19 December-Éamonn Andrews

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In the reception area of RTE (Radió Telifís Éireann) television studios there stands a bronze, larger than life statue of famous broadcaster Éamonn Andrews. During his lifetime Andrews became a highly successful broadcaster in both Ireland and Great Britain. He was voted Television Personality of the Year on four occasions and a stamp in his honour was issued by An Post in 1994. He was created a Papal Knight of St Gregory by Pope Paul VI in 1964 and appointed honorary CBE by Queen Elizabeth II in 1970.

Eamonn Andrews was born on Synge Street, Dublin in 1922 and was educated at Synge Street CBS (Christian Brothers School). He joined a local boxing club and in 1944 he became Ireland’s Junior Middleweight Boxing Champion. After he finished school he worked briefly in and insurance office before joining RTE as a sports commentator in 1946.

In 1950 Éamonn Andrews began working for BBC radio as a sports reporter and later as quiz master. A few years later he began his television broadcasting career as chairman of the panel game ‘What’s My Line?’ which was broadcast weekly. Though the programme was a success, Andrews became best known as presenter of ‘This Is Your Life’, a biography show which was originally devised in America. The programme, which was viewed by millions, was broadcast from 1955 to 1964 and again following its revival from 1969 until Éamonn Andrews died on November 5th 1987. He also presented children’s programmes.

Éamonn Andrews was appointed chairman of the Radio Éireann Authority, now the RTÉ Authority, by the government in 1960. During his time as chairman from 1960 to 1964 the Authority oversaw the successful introduction a RTÉ television. He also became involved in the entertainment industry in Ireland. Andrews joined ITV in 1964 where, among other things, he successfully presented a late night chat show called The Éamonn Andrews Show. He returned to the BBC in 1969.

Éamonn Andrews was born in Synge Street Dublin in the year 1922 On This Day.

Photo by brizzle born and bred

This Is Your Life

08 November-Christiaan Barnard

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Christiaan Barnard was a cardiac surgeon who was a native of South Africa. He performed the first successful heart transplant operation on December 3^rd 1967. The operation ushered in a new era of life extending surgery.

Christiaan Neethling Barnard was born in Beaufort West, Cape Province, South Africa in 1922. He studied medicine at University of Cape Town Medical School and graduated in 1945. He later studied at the University of Minnesota where he was awarded a PhD in 1958. He returned to South Africa in 1958 as senior cardiothoracic surgeon at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town.

For several years Barnard carried out extensive experimentation on heart transplantation in dogs. On December 3^rd 1963 he performed the world’s first human heart transplant. The operation was performed on 54 year old Louis Washkansky who had incurable heart disease. The heart came from a young woman who had been fatally injured in a traffic accident.

Louis Washkansky survived for 18 days. He died of pneumonia as he was taking immunosuppressive drugs. As time went on transplant operations carried out by Barnard became more successful. In 1971 Dirk van Zyl received a new heart. He survived for over 23 years. Barnard developed rheumatoid arthritis in his hands and retired in 1983. He died at the age of 78 on September 2^nd 2001.

Christiaan Barnard was born in the year 1922 On This Day.

Photo by andryn2006

Groote Schuur Hospital by andryn2006 on 2016-09-07 09:27:12

28 September-Carlow Garda Síochána

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An Garda Síochána station in Carlow town, Ireland is located on the Athy Road. The station moved there from its location on Tullow Street in 1991. An Garda Síochána (Guardian of the Peace), which is the police force of Ireland, has its headquarters in the Phoenix Park in Dublin.

The Peace Preservation act of 1814 brought about the establishment of the first police force in Ireland. However it was the Irish Constabulary Act of 1822 that saw the real beginning of an Irish Police Force. Under that Act a police force was established in each province in Ireland. A police command structure was put in place which had its headquarters in Dublin.

The Constabulary (Ireland) Act of 1836 further reorganised the new police force and led to the introduction a constabulary code of regulations. Permission to name The Irish Constabulary as the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) was granted by Queen Victoria in 1867. The RIC became the model for many other police forces around the world.

In 1822 seventy two police officers of the new Irish Constabulary were appointed to stations throughout County Carlow. For the purposes of policing, County Carlow was divided into two districts, Carlow and Bagenalstown. Eight police officers were assigned to Carlow Town which was designated as the headquarters for the county. The remainder were assigned to sixteen other police stations around the county.

Following independence in 1922 the RIC was replaced by a new police force called the Civic Guard. The Civic Guard was later renamed An Garda Síochána. The RIC departed from Carlow in February 1922 and were replaced by the Civic Guard the following September.

Twenty eight Garda and three Sergeants took up duty in Carlow town in the year 1922 On This Day.

Photo by conner395

badge – Ireland Eire – Garda Siochana LAPEL PIN by conner395 on 2013-07-19 23:03:50

Carlow Garda Station photo

Garda Headquarters, Phoenix Park, Dublin

Photo by National Library of Ireland on The Commons

22 August-Michael Collins

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Michael Collins was an Irish revolutionary leader who, in his short lifetime, became a hero of Ireland’s struggle for independence. He played a central role in directing a daring campaign of guerrilla warfare throughout the Anglo-Irish war from 1919 to 1921. Collins was Chairman of the Irish government and Commander-in-chief of the National Army when he was assassinated in 1922 during the Irish Civil War.

Michael James Collins was born at Woodfield, Clonakilty, Co. Cork on October 6th 1890. He was educated at his local national school and at Clonakilty Secondary School. In 1906 he sat the British Civil Service examination in Cork city and moved to London to work at the Post Office. In London he lived with his sister. He left the Post Office in 1910 to work in an accountancy firm and later in an American bank. He also studied law at King’s College London. During his time in London he joined the IRB and was elected secretary of the Gaelic League.

After nine years in London Collins returned to Dublin in order to avoid conscription. He worked at the accountancy firm Craig Gardiner but spent much of his time drilling troops at volunteer training camps. During the Rising of 1916 he served as aide-de-camp to Joseph Plunkett in the GPO in Dublin. After the rising he was interned at Frongoch in Wales but was released in December 1916. In the General Election of 1918 Collins was elected MP for Cork South and for Tyrone. He played a leading role in the War of Independence which lasted until a truce was declared on July 11th 1921.

Collins strenuously resisted his appointment as one of the Irish delegates to negotiate an Anglo-Irish Treaty. He eventually agreed to travel to London for the negotiations. The delegates were designated as “plenipotentiaries”, meaning they had the full authority to sign a treaty which would then have to be ratified by Dáil Éireann. The treaty was signed on December 6th 1921 and ratified by Dáil Éireann on January 7th 1922. Those opposed to the treaty led by Éamon de Valera withdrew from Dáil Éireann and civil war ensued.

Towards the end of the civil war Collins went on an inspection tour of the South. On August 22nd 1922 his convoy was ambushed about 16km east of the town of Macroom at Béal na mBláth in County Cork. During the ambush Collins was shot and died almost immediately. He was just thirty-two years old. His funeral in Dublin was attended by an estimated half a million people. He is buried in Glasnevin cemetery.

Michael Collins was assassinated at Béal na Bláth in the year 1922 On This Day.

Michael Collins photo

Michael Collins (centre) August 16th 1922

Photo by National Library of Ireland on The Commons

Photo by National Library of Ireland on The Commons

Coffin of Michael Collins being carried from the Pro-Cathedral by National Library of Ireland on The Commons on 1922-08-28 13:02:12

12 August-Arthur Griffith

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Arthur Griffith was a politician and writer who played a leading role in the achievement of Irish independence. Through his writing he was influential in developing many of the ideas behind the movement which eventually led to the break with Britain. He was opposed to violence and was an advocate of peaceful means as the way to achieve Home Rule.

Arthur Griffith was born in Dublin on March 31^st 1872. He was educated by the Christian Brothers and followed his father into the printing trade. He was appointed editor of the United Irishman in 1898. His articles encouraged the idea of self-government for Ireland. One his ideas was for Irish independence under a dual monarchy. Griffith was not involved in the Easter Rising of 1916. Due to his writings however, he was one those imprisoned in the aftermath of the rising.

Following the War of Independence, Griffith was selected to lead the ‘envoys plenipotentiary from the elected government of the Republic of Ireland’ in negotiating the Anglo-Irish Treaty 1921. The Treaty established Ireland as a self-governing Free State and was ratified by 64 votes to 57 by Dáil Eireann on January 7^th 1922. When those opposed to the Treaty lost the vote, they walked out of parliament led by Éamon de Valera. Arthur Griffith died during the Civil War which followed. The civil war ended in victory for the supporters of the Treaty on May 24^th 1923.

Arthur Griffith died at the age of 50 in the year 1922 On This Day.