Oscar Fingal O’Flahertie Wills Wilde was born at 21 Westland Row, Dublin on October 16, 1854. He was educated at Portora Royal School at Enniskillen, Trinity College Dublin and Magdalen College in Oxford. He is best known for the novel The Picture of Dorian Gray and the play The Importance of Being Earnest. The Marquis of Queensbury accused Wilde of being a sodomite and Wilde sued him for slander but lost. Following the trial Wilde was found guilty of gross indecency and sentenced in May 1895 to two years imprisonment. On being released he moved to France. Oscar Wilde died in Paris at the age of 46 in the year 1900 On This Day

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Ireland’s Own is the longest running and bestselling family magazine in Ireland. Published weekly in Wexford town it has a circulation of over 50,000 in Ireland and abroad. Non glossy, old-fashioned and non-political it provides entertainment and information for all the family. Every week it has regular features, short stories, articles on history and a section for children. The first edition of Ireland’s Own was published in Wexford in the year 1902 On This Day

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The Spanish Civil War which lasted from 1936 to 1939 led to the overthrow of the elected government by the fascist forces led by General Franco. Irish volunteers fought on both sides during the war. 320 Irish men fought with the International Brigade in support of government forces. Over 600 Irish men fought on the side of General Franco. Franco was victorious in a war that saw an estimated half a million people killed. He established an autocratic dictatorship and ruled Spain for the next 35 years. General Francisco died in the year 1975 On This Day

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A train journey from McDonagh Station, Kilkenny to Dublin Heuton takes an hour and a half. The same journey took two and a half hours when the line first opened for public traffic in the year 1850 On This Day

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Muintir na Tíre is a national organisation which was established to promote community development in Ireland. The organisation has been involved in the development of initiatives such as Tidy Towns’ competition, Citizens Information Centres, Rural Group Water Schemes and Community Alert. The first unit of the organisation was launched in Tipperary Town in 1937. Muintir na Tíre was founded by Canon Hayes the Parish priest of Bansha. John M Canon Hayes was born in the year 1887 On This Day

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