Latest news with #IrishWarofIndependence
Spectator
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Spectator
Britain fought on the wrong side of the first world war
It's more than two months since I returned from Dublin, and at last the hangover is beginning to fade. I flew out with our team at The Rest is History to record a series about the Irish War of Independence and Civil War. Our guests were Paul Rouse, a professor at University College Dublin and former manager of Offaly's Gaelic football team, and Ronan McGreevy, an Irish Times journalist and author of a terrific book about the murder of Sir Henry Wilson. On the first night Ronan took us for an excellent curry; on the second, Paul organised a pub crawl. Well, I say a crawl, but in truth we barely got beyond the first pub, the Gravediggers, which is just a few hundred yards from the graves of Michael Collins and Eamon de Valera. I'm pleased to report that we more than held our own, and there are some excellent pictures of our producers, Theo and Tabby, after sinking a few dozen pints. But one member of the team was missing, having flown home immediately after the recording because he didn't 'really have the stamina for a pub crawl'. Listeners to the show can probably guess who that was. Some readers may be wondering if there is anything going on in my life apart from the podcast. The answer, by and large, is no. Indeed, as if I wasn't already spending enough time behind a microphone, I've recently been working on a new project: a books podcast with our producer Tabby. This week we're recording an episode about Albert Camus's novel L'Étranger, a book I adored as a student. Preparing to re-read it for the first time in 20 years, I actually felt a little nervous. Would it prove as intense and profound as I remembered, or is it really just a book for miserable teenagers? One thing I found unexpectedly fascinating was the problem of translation. In the United States the book is known as The Stranger, but in Britain it's The Outsider. But neither quite captures the ambiguity of the French étranger. And then there's that famous first sentence: 'Aujourd'hui, maman est morte.' How do you translate that crucial word maman? 'Mother' is surely far too formal, but 'mummy' doesn't sound right at all. The recent Penguin translation by Sandra Smith – which is excellent, by the way – opts for 'my mother', but I think that's quite a departure from Camus's original. 'Mama', perhaps? But who uses 'mama' these days? Suggestions on a postcard, please. Although my life sometimes feels like one recording after another, as if I'm podcasting's answer to Camus's Sisyphus, there has been a dramatic new development. We moved house a few weeks ago and have been forced to confront some harsh home truths. First, the number of boxes of unread books is a disgrace by any standards. Second, if my career as a historian doesn't work out, I could make a small fortune selling chargers for bits of electronic equipment that were last used when people cared about the millennium bug. And most importantly, the mystery of what happened to our money has at last been solved, since it's now clear that my wife spent it on glass jars. A dozen jars might seem reasonable, 20 a little excessive, 30 rather over the top. But 70? How many different kinds of rice can there be? And how could she genuinely believe that we'll find the time to decant each packet into its own jar, instead of piling them up to gather dust at the back of the cupboard, like normal people? In some parallel universe a version of me is unpacking vast quantities of books. But I've been distracted by something much more exciting – the Herculean task of getting ready for our summer holiday. In many ways I enjoy this even more than the expedition itself. Each element of the build-up has become a time-honoured ritual, as on Cup Final morning in the mid-1980s. Every year I look forward to the purchase of a new shirt, almost identical to one I already own; the desperate hunt for last summer's sunglasses, bought at great expense but destined never to be seen again; and above all, the final touches to my spreadsheet, to eradicate any last trace of spontaneity or joy. Fortunately, this particular holiday should be entirely joy-free, since we are recreating the last journey of Archduke Franz Ferdinand from Vienna down the Adriatic coast to Sarajevo in 1914. The whole enterprise will be haunted by regret, since the Archduke's murder meant he was never able to implement his dream of a federal United States of Greater Austria, stretching from Trento and Trieste to Lviv and Brasov. When I think what a tremendous country that would have been, I feel even more ashamed that we fought on the wrong side after his death. The chance to stand up to terrorism and finish off the French for good, and we blew it! Madness.
Chicago Tribune
11-07-2025
- General
- Chicago Tribune
Today in History: Aaron Burr shoots Alexander Hamilton in duel
Today is Friday, July 11, the 192nd day of 2024. There are 173 days left in the year. Today in History: On July 11, 1804, Vice President Aaron Burr mortally wounded former Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton during a pistol duel in Weehawken, New Jersey. (Hamilton died the next day.) Also on this date: In 1798, the U.S. Marine Corps was formally re-established by a congressional act that also created the U.S. Marine Band. In 1859, Big Ben, the great bell inside the famous London clock tower, chimed for the first time. In 1864, Confederate forces led by Gen. Jubal Early began an abortive invasion of Washington, D.C., and his raid was turned back the next day. In 1914, Babe Ruth made his Major League baseball debut, pitching the Boston Red Sox to a 4-3 victory over Cleveland. In 1921, fighting in the Irish War of Independence ended with a truce. In 1960, Harper Lee's novel 'To Kill a Mockingbird' was published. In 1972, the World Chess Championship opened as grandmasters Bobby Fischer of the United States and defending champion Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union began play in Reykjavik, Iceland. (Fischer won after 21 games.) In 1979, the abandoned U.S. space station Skylab made a spectacular return to Earth, burning up in the atmosphere and showering debris over the Indian Ocean and Australia. In 1991, a Nigeria Airways DC-8 carrying Muslim pilgrims crashed at the Jiddah, Saudi Arabia, international airport, killing all 261 people on board. In 1995, the U.N.-designated 'safe haven' of Srebrenica in Bosnia-Herzegovina fell to Bosnian Serb forces, who subsequently carried out the killings of more than 8,000 Muslim men and boys. In 2006, eight bombs hit a commuter rail network during evening rush hour in Mumbai, India, killing more than 200 people. In 2022, President Joe Biden revealed the first image from NASA's new space telescope, the farthest humanity had ever seen in both time and distance, closer to the dawn of the universe and the edge of the cosmos. Today's Birthdays: Fashion designer Giorgio Armani is 91. Actor Susan Seaforth Hayes is 82. Actor Bruce McGill is 75. Actor Stephen Lang is 73. Actor Mindy Sterling is 72. Actor Sela Ward is 69. Reggae singer Michael Rose (Black Uhuru) is 68. Singer Peter Murphy (Bauhaus) is 68. Actor Mark Lester is 67. Saxophonist Kirk Whalum is 67. Singer Suzanne Vega is 66. Rock guitarist Richie Sambora (Bon Jovi) is 66. Actor Lisa Rinna is 62. Author Jhumpa Lahiri is 58. Wildlife expert Jeff Corwin is 58. Actor Justin Chambers (TV: 'Grey's Anatomy') is 55. Actor Michael Rosenbaum (TV: 'Smallville') is 53. Rapper Lil' Kim is 51. Pro Football Hall of Famer Andre Johnson is 44. Pop-jazz singer-musician Peter Cincotti is 42. Actor Serinda Swan is 41. Actor David Henrie is 36. Actor Connor Paolo is 35. R&B/pop singer Alessia Cara is 29.
Irish Independent
24-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
See inside the Kildare mansion once home to Michael Collins confidant ‘The One-Handed Assassin'
Constructed in 1924, Glendaars House was first inhabited by a man who had a hand to play in creating the Ireland we live in today. The house was first home to Colonel James (Jim) Slattery who was one of Michael Collins' close confidants in the Free State Army. Colonel Slattery, whose alias was the 'One-Handed Assassin' having lost his hand in military action, was a member of The Squad. Also known as the Twelve Apostles, The Squad was set up by Michael Collins, the head of IRA intelligence, during the Irish War of Independence in July of 1919. The job of The Squad was to assassinate British intelligence agents. Colonel Slattery served in the 1916 Rising in St Stephen's Green and Jacobs before becoming one of the founding members of The Squad. On Bloody Sunday, November 21, 1920, The Squad, which included Colonel Slattery, shot and killed 14 British military and intelligence officers at locations across Dublin City. Later that same day, at a Gaelic football game in Croke Park, British forces fired into a crowd of spectators killing 14 people. Now Glendaars House is on the hunt for new owners looking to write its next chapter in history. On the market for €1.95m, Glendaars House is a five-bedroom, five-bathroom mansion, complete with a separate one-bedroom one-bathroom guest apartment and stables. Through the front door of the house is a generous reception hall with a chequered tile floor and a cast iron fireplace with an open fire. ADVERTISEMENT The reception hall leads to a family room with exposed timber beams and a large timber fireplace with another open fire. The family room and the drawing room were added to the house by Ann Smurfit who was also a previous owner of the property. Into the study next where there's an open fireplace and double French doors leading to outside and linking to the kitchen. The dining room also boasts a timber fireplace with an open fire and leads to a large games or party room. The games room has an open fire, exposed beamed ceiling and three bay windows with large double French doors leading to a garden terrace. Upstairs, there is a master bedroom suite with a en-suite bathroom with a fitted bath, separate shower, generous walk-in closet and eaves store. The second bedroom suite has an open fireplace, a dressing room and en-suite shower room, while bedroom suites three and four each have en-suite shower rooms. The fifth bedroom is nearby to the family bathroom. Outside, Glendaars House is set on approximately 4.6 acres of land comprising of gardens and paddocks. In addition to the original stables that date back to 1924, the property also boasts a barn stabling complex with a turn-out area, a post and railed arena for exercising horses and paddock grazing. Elsewhere on the property, there is an outdoor children's play area.
The Irish Sun
14-05-2025
- Politics
- The Irish Sun
Ireland's forgotten ‘Hell on Earth' Alcatraz WON'T reopen despite Trump's US slammer plot for ‘most ruthless offenders'
A CORK politician has ruled out Ireland's Alcatraz reopening as a prison following Donald Trump's bid to revive the iconic US tourist attraction. Last week, the Advertisement 4 Spike Island in Cork was once the world's largest jail housing over 2,300 inmates during the famine Credit: Alamy 4 Cork Lord Mayor Councillor Kieran McCarthy said it will not reopen He said the country's 'most ruthless and violent offenders' will be housed in the long-shuttered slammer just off San Francisco, Spike Island in Known as 'Hell on Earth', like Alcatraz, it has become an award-winning attraction. Local historian and Cork Lord Mayor Councillor Kieran McCarthy said there was no chance the Irish Advertisement READ MORE IN IRISH NEWS He said millions have been poured into transforming the island and Fort Mitchel into a place visited by thousands of visitors annually. He told the Irish Sun: 'Spike Island is part of a historical trail in Cork Harbour which also includes Fort Camden and Fort Meagher. 'It has been closed as a prison for decades and it now plays an important part in the He also says he does not believe Advertisement Most read in the Irish Sun Exclusive Latest Cllr McCarthy thinks it is an impossible ask, as Alcatraz had been crumbling before it was decommissioned and is now a He said: 'My gut is that this is a political plot by the President aimed at getting at the Democratic Governor of California, Gavin Newsom, who has been somewhat of a thorn in his side. 'STIRRING THE POT' 'San Francisco is twinned with Cork City and there are good relationships between the two cities. 'I do think Trump is stirring the pot. His plan would cost more than millions and it is something people wouldn't want for the Rock.' Advertisement Spike Island is famously known as Ireland's Alcatraz. It was the first of four An enormous fortress arrived in 1804, its 24-acre footprint so large it could fit Built to defend an empire and repel an all-conquering Napoleon, it was the fort's conversion to a prison in 1847 that drew the eyes of the world and fostered its dark reputation. Advertisement CONDITIONS DETERIORATING The explosion in crime during the Great Hunger led the prison population to swell to more than 2,300, making it the largest formal prison yet seen in Ireland or With such severe overcrowding, conditions quickly deteriorated. More than 1,000 convicts died in the first seven years of operation, each now buried in an unmarked mass grave to the island's east in a forgotten penal tragedy. No women were held on the island but men and boys as young as 12. Advertisement An especially converted 'children's prison' held up to 100 boys in a former ammunition storehouse, the youngsters sleeping in hammocks suspended from chains in the roof. It reopened in 1921, holding more than 1,200 republican prisoners as the Irish War of Independence raged. NOTORIOUS INMATE The A final prison operated from 1985 to 2004, cementing the island's legendary status in the penal system. Advertisement Its most notorious inmate was Martin 'The General' Cahill, who was sent out of harm's way when serving time for breaching the peace. Cork County Council became the owners and, along with tourism interests, developed it into a modern tourism facility with a 100 seater cafe, two gift shops, and interactive units which allow visitors to go back in time and explore the long history of the island. 4 Donald Trump plans to reopen Alcatraz Credit: AP:Associated Press 4 Martin 'The General' Cahill was an inmate in the jail Credit: Getty Images - Getty Advertisement
Forbes
02-04-2025
- Forbes
Cork, Ireland: Must-See Attractions, Best Food Spots And Top Activities
The River Lee, Cork Cork, in the south west of Ireland, sits on the River Lee which leads to the second largest natural harbor in the world (after Sydney, Australia). The river makes for a pleasant backdrop to a city that offers an appealing combination of historic landmarks, bustling markets and scenic coastal beauty nearby. One of the first things you'll discover when visiting Cork is the rivalry with Dublin. Anyone you meet is fiercely proud of their city and will often tell visitors that Cork is 'the real capital of Ireland.' And everyone is so friendly, even on public transport where our bus fare was happily paid by a stranger when we found you couldn't pay by card. St Patrick's Quay on the north channel of river Lee. Cork, Ireland In addition to Cork's key role during the Irish War of Independence (1919-21), in recent years, Ireland's second-largest city has attracted big business which has in turn boosted the hospitality offering for visitors. Apple's European headquarters is based in Cork while pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer, GlaxoSmithKline and Johnson & Johnson all have major operations there. Cork has an appealing edge: it feels like a proper working city with a lively atmosphere and burgeoning food scene. Frederick Douglass mural Start with a city walking tour organised by the tourist office. The 'Cork City Ramble' takes you around the fascinating city center which was once a series of canals. It explores the monastic origins, the merchant trade and the architecture of Ireland's second city. You'll see the 18th-century Huguenot Quarter and landmarks like St Peter and Paul's church founded by a priest who was also a Native Canadian chief and the art deco Savoy cinema which was the largest in Ireland when it opened in 1932. It hosted the Cork International film festival for years as well as gigs by Tom Jones, the Bee Gees and the Rolling Stones in the 1960s. Also fascinating nearby is a large mural of American abolitionist Frederick Douglas who took refuge in Cork for a month in 1845, after fleeing America following the publication of his autobiography. The English Market, Cork, Ireland After the tour, head to The English Market that's been trading since 1788 making it one of the oldest markets in Europe. The range of meats and fish, herbs and spices, jams, fruit and vegetables, sauces and oils, chocolates, cakes and cheeses is impressive. Bunker Vinyl, Cork Nearby, vinyl junkies can enjoy a proper coffee while browsing the shelves at Plugd Records which specialises in independent Irish releases. You'll also find international punk, funk, techno and jazz. On the other side of the river is the well-stocked Bunker Vinyl on Camden Quay, owned by DJ John Dwyer, selling used and new vinyl in hip-hop, punk, indie, world music and jazz. The Glucksman, Cork, Ireland No trip to Cork is complete without a visit to The Glucksman art gallery, on the undulating grounds of University College Cork. The stunning contemporary art museum is in a RIBA award-winning building of limestone clad concrete, steel and timber that blends seamlessly into the wooded grounds of the university. Housed over three floors is work from the university's collection and temporary exhibitions. The current show Labour of Love presents Irish and international artists who explore the responsibility and reality of labour in contemporary society (until 6 July). Woodland Suite Nestled within the Trees, Montenotte The Montenotte, high above the city, has long been a popular choice for visitors. And last summer, the hotel significantly upped its offering by adding nine luxurious, self-contained suites with an exclusive Clubhouse in the woods, just below the hotel. Five 'Woodland Suites' are almost fully surrounded by trees while four 'River Suites' cantilever out from the landscape surrounded by Irish wildflowers. The Woodland Suite Experience at The Montenotte won the European award in the 'Lodges, Cabins' category at AHEAD Europe 2024. Minimalist Scandinavian architecture and modern Japanese design elements provide a zen stay. Attractive features include solid American Oak timber veneer king beds with a concealed television miraculously rising up from the footboard, free-standing baths with a view and private terraces and a lovely 2-metre high Red Japanese Maple, created from recycled natural wood trunks and branches. The Glass Curtain, Cork Dinner at The Glass Curtain is a real treat. One of the most highly rated restaurants in Cork, the food and atmosphere are both excellent. If you sit at the bar, you'll see why Cork deserves the reputation as such a friendly place. It's quite easy to engage in lively conversation with the bar manager and fellow diners. A 5-course tasting menu (€85 pp) offers a superb taste of seasonal produce from local farmers, growers, butchers, cheesemakers, fishmongers, brewers and distillers of Cork (and beyond). The eclectic current menu includes: tempura mushroom; scallop crudo; and glazed rib with jerusalem artichokes. Goldie, helmed by young chef Aishling Moore, is another hot ticket (book well in advance). This Michelin Bib Gourmand awarded fish restaurant has a focus on local fish and seafood. The menu changes daily, reflecting the availability of quality fish and the no-waste policy means every part of the fish is used. A recent menu included Hake tail Schnitzel, and pan-fried plaice and cod. The Panorama at the Montenotte offers wonderful views high above the river and a seasonal Modern European menu that uses local Irish produce. Highlights include seared Irish scallops, braised beef ravioli and market fish of the day. As a member of Real Bread Ireland and Euro-Toques Ireland, Chef Janice Casey Bracken's culinary philosophy focuses on sustainability, zero-waste practices and championing Irish food heritage. At dinner, a live jazz pianist is a nice touch. Farmgate Cork cafe enables visitors to survey the bustling market stalls below. This cute upstairs cafe at the English Market is a great choice for tea, cakes or lunch. The carrot cake is understandably a popular choice. Lea's at The Glucksman art museum has a lovely view of the university grounds and is great for lunch, speciality coffee, fresh juices and delicious sweet treats. Kinsale harbor For a lovely daytrip, Kinsale, a charming coastal town on Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way, about 30 minutes south of Cork, is an obvious choice. A pretty harbor, colorful buildings and excellent seafood make the town an appealing place to amble around. Take a tour with friendly and knowledgable guide Siobhan of Kinsale Food Tours. Once exclusively a fishing town, over decades Kinsale has evolved as a world class gourmand's delight with many top-notch restaurants and cafes. Harry's Bar is a must for drinks, Cosy Cafe is excellent for brunch and the White House hotel and pub is great for fish and chips and chowder. Prim bookshop and bar Kinsale is filled with other gems like Prim's bookshop, which also doubles as a and sherry bar with regular events. And at Koko Kinsale, you'll find artisan chocolate from Frank Keane who expertly creates his handmade chocolates upstairs. He creates small batches of varying chocolate types and flavors, including Whiskey and Champagne Truffles, Hazelnut Praline or Milk Chocolate Salted Caramel. After indulging in all this delicious food and drink, burn off some calories walking along the pretty coastal country path to a 17th- century fort with great views over the harbor – Charlesfort.
