#OnThisDay 1798 James Dickey (22), a Presbyterian United Irishmen leader was executed in Belfast. Dickey refused a hood from the hangman & apparently said to the crowd, “Don’t think gentlemen, I am ashamed to show my face among you, I am dying for my country!”
#OnThisDay 1957 Elizabeth O’Farrell passed away. O’Farrell was a republican, member of Cumann na mBan, midwife & was one of the last to leave the GPO. O’Farrell was responsible for carrying the surrender order to the Volunteer locations around the city in 1916.
#OnThisDay 1870 Erskine Childers was born in London. A soldier in the Boer war&WW1, author of ‘The Riddle of the Sands’ & gun smuggler for the Irish Volunteers in the Howth gun running in 1914. His son (also Erskine)was inaugurated as President on this day 1973.
#OnThisDay 1876 Myles Keogh from Carlow was one of 268 soldiers of Custer’s 7th Cavalry to die fighting Sioux & Cheyenne warriors at the famous Battle of Little Bighorn in Montana. Keogh was the most senior captain present. Over 30 Irishmen also died there.
#OnThisDay 1921 Two Auxiliaries, Leonard Appleford (Left)& George Warnes (right) were shot dead by the IRA on Grafton Street. The IRA’s plan was to encircle Grafton St & kill all Crown Forces there but most Volunteers couldn’t pass through British checkpoints.
The Irish at War 