The Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) declared war on the IRA, issuing the following statement: “From this day, we declare war against the Irish Republican Army and its splinter groups. Known IRA men will be executed mercilessly and without hesitation. Less extreme measures will be taken against anyone sheltering or helping them, but if they persist in giving them aid, then more … [Read more...] about May 21, 1966
April 1, 1966
Brian O'Nolan, who under the pseudonym Flann O'Brien wrote At Swim Two Birds, died in Dublin on this day in 1966. A civil servant by profession, O'Nolan was widely known throughout Dublin as a character and satirist. Writing as O'Brien, he published The Third Policeman, The Dalkey Archive and At Swim Two Birds, which, though not as widely appreciated in O'Nolan's day, has come … [Read more...] about April 1, 1966
September 18, 1964
On this day in 1964, Irish playwright Sean O'Casey died from a heart attack at the age of 84 in London. Born in Dublin on March 30, O'Casey first developed an interest in playwriting when he and his brother would put on Shakespeare plays for their family. He joined the Gaelic League in 1906 and became very involved with nationalism politics, leading him to Gaelicize his birth … [Read more...] about September 18, 1964
March 20, 1964
Brendan Behan, the Irish poet, short story writer, novelist, and playwright, died at just 41 years old on this day in 1964. Born into an educated working class family in Dublin, Behan left school at 13 to follow in his father's footsteps as a house painter, and at 16 joined the IRA. He was sentenced to 14 years in prison after he attempted to murder two detectives of the Garda … [Read more...] about March 20, 1964
February 21, 1964
Twin astronauts and U.S. Navy captains Mark and Scott Kelly were born on this day in 1964 to Richard and Patricia Kelly, Irish-American police officers in Orange, New Jersey. To keep the twins on equal footing, their parents refused to tell them which one was older until they were 16. Mark is older by six minutes. Scott has spent 180 days, 1 hour and 51 minutes in outer space, … [Read more...] about February 21, 1964