Author: theirishatwar

#OnThisDay 1915 Brigadier General Thomas Pakenham, 5th Earl of Longford was killed in action attacking attack on Scimitar Hill at Gallipoli. Allegedly his last words were “Don’t bother ducking, the men don’t like it and it doesn’t do any good…”

#OnThisDay 1861 The organiser of the Larne gun running, Colonel Frederick Crawford was born in Belfast. As Director of Ordnance of the HQ Staff of the UVF, Crawford’s best work was masterminding the landing of 25,000 rifles & ammo in 1914 for the UVF.

#OnThisDay 1919 A motion proposing an Oath of Allegiance for all Volunteers & TDs by Cathal Brugha & seconded by Terence MacSwiney was passed in the Dáil. Brugha says the Volunteers are the standing army of the Dáil & as such should be subject to the Dáil.

#OnThisDay 1778 Bernardo O’Higgins, one of Chile’s founding fathers, was born. He was the illegitimate son of Sligo-born Ambrosio O’Higgins, the Viceroy of Peru. Bernardo later become Supreme Director of Chile but was deposed after several years in power.

#OnThisDay 1907 The Fusiliers Arch at Grafton Street entrance to St. Stephen’s Green was opened. The Fusiliers’ Arch was to commemorate all the men from the Dublin Fusiliers who died in the Second Boer War. Irishmen fought on both sides of this conflict.