#OnThisDay 1967 SP4 Michael Francis Smith from Cavan was killed in action during the Vietnam War. Smith who was living in New York when drafted, served in the 4th Infantry Division. His tour began on 22 September 1966. He is buried in Kilnavart, Cavan.
#OnThisDay 1877 Michael O’Hanrahan was born in New Ross, Wexford. An Irish nationalist & author, O’Hanrahan was close friends with Thomas MacDonagh & served with him at Jacob’s Biscuit Factory during the Easter Rising. He was executed on 4th May 1916.
#OnThisDay 1863 The Irish Brigade’s QuarterMaster got “35 hams, a roast ox, a pig stuffed with boiled turkeys & countless chickens, ducks & small game. 8 baskets of champagne, 10 gallons of rum & 10 gallons of whiskey” so they could celebrate #StPatricksDay.
“The highlight of the celebration was the activities scheduled throughout the day. These included a sack race, a mock dress parade, a horse race, a race for a greased pig and climbing a greased pole for ten days leave”. And of course, Mass was said too.
#OnThisDay 1828 Patrick Cleburne was born in Cork. He joined the British Army for some years but left for America. He started the Civil War as a Private but within two years rose to become a Major General & the highest ranking Irishman in the Confederacy.
#OnThisDay 1601 The oldest St Patrick’s Day parade took place in St. Augustine, Florida, led by an Irish priest from Spain, Ricardo Artur. In 1762 the oldest continuous parade took place in New York City by Irish soldiers in the British Army.
The Irish at War 