On this day in 1879, leader of the 1916 Easter Rising and Irish revolutionary Padraig Pearse was born. He developed a love for the Irish language and at sixteen joined the Gaelic League. By the age of 23, Pearse had become the editor for the League's newspaper "An Claidheamh Soluis" ("The Sword of the Light.") In December 1913, he was sworn into the Irish Republican Brotherhood … [Read more...] about November 10, 1879
Today In History
October 31, 1879
Sara Allgood, film and stage actress, was born on this day in 1879 in Dublin. It is unclear whether her exact birth date was October 31 or October 15. Allgood was considered one of the best character actresses of her time. Her crowning achievement was when she won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her performance as Mrs. Morgan in John Ford's "How Green Was My Valley," … [Read more...] about October 31, 1879
October 2, 1879
Irish immigrant Catherine Coll arrived in New York aboard the SS Nevada on this day in 1879. Coll later met and married Juan Vivion de Valera, a Cuban settler and sculptor. The couple reportedly married on September 18, 1881 at St. Patrick's Church in Jersey City. Kate Coll would later give birth to Eamon on October 14, 1882 in New York. With Juan Vivion de Valera deceased, … [Read more...] about October 2, 1879
July 3, 1878
Famous for claiming to be born on the 4th of July, George M. Cohan was actually born on July 3, 1878 in Providence, Rhode Island. A theater legend, Cohan was born to parents of Irish Catholic descent who were travelling vaudevillians. From a young age, he and his sister appeared in several of his parents's shows and sketches and they eventually became known as "The Four … [Read more...] about July 3, 1878
December 19, 1877
Michael Davitt, Land League organizer, was released from Dartmoor Prison on this day in 1877. During the Fenian Rising, Michael Davitt became involved in the effort to provide Catholics with arms. He took part in the failed raid on Chester Castle in 1867 and then attempted to arm Catholic churches against Protestant attack in 1868. Police arrested Davitt on May 14, 1870 and he … [Read more...] about December 19, 1877