
Ernie O’Malley, IRA Commander born in Castlebar 1897


#OnThisDay 1798 Roughly 4000 United Irishmen assembled at the Hill of Tara, the seat of the High Kings of Ireland. As well as that, it was on the main Cavan to Dublin road. They were attacked by the yeomanry, fencibles and other government forces & 400 were killed. This effectively ended the rebellion in Co. Meath.
Meanwhile in Dunlavin Green, Wicklow, loyalist militia executed 36 suspected UI rebels.

#OnThisDay 1921 Dan Head, the 17 year old Volunteer & keen footballer was shot dead as he ran down Abbey Street after the IRA attack on the Custom House. Head had thrown a grenade at British soldiers injuring several. Paddy Daly, member of the Squad, called said Head looked 15 & was ‘a mere boy’.

#OnThisDay 1921 Dublin IRA attack & set fire to Custom House. It is seen as a propaganda success but it is a military failure for the IRA, as they were almost immediately surrounded by Auxiliaries & British Army. Five IRA killed & 80 arrested. The Dublin IRA has to amalgamate units because of the losses suffered here. Four civilians are also killed.

#OnThisDay 1915 Second Lieutenant Hugh Patrick Shine from Abbeyside, Waterford was Killed in Action at Ypres. He was 18 years old. His brother John was killed at Mons in August 1914 (aged 20) & in 1917 his only surviving brother James (26) was also killed at the Battle of Messines along with seven fellow officers from his battalion and their Chaplain, Fr. William Doyle, S.J..
They were survived by their parents and two sisters.
