Thomas Ashe, member of the Gaelic League, the Irish Republican Brotherhood and one of the founders of the Irish Volunteers, died from a hunger strike on this day in 1917. Ashe, who was born in Co. Kerry, took part in the Easter Uprising of 1916 as a commander of the Fingal Battalion of the Irish Volunteers. On May 8, 1916, both Ashe and De Valera were court martialled by the … [Read more...] about September 25, 1917
Today in History
May 29, 1917
John F. Kennedy, 35th President of the United States, great grandson of Irish immigrants, was born on Tuesday, May 29, 1917, at at his family's home in Brookline, MA to Joseph P. Kennedy and Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy. He was named after his maternal grandfather John “Honeyfitz” Fitzgerald. Often ill as a child and given the last rites 5 times, the first when he was a newborn, he … [Read more...] about May 29, 1917
April 26, 1916
On this day in 1916, Irish patriot, journalist, suffragist, and vegetarian Francis Sheehy-Skeffington was murdered by British forces. Skeffington was a supporter of the Women's Social and Political Union which lobbied for women's rights in Britain, and adopted his wife, Hanna’s, surname (Sheehy) as part of his own. Hanna was a teacher and the primary breadwinner, while Francis … [Read more...] about April 26, 1916
April 24, 1916
The Easter Rising of 1916 began early in the morning of Monday, April 24 as close to 1,200 people - a combination of the Irish Volunteers and the Citizen Army - took over key points throughout Dublin, including the General Post Office (GPO), the headquarters of the uprising; the Four Courts, Dublin City Hall, St. Stephen's Green and the Jacob's Biscuit factory. Led by James … [Read more...] about April 24, 1916
February 26, 1916
On this day in 1916, comedian and actor Jackie Gleason was born in Brooklyn, NY to Mae and Herb Gleason, Irish immigrants from Farranree, Co. Cork. After a rough start, with his father abandoning the family when Gleason was 9 and his mother's death when he was 19, Gleason found early success, going from occasional MC, to comedian, to paid actor by age 24. He is best remembered … [Read more...] about February 26, 1916