Thomas Dognan, the 2nd Earl of Limerick, member of the Irish Parliament and governor of the colony of New York, died on this day in 1715. Dognan was born to a Catholic family in County Kildare. Because of their religion, they fled to France. He served in an Irish regiment in France and achieved the rank of colonel in 1674. Due to the order that called all British subjects … [Read more...] about December 14, 1715
December 30, 1691
Robert Boyle, a famous 17th century chemist and physicist, died on this day in 1691 at the age of 64. Boyle was born in Co. Waterford to a wealthy Irish family. His father Richard Boyle was the 1st Earl of Cork and held a great deal of land. He attended Eton College in England. He visited Italy in 1641 and met and studied the work of Galileo Galilei. Today, Boyle is regarded as … [Read more...] about December 30, 1691
July 12, 1690
Protestant William of Orange and his forces defeated Catholic James II on this day in 1690 at Battle of the Boyne. William's victory rendered James II's attempt to regain the British throne unsuccessful and allowed for a continuation of Protestant ascendancy in Ireland. The battle was fought across the River Boyne near Drogheda. July 12 is also known as "The Twelfth" or "Orange … [Read more...] about July 12, 1690
June 14, 1690
King William III (of Orange) landed in Ireland to confront former King James II. Ireland was controlled by Roman Catholics loyal to James, and Franco-Irish Jacobites arrived from France with French forces in March 1689 to join the war in Ireland and contest Protestant resistance at the Siege of Derry. William sent his navy to the city in July, and his army landed in August. … [Read more...] about June 14, 1690
March 12, 1685
Philosopher George Berkeley was born in Kilkenny on this day in 1685. Berkeley's most substantial contribution to philosophy was his theory of "immaterialism," or "subjective idealism." He combined empiricism (the belief that knowledge comes only from direct sensory experience) with idealism (the belief that reality as we know it is mentally constructed) concluding that … [Read more...] about March 12, 1685