2009 Hugh Leonard, pseudonym of John Keyes Byrne, dramatist and writer, notably of Da (1973), died.
1997 Stephen Restorick (23) of the Royal Horse Artillery was shot dead by a sniper whilst manning a checkpoint in Bessbrook, Co. Armagh—the last British soldier to be killed before the IRA called its second ceasefire.
1989 In one of the most controversial incidents of the recent ‘Troubles’, the Catholic solicitor Pat Finucane was murdered by gunmen in his own home in north Belfast.
1861 Robert O’Hara Burke, County Galway-born explorer, along with three companions reached the tidal waters of the Flinders River to become the first white people to cross the Australian continent.
1999 Following his impeachment by the US Senate, President Bill Clinton was acquitted on all charges.
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Personal Histories
Personal Histories is an initiative by History Ireland,
which aims to capture the individual histories of Irish
people both in Ireland and around the world. It is hoped
to build an extensive database reflecting Irish lives,
giving them a chance to be heard, remembered and to
add their voice to the historical record.
Click Here to go to the Personal Histories page
1920 Recruitment began, mainly from among demobilised British Army officers, into a new force—the ‘Auxiliary Division’—to augment the RIC.
1939 Michael Longley, poet, notable for ‘Gorse Fires’ (1991), ‘The Weather in Japan’ (2000) and ‘The Stairwell’ (2014), born in Belfast of English parents.
2004 Bob Tisdall (96), Olympic gold medal-winner in the 400m hurdles (Los Angeles, 1932) in a world record time of 51.7 seconds—which was not recognised under the rules at the time because he had hit a hurdle—died.
1866 The SS Great Eastern completed the laying of a transatlantic telegraph cable between Valentia Island, Co. Kerry, and Heart’s Content, Newfoundland.
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