The First World War correspondence of Michael Bourke, Garvey’s Lane, Limerick. By Tadhg Moloney During the First World War, letters allowed soldiers in training or at the front to keep in touch with home. Michael Bourke of Garvey’s Lane, Limerick, wrote at least 36 letters to his sister Mary over the nine months from 2 … Read more
The prison medical service and the treatment of Thomas Ashe. By Ciara Breathnach On 7 September 1917, Gregory Ashe wrote the following letter to his son Thomas following his recent incarceration for sedition. Dear Thomas, I received your letter am sorry that you are under lock and key again however be cheerful Keep a stout … Read more
The Gallery, Farmleigh House, Phoenix Park, Dublin 8 www.phoenixpark.ie By Tony Canavan Residents of Dublin tend to take Phoenix Park for granted, never questioning its origins or why this prime piece of real estate has remained in public hands. Many would be surprised to learn that it started life as a royal deer-park for Charles … Read more
Flights of angels Would You Believe? RTÉ1, 26 November 2016 Directed by Seán Ó Mealóid By Tom Lodge Images of the world’s first televised famine were broadcast on RTÉ during 1969. An hour-long documentary, Night flight to Uli (reviewed in HI 16.5, Sept./Oct. 2008), prompted the surge of public support that sustained Joint Church Aid, … Read more
The 150th anniversary of the founding of Alexandra College, Dublin’s well-known school for girls, is being celebrated this year, and to mark the occasion the College, along with Lilliput Press, has released Pioneering Alexandrans, detailed biographical entries charting the lives and accomplishments of 77 Alexandrans, edited by Ronan Fanning. Whilst the book naturally pays tribute … Read more