This Day Aug 20

Day 2,100, 13:58 • Published in Ireland Ireland • by Anthony Colby


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August 20

1778 - Birth of Bernardo O'Higgins, of Co. Meath origins, first Chilean head of state
1798 - Richard R. Madden - writer, historian, traveller and abolitionist - is born in Dublin
1818 - Birth in Dublin of scientist and Alpine traveller, John Ball
1860 - An expedition led by Robert O'Hara Burke, an Irish policeman, leaves Melbourne with the intention of making the first European crossing of Australia. They will make the crossing, but Burke and fellow-explorer, William Wills, will die on the return journey
1872 - Sectarian rioting in Belfast which began on August 15 continues through this date
1876 - The Irish Republican Brotherhood Supreme Council withdraws its support from the Home Rule movement
1880 - Death of Ellen Kean, one of the greatest actresses of her time
1919 - The Irish Republican Army is established by the Dail Eireann
1927 - The Currency Act establishes a separate currency for the Irish Free State
1951 - Birth of Thin Lizzy lead singer, Phil Lynott
1979 - Bob Geldof and the Boomtown Rats reach no. 1 in the British charts with I Don’t Like Mondays
1981 - Twenty-seven-year-old Michael "Mickey" Devine, from the Creggan in Derry dies on the 60th day of his hunger strike. He was the third INLA Volunteer to join the H-Block hunger strikers and he was the last of the group to give their lives in order to retain their status as political prisoners.
1999 - The main square in Tralee rocks to the Grand Old Man of Soul, James Brown, as the 41st International Rose Ball kicks off in the new Festival Dome
2000 - Teenage heartthrobs, Westlife, make their first appearance in Tralee. More than ten thousand fans attend the free, open air concert
2002 - Postal deliveries in small communities across the country are delayed again on the second day of industrial action by members of the Irish Postmasters Union.

Dunguaire Castle



Dunquaire Castle

Situated on Aughnish Bay, an inlet of Galway Bay, the castle was built by the O'Heynes in 1520. It was near this site that their ancestor, King Guaire Aidhne, the Hospitable, ruled Connaught in the 7th century.
In the 17th century, the castle passed to the Martyns of Tullira.
Edward Martyn, who, along with W.B. Yeats and Lady Augusta Gregory of Coole Park, founded the Irish Literary Renaissance Society and the Abbey Theatre, sold the castle in1912 to their friend and fellow writer, Oliver St. John Gogarty.
The castle was acquired in 1954 by Christobel Lady Ampthill who completed the restoration work started by Gogarty.
Medieval Banquets are held in the castle each night and celebrate the richness of its literary and musical past.

The Galway Hooker



The Galway Hooker

This unique vessel, with its distinctive curved lines and bright red sails, originated in the village of Claddagh. During the 19th century, hookers supported a significant fishing industry and also carried goods, livestock and fuel. Seán Rainey is remembered for building the last of the original boats, the Truelight, for Martin Oliver who was to become the last king of the Claddagh; as king, he was entitled to white sails on his boat. Since the mid seventies, many of the old sailing craft which were on the verge of extinction have been lovingly restored and new ones have been built. During the summer months they can be seen at festivals such a Cruinniú na mBád - the Gathering of the Boats - in Kinvara.



Though they can be taught to type, monkeys are generally inept when it comes to changing the ribbon.

The worst snack food idea was a product called "rat lungs".




Beach's Postulate:
Winners tell funny stories: losers holler "Deal!"

Beau Jacquea's theorem of Personnel Management:
Beware the employee heralded as a man ahead of his time; on Wednesday he'll be wishing it was Friday.

Walder's Observation:
A mathematician is one who is willing to assume everything except responsibility.


As usual thanks for reading. A vote and a subscription would not hurt either.

Anthony Colby