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
Today In History
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
November 25, 1963
Three days after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in Dallas, Texas, his body is laid to rest at Arlington Cemetery in Washington D.C. An estimated 800,000 people lined the streets for the funeral procession, as it made its way to St. Matthew's Cathedral. Kennedy's coffin was followed by his family, widow Jacqueline Kennedy, children John Jr. and Caroline Kennedy, … [Read more...] about November 25, 1963
November 23, 1963
This day in 1963 marked the first day of Lyndon B. Johnson's presidency. On November 22, just two hours after the assassination in Dallas of President John F. Kennedy, former vice president Johnson took the oath of office. Witnesses to the swearing-in included his wife and new first lady, Claudia Johnson and the widowed Jacqueline Kennedy, whose clothes were still stained with … [Read more...] about November 23, 1963