Sir,—I was intrigued to read Richard Roche’s letter concerning AlexisStafford in the summer 1996 issue of History Ireland. During theturbulent struggle between James II and William III, Dublin city wasunder Jacobite control under the so-called ‘patriot parliament’ in1689. A Roman Catholic priest, Alexius Stafford, was ‘intruded into theDeanery by James II and seems to have … Read more
Sir,—I take exception to the gratuitously insulting cartoon by ‘doll’on page nine of the autumn 1996 issue of History Ireland. The cartoondepicts a figure pushing over a pedestal on which is inscribed ‘NaBráithre Críostaí Irish Christian Brothers, 1820-’. The figure issaying ‘Corporal punishment was bad enough, but Gaelic corporalpunishment…’ Now, as a person with a … Read more
Little did the Russians realise when they sold Alaska to the United States in 1867 for $7.2 million that it would become one of history’s greatest bargains. Even many Americans were doubtful about its worth and ridiculed William H. Seward, the Secretary of State who had pushed for its purchase, by calling the new acquisition … Read more
The neat, frail figure of Andrée Sheehy-Skeffington was the centre of attention at a meeting on 20 April to celebrate the life of her mother-in-law, the feminist Hanna Sheehy-Skeffington. The event, held at University College Dublin, marked the fiftieth anniversary of Hanna’s death. It was organised by the Women’s Education Research and Research Centre (WERRC), … Read more
The elegant eighteenth-century surroundings of Clifton Hill House provided a suitably austere setting for the Tenth Biennial Conference of Irish Historians in Britain which took place at the University of Bristol, 12-14 April on the theme Narratives of Irish History. Donnchadh Ó Corráin (UCC) set the tone with a stimulating opening contribution examining the literary … Read more