Events from History
Pope John Paul I began his papacy on August 26th 1978. Often referred to as The Smiling Pope, John Paul I died suddenly 33 days later. His reign one of the shortest in history.
Pope John Paul I died in the year 1978 On This Day.
Tomb of John Paul I in the Vatican Grottoes
Dolores Keane is a folk singer who is a native of Co Galway Ireland. She has had a successful career both as a member of the group De Dannan and as a solo performer. Internationally acclaimed as a singer, Dolores Keane has also performed the lead female role in Brendan Behan’s ‘The Hostage’ and Synge’s Playboy of the Western World.
Dolores Keane was born near Caherlistrane, Co. Galway in 1953. Born into a musical family she made her first recording at the age of five. In 1975 she was a founding member of De Dannan which became a successful band during the 1970’s. Keane moved to London where for a time she pursued a solo career.
Though Keane returned to perform with De Dannan she also did solo performances. She performed with other Irish artists such as Mary Black and Sharon Shannon. She has also recorded with international musicians such as Emmylou Harris.
Dolores Keane, folk singer and actress, was born in the year 1953 On This Day.
De Dannan
Ronnie Whelan is a native of Dublin. He is a former Irish international football player who played with distinction for the Republic of Ireland. He spent most of his career playing with clubs in the English Premier League and played 53 times for his country.
Ronald Andrew Whelan was born in Dublin in 1961. Born into a football family, he began his playing career with the Dublin club, Home Farm in 1977. He joined Liverpool Football Club in 1979. He went on to play for the club on 362 occasions scoring 46 goals. In 1979 Whelan moved to Southend United as player/manager. He retired in 1996 and now works as a football commentator for radio and television.
Ronnie Whelan, former Irish international footballer, was born in Dublin in the year 1961 On This Day.
Liverpool FC legends Ronnie Whelan, Kenny Dalgleish and Roy Evans celebrate winning the 1990 First Division title
New Zealand, in 1893 was the first independent, self-governing country in the world to grant women the right to vote. Though given the vote women were not allowed to stand for parliamentary elections. In Ireland women, provided they were over the age of 30, were allowed to vote for the first time in a General Election of 1918.
In 1718 women in Sweden were granted conditional suffrage. However it was withdrawn in 1772. The Republic of Corsica was proclaimed in 1755 and its constitution gave women the right to vote. However, when Corsica was taken over by the French in 1769, women’s right to vote was revoked. During the 19th and 20th century female suffrage was gradually introduced in countries around the world. In 2015 women in Saudi Arabia were first allowed to vote in the 2015 municipal elections.
New Zealand became the first country in the world to grant women the right to vote in the year 1893 On This Day.
Womens’ suffrage centenary memorial Auckland, New Zealand
Oliver Stone is an award winning film director and screenwriter who is a native of the United States. He is best known as the director of hit films such as, ‘Born on the Fourth of July’ and ‘Natural Born Killers’. He was the screenwriter for film ‘Scarface’.
William Oliver Stone was born in New York City in 1946. He was educated locally and entered Yale University in 1964. He dropped out and served in the Vietnam War. After the war, Stone attended New York University. He graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in film in 1971.
In 1979 Oliver Stone won an Academy Award for his film ‘Midnight Express’. Since then he has won Academy Awards for ‘Platoon’ and ‘Born on the Fourth of July’. He has been nominated for Academy Awards on eight other occasions.
Oliver Stone, Academy Award winning film director and screenwriter was born in the year 1946 On This Day.
Oliver Stone
