Thomas John Barnardo was an Irish doctor who set up the world famous Barnardo’s charity providing help and care for homeless children across the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland. He began the charity in 1866 and it has since grown into a multi-million pound project providing more than 900 services for vulnerable young people in… Continue reading Thomas Barnardo – Irish founder of Barnardo’s charity
Author: Pat Kehoe
Thomas Meagher – Young Irelander in the American Civil War
Thomas Meagher was a leading Irish nationalist who took part in the 1848 Young Irelander Rebellion and brought the tricolour flag of greeen, white and orange to Ireland from France. He was sentenced to penal servitude for his part in the rebellion but escaped to the United States where he became a prominent figure in… Continue reading Thomas Meagher – Young Irelander in the American Civil War
Oliver Plunkett – executed after a plot and later named a saint
Oliver Plunkett was Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of all Ireland in the years after Oliver Cromwell had ravaged the country and the public practice of the Catholic faith was outlawed. He was executed in 1681 due to the ‘Popish Plot’ that had nothing to do with him. His execution has gone down as one… Continue reading Oliver Plunkett – executed after a plot and later named a saint
Paul Boyton – Fearless Frogman from Co Kildare
Paul Boyton was a world famous adventurer and showman, known as ‘The Fearless Frogman’. He specialised in daring stunts and challenges across water and set up the United States Life-Saving Service, a forerunner of today’s Coastguards. He also developed a water sports park that became the forerunner of the Luna Park centres. Boyton was born… Continue reading Paul Boyton – Fearless Frogman from Co Kildare
Great resources are available for people searching for records of their Irish ancestors
The last few years have seen a huge increase of people from all over the world logging on to the Irish Genealogy website to find new information about their family history. Ireland’s General Register Office released 27 million records of births, marriages and deaths all the way up to 2013. The birth index goes back… Continue reading Great resources are available for people searching for records of their Irish ancestors
Irish cab driver wows YouTube with his dancing
An Irish cab driver who performed a spontaneous dance with a woman on a Dublin street has become a huge hit on YouTube. The unlikely show started when Wayne Kearney found his route blocked by crowds of people watching the woman dancing.
Hollywood star Olivia Wilde loved Ireland so much she became an Irish citizen
American actress Olivia Wilde has spoken about her childhood summers in Ireland and her pride in being an Irish citizen. Unusually, she qualified for Irish citizenship, despite not having any Irish blood.
Did the Irish reach America before Columbus?
While Christopher Columbus is credited with being the first European to discover America, there are many scholars who believe there may have already been Irish people living there. A book that was published in 1526, just 34 years after Columbus arrived in America, provides compelling evidence that this may be true. The book, De Orbe… Continue reading Did the Irish reach America before Columbus?
Philomena author reveals abuse of Irish children ‘sold’ to America
Irish children born out of wedlock in the 1950s and 60s were often sold to American couples by the Catholic Church, according to a television documentary by the author of the Philomena story. In the BBC programme, Martin Sixsmith says that the system was a ‘lottery’ for the children as the Church did little to… Continue reading Philomena author reveals abuse of Irish children ‘sold’ to America
Fleetwood Mac star and son use their Irish heritage to get Irish passports
The newest member of global superstars Fleetwood Mac is an Irish citizen – despite being from the other side of the world. Neil Finn is best known as the songwriter of Crowded House, who have had several world-wide hits over the years.
