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1798 Lord Edward Fitzgerald was captured by British soldiers on this day in 1798. He was an Irish nationalist and a leader of the 1798 Rebellion. He had a £1,000 bounty on his head and was arrested for treason after being betrayed by one of his associates.
Read Lord Edward Fitzgerald’s story here;
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1897 Oscar Wilde was released from prison on this day in 1897. He had been given a sentence of two years hard labour for gross indecency. Wilde was imprisoned for homosexuality, which was illegal in Britain at the time.
Wilde’s health dramatically deteriorated during his time in prison. He was used to the finer things in life and was not accustomed to his new living conditions. After his release he went to live in France, but died three years later at the age of 46.
While he was in prison, Wilde wrote the poem, The Ballad of Reading Gaol. It is still a popular poem today and was voted as one of Ireland’s 100 favourite poems by readers of the Irish Times.
Click here to read some of the best quotes from Oscar Wilde
Click here to read about more great Irish writers
Click here to read Wilde’s poem, The Ballad of Reading Gaol
Click here to read any of Ireland’s 100 favourite poems
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1939 John Sheahan was born in Dublin on this day in 1939. He is a talented musician and plays the violin and tin whistle as well as sings. He was an early member of the legendary Irish folk band, The Dubliners. They have been one of the most popular Irish bands since their formation in the 1960s, and have now semi-retired.
Over the years, several other top Irish musicians have asked Sheahan to feature on their songs or albums. Mary Black, Kate Bush, Sinead O’Connor, U2, The Pogues and Ronan Keating are just some of the music stars that he has worked with.
Click here to read more about John Sheahan
Click here to read more about the Dubliners
Click here to read about more top Irish musicians
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