Sir,—Ruairí Nolan’s exploration of the mystery of Thomas Francis Meagher’s death at Fort Benton, Montana, in 1867, when he was just 43 years old (HI 32.5, Sept./Oct. 2024), features a photograph of the fine equestrian statue of Meagher that stands in a place of honour outside the Montana state capitol at Helena. I paid a … Read more
BY DONAL FALLON THE IRISH COURTS PODCAST Marking the centenary of the Courts of Justice Act, 1924, a new podcast series explores landmark legal cases in Irish history, with some remarkable guests appearing. In ‘The David Norris Case’, we hear from author Colm Tóibín, former president Mary McAleese and David Norris himself. Other episodes explore … Read more
BY AODHÁN CREALEY JANUARY 06/1839 The ‘Night of the Big Wind’. With nothing on the barometer to indicate its approach, Ireland’s most devastating recorded storm hit the west coast in the afternoon and then moved eastwards, affecting the northern half of the country in particular and peaking between 2am and 5am. With winds described by … Read more
Sir Ernest Shackleton, the great polar explorer, was born in Kilkea House, Kilkea, five miles from Athy, Co. Kildare, on 15 February 1874. Coming from an Anglo-Irish background with a strong Quaker heritage, he is renowned for his courage and extraordinary leadership skills on the legendary 1914–16 Endurance expedition to the Antarctic. His first expedition … Read more
Historic fourteenth-century manuscript on public display for the first time. A remarkable fourteenth-century manuscript, the Red Book of Ossory, has returned to St Canice’s Cathedral, Kilkenny, where it was written 700 years ago. On loan from the Representative Church Body (RCB) Library, the Red Book is on public display for the first time in history … Read more