On This Day 27th July in Irish History

1662- James Butler, Duke of Ormond, became Lord Lieutenant of Ireland under King Charles II. It was the second time he held the post- the first time being 1644-47. He would be appointed for a third time in 1677.

1689- King William’s forces were defeated by Scottish Jacobites at the Battle of Killiecrankie. Bonnie Dundee was killed leading the Jacobite troops. The Earl of Meath’s Foot (ancestor of the Royal Irish Regt) took part.

1782- The second and third Catholic Relief Acts were introduced to allow Catholics to own land outside parliamentary boroughs, to be teachers and to act as guardians

1866- The first cable link underneath the Atlantic, from Valentia Island, Co. Kerry to Trinity Bay, Newfoundland was completed.

1880- At Maiwand in the Second Afghan War, Sgt Patrick Mullane, Royal Horse Artillery, won a VC for the rescue of a comrade under attack from the enemy. Pat was born in India to Irish parents.

1914- Germany informed Belgium and Luxembourg of its intention to pass it’s troops through their countries. In an attempt to persuade Britain not to declare war based on the 1839 London Treaty, in which all the European powers had guaranteed Belgian neutrality, the German Chancellor, Theobald von Bethmann-Hollweg referred to the treaty as "a scrap of paper not worth fighting over”. The British government disagreed.

1920- Harold Pearsons was recruited as the first member of the Auxiliary Division of RIC. The Auxiliaries were recruited from ex-officers of the British Army and eventually numbered 1500 personnel.

RIC Constable James Murray was shot dead in Main St, Clonakilty, Co. Cork.

Tom Hales and Pat Harte OC West Cork No. 3 Brigade and Brigade Quartermaster respectively, were near Bandon.

1921- Denis Spriggs, 1st Battalion, Cork No. 1 Brigade, IRA was killed.

1922- Frank Aiken escaped from Dundalk prison.

1960- Ireland agreed to send troops to serve with UN forces in the Congo.

Births

1935- Billy McCullough, footballer, born in Larne.

1939- Michael Longley, poet, was born in Belfast.

1977- Jonathan Rhys Meyers, actor, was born in Dublin.

Deaths

1971- Charlie Tully, Northern Irish footballer, died in Belfast aged 47.

Jonathan Rhys Meyers is 31 today? I didn't know that. And today was the day we went into the Congo. A very eventful day by all accounts. Thank you very much for keeping this up, Lestat. You're a valuable poster here.