1540- King Henry VIII married his fifth wife, Catherine Howard. He had his former chief minister, Thomas Cromwell, executed on the same day. Catherine was a cousin of Anne Boleyn and like her cousin, Catherine was beheaded for treason in February 1542.
1689- The Siege of Derry ended after 105 days. Three armed merchant ships broke the boom across the River Foyle allowing a relief fleet to reach the city. Approximately 4,000 people, or half the population of the city, died during the siege.
1769- Sir Hudson Lowe was born in Galway. He was the governor of St Helena when Napoleon Bonaparte was imprisoned there.
1809- General Sir Arthur Wellsley led 50,000 British, Irish, Spanish and Portuguese troops against the French at Talavera. The Paddies were the 83rd, 87th and 88th Foot, respectively the Royal Irish Rifles, Royal Irish Fusiliers and Connaught Rangers. Wellsley won at a cost of over 7000 men killed and wounded. He was created Viscount Wellington of Talavera after the battle.
General Crauford's Light Infantry Brigade arrived the day after the battle having marched 42 miles in in 26 hours in an attempt to join the army.
1914- Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia.
2005- The Army Council of the Provisional IRA announced in a statement that it’s armed struggle was over.
Births
1954- Mikey Sheehy, Gaelic Footballer, was born in Tralee.
Deaths
2003- Lady Valerie Goulding, Campaigner for disabled people and member of Seanad Éireann, died aged 84.
Portal