18 September-Jimi Hendrix

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Jimi Hendrix was a musician singer and songwriter who was a native of Washington, USA. Though he had a short career he became one of the most influential musicians in the history of Rock Music. His innovative guitar playing was a feature of his exciting performances.

Johnny Allen Hendrix was born in Seattle, Washington on November 27^th 1942. He was of Irish, African American and Cherokee ancestry. He began playing the guitar at the age of 15. By the time he appeared at the Woodstock Festival in 1969 Hendrix was the highest paid performer in the world. ‘The Star Spangled Banner was one of his most memorable performances at Woodstock. He was the headline performer at the Isle of Wight Festival in England in 1970.

Jimi Hendrix died at the age of 27 in Kensington, London in the year 1970 On This Day.

Photo by franela 🙂

Jimi Hendrix by franela 🙂 on 2007-12-13 12:48:47

Photo by dherrera_96

Jimi Hendrix Memorial by dherrera_96 on 2008-07-06 17:20:50

11 November-D J Carey

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Kilkenny hurler D J Carey is regarded as one of the best players ever to play the sport of hurling. He is looked on as an icon of the game. During his career he has won multiple County, Provincial and All-Ireland hurling titles. He has also been the recipient of several awards including being chosen for nine All-Star awards. Carey has been named Texaco Hurler of the Year on two occasions and in 2000 was named on the Kilkenny Hurling Team of the Century.

Denis Joseph Carey was born in Gowran Co Kilkenny in 1970. He was educated locally and received his second level education St. Kieran’s College in Kilkenny City. St Kieran’s is famed as a hurling school where Carey’s hurling skills were first developed. He won two All-Ireland Colleges’ Medals playing for St Kieran’s in 1988 and 1989.

While still a student at St Kieran’s Carey began his inter-county career playing for the Kilkenny minor hurling team in 1987. He won an All-Ireland medal with the team in 1988. He went on to win his second All-Ireland medal playing with the Kilkenny under-21 team in 1990.

Carey began playing with the Kilkenny senior team in 1989. Over the next seventeen years he made 57 appearances for his county before he retired 2006. During his senior career he won 5 All-Ireland titles, 10 Leinster titles and 4 national Hurling League titles.

D J Carey, who is regarded as one of the best players ever to play the sport of hurling, was born in the town of Gowran, Co Kilkenny in the year 1970 On This Day.

Photo by Bernie Goldbach

DJ Carey School of Hurling by Bernie Goldbach on 2006-07-14 12:04:44

D J Carey Kilkenny photo

Hurling action

Photo by Florian Christoph

04 October-Janis Joplin

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Janis Joplin was a singer and songwriter who was a native of the USA. Known for her soul and blues singing she rose to fame during the late 1960’s. She appeared at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967 and at the Woodstock festival in 1969.

Janis Lyn Joplin was born in Port Arthur, Texas on January 19^th 1943. She graduated from high school in 1960 and later attended the University of Texas at Austin. Interested in music from a young age Joplin joined the band Big Brother and the Holding Company in 1966. She later went on to have a successful solo career. Though she died at the age of 27 she has sold over 15 million albums.

Janis Joplin, singer and songwriter who rose to fame as a soul and blues singer during the 1960’s, died aged 27 in the year 1970 On This Day.

Janice Joplin

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07 July-Wayne McCullough

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Wayne McCullough is an Olympic boxing champion who is a native of Northern Ireland. He had a very successful career both as an amateur and as a professional. In 1990 McCullough was the winner of a gold medal representing Northern Ireland at the Commonwealth Games in New Zealand. Representing Ireland at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, McCullough won a silver medal at bantamweight.

Wayne William McCullough was born in Belfast in 1970. Following a successful amateur career he turned professional in 1993. He went on to win the WBC title in 1995 and remained champion until 1997. In 2004 he changed his name by deed poll to ‘Wayne Pocket Rocket McCullough’. He became a United States citizen in 2005. McCullough retired from boxing in 2008.

Wayne McCullough, Olympic boxing champion who is a native of Northern Ireland was born in the year 1970 On This Day.

Photo by Deseronto Archives

26 March-Martin McDonagh

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Martin McDonagh is an award-winning author who is considered one of the most influential Irish playwrights. He is also a screenwriter and director. He was born in England to Irish parents. He holds dual citizenship for both Ireland and Britain.

Martin Faranan McDonagh was born in Camberwell, London in 1970. His father was from Connemara, Co Galway and his mother was from Easky Co Sligo. The family spent their summer holidays in Ireland. Having left school at the age of 16, McDonagh worked for time in a supermarket in London. He later worked in an administrative role for the British Department of Trade and Industry.

McDonagh’s first play ‘The Beauty Queen of Leenane’ was staged to critical acclaim in the Druid Theatre in Galway in 1996. It was produced on Broadway in 1998 where it was nominated for a Tony Award. McDonagh has written several other successful plays including ‘The Cripple of Inishmaan’ and ‘The Lieutenant of Inishmore’.

‘Six Shooter’ was the first film written and directed by McDonagh. It won him an Academy Award for Best Live-Action Short Film of 2005. Since then other successful films have followed including ‘In Bruges’ and ‘Seven Psychopaths’. He was executive producer of the film ‘The Guard’ which was written and directed by his brother John Michael McDonagh.

In 2017 McDonagh wrote, directed and produced the film ‘Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri’. It received seven Academy Nominations and was the winner of the Award for Best Actress. The film also won three BAFTA Awards and two Golden Globe Awards.

Martin McDonagh playwright, screenwriter and director of films such as ‘In Bruges’ and ‘Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri’ was born in the year 1970 On This Day.

Photo by GabboT

Martin McDonagh