1495- Perkin Warbeck and his army landed in Cork. Warbeck claimed to be Richard, Duke of York, the son of Edward IV and he laid claim to the throne of England then occupied by Henry VII. He was supported in his rebellion by the Earl of Desmond and he laid an unsuccessful siege at the gates of Waterford before fleeing to Scotland and then returning to besiege Waterford again. (Why?). Warbeck’s rebellion eventually failed and he was imprisoned in the Tower of London. After a failed escape attempt he was hung at Tyburn in 1499.
Waterford's City Motto is Urbs Intacta Manet (It Remains The Untaken City) awarded by Henry Tudor in acknowledgement of their giving young Perkin the About Turn twice in a year.
1575- John Norris and Francis Drake led an attack on Rathlin island, a stronghold of the MacDonnells. After the surrender of Bruce's castle, its 200 occupants were killed as were 400 others found hiding in caves.
1869- Queen Victoria gives royal assent is given to the Bill disestablishing the Church of Ireland.
1897- Lt Edmond Costello of the 22nd Punjabis won a VC during the Malakand Campaign, for rescuing a Lance Havildar under heavy fire. Lt Costello rose to the rank of Brig-Gen and served in the Great War. He died in 1949.
1914- The "Asgard", Erskine Childers’ yacht, landed guns in Howth. Sir Roger Casement had procured them in Germany. The Irish Volunteers successfully spirited the weapons away despite the presence of the DMP and a company of the Kings Own Scottish Borderers, who, when marching back to barracks, opened fire on a crowd of civilians at Bachelor’s Walk, killing three.
Births
1856-George Bernard Shaw was born in Dublin. He was a writer, playwright and socialist, living in England from the age of 20. He died in 1950.
Deaths
1918- Major Edward Mannock, 85 Squadron, Royal Air Force. KIA near Lillers, France. He was credited with 73 kills, 24 in May 1918 alone and 4 in one action in July 1918. Decorated with the DSO and 2 bars, the MC and bar, he was awarded the VC posthumously.
Edward Mannock was born on 24th May 1887, reputedly in Ballincollig, County Cork. Although this has been disputed. Nevertheless, Mannock was nicknamed Mick because of his Irish roots. His father, Corporal Edward Mannock was in the Royal Engineers, servng in the Curragh and Dublin before moving to London and India in 1893. A childhood illness in India temporarily blinded Mannock and his eyesight was always poor. He had to cheat in his eye test to get into the RFC. Back in England after the Boer War his father deserted the family and Edward suffered a life of poverty until he joined the post office in 1911. He was working in Turkey at the outbreak of WW1 and he was interned for 9 months before being repatriated due to ill health in July 1915. He joined the Royal Engineers and then transferred into the RFC. He was sent to France in March 1917 and was credited with shooting down his first aeroplane on June 7th. In September he received the Military Cross and was promoted to temporary Captain. In January 1918, with his score at twenty kills, Mannock was posted back to England. He returned to France in April 1918 with 74 Squadron and in June was transferred to 85 Squadron with the rank of Major. His plane was hit by anti-aircraft fire on July 26th 1918.
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