Waylon Jennings was a musician, singer and songwriter who was a native of the USA. His genres included country, outlaw country rockabilly and country rock. The recipient of many awards and honours, Jennings became one of the best-known artists in country music.

Waylon Jennings was born Waylon Arnold Jennings in Littlefield, Texas on June 15^th 1937. Interested in music from a young age, he was playing in a band and working as a radio DJ by the age of 12. In 1965 he had his first hit with ‘Stop the World (And Let Me Off)’. His music evolved over the years and he went on to have a successful recording career.

From 1985 to 1995 Jennings was a member of ‘The Highwaymen’, a country group which included Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, and Johnny Cash. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2001. Jennings was the composer and singer of the theme song for the comedy television series ‘The Dukes of Hazzard’. He was also a narrator for the show.

Waylon Jennings, award winning musician, singer and songwriter, died aged 64 in the year 2002 On This Day.

Photo by majunznk

Waylon Jennings

Charles M Schulz was an award winning cartoonist who was a native of the United States. He is best known as the creator of the popular comic strip ‘Peanuts’. The strip which featured characters such as Charlie Browne and Snoopy became a global publication. It was published in over 2000 newspapers around the world. Charles M Schulz received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1996.

Charles Monroe Schulz was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota on November 20^th 1922. Educated locally, he was interested in drawing from a young age. His drawing of the family dog ‘Spike’ was published when he was 15 years old. Schulz began submitting drawings to various publications and on October 2nd 1950 ‘Peanuts was published for the first time. Its popularity grew quickly. Over almost 50 years the comic strip appeared in publications in 75 countries around the world.

Charles M Schulz, the cartoonist who created the popular comic strip ‘Peanuts’ died aged 77 in the year 2000 On This Day.

Photo by Discover Lehigh Valley, PA

PEANUTS Gang

Vatican City is officially known as Vatican City State (Status Civitatis Vaticanae). It is an independent country governed as an absolute monarchy with the Pope at its head. It has diplomatic relations with most countries in the world. It is located within the city of Rome, Italy, covering an area of about 45 hectares (110 acres). Though it has a population of around 1,000 the Vatican has a citizenship of around 600.

The Papal States which once covered most of central Italy, existed from the 8th century until 1870. Following the unification of Italy the Papal States became part of the Kingdom of Italy. The temporal power of the Pope ended when Italian troops conquered Rome in 1870. The Popes did not recognise the authority of the King of Italy and refused to leave the Vatican for almost sixty years.

The crisis ended when the Lateran Treaty, between Italy and the Holy See was signed in 1929. It was negotiated when the fascist dictator Benito Mussolini was in power in Italy. The treaty established Vatican City State as an independent country.

The Lateran Treaty, establishing the Vatican City State as an independent country, was signed by Italy and the Holy See in the year 1929 On This Day.

Photo by Atibordee_K

Vatican City

Photo by aurélien.

Delia Murphy was a famous ballad singer who was a native of Co Mayo, Ireland. During World War II she helped Monsignor O Flaherty to save Jews and escaped allied soldiers from the Nazis. At the time her husband Dr Thomas Kiernan was Irish Ambassador to Rome.

Delia Murphy was born near Claremorris Co Mayo, Ireland on February 16^th 1902. She grew up on Mount Jennings Estate in Hollymount, Co Mayo and attended Robeen National School. Her father allowed members of the travelling community to camp on his estate and Delia said that it was from them she learned many of her songs.

Following National School she was educated at Presentation Convent, Tuam, Co Galway and Dominican College Dublin. A very bright student Delia took degrees in both Arts and Commerce in University College Galway (UCG). In UCG she met and married economist and author Dr Thomas Kiernan when she was 22 years old.

In 1924 Dr Kiernan joined the diplomatic service and his first appointment was to London. Delia regularly sang at diplomatic gatherings and became friendly with the singer John McCormack. She became well known as a singer in her own right and in 1939 she recorded three songs ‘The Blackbird’, ‘The Spinning Wheel’ and ‘Three Lovely Lassies’. The recordings became popular in Ireland and abroad.

Thomas Kiernan was appointed Irish Minister Plenipotentiary to the Holy See in Rome and the family moved to Rome in 1941. Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty (“Vatican pimpernel”) who was responsible for saving 6,500 Allied soldiers and Jews from the Nazis was supported and assisted in his efforts by Delia Murphy. During his career Kiernan also served as Ambassador in Canberra, Bonn, Ottawa and Washington.

Despite having four children, a busy lifestyle and frequently moving to new locations, Delia Murphy continued to record and perform. During the 1950’s she did concert tours in Ireland and Britain and in1961 she recorded ‘The Queen of Connemara’ whilst living in Canada. Shortly after the death of her husband she moved to Ireland in 1969 to live near Chapelizod, in Dublin.

Delia Murphy, famous ballad singer from Co Mayo who did so much to promote Ireland abroad, died in Dublin in the year 1971 On This Day.

Joseph Lister was a surgeon and scientist who was a native of England. In the late 1800’s he introduced the use of carbolic acid as an antiseptic during surgery. Carbolic acid, now known as phenol is a germ-killing substance. Lister also pioneered new principles of cleanliness in surgical practice. He is widely regarded as the ‘The Father of Modern Surgery’.

Joseph Lister was born in West Ham, Essex on April 5^th 1827. Having been awarded a Bachelor of Medicine he entered the Royal College of Surgeons in 1853. In 1854 he began working as a surgeon in Edinburgh Royal Infirmary in Scotland. At the time a surgeon was not required wash hands before seeing a patient. Surgery was carried out under unsanitary conditions.

Lister studied the work which French scientist Louis Pasteur had carried out on the three methods for the elimination of micro-organisms. He decided to use chemicals, Pasteur’s third option. Lister used dressings soaked in carbolic acid to dress wounds. This vastly reduced the rate of infection. He also introduced hand washing and the sterilising of surgical instruments with carbolic acid.

Joseph Lister, a surgeon who pioneered the idea of using antiseptics during surgery and who is regarded as ‘The Father of Modern Surgery’, died aged 84 in the year 1912 On This Day.

Photo by Internet Archive Book Images