Few periods of history have produced such a wealth of remarkable stories as the heroic age of expeditions to the Antarctic about 100 years ago. Little more than two decades of exploration threw up a series of powerful dramas that encapsulated the very essence of discovery—endurance, courage and tragedy. In the thick of it all … Read more
The New York draft riots of 1863, which feature in the violent finale of Martin Scorsese’s Gangs of New York, were the worst in American history, causing over 100 deaths and 1.5 millio n dollars’ worth of damage, about 150 million dollars in today’s money. Starting on Monday 13 July 1863 as a protest against … Read more
Almost 350 years ago the Farrells of Longford played a small but decisive role in European politics, in an incident that tipped the balance of power on the Continent. The year was 1657 and the leaders of the Farrell sept were in exile with a body of soldiers from Longford who had fought together through … Read more
In the late 1930s the general public in Dublin had been agitating through the newspapers for better transport facilities, specifically the provision of bus shelters along the quays where long-distance passengers caught their buses. In 1937 the Irish Builder and Engineer suggested that a central bus station be constructed on the bonding warehouse site next … Read more
Welcome back As Mark Twain might have said, ‘. . . rumours of our death have been grossly exaggerated’. After a brief interruption of transmission, normal service has been resumed. History Ireland is back under new management. We appreciate the loyalty and patience of our readers, and our subscribers in particular should rest assured that … Read more