Class … Read more
Sir,—May I make a brief contribution in relation to Tony Canavan’s ‘Bite-sized History’ article, with reference to the Spanish Civil War? Mr Canavan correctly states that most ‘mainstream historians’ have reached a certain consensus in this regard. May I suggest that history has demonstrated that ‘mainstream historians’ have frequently been proven wrong? One need only … Read more
Sir,—Padraig Yeates’s ‘A sheep in wolf’s clothing no match for the wise serpent’ (HI 26.2, March/April 2018) asks ‘how far was the ITUC&LP leading the [anti-conscription] campaign, and how far was it being led?’ but does not answer. Though its conclusion implies that the strike benefited the Catholic Church, the narrative reveals only the circumstantial … Read more
Sir,—In her Platform article, ‘Church archives—private or public records?’ (HI 26.2, March/April 2018), Catriona Crowe argues for the opening of archives under the control of religious congregations. In some ways it is strange that religious orders are reluctant to reveal to the public first-hand evidence of the enormous contribution they have made to life on … Read more