On This Day 30th June in Irish History

1691- Athlone was captured by Williamite troops. The garrison retreated to Limerick.

1922- The Four Courts were abandoned by Anti-Treaty forces after a two-day bombardment.

1941- Stephen Hayes, IRA chief of staff, was kidnapped by his own side. He escaped from his captors in September and claimed to have been tortured, court martialled and sentenced to death. He managed to delay the execution by writing his confession. Seán McCaughey, OC Northern Command, was convicted of the kidnapping on 18th September 1941.

1960- The Belgian Congo became an independent state. Patrice Lumumba became the prime minister. The subsequent civil war would see Irish troops deployed to the Congo.

1996- The IRA fired mortar bombs at a British army base in the German town of Osnabruck.

Thanks for that, Lestat. Perhaps a thread on the Congo would be good. Youngdan has strong views on it, anyway.