18 January-John Hume

— 2 Comments ↓

John Hume was one of the architects of the Northern Ireland peace process. His dedication to peace and democracy and his hard work in the cause of Northern Ireland has wrought a complete change in the recent history of Ireland. Hume announced his retirement from politics in 2004.

John Hume was born in Derry, Northern Ireland in 1939. He was educated at St Columb’s College Derry before entering St Patricks College Maynooth to study for the priesthood. He later decided not to continue with his clerical studies. He remained at Maynooth where he studied French and History and was awarded a BA degree in 1958. He was awarded a Master’s degree in 1964 after which he returned to Derry where he taught in a secondary school.

Whilst working as a teacher he became a founding member of the Credit Union in Derry city. The credit union movement was expanding rapidly in Ireland at that time. At the age of 27, in 1964, Hume became the youngest ever President of the Irish League of Credit Unions. He continued his involvement with the credit union movement and on September 11th 2004 he officially opened the new headquarters of Carlow District Credit Union at Askea in Carlow town.

A founding member of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) John Hume served as leader of that party from 1979 to 2001. He served as an MP for Foyle in the British House of Commons for 23 years as an MEP for Northern Ireland in the European Parliament for 25 years. Following the establishment of the Northern Ireland Assembly at Stormont in Belfast, Hume served as an MLA (Member of the Legislative Assembly) for 2 years. His work as one of the architects of the Northern Ireland peace process led the various terror groups to eventually declare a ceasefire. This in turn gave rise to the Good Friday agreement being brokered on April 12th 1998.

John Hume, along with David Trimble, was a co-recipient of the 1998 Nobel Peace Prize. He was also awarded the Gandhi Peace Prize and the Martin Luther King Award. Pope Benedict XVI made John Hume a Knight Commander of the Papal Order of St. Gregory the Great (KCSG) in 2012. In a public poll carried out by RTE (Raidió Teilifís Éireann) in 2010 John Hume was named ‘Ireland’s Greatest’.

John Hume KCSG was born in the city of Derry in Northern Ireland in the year 1937 On This Day.

03 May-Gone With the Wind

— Share your story

Margaret Mitchell was a journalist and author who was a native of America. She is best known as the author of the bestselling 1936 novel ‘Gone With the Wind’. It was the only novel written by Mitchell to be published during her lifetime. In 1939 the novel was adapted into a film of the same name. The film won ten Academy Awards

Margaret Munnerlyn Mitchell was born in Atlanta, Georgia on November 8^th 1900. She was of Irish and Scottish ancestry. Following her education she began working as a journalist with the Atlanta Journal Sunday magazine in 1922. Having suffered an ankle injury in 1926 she quit her job at the magazine. She began writing ‘Gone With the Wind’ whilst recovering from her injury.

‘Gone With the Wind’ made Mitchell an instant celebrity. She was awarded the National Book Award in 1936 and the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1937. The award winning film based on the novel was released in 1939. ‘Gone With the Wind’ has been translated into 27 languages and more than 30 million copies have been sold worldwide.

Margaret Mitchell received the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for her novel ‘Gone With the Wind’ in the year 1937 On This Day.

Photo by elycefeliz

Margaret Mitchell

Photo by jonl

06 April-Merle Haggard

— Share your story

Merle Haggard was a country singer, songwriter and musician who was a native of the USA. His genres included country, outlaw country and what is known as the Bakersfield sound. The recipient of many awards and honours, Haggard became one of the best-known artists in country music.

Merle Ronald Haggard was born in Oildale, California in 1937. The death of his father when he was eight years old had a major impact on his life. He began learning to play the guitar at the age of 12, but he had a troubled youth and served time in San Quentin prison. A performance by Johnny Cash in San Quentin in 1959 helped inspire Haggard to pursue a career in music.

In 1965, ‘My Friends Are Gonna Be Strangers’ became Haggard’s first American top-10 hit. He went on to have 38 No. 1 hits. With songs such as ‘Sing Me Back Home’ and ‘Okie from Muskogee’ he became a country music legend. During his career Haggard successfully collaborated with many other artists. His numerous awards included the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in 1994 and an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts from the California State University in 2013.

Merle Haggard, country singer, songwriter and musician was born in the year 1937 On This Day.

Photo by Nesster

Merle Haggard

30 January-Boris Spassky

— Share your story

Boris Spassky visited Kilkenny city, Ireland in March 1991. Grand Master Spassky, who was world champion from 1969 to 1972, had been invited to Kilkenny by Kilkenny Chess Club. When he later became Honorary President of Kilkenny Chess Club he is reported to have said: “All my life I was dreaming to be an Honorary President. Long live Kilkenny Chess Club!”

Boris Vasilievich Spassky was born in Leningrad, Russia in 1937. In 1942 at the age of five he was forced to flee Leningrad during the Nazi invasion. He learned to play chess on the train evacuating him and his family from the city. At the age of ten he beat the then world champion Mikhail Botvinnik in an exhibition in Leningrad. He became a Grand Master in 1955 at the age of 18. In 1969 Boris Spassky became World Chess Champion. He remained world champion until he lost in Helsinki in 1972 to American Bobby Fischer in what became known as the “Match of the Century”.

Though a chess club existed in Kilkenny in the 1830’s the present club was founded on February 3rd 1969. The club continues to thrive and has had several notable achievements down the years. There were over 200 players in attendance at the annual Kilkenny Chess Congress which was held on November 26th 2014.

Boris Spassky, chess grandmaster, was born in Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg), Russia in the year 1937 On This Day.

Photo by Malcolm Tredinnick

Boris Spassky

Photo by Russland und Ukraine

Boris Spasski

04 January-Mick O’Connell

— 2 Comments ↓

Mick O’Connell, who is a native of Co Kerry Ireland, is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of Gaelic Football. During his career he has won multiple county, provincial and all-Ireland titles. He has also been the recipient of several awards including being chosen as a member of Football Team of the Millennium in 2000.

Michael O’Connell was born on Valentia Island, Co Kerry in 1937. Having played at minor level for his county, O’Connell made his debut with the Kerry senior football team in 1956. He went on to play at midfield for 19 seasons. During his career O’Connell won 12 Munster titles, 4 All-Ireland titles, 4 National Football Leagues and was chosen as an All Star in 1972. He retired from inter-county football the following year.

Mick O’Connell was born in the year 1937 On This Day.

Photo by larnapaircemuseum