On this day, Eamon de Valera abolished the Oath of Allegiance, a provisional aspect in the Anglo-Irish treaty of 1921. This provisional aspect originally required all members of the Irish parliament to take an oath declaring their allegiance to the King. This date also marked when de Valera withheld land annuities from England. … [Read more...] about June 30, 1932
Today In History
May 20, 1932
Amelia Earhart became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic. She set off from Harbor Grace, Newfoundland, Canada, at 7 p.m.. She intended to fly to Paris but met with strong windy conditions and landed in a field in Culmore, near Derry, completing a 2,026-mile flight in just under 15 hours. The site is now home to the Amelia Earhart Museum. She held many flying … [Read more...] about May 20, 1932
February 16, 1932
On this day in 1932, the 7th Irish general election was held. The Fianna Fail party defeated the Cumann na nGaedheal party, winning 72 seats, while Cumann na nGaedheal won 57 seats. This allowed Eamon de Valera to succeed W.T. Cosgrave as President of the Executive Council. This election and the transition of power marked what many believed was Ireland's first true test of … [Read more...] about February 16, 1932
December 15, 1930
Edna O'Brien, Irish novelist and short story writer, was born on this day in County Clare in 1930. Born to strictly religious parents, O'Brien described her childhood as suffocating. She was educated from 1941 to 1946 by the Sisters of Mercy. She then went on to receive a license in pharmacy in 1950. O'Brien turned to writing and published "The County Girls" in 1960. It was the … [Read more...] about December 15, 1930
October 1, 1930
On this day in 1930, Richard Harris, famous for his portrayal of King Arthur in 1967's Camelot and Albus Dumbledore in the first two Harry Potter films, was born in Limerick, Ireland. Harris attended the Jesuit Crescent College. He had a promising career as a rugby player but fell ill with tuberculosis. He hoped to become a director and directed his first production, Odet's … [Read more...] about October 1, 1930