On July 21, 1920, the Belfast Shipyard Expulsions take place as thousands of Catholic workers and socialists in Belfast’s shipyards are attacked and driven from their jobs following Edward Carson’s speech on the Twelfth at Finaghy during the annual industrial holiday. This day marks the first day back at work after the holiday, and the violence erupts in the shipyards, particularly in the Harland & Wolff yards.
The disturbances are part of a wider Belfast pogrom in 1920, rooted in sectarian tensions between unionist and nationalist communities. The Twelfth of July celebrations in Finaghy have been a focal point for nationalist and socialist mobilisation, and Carson’s speech is seen by many Catholic workers as inflammatory, stoking fears of reprisals.
The targeted groups of the expulsions include Catholic workers, trade unionists, and socialist activists, many of whom are from the working class “plebeian” strata. Reports describe beatings, assaults, and intimidation in the shipyards, with workers being pushed out of their posts or forced to leave premises. The expulsions disrupt shipbuilding operations, as skilled labour is removed from the workforce overnight. The events reinforce sectarian divisions, with unionist groups and some employers using the violence to assert control over the workforce.
By July 1920, newspapers are the main source of news, with current affairs often appearing on later pages. Coverage in papers such as the Belfast News Letter, Belfast Telegraph, The Irish Times, and Freeman’s Journaldescribe the expulsions as part of a broader outbreak of violence, but without the front-page headlines typical of later conflicts. The absence of radio broadcasts means that news is spread through print, handbills, and word of mouth.
The July 21, 1920, expulsions are a turning point in the sectarian conflict in Belfast, marking a shift from political mobilisation to direct, violent confrontation in the industrial heart of the city. They reflect the deep entrenchment of sectarianism in the shipbuilding industry and foreshadow further violence in the years leading up to the Irish Civil War.
Parry is born c. 1599 in Madyn Dyswy, Amlwch, Anglesey, Wales, the son of Rhys Parry, a merchant of Newry, County Down. The name of his mother is disputed. His siblings are Arthur, Grace and Magdalen. He is educated in Newry. In 1616, he enrolls as a student of Trinity College Dublin (TCD) where he graduates with a BA in 1620. He obtains his MA there in 1623 and a fellowship on November 24, 1624. In 1630 he graduates as a Doctor of Divinity and later becomes Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the college.
In Anglican politics Parry is regarded as a Laudian. In 1627, he is appointed Prebendary of Tipperkevin, a living belonging to St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin. In 1630, he is Incumbent of St. Bride’s Church, Dublin, where several of his children are baptised. In 1634, he is made Treasurer of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin and chaplain to Lancelot Bulkeley, Archbishop of Dublin. In 1635, he is appointed one of the High Commission for Ecclesiastical Causes. In 1636, he is appointed Prebendary of Stagonyl, another living belonging to St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin. By patent dated April 28, he is presented to St. Olave’s in Waterford where he is installed on May 11, but is also licensed to hold his other preferments at the same time. In 1640, he resigns from St. Olave’s and is appointed Dean of Lismore, County Waterford. Some of the Deanery lands had been seized by Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of Cork and Parry tries to get them back but fails. His successor as Dean of Lismore is his first cousin, Robert Parry. In 1643, he is Archdeacon of Glendalough, County Wicklow.
On December 29, 1646, King Charles I of England in a letter states he favours Parry for the See of the Diocese of Killaloe, County Clare. On March 20, 1647, a patent is issued confirming his appointment as Bishop of Killaloe and he is consecrated at Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, on March 28, 1647, by Lancelot Bulkeley, Archbishop of Dublin, assisted by the Bishops of Kildare and Cloyne. However, as this is in the middle of the Irish Rebellion he was unable to travel to his diocese and remains in Dublin, where he resides in Chichester House, St. Stephen’s Street, which later houses the Parliament of Ireland. In the Hearth Money Rolls the house is assessed for eight hearths so is quite large. On July 9, 1647, he signs the petition of the clergy praying to be allowed the use of the Liturgy, then abolished by order of the commissioners under Oliver Cromwell. On account of his good character and the smallness of the revenues of Killaloe, the King permits him to hold his former preferments in commendam.
Parry marries the daughter of John Price and by her has six children, who are John Parry, Bishop of Ossory, Benjamin Parry, Bishop of Ossory, Edward Parry, Robert Parry, Mary Parry who marries John Bulkeley, and Elinor Parry who is a love and correspondent of John Locke and later marries Richard Hawkshaw.
Parry dies in his house in St. Stephen’s Street on July 20, 1650, at the age of 51, after contracting the plague which rages there, and is buried in St. Audoen’s Church, Dublin. His will dated July 17, 1650, is proved in the Prerogative Court, Dublin. Its terms are: (1) his body is to be interred in St. Audeon’s Church near the doors, with his face to the east, where he also desires the body of his wife to be translated, and laid by his side, (2) he gives to his eldest daughter, Mary Parry, alias Bulkeley, a little silver watch, and her mother’s dear-head ring, (3) to his other daughter “Eleynor Parry” other ornaments that belonged to her mother, (4) to his sister “Madelius Evans” five pounds, (5) to other beneficiaries are given legacies out of the fifty pounds due to him by William Usher, (6) to his cousin, Robert Parry, he leaves his lexicon and other books, (7) to his cousin, Richard Parry, he leaves a gold ring, (8) to his cousin, Mary Parry, wife of Richard, he leaves a money legacy, and (9) he appoints his cousin, Robert Parry, as overseer of his will.
Parry writes a book entitled David restored; or an Antidote against the Prosperity of the Wicked, and the Afflictions of the Just, which is a sermon on the seventy-third Psalm. This is afterward published by his son, John Parry at Oxford in 1660. This work contains an engraved portrait of Edward Parry (above).
(Pictured: An engraved portrait by John Dickson of Dr. Edward Parry, Bishop of Killaloe, from a book authored by the bishop entitled “David restored; or an Antidote against the Prosperity of the Wicked, and the Afflictions of the Just”, published at Oxford in 1660.)
The Irish Rebellion of 1798 has been suppressed in the east by British forces, but unrest continues in the west. The French Directory, influenced by Enlightenment ideals and shared revolutionary sympathies with the United Irishmen, see an opportunity to strike a blow against Britain and inspire Irish republicanism. The plan is to land French troops in Ireland to provide military aid to the rebels, incite a general uprising and potentially use Ireland as a staging ground for further operations against Britain.
The July 19 authorization marks the final political clearance for the operation. The first expedition is entrusted to GeneralJean Joseph Amable Humbert (pictured), a veteran of irregular warfare against the Vendéen insurgents. The force is small—about 1,025 French troops, three light field cannons, 3,000 muskets, and 400 sabres—but includes Irish allies such as Bartholomew Teeling and Fr. Henry O’Kane, who help spread the news of the landing.
On August 6, 1798, Humbert’s three frigates—La Concorde, La Franchise, and La Médée—sail from La Rochelle, taking a circuitous route to avoid British naval detection. They land at Killala Bay, County Mayo, where they quickly take control of the town, hoisting the French flag and rallying local Irish recruits.
Humbert’s landing in Killala, known locally as Bliadhan na bhFrancach (“The Year of the French”), sparks a brief but significant phase of the Rising. His forces achieve notable victories, such as the Races of Castlebar, but ultimately cannot sustain momentum against the British response. Humbert surrenders to British forces at Ballinamuck, County Longford, on September 8, 1798.
In summary, the July 19, 1798, authorization by the French Directory is the decisive political step that enables Humbert’s small but symbolic invasion of Ireland, which, though militarily limited, becomes a potent symbol of French-Irish revolutionary solidarity.
At the start of the Irish Civil War in June 1922, the Free State controls only Dublin. Anti‑Treaty forces, forming the so‑called Munster Republic, hold Cork, Limerick, and Waterford, along with much of the west. Waterford’s republican garrison has fortified the city, dismantled the drawbridge’s control equipment, and isolated the port by removing wireless and other communications.
On July 16, republican forces learn that Free State troops ae moving toward Waterford. They raise the drawbridge early and move vessels from the Kilkenny side to the Waterford side. On July 18, Prout’s column is spotted from Sallypark Hill, prompting republican machine gun and rifle fire. A Free State volunteer, Costeloe, is wounded and later dies.
From July 19, sniping continues across the River Suir. On July 19, the Free State brings the 18‑pounder artillery into position overlooking the city, bombarding republican positions. The republicans hold key buildings such as the Adelphia Hotel, Country Club, and Reginald’s Tower.
By July 21, Free State forces cross the River Suir downstream at Gyles Quay, enter the city, and drive out republican troops from their positions. The drawbridge on Redmond Bridge is lowered by hand, and republican reinforcements from Cork and Tipperary either withdraw or do not engage. The Free State takes Waterford on July 21, 1922, ending the republican hold on the city.
Two anti‑Treaty volunteers, Maurice McGrath and John “Bonny” Boyle, are killed. Two Free State soldiers, Sergeant James Howlett and Michael Costelloe, are killed. At least six civilians are killed, including Joseph Dwan, William Long, and a 10‑year‑old girl. Many civilians are wounded.
The fall of Waterford marks a key Free State victory in the conventional phase of the Irish Civil War, contributing to the re‑capture of major southern cities and paving the way for the later guerrilla phase.
(Pictured: John T. Prout at his wedding to Limerick native Mary Conba at St. John the Evangelist Church (O’Loughlin Memorial Church), Kilkenny, July 12, 1922)
The Siege of Athlone beginning on July 17, 1690, is a week-long Williamite assault against Jacobite-held Athlone, ending in a Jacobite victory due to effective defense of the city and the destruction of the connecting bridge over the River Shannon.
The siege occurs during the Williamite War in Ireland (1689–1691), in which supporters of King James II, known as the Jacobites, fight against the Williamite forces of King William of Orange. Athlone, a strategic town on the River Shannon, serves as a key defensive position for the Jacobites after the Williamite victory at the Battle of the Boyne earlier in July 1690.
On July 17, 1690, Williamite Lieutenant GeneralJames Douglas approaches Athlone with 12,000 soldiers, consisting of ten regiments of foot and five regiments of horse. The Jacobite garrison, commanded by ColonelRichard Grace, comprises approximately 4,500 men with three regiments of foot and eleven troops of horse.
Prior to the Williamite arrival, Jacobite troops destroy the bridge over the River Shannon, separating the eastern and western parts of the city and greatly strengthening the defense.
General Douglas demands the city’s surrender, but Colonel Grace famously refuses, shooting over the messenger’s head and declaring he will defend the city until his provisions are exhausted. The Williamites begin a bombardment utilizing twelve cannon and two mortars, while the Athlone defenders return fire.
Efforts to ford the River Shannon by the Williamite army after two days are repelled with significant losses, and ongoing artillery engagement continues throughout the week. Rumors of the approaching Jacobite cavalry under Patrick Sarsfield contributes to Douglas’s decision to retire. The Williamites suffer about 400 casualties and eventually retreat on July 24, 1690, marking a Jacobite victory.
Although the first siege ends in failure for the Williamites, it showcases the resilience of the town’s defenses and the leadership of Colonel Richard Grace. Athlone later falls in June 1691 during the second siege, where Grace dies defending the city. The 1690 siege is notable for its strategic defensive measures, including the destruction of the bridge and strong resistance against a superior attacking force, which temporarily blocks Williamite advances in central Ireland.
The first Siege of Athlone demonstrates the effectiveness of prepared urban defenses in 17th-century warfare and has implications for subsequent engagements during the Williamite War, setting the stage for the eventual fall of Athlone and other key territories in 1691.
The Irish Civil War (June 1922–May 1923) pits pro-Treaty Free State forces against anti-Treaty IRA units who oppose the Treaty’s terms. Aiken is a key republican commander, and Dundalk is a stronghold for his forces. By mid-July 1922, Free State troops have taken several towns, and Dundalk is next in line for reoccupation.
General Hogan’s forces enter Dundalk, engaging republican snipers and irregulars. The attack targets the Gaol, where Aiken and many of his men are held. The Free State troops overpower the defenders, leading to Aiken’s arrest and the capture of a significant portion of the Fourth Northern Division.
Aiken and about 104 other prisoners escape on July 27, 1922, through a narrow gap in the jail wall, later dubbed the “Hole in the Wall.” This escape is a major republican success, temporarily reoccupying Dundalk. However, Free State forces retake the town on August 14, 1922, and the jail remains under military control until 1924.
The capture is significant as it marks a turning point in the Free State’s campaign in County Louth, weakening republican resistance in the area. Aiken’s arrest underscores the Free State’s determination to dismantle anti-Treaty leadership. The events in Dundalk become a symbol of republican resilience, as the escape through the “Hole in the Wall” is widely reported and commemorated.
In summary, the July 16, 1922, capture of Frank Aiken in Dundalk is a decisive Free State action in the Irish Civil War, leading to a notable republican escape and a prolonged military standoff in the town.
(Pictured: Frank Aiken and the 4th Northern Division)
In 2002, the Irish tourism sector faces weaker-than-expected visitor figures. To address this and stimulate short-term revenue, O’Donoghue reallocates €3 million specifically for front-line marketing activities targeted at both domestic and international audiences. At the time, he has recently been appointed Minister for Arts, Sport, and Tourism, a role he holds from June 2002 to 2007.
The funds are intended to bolster promotional campaigns abroad, particularly in major overseas markets such as Britain, France, and the United States, support domestic marketing efforts to encourage local travel and spending, and focus on aggressively promoting Ireland in the British market, identified as having the highest potential return on investment for tourism.
Tourism Ireland, which operates as the official agency promoting the island of Ireland as a tourist destination, welcomes the additional funding. Chief Executive Paul O’Toole emphasizes that the investment will ensure maximum returns for the Irish tourism industry.
Before this funding boost, Irish tourism is a major economic sector. According to governmental reports from 2002, foreign exchange earnings in 2001 reach approximately €3.7 billion, domestic tourism earnings exceed €1.2 billion, and the industry supports nearly 140,000 jobs. The €3 million marketing allocation is part of a strategic effort to enhance Ireland’s international competitiveness and stimulate both short-term visitor numbers and longer-term growth.
While immediate tangible effects of this specific €3 million investment are not detailed in the sources, it reflects Ireland’s broader commitment to tourism promotion. By investing in strategic marketing campaigns in key international markets, the government aims to recover visitor numbers and strengthen Ireland’s profile as a tourist destination.
In conclusion, the July 15, 2002, announcement by Minister John O’Donoghue is a targeted move to energize Irish tourism through immediate marketing action, especially in international markets, during a period of lower-than-expected tourist arrivals.
On July 14, 1910, the Irish Socialist Federation (ISF) in New York City hosts a farewell dinner for James Connolly, marking the end of his time as its leader. This event is a significant moment in his career, as he had been instrumental in founding the Federation on March 29, 1907, and has been its driving force in organizing Irish socialist and trade union activity in the United States.
By 1910, Connolly has been active in the socialist movement in the United States for several years. He initially joins the Socialist Labor Party of America but becomes a full-time organizer for the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) from 1905 to 1910, aligning with its syndicalist approach. His work with the Irish Socialist Federation has been central to building a network of Irish workers in America, linking them to socialist principles and Irish nationalist aspirations.
The July 14, 1910, dinner is a public acknowledgment of Connolly’s contributions and a symbolic send-off as he prepares to return to Ireland. Upon his return, he takes on a major role in the Irish Transport and General Workers Union (ITGWU), first in Belfast and then in Dublin, and later becomes acting General Secretary and Commandant of the Irish Citizen Army (ICA).
The political and labor impact of the event underscores Connolly’s growing influence in both the Irish socialist movement abroad and the domestic labor struggle. It reflects the Federation’s commitment to supporting Irish socialist leaders and their work in the United States and Ireland. It is also remembers as a key moment in Connolly’s transition from U.S. organizer to a central figure in the Irish labor and republican movements.
In short, the July 14, 1910, farewell dinner is both a personal farewell and a political milestone, highlighting Connolly’s role as a bridge between Irish socialism in the United States and the emerging labor and republican movements in Ireland.
The Dublin Harp Society is founded on July 13, 1809, by John Bernard Trotter, a former secretary to Charles James Fox and a passionate supporter of Irish music, to revive and preserve the ancient Irish harp tradition, and it flourishes briefly with contributions from prominent patrons and musicians before closing in 1812 due to financial difficulties.
Inspired by the Belfast Irish Harp Society, Trotter aims to create a society that will extend the revival of the Irish harp to the capital and broaden its audience across Ireland. The society’s purpose is to rescue the old Irish harp from oblivion, teach blind and talented harpers, and promote Irish music through public events, publications, and performances.
Trotter gathers an influential list of subscribers, including Thomas Moore, the poet and songwriter, and Sir Walter Scott, the Scottish novelist. He brings to Dublin Patrick Quin (pictured), a blind harper from Portadown, County Armagh, as the society’s instructor. Quin is one of the last of the traditional blind harpers and performs extensively at society events, including Turlough O’Carolan commemorations, delighting patrons and audiences. The Bishop of Kildare, Charles Dalrymple Lindsay, also supports the society by providing a house in Glasnevin for the instruction of harpers.
The society engages in multiple avenues to revive Irish harp music. In addition to the previously mentioned Turlough O’Carolan commemorations, circulars and subscription notices are published to drum up public support and secure funding. The Society hosts concerts and gatherings at prominent Dublin locations, offering elaborate performances for subscribers. Tuition and mentorship to young Irish harpers is provided, particularly to blind musicians, as part of a broader cultural and philanthropic effort. Trotter also personally subsidizes the society, contributing £200 annually, which helps maintain performances and attract participants.
Despite early enthusiasm, the society struggles financially due to Trotter’s generous hospitality and personal funding of its activities. By the close of 1812, the Dublin Harp Society becomes defunct when Trotter goes bankrupt. The society attempts to publish rules and regulations in 1810 and conduct active recruitment of subscribers and pupils, but it cannot be sustained beyond three years.
Although short-lived, the Dublin Harp Society contributes significantly to the preservation and promotion of the Irish harp, inspiring subsequent societies and harp revival initiatives in Ireland. It highlights the importance of cultural patrimony, music education, and public patronage, acting as a bridge between the older harp traditions and the modern revival movements seen in later 19th-century Ireland.
In summary, the Dublin Harp Society represents an early 19th-century endeavor to revive Ireland’s venerable harp tradition through education, sponsorship, and celebration of master harpers, leaving a lasting mark on the cultural memory of Irish music.
Sheridan begins exhibiting in the late 1950s, participating in the annual Living Art exhibitions and the Biennale de Paris in 1960. He wins the Carroll Prize for Painting in 1965 and 1969. Initially focused on abstract landscapes, his work evolves to include conceptual, performance, and installation art, integrating multimedia elements. Notable works include Everybody Should Get Stones (1975) and On Reflection (2001).
Sheridan is also deeply engaged in the international art scene. He represents Ireland at the 1962 UNESCO Convention of Young Painters in Paris and contributes to avant-garde movements in Australia, including serving as the first Professor of Conceptual Arts in Sydney during the 1970s. He directs the Experimental Art Foundation in Adelaide from 1975 to 1980, introducing experimental and post-object art to Australian audiences.
From 1980 to 2002, Sheridan serves as Director of the National College of Art and Design (NCAD) in Dublin, with a four-year hiatus to direct the Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts in Australia. His leadership shapes art education in Ireland and helps modernize institutional structures, curricula, and multimedia practices.
Sheridan is also a member of Aosdána, an elite Irish association of artists, and a committee member of Rosc, an important art exhibition initiative in Ireland.
Sheridan’s early works consist of abstract and lyrical landscapes, which later expand to include conceptual and performance art, often engaging audience participation and multimedia formats. He is known for his wit, charisma, and generosity as both a teacher and an arts administrator, influencing a generation of artists in Ireland and Australia.
Sheridan’s art is represented in major institutions, including the Irish Museum of Modern Art and the Centro de Arte Moderna Gulbenkian in Lisbon, with numerous works having been sold at auction, achieving prices up to $7,624 USD for pieces like Window. Retrospectives of his work are held at the Royal Hibernian Academy in Dublin in 2001, accompanied by publications that compile his artistic philosophy and contributions.
Sheridan is married to Liz Murphy, and they have five children. His commitment to both art and education continues throughout his life until he dies on July 12, 2006, in Perth, Western Australia. Paul Durcan writes a poem in his honour after his death.
In summary, Sheridan’s career spans painting, performance, installation, and education. His innovative approach, international influence, and dedication to teaching and institutional development mark him as a pivotal figure in postwar and contemporary Irish art.
seamus dubhghaill 