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August 02

Published in On this Day listing

1820 John Tyndall, physicist, mountaineer and promoter of science in the Victorian era, born in Leighlinbridge, Co. Carlow.
1969 Alfred O’Rahilly (84), Professor of Mathematical Physics and president of UCC (1943–54), founder of Cork University Press and ordained priest (1955), died.
1981 Kieran Doherty (25), IRA Volunteer and TD for Cavan–Monaghan, died on the 73rd day of his hunger strike in the Maze Prison.
1969 The RUC dispersed a loyalist crowd massing at Unity Flats. Clashes began as they pushed them back to the Shankill, barricades went up, shops were looted and police cars set on fire. Fighting went on over night until B-Specials were sent in and the situation calmed down.
1914 Germany demanded of the Belgian government that they permit the free passage of German forces across her territory into northern France. Belgian neutrality had been guaranteed by Germany, France and Britain under the Treaty of London (1839). Belgium refused the German demand the following day. Around 100,000 people attended anti-war rallies across Britain, organised by the Labour Party and socialist activists.
1812 Edward Smyth, sculptor, notably of the sixteen heads symbolising the rivers of Ireland and the statue of ‘Commerce’ on Gandon’s Custom House, Dublin, died.

On this Day

1992 The Maastricht Treaty, the foundation treaty of the European Union (EU), was signed by the then twelve member states of the European Communities. It was ratified by referendum in the Republic of Ireland in June by 69.1% to 30.9%.
1991 An IRA mortar bomb exploded in the garden of 10 Downing Street as Prime Minister John Major and his cabinet were discussing the progress of the Gulf War.
1991 The Provisional IRA fired a mortar bomb into the garden of Number 10 Downing Street, which landed less than fifteen yards from a room where Prime Minister John Major was chairing a meeting of his cabinet.
1940 Peter Barnes and James McCormack were hanged in Birmingham following their convictions for the IRA bombing in Coventry the previous August.
1867 William Dargan (68), engineer and railway-builder, who at one time employed 50,000 men on various projects, died in poverty.
1812 Charles (John Huffam) Dickens, English novelist, was born in Landport, Portsmouth, the son of a clerk in the navy pay office.
1873 Sheridan Le Fanu, writer of mysterious and spine-chilling tales, notably Uncle Silas (1864), died.
1993 The Maastricht Treaty, the foundation treaty of the European Union (EU), signed by the then twelve member states of the European Communities, came into effect.