Arthur Guinness, founder of the famous Guinness Brewery, died on January 23rd, 1803 at age 77. The exact date and place of Guinness' birth are unknown, but it has been established that he was born in either 1724 or early 1725, in Co. Kildare. In 1752, at age 27, Guinness was left 100 pounds in the will of Arthur Price, Church of Ireland Archbishop of Cashel. He invested it, and … [Read more...] about January 23, 1803
July 2, 1800
The Acts of Union are passed in the English parliament on this day in 1800, in an effort to unite the Kingdom of Ireland and the Kingdom of Great Britain under the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Drawn up in response to the Irish Rebellion of 1798 and the French Revolution of 1789, England felt the acts were necessary ways to subdue a Catholic Emancipation. Both … [Read more...] about July 2, 1800
June 22, 1866
Archbishop Paul Cullen of Dublin becomes the first Irish cardinal on this day in 1866. Born in Co. Kildare, Cullen went on to study at the Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith. Cullen was appointed rector of Irish College and helped secure the college's future. While rector from 1832-1850, he forged a close friendship with Pope Gregory XVI and Pope Pius IX and … [Read more...] about June 22, 1866
June 21, 1798
After the start of the Irish Rebellion of 1798 on May 24, the United Irishmen were defeated by British forces on this day in 1798. Historically known as the Battle of Vinegar Hill, almost 1,000 rebels lost their lives in this battle, which marked a turning point and eventual loss in the Rebellion of 1798. … [Read more...] about June 21, 1798
May 22, 1798
The Irish Rebellion of 1798, led by the United Irishmen began in May and lasted until June 21 when General Lake took Vinegar Hill and pushed on through into the town of Wexford. The leaders of the rebellion, including Father John Murphy were executed by British soldiers after first being tortured. Murphy was stripped, flogged, and hanged. His decapitated head was placed on a … [Read more...] about May 22, 1798