On this day in 2000, the censor lifted a ban on more than two thirds--about 400--of the books forbidden in Ireland, after an appeal by the Labour Party. Book bans in Ireland officially began in 1929, when the Censorship of Publications Board was created. Behind this censorship is the idea that art, rather than serving as an outlet for emotional catharsis and reflection, should … [Read more...] about March 15, 2000
Today In History
March 13, 2000
On this day in 2000, a massive drug bust in Holland resulted in the arrest of John Cunningham, who was one of Ireland’s most notorious career criminals. Born in Ballyfermot, Dublin, Cunningham became known in the 1980s, when he was jailed for taking part in the abduction of Jennifer Guinness. He escaped in 1996 and moved to the Netherlands. There, Cunningham built up a drug … [Read more...] about March 13, 2000
March 6, 2000
Irish journalist and radio broadcaster Jonathan Philbin Bowman was discovered dead in his Dublin home on this day in 2000. Bowman left formal education as a teenager, choosing instead to begin work as a freelance journalist; a decision he announced on RTÉ's The Late Late Show. He co-presented a Dublin radio show for two years, between 1993 to 1994, before joining the Sunday … [Read more...] about March 6, 2000
January 31, 2000
On this day in 2000, Irish American George Mitchell was nominated along with President Bill Clinton for the Nobel Peace Prize. Mitchell served as United States Special Envoy for Ireland under President Clinton. He worked diligently for peaceful negotiations in Northern Ireland. The Good Friday Agreement, signed in 1998, is largely credited to the work that Mitchell did and is … [Read more...] about January 31, 2000
December 17, 1999
The Irish government announced on this day in 1999 that the state had purchased the 550 acre site of the Battle of the Boyne for £9 million. In 1690, forces under rival claimants to the English throne, Catholic King James and Protestant King William, met at the River Boyne near Drogheda and fought. The battle was won by William, ending James's quest to regain the crown and … [Read more...] about December 17, 1999