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  • #46
    What is Ishandalawna Day

    22nd January. We have a long way to go before Isandlwana Day.
    Last edited by Groundhog; 27 February 2004, 22:22.
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    Say NO to violence against Women

    Originally posted by hedgehog
    My favourite moment was when the
    Originally posted by hedgehog
    red headed old dear got a smack on her ginger head

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    • #47
      February 27

      1881

      Battle of Majuba Hill in the First Boer War.

      At 10 PM on the 26th Feb over 500 soldiers and sailors climbed Majuba Hill in the Transvaal, reaching the the summit at 4 AM. Majuba Hill overlooked the Boer encampments and from the mountain top that morning the British were able to fire into the enemy lines. Commanding the troops was Sir George Colley who was so confident that his position was invulnerable that he refused to let his men dig in. In fact he thought the Boers were harnessing their wagons and beating a retreat. However 180 Boers under cover of fire from a thousand of their comrades attacked Majuba Hill. Apparently they were angry that the British had attacked on a Sunday and were determined to drive them off the hill. The Boers being expert marksmen decimated the red-coated soldiers and within minutes the British lines broke and fled from the summit of the hill. Colley was killed by a single shot to the head. It was a calamitous defeat for the British, losing 93 dead, 133 wounded and 58 taken prisoner. The Boers lost 1 dead and 5 wounded. Majuba Hill was the last battle of the First Boer War, the British requesting a truce within a few weeks.

      George Pomeroy Colley was born in Rathangan, Co. Kildare in 1835. He was General Wolseley's Chief of Staff in the Zulu war and succeeded him as High Commissioner in Natal and GOC.

      Among the wounded on Majuba Hill was Lt Ian Hamilton of the Gordon Highlanders who would rise to command another far worse disaster-The Gallipoli Campaign.

      Died

      1916


      14218 Pte James Crozier 9th Bn Royal Irish Rifles. Age 21 from Belfast. He was executed by firing squad.
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      Say NO to violence against Women

      Originally posted by hedgehog
      My favourite moment was when the
      Originally posted by hedgehog
      red headed old dear got a smack on her ginger head

      Comment


      • #48
        February 28

        Died

        1915

        10113 Pte Christopher Allen, 1st Bn The Leinster Regt. Killed at Ypres. From Tipperary Town.

        1917

        100619 Driver James Hickey, Royal Artillery. Died in France. From Clonmel, Co. Tipperary.

        1921

        Members of the Irish Republican Army executed by firing squad in Victoria Barracks Cork.

        Vol Sean Allen
        Vol Thomas O’Brien
        Vol Daniel O’Callaghan
        Vol John Lyons
        Vol Timothy McCarthy
        Vol P O’Mahoney
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        Say NO to violence against Women

        Originally posted by hedgehog
        My favourite moment was when the
        Originally posted by hedgehog
        red headed old dear got a smack on her ginger head

        Comment


        • #49
          February 29

          It's a Leap Year, and today is that special day that occurs once every four years. Ladies tradition dictates that today you may go out and grab the man of your dreams without being labelled "pushy".

          We have to have Leap years because it takes the Earth a bit longer than 365 days to orbit the Sun- 365 days 5 hours 48 minutes and 46 seconds to be exact or a little less than 365.25 days if you prefer.

          Thanks to the Romans (who else) New Years day is not a moveable feast. Until the great Julius Caesar became Dictator in 46 BC he decided to rejig the calendar and the man he got to do the job was an Egyptian named Sosigines who came up with the 365 day year and an extra day in February, not the 29th though, every four years to balance the seasons. The Romans had two Feb 23rds in Leap Years.

          It was Pope Gregory XIII who rejigged the calendar again because the Sosigines hadn't got it exactly right. He also invented the 29th of February and here we are today.

          Britain and Ireland adopted the Gregorian calendar in 1752. There was no September 3rd to 13th that year. Sept 2nd was followed by Sept 14th. There were cries of Give us our eleven days back from the gullible who thought their lives were now 11 days shorter than they should be etc. One effect of this change in Ireland is that the Battle of the Boyne is celebrated by Orangemen on July 12th though it was actually fought on July 1st 1690.

          Most of the above info came from Brendan McWilliams Weathereye column in the Irish Times on Sat 28th Feb. Fair play to brendan he produces an article on a weather-related topic 6 days a week.

          1840

          John Holland the inventor of the submarine was born in Liscannor Co. Clare.

          1884

          The Battle of El Teb was fought in the Sudan.
          Last edited by Groundhog; 1 March 2004, 14:20.
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          Say NO to violence against Women

          Originally posted by hedgehog
          My favourite moment was when the
          Originally posted by hedgehog
          red headed old dear got a smack on her ginger head

          Comment


          • #50
            March 1

            1815

            Napoleon Bonaparte landed in France having escaped from Elba.

            1981

            Bobby Sands began a hunger strike at the Maze Prison in Northern Ireland. He died 65 days later.

            Died

            1916

            7637 Gnr David McEniry, Royal Artillery. In Belgium. Born Clonmel, son of Dr McEniry of Ballymacarbry, Co. Waterford.

            1917

            43118 Pte James Hassey, 1st Bn Royal Dublin Fusiliers. KIA Western Front. From Waterford City.
            Leading Seaman William Nolan. Royal Navy. From Tramore, Co. Waterford.

            1941

            First Radio Officer John Greany, Merchant Navy. Aboard the SS Pacific. From Mallow, Co. Cork. His brother James was a Chaplain in the RAF and died 8th Feb 1945.
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            Say NO to violence against Women

            Originally posted by hedgehog
            My favourite moment was when the
            Originally posted by hedgehog
            red headed old dear got a smack on her ginger head

            Comment


            • #51
              Originally posted by Groundhog
              Britain and Ireland adopted the Gregorian calendar in 1752. There was no September 3rd to 13th that year. Sept 2nd was followed by Sept 14th. There were cries of Give us our eleven days back from the gullible who thought their lives were now 11 days shorter than they should be etc. One effect of this change in Ireland is that the Battle of the Boyne is celebrated by Orangemen on July 12th though it was actually fought on July 1st 1690.
              Seeing as this is the start of March, one should also note that the year used to end in March (hence the old end of tax year at the start of April), not December. March 1550 was immediately followed by April 1551. There is a detailed explanation in the money / coin section in the National Museum Collins Barracks.
              Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. Margaret Mead

              Comment


              • #52
                March 2

                Died

                1915

                9689 Pte Thomas Hope, 2nd Bn, Leinster Regiment, Son of Mrs B. Hope, of 5 Mill Road, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath. Aged 20. Executed by firing squad.

                1916

                4822 L/Cpl Richard Costigan, 2nd Bn Royal Irish Regt. In France from Carrick on Suir, Co. Tipperary.

                1917

                5130 Sgt Michael Healy. DCM, MM and Bar, AM. 2nd Bn Royal Munster Fusiliers. DOW in France. From Dungarvan, Co. Waterford. One of the most decorated Irish soldier of World War 1.
                Waterford County Museum is a voluntary museum dedicated to preserving the history of County Waterford, Ireland. Based in the town of Dungarvan, the museum is open to the public throughout the year and admission is free of charge. The museum also organises a number of lectures and educational events.
                Last edited by Groundhog; 6 March 2004, 22:13.
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                Say NO to violence against Women

                Originally posted by hedgehog
                My favourite moment was when the
                Originally posted by hedgehog
                red headed old dear got a smack on her ginger head

                Comment


                • #53
                  March 3

                  2004
                  Groundhog is married 20 years today. To the same woman too. :D

                  1847

                  Alexander Graham Bell, first to the patent office with his telephone idea, was born in Edinburgh.

                  1918

                  Russia signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk with Germany and Austria.

                  1924

                  Juno and the Paycock by Sean O’Casey, premiered in Dublin.

                  Died

                  1940

                  Captain Richard Martin, Merchant Navy. Aboard the SS Cato. Age 65 from Dublin. The Cato was sunk by a mine in the Bristol Channel.

                  1943

                  Merchant Navy aboard the SS City of Pretoria Sunk by U-172.

                  Apprentice John Garvey. Age 21 from Howth, Co. Dublin.

                  First Radio Officer Leo Long. Age 42 from Drumcondra, Dublin.

                  Able Seaman John Ennis aboard the SS Empire Mahseer. Age 29 from Arklow, Co. Wicklow. Empire Mahseer as part of convoy DN-21 was sunk by U-160 at 32.01S 30.48W.
                  sigpic
                  Say NO to violence against Women

                  Originally posted by hedgehog
                  My favourite moment was when the
                  Originally posted by hedgehog
                  red headed old dear got a smack on her ginger head

                  Comment


                  • #54
                    March 4

                    1804

                    The Castle Hill Rising or Irish Convict Rebellion took place in Australia. It began when the prisoners seized control of the New South Wales convict station at Parramatta and ended the following day when government troops of the New South Wales Corps and the settlers' Loyal Associations defeated 400 rebels at Vinegar Hill (where else) ten miles from Castle Hill. 15 rebels were killed. One of the leaders was Clonmelman Philip Cunningham who had been transported for his part in the 1798 Rebellion. This time they hung him (on March 5th) and eight others later.

                    1852

                    Lady Isabella Gregory (nee Persse) was born in Roxborough House, near Loughrea, Co. Galway. She became interested in Irish culture and folklore after the death of her husband in 1891. She learned to speak Irish at the age of 50 and founded the Abbey Theatre with W B Yeats in 1904. She wrote over 40 plays herself in addition to poems and essays. Her most famous plays included Spreading the News (1904), The Gaol Gate (1906), and The Rising of the Moon (1907). She died in 1932.

                    2001

                    The Real IRA bombed the BBC in London. One person injured.

                    Died

                    1915

                    14550 Driver Daniel McCarthy, Royal Artillery. Died in France, from Fethard, Co. Tipperary.

                    1921

                    74691 Constable Samuel Beasant. RIC. Born Wiltshire 19/3/1895. He was shot dead in a pub in Cashel, Co. Tipperary.

                    Vol Thomas Lee IRA. DOW Fethard, Co. Tipperary.
                    Last edited by Groundhog; 4 March 2004, 01:54.
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                    Say NO to violence against Women

                    Originally posted by hedgehog
                    My favourite moment was when the
                    Originally posted by hedgehog
                    red headed old dear got a smack on her ginger head

                    Comment


                    • #55
                      Another note about Lady Gregory is that Yeat's "An Irish Airman Forsees his death" is about her son who was killed while serving with the RFC.

                      Also to note is that this poem was quoted in "Memphis Belle" with the references to Ireland removed....
                      Meh.

                      Comment


                      • #56
                        March 5

                        1770

                        The Boston Massacre took place in America. Five colonists in a crowd shouting insults at British soldiers, were killed when the troops opened fire. Captain Preston and the seven men under his command were tried and Preston and five of the soldiers were acquitted of manslaughter. The two guilty men were branded on the hand. The men were defended by John Adams, future President and who’s cousin had been a leader of the mob. In their defence he said that the soldiers had been assaulted by a “motley rabble of saucy boys, Negroes and mulattoes, Irish teagues and outlandish Jack Tarres.” Nice one John. (Moderators please note quotation marks.The words are John Adams, not mine)

                        The regiment to which the troops belonged, 29th Foot- The Worcestershire Regiment- gained the nickname the Vein Openers because they were blamed for starting the American Revolutionary War.

                        1867

                        The Battle of Tallaght

                        The Battle of Tallaght occurred during the Fenian rising on 5th March 1867. Actually it was a disastrous raid on the Constabulary barracks in the village which was manned by 14 constables and a head constable under Inspector Burke.The police took up positions outside their barracks from which they commanded the roads from both Greenhills and Templeogue. The first assault of about 40 Fenians came under heavy fire from the police. They retreated dragging with them a wounded comrade who had been bayoneted by a constable .They left behind a cart of ammunition.The second attack by the Fenians was comprised of 500 men. They too were driven back by a hail of bullets from the police. Inspector Burke called on them to surrender in the name of the Queen and said that there were a large number of police with him behind the barricades. The Fenians retreated down the same road from which they approached. A third assault about midnight also failed. Finally, around a thousand Fenians opened fire on the police barricade. Before fleeing the Fenians had several men wounded in an exchange of gunfire. In 1963 a skeleton was found in a hollowed out tree near the badminton club in Terenure armed with a sword. This man must have taken refuge in the tree after one of the number of retreats during that night. He could have died from wounds or exposure since there was blizzard blowing that night.
                        Other rebellious acts about the country were equally successful.

                        1936

                        The Supermarine Spitfire made its maiden flight in Southampton England.

                        1942

                        George Plant. IRA. Executed by firing squad in Portlaois Prison for the murder of Michael Devereux near Grangemockler, Co. Tipperary. Devereux was murdered as an informer, a charge of which he was probably innocent. After the collapse of his civil trial Plant was tried by military tribunal, sentenced and executed. Sean McBride had been his defence counsel and he later proved the emergency legislation under which Plant was tried unconstitutional. Plant was a native of Fethard Co. Tipperary and, unusually for a member of the IRA, a Protestant. He was reinterred in St Johnstown graveyard near Fethard where the local republicans still hold a graveside oration on Easter Sunday.

                        1943

                        The maiden flight of the Gloster Meteor, Britain’s first jet fighter. Britain was the only allied power to have an operational jet squadron (616 Squadron) by the end of WW2.

                        1953

                        Frank Drohan died in Clonmel. He formed a branch of the Irish Volunteers in the town in 1913 and fought in the War of Independence.

                        Joseph Stalin died in Russia.

                        1957

                        Fianna Fail return to government with Dev as Taoiseach.

                        Died

                        1917

                        143369 Sapper Samuel Russell. Royal Engineers. DOW Western Front. From Waterford City.

                        1921

                        78335 Constable John Bergin RIC. Born 1891 in Tipperary Town. KIA Ennis, Co. Clare.

                        1945

                        Chief Engineer Officer Michael McCabe from Dublin, of the SS Galway Coast died in Port Said Egypt.

                        1966

                        L/Cpl Paul Maher USMC. KIA Vietnam. From Dublin.
                        Last edited by Groundhog; 11 April 2004, 18:52.
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                        Say NO to violence against Women

                        Originally posted by hedgehog
                        My favourite moment was when the
                        Originally posted by hedgehog
                        red headed old dear got a smack on her ginger head

                        Comment


                        • #57
                          March 6

                          1918

                          John Redmond MP died. He was born in 1856 in Co. Wexford, he was first elected to parliament in 1880 as MP for New Ross until 1885, North Wexford 1885-1891 and for Waterford City from 1891 until his death. Redmond supported Parnell during the IPP split in 1891 and was elected leader of the party after reunification in 1900. He led the party until 1918. He was committted to achieving Irish independence without violence and almost succeeded, Home Rule being delayed by the outbreak of the Great War in 1914. He was instrumental in the formation of the two southern Irish Divisions in the war, which led to a split in the Irish Volunteers. By the time of his death the execution of the 1916 leaders and the rise of Sinn Fein signalled the death of Home Rule and Redmond’s IPP.

                          1923

                          At Castleisland, Co Kerry six members of the Free State Army were killed when clearing a booby trapped road block. One was a Lt O'Connor.


                          1924

                          The Army Mutiny was precipitated by the delivery of a note from the Irish Republican Army Organisation to William Cosgrave. In the aftermath of the Civil War the government began to downsize the Army. This plan did not find favour with a number of officers who had, they said, supported the treaty on the understanding that it was a stepping stone to a full republic. The ultimatum, signed by Maj-Gen Liam Tobin and Col Charles Dalton, demanded an end to demobilisation and the removal of the Army Council, a reply to be delivered by March 12th. The government ordered the arrests of Tobin and Dalton, while a symapthetic Government Minister, Joe McGrath resigned in protest. Eoin O'Duffy, the Garda Commissioner was appointed Army Chief of Staff.

                          The crisis exposed the truth that the Free State, recently victorious in the Civil War, was not a happy place with tensions existing between the government and the army and emnity between individual members of the administration. The real crisis however came, not on the 12th of March but a week later when the Adjt-Gen Gearóid o' Sullivan took a unilateral decision to raid a Dublin Hotel where members of the IRAO were supposedly planning a coup d'état. Kevin O'Higgins in his capacity as Minister for Home Affairs rang Gen Richard Mulcahy, Minister for Defence and demanded the resignation of the Army Council. Mulcahy resigned as Minister for Defence and O'Higgins asserted the primacy of the civil administration over the Army.

                          1965

                          The U.S. announced that it would send 3,500 troops to Vietnam.

                          1988

                          Operation Flavius in Gibraltar led to the SAS shooting dead three members of the Provisional IRA- Mairead Farrell, Danny McCann and Sean Savage. The three were on a reconnaissance mission prior to planting a bomb.


                          Died


                          1919

                          Pierce McCan TD from Templemore Co. Tipperary in Gloucester Prison, England. The Garda Training College is in McCan Bks, in Templemore.

                          1920

                          Vol Patrick Clancy IRA. KIA Drangan, Co. Tipperary.

                          1921

                          Comdt Pat Hogan IRA. KIA Derryclooney, Cahir, Co. Tipperary

                          IRA Officers Killed in action during a raid on a 3rd Tipperary Bde meeting near Drangan, Co. Tipperary.

                          Capt D Fleming.
                          Adjt Martin Clancy.
                          Lt Patrick Hackett.

                          Denis Croke and Maurice Walsh were arrested at the same time, Croke being wounded.

                          Richard Fleming, Thomas Larkin and Patrick Hackett Civilians killed by Black and Tans in Drangan. They shouted “Up the IRA” at the wrong time.

                          57392 Sgt James Kingston, RIC. Born Clonakilty, Co. Cork 1873. KIA Cappawhite, Co. Tipperary.

                          1951

                          Pte Michael Hardiman from Co. Roscommon KIA in Korea serving with the 7th Inf Div, US Army.
                          Last edited by Groundhog; 6 March 2004, 22:29.
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                          Say NO to violence against Women

                          Originally posted by hedgehog
                          My favourite moment was when the
                          Originally posted by hedgehog
                          red headed old dear got a smack on her ginger head

                          Comment


                          • #58
                            March 7

                            1530

                            The Pope turned down Henry VIII’s application for divorce so Henry declares himself Head of the English Church, a decision we are still living with today.

                            1923

                            Eight Republican prisoners were killed when Free State soldiers tied them to a booby trapped road block at Ballysheedy, Co. Kerry. Nine prisoners, Stephen Fuller, John Daly, George Shea, Timothy Twomey, Patrick Hartnett, James Connell, John O'Connor, Patrick Buckley and James Walsh, had been taken from Tralee barracks, ostensibly to clear the road block. In reality they were killed in retaliation for the deaths of Free State soldiers the day before. Stephen Fuller survived when the soldiers detonated the mine because he was thrown clear into bushes unseen by the soldiers.


                            1936

                            Germany reoccupied the Rhineland.

                            Died

                            1918

                            4229 Pte Daniel Attridge 7th Bn Royal Irish Regt. Died France. From Waterford City.

                            1942

                            Second Radio Officer Charles Murphy. S.S. Uniwaleco, Merchant Navy. Age 23. Son of John and Alice M. Murphy, of Glenageary, Co. Dublin

                            1945

                            154062 Flight Sgt William Thornton. RAF. In Denmark. From Cashel, Co. Tipperary.

                            1962

                            Cpl John Power. Died in the Congo.
                            sigpic
                            Say NO to violence against Women

                            Originally posted by hedgehog
                            My favourite moment was when the
                            Originally posted by hedgehog
                            red headed old dear got a smack on her ginger head

                            Comment


                            • #59
                              Its actually Ballyseedy. And the Kerrymen have never forgiven the free state for it..


                              Catch-22 says they have a right to do anything we can't stop them from doing.

                              Comment


                              • #60
                                seeing as we're still in march 6th....1836 - 3,000 Mexicans beat 182 Texans at the Alamo, after 13 day fight.

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