Ballinspittle moving statue Its forty years today since the Ballinspittle moving statue in county Cork were reported. Do you remember it? Did you see them move? It occurred for the first time on 22 July 1985 when locals claimed to have witnessed the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary moving spontaneously at the Ballinspittle Grotto. The Irish Examiner broke the story on 25 July, a reporter having witnessed a large crowd gath...
Richard Lalor Sheil Born a Kilkenny man whose father made a huge fortune in Spain, while he himself died in Italy in 1851. Regarded as a great orator and a colleague of Daniel O’Connell, the name Richard Lalor Sheil was a prominent one in Irish political life in the first half of the 19th century. The Tipperary Star of June 1939 provides the following account of the colourful career to Richard Lalor Sheil: The ...
At about 5.00pm tomorrow evening we should have some idea where the Liam McCarthy Cup will be wintering and what captain will be lifting one of the most coveted trophies in Irish sport. Simply known as ‘Liam’, the Irish public have always been enthralled with this cup presented for the first time just over 100 years ago. Here the Irish Examiner in March 1984 explains the story behind the cup: THE Liam McCarthy Cup ha...
The All Ireland Hurling Final The great search for tickets goes on. For some its part of the build up to All Ireland Final weekend, but has there ever been such a hunt for tickets as in 2025. Tomorrow, Cork and Tipperary face off in the All-Ireland hurling final for the first time. However, the two counties have met in so many classics over the years – it is obvious that we are in a for a treat this Sunday. But how about ...
Fionán Lynch He held three ministerial posts - Minister for Education; Minister for Fisheries Minister, and Minister for Lands and Fisheries, served as Leas-Cheann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann, was a Judge of the Circuit Court for fifteen years, and played an important role in the Irish revolutionary period. Born in county Kerry in 1889, Fionán Lynch is the focus of today’s blog. Despite his relatively young age, Lynch ...
Chester Beatty To some it is a hidden gem, to others a well traversed spot when in Dublin, yet to more they may be totally unaware of it. I am talking of course about the Chester Beatty library. The Chester Beatty Library, now known as the Chester Beatty, is a museum and library in Dublin. It was established in Ireland in 1953, to house the collections of mining magnate, Sir Alfred Chester Beatty. When he died in Jan...
John and Henry Sheares Their names were synonymous with the lead up to the 1798 rebellion and in the 1930s there were thousands of visitors on an annual basis to visit their final resting place, yet to many they will not have heard of their names. Brothers John and Henry Sheares were barristers, and prominent members of the Society of United Irishmen in Ireland in the lead up to 1798. The brothers were influenced by t...
Anniversary of the Anglo-Irish Truce, 1921 Tomorrow, 11 July marks the 10th anniversary of the Anglo-Irish Truce of 1921 which brought to an end the Irish War of Independence. The war had raged since January 1919 when the First Dail met, and the first shots of the conflict were fired in county Tipperary. The Truce paved the way for the Treaty negotiations which took place later in the year and ultimately ended with the Angl...
Live Aid, 1985 Its forty years this month since ‘Live Aid’, the world benefit concert held on July 13, 1985, which aimed at raising funds for famine relief in Ethiopia. For thousands of young and old alike across the globe it was a day never to forget as in two venues - Wembley Stadium, London, and JFK Stadium, Philadelphia - and attended by over 150,000 audience members in total, the Live Aid concerts were beamed to t...
The GPO It was the headquarters of the Easter Rising in Dublin in 1916 and since then it has been an important part of national identity ever since. The General Post Office, or the GPO as it is known, is back in the news again amid concerns over its future. Indeed, just this very week questions have been raised in Dail Eireann about plans for the historic site. Back in 1935, ahead of the 20th anniversary of the Risin...