‘I do not hesitate to say that a more impudent claim was never successfully foisted on the authorities and the public.’ By Conleth Manning In 1815 certain members of the Morres family, who were descended from Hervey Morres of Castlemorres, Co. Kilkenny (1625–1724), were by royal licence allowed to ‘re-assume their ancient and original surname … Read more
Dominic Behan’s ‘Come Out Ye Black and Tans’. By Michael Halpenny It’s not every historical debate that comes with its own ready-made soundtrack. This one came with the defiant beat of Dominic Behan’s ‘Come Out Ye Black and Tans’, the origin of which is often credited to his father, Stephen. Composed in the 1960s, the … Read more
By Fiona Fitzsimons Between 1697 and 1749 the Irish parliament passed a series of acts to restrict interfaith marriages. The laws were squarely aimed at the ‘political nation’—those who owned property and participated in public life. By and large, everyone else was left to their own devices when it came to a formal marriage ceremony. … Read more
During the reign of King George I, a legal onus was placed on parishes in Ireland to provide fire-fighting equipment. By Pat Poland Just over 300 years ago, on 2 November 1719, the legal obligation of providing a ‘community fire service’ was laid on the Established Church, the last non-permissive piece of fire-fighting legislation in … Read more
National eligibility and residency rules are still a divisive subject in Irish sport today. By Cian Manning The late 1970s saw the Irish squash rackets scene dominated by a Pakistani player named Mohammed Ali Somjee who harboured aspirations to represent Ireland in international tournaments. Married to a native of Drogheda, Somjee was about to realise … Read more