Sir,—I agree with your reviewer of Roy Foster’s The Apprentice Mage (Eve Patten, HI Summer 1997), that ‘the detail of Foster’s work is important’. As a biographer of John MacBride (Major John MacBride [Westport Historical Society 1991]), I looked forward to the publication of The Apprentice Mage. Eve Patten also writes that ‘this is a … Read more
The National Museum at Collins Barracks, Ireland’s new museum of the decorative arts and of economic, social, political and military history, was officially opened by the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands, Síle de Valera on 18 September 1997. Collins Barracks was acquired by the National Museum in 1994 and is the oldest … Read more
Sir,—In his recent letter (HI 4.4, Spring 1997) Patrick Maume correctly states that in some districts Protestant yeomanry corps continued to exist on an unofficial basis following the disbandment of the yeomanry as a body. He also says that such a body existed in the Crom Castle area of Fermanagh under the patronage of the … Read more
Sir,—I noticed a few assertions in Timothy Bowman’s article, The Irishat the Somme (HI 4.4, Winter 1996), which I believe are incorrect.Firstly, Mr Bowman mentions that there were twenty-three ‘Irish’battalions at the Somme; there were several more that I am aware of,namely: 1st and 2nd battalions/18th London Regiment (London IrishRifles), 4th Battalion Seaforth Highlanders, and … Read more
Sir,—The article ‘The Hue and Cry of Heresy’ by Philip McGuinness (HI4.4, Winter 1996), while interesting, was fundamentally flawed. Theauthor invites the reader to ‘dig deeper into the science and societyin which Newton was embedded, and one is allowed…a fascinatinginsight into the use and abuse of science by ideologues…’. As one whohas done this I … Read more