#OnThisDay 1964 William O’Dwyer, the 100th Mayor of New York passed away. From Bohola, Mayo, O’Dwyer moved to New York & became a lawyer. He joined the Army & was promoted to Brigadier General during WW2. In 1946 he became New York’s 100th mayor.
#OnThisDay 1942 Peadar Kearney, the author of the English lyrics of the Irish national anthem, Amhrán na bhFiann (The Soldier’s Song) passed away. Kearney was an Irish Volunteer who took part in the Howth gun running &served under Thomas MacDonagh at Jacobs in 1916.
#OnThisDay 1922 Erskine Childers was executed by the Irish Free State for illegal possession of a gun. Before he was shot, he shook hands with the firing squad & told them to stand closer as “it will be easier that way”. His son became the President of Ireland.
#OnThisDay 1920 IRA Vol Thomas Whelan was arrested & to be charged for the shooting of Captain Baggallay on Bloody Sunday, despite eyewitnesses seeing him at Mass at the time of the shooting. Whelan was charged & hanged in March 1921. He was 22.
#OnThisDay 1920 Three IRA Volunteers were killed when Auxiliaries threw a bomb on to a crowded Patrick’s St., Cork. Twenty civilians were injured. The dead are:
Brigade Quartermaster: Patrick O’Donoghue
Section Commander: James Mehigan
Volunteer: Stephen Dorman
The Irish at War 