In the liturgical calendar, today is the feast of St. Stephen as well as Wren day in Ireland and the Isle of Man. In Ireland the day is one of nine official public holidays. 1381 - The sudden death of Edmund Mortimer at Cork leaves the colony without effective leadership and prompts a military crisis. 1776 - Battle of Trenton occurs where Continental troops under the command of John Sulllivan defeat and capture Hessian troops. For morale reasons alone this was an important victory to a revolutionary army that at the time was in low spirits. 1820 - Dion Boucicault, dramatist and actor, is born in Dublin. 1823 - John Cairnes, economist, is born in Castle Bellingham, Co. Louth. 1883 - The Harbour Grace Affray between Irish Catholics and Protestant Orangemen causes five deaths in Newfoundland. 1950 - James Stephens, writer, dies. 1961 - Birth of John Lynch, an actor born in the village of Corrinshego in Co Armagh, near Newry, Co Down. He attended St Colmans College, Newry, an all-Catholic school. Lynch has said that his family was not political but were affected by the Troubles. His mother is Italian, and he is the brother of British-based actress, Susan Lynch. 1997 - St. Stephens Day fox hunts are marked by major animal welfare protests with Gardaí forced to separate hunt supporters and animal welfare activists. 1998 - Thousands of homes and businesses in the northern half of the country are without electricity as hurricane-force gales and gusts of over 100 miles per hour send poles crashing to the ground and entangle wires in fallen trees. Galway, Mayo, Sligo and Donegal are the worst affected counties. 1998 - Former IRA Chief of Staff, Cathal Goulding, dies in a Dublin hospital. 1999 - Hundreds of people walk through the Glen of the Downs in a show of solidarity with eco warriors, despite a Government order closing off the nature reserve to the public. 2001 - Politicians from all parties join in mourning the passing of Mark Clinton, who was a major figure in Irish public life over three decades. Mr. Clinton died peacefully at Lucan Lodge Nursing Home, in Lucan, Co Dublin, on December 23, after a lengthy illness. Photo: Megalithic Moment at the Giants Ring on the outskirts of Belfast, Captive Landscapes by Stephen Emerson
Posted on: Sat, 27 Dec 2014 09:58:10 +0000
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