Today in History

Actor Liam Neeson was born William John Neeson on this day in 1952 in Co. Antrim. Neeson worked several jobs, such as a forklift operator for Guinness, before joining the Belfast Lyric Players' Theater. He eventually moved to work at Dublin's Abbey Theater, where he performed in many of the classics. After his role in Suspect (1987), Neeson began to star in many more films. He … [Read more...] about June 7, 1952

Phil Lynott, lead singer of Thin Lizzy, was born on August 20, 1949. Born in England to an Irish mother and Guyanese father, Lynott went to live with his grandmother in Dublin at the age of four. He joined his first band, the Black Eagles, in the early 60s. At this time, he befriended Brian Downey and in 1969 the two formed Thin Lizzy along with Eric Bell and Eric Wrixon. The … [Read more...] about August 20, 1949

Dublin's Abbey Theater was destroyed by a fire on this date in 1951. The original buildings of the theater were all lost, however the Irish government helped rehouse the company at the Queen's Theater until 1966 when the new Abbey Theater, a more contemporary theater facility, opened on the same site. … [Read more...] about July 17, 1951

The Irish Tenant Right League is established on this day in 1850. Founded by Charles Duffy and Frederick Lucas with the purpose of reforming the Irish land system, the Tenant league was able to unite both Protestant and Catholic tenants under one cause. Based in Dublin, the League focused on three objectives: fair rent, fixity of tenure, and free sale. … [Read more...] about August 9, 1850

The Ireland Act, which recognized the special relationship of Irish citizens to the U.K., is passed by parliament on this day in 1949. When passed and officially enacted on April 18 of that same year, the Ireland Act ended Ireland's status as a British dominion, therefore ending Ireland's membership to the British Commonwealth. This also had an affect on Irish citizens, who … [Read more...] about June 2, 1949