24 September-Carlow University

— Share your story

Carlow University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was founded by Sisters of Mercy from Carlow Ireland. The Sisters arrived in Pittsburgh in 1843 and began to establish schools and hospitals. They opened Mount Mercy College in 1929. In 1969 the name was changed to Carlow College. Carlow College officially became Carlow University in 2004.

The Sisters of Mercy came to Carlow town, Ireland from Dublin in April 1839. The sisters established St Leo’s College, a school for girls. The Mercy Order had been founded by Catherine McAuley in Dublin in 1831. St Leo’s opened its doors to its first students on May 1st 1839. Today the school is a thriving institution which educates girls form twelve to eighteen years.

In 1843 Michael O’Connor, a native of Fermoy Co Cork was appointed the first Bishop of the new Diocese of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. He was consecrated in Rome and passed through Ireland on his return journey to the US. He visited Carlow and invited members of the Mercy Order to come and work in his diocese. The Mercy Order agreed and nuns from Carlow travelled to the USA.

Mother Francis Warde and six Mercy Sisters: Josephine Cullen (28), Veronica McDarby (27), Aloysia Strange (24), Philomena Reid (23), Elizabeth Strange (22), and Margaret O’Brien (21) left Carlow for Pittsburgh on November 1st 1843. They established schools and hospitals in Pittsburgh, including the first permanent hospital in Pittsburgh which opened on New Year’s Day 1847. During the following years they also established schools and hospitals in other locations in the USA.

The Sisters founded a Catholic University called Mount Mercy College in 1929. The name was changed to Carlow College in 1969. In 2004 Carlow College achieved University Status and is now known as Carlow University. Over 2,200 students, from undergraduate to PhD level, study a wide range of programmes at the University.

Carlow University has an international programme through which students study in institutions all over the world, from England to Russia to Tanzania to Thailand. It maintains its links with its Irish heritage and students and staff from the University visit Carlow. Each year a group of students from Carlow University spend a semester studying at Carlow College in Ireland. Students from the University also study at Universities in Northern Ireland and participate in programmes in Sligo.

Carlow University was established in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA in the year 1929 On This Day.

Mercy Nuns Pittsburgh photo

Pittsburgh, Pa

Photo by kla4067

12 November-Princess Grace of Monaco

— Share your story

Princess Grace of Monaco visited her grandfather’s house in Co Mayo, Ireland in 1961. She was greeted by Mrs Ellen Mulchrone who was then the owner. The house is located close to Drumgoney Lough, better known locally as Leg of Mutton Lake, in Drimurla near Newport County Mayo. Princess Grace’s grandfather, John Bernard Kelly was a bricklayer. He left Drimurla in 1887 for Philadelphia where he founded a successful construction company.

Grace Patricia Kelly was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in November 1929. She was interested in acting from a young age. After completing high school she decided, against her father’s wishes, to pursue an acting career. She studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City. Shortly after graduation she moved to Hollywood. She went on to appear in eleven films and numerous television productions. Grace Kelly received several awards including two Academy Awards. Her first award was for Best Supporting Actress for her part in the film Mogambo in 1953. She received her second Academy Award for her role as Best Actress in The Country Girl in 1954.

Grace Kelly’s marriage to Prince Rainier III of Monaco in April 1956, brought to an end her acting career. She concentrated on her role as Princess of Monaco and became involved in various philanthropic projects. She established the Princess Grace Irish Library in Monaco which opened in 1984. Following her visit to Newport in 1961 Princess Grace purchased her ancestral home. On subsequent visits in 1976 and 1979 she discussed architectural plans for a holiday home at Drimurla. The plans never materialised as Princess Grace died aged 52 following a car crash on September 14^th 1982.

The Rainiers had three children Princess Caroline, Prince Albert, and Princess Stéphanie. Following the death of Prince Rainier in 2005 he was succeeded by his son Prince Albert II. Prince Albert II of Monaco and his fiancée Charlene Wittstock met relatives of the Prince at Newport House, Co Mayo, Ireland on April 6th 2011 while on a state visit to Ireland. The couple then followed the footsteps of Prince Rainier and Princess Grace and visited the ancestral home of the prince’s great grandfather at Drimurla. A Festival in honour of Princess Grace is held in the picturesque town of Newport Co Mayo.

Grace Kelly, Princess Grace of Monaco, was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA in the year 1929 On This Day.

Grace Kelly by twm1340 on 2007-10-11 16:52:33

Princess Grace in Mayo photo

Railway Bridge at Newport, Co Mayo, Ireland

Photo by Mark Waters

21 November-Niall Tóibín

— Share your story

Niall Tóibín was a comedian and actor who was a native of Cork city, Ireland. He was best known as a stand-up comedian and for his role in films such as Ryan’s Daughter, The Ballroom of Romance, Far and Away, and Veronica Guerin. The recipient of several awards, Tóibín also appeared in several television series, including Ballykissangel, during his career.

Niall Tóibín was born in Cork city in 1929. He was educated at the North Monastery in Cork and moved to Dublin in 1947 to work in the Civil Service. Six years later, he left the Civil Service to work full-time as an actor with the Radio Eireann Players. Tóibín also pursued a successful stage career.

In an illustrious career spanning over four decades Tóibín became famous for his roles on television, in film and in the theatre. He was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Arts Degree by University College Cork in 2010. Tóibín was also awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Irish Film and Television Academy in 2011. He died on November 13th 2019.

Niall Tóibín, award winning comedian and actor, was born in Cork city, Ireland in the year 1929 On This Day.

Pub in Avoca, County Wicklow, Ireland. This was used as a primary exterior set in the BBC television series Ballykissangel in which Niall Tóibín had a role. It retains the name used in the show.

Phil Armitage – http://www.philarmitage.net/wicklow/wicklow1.html

05 March-Buick

— Share your story

David Buick was an inventor who founded of the Buick Motor Company in 1903. The Buick brand is one of the most successful in the United States. It is part of General Motors which it established in 1908. Over one million Buick cars are sold annually in China, United States, Canada and Mexico.

David Buick was born David Dunbar Buick in Arbroath, Angus, Scotland on September 17^th 1854. At the age of two he moved with his family to the United States. He worked for time in the plumbing industry before developing an interest in internal combustion engines.

In 1899 Buick established the Buick Auto-Vim and Power Company. His research lead to the revolutionary overhead valve (OHV) engine. OHV engines are used by most engine manufacturers today. Having established the Buick Motor Company in 1903, Buick left the company in 1906. He was involved in several other unsuccessful business ventures and worked for a time as an instructor in the Detroit School of Trades.

David Buick, an inventor who founded of the Buick Motor Company in 1903, died aged 74 in the year 1929 On This Day.

Buick GL8

By Navigator84 – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=68351100

Photo by Hugo-90

11 February-Vatican City

— Share your story

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.