ON THIS DAY

BY AODHÁN CREALEY JANUARY 15/1872 John King (33), soldier and the only survivor of the first successful crossing of the Australian continent from south to north, died. Born in Moy, Co. Tyrone, he was an assistant on the Great Northern Exploration Expedition—popularly known as the Burke and Willis expedition—that was organised by a group of … Read more

Bindon Blood Stoney (1828– 1909)

By Brian Smyth On 22 September 2023 a plaque was unveiled at Dublin Port to Bindon Blood Stoney, chief engineer at Dublin Port from 1859 to 1898. He was an innovator throughout his career, willing to experiment with new materials and new engineering techniques. Stoney was born at Oakley Park, near Parsonstown (Birr), Co. Offaly, … Read more

REMEMBERING THE ANDERSONVILLE IRISH IN GEORGIA

By Damian Shiels In a significant moment in Ireland’s remembrance of the American Civil War, on 19 October 2024 a memorial plaque was unveiled by an Irish delegation at Andersonville National Historic Site, Georgia. Andersonville—or Camp Sumter, as it was officially known—was one of history’s most infamous prisoner-of-war camps. Located in the rural south-west of … Read more

The Decade of Centenaries Bites Back

As our Decade of Centenaries draws to a close with upbeat commemorations of the Irish Free State’s membership of the League of Nations (listen to our Hedge School on the topic at https://staging.historyireland.com/hedge-schools/), it is sadly ironic that another outcome of the international crises of a century ago, triggered by the First World War, is … Read more