13 January-Dunmore Cave

Dunmore Cave is located about 11 Km North of Kilkenny City, Ireland, close to the road linking the city to the town of Castlecomer. The cave contains many passages and, at its deepest, is 46m below the surface. It has several calcite formations the most spectacular of which is known as the Market Cross, measuring over 5m high and 1.3m across. The cave is open to the public and was designated as a national monument in 1944.
Reference to the cave, which is a 300 million years old limestone formation, can be found in documents dating back centuries. The Annals, for instance, tell of a Viking massacre which occurred at the cave in 928 AD. Later investigations showed that remains which were discovered, were the bodies of nineteen female adults and twenty five children. Excavations at various times have uncovered bodies, coins, weapons and various artefacts dating back to Viking times. The cave is referred to in many publications including the Dublin Penny Journal. Kilkenny native Bishop George Berkeley wrote an account of a visit he made to the cave in 1706 when he was twenty one years old.
On November 19th 1999 at the end of the tourist season, a tourist guide who was tidying up, discovered a hoard of silver and bronze items which dated back to 970 AD. Among the items found were some coins from the North East of England and others from Baghdad. Officials described the find as “very exciting and of major significance”. The discovery was not announced until January 2000. By then the hoard of coins and jewellery which was over 1,000 years old had been transferred to the National Museum in Dublin. After the discovery the cave was closed to the public so that further archaeological works could be carried out. Following the archaeological works, extensive redevelopment at the cave was undertaken before it was reopened to the public in 2003.
The announcement of the discovery of the hoard of 1,000 year old coins and jewellery in Dunmore Cave, Kilkenny was made in the year 2000 On This Day.

Dunmore Cave photo

Dunmore Cave by Olivier Bruchez

 

 

18 December-Kirsty MacColl

Kirsty MacColl, who recorded the Christmas song ‘Fairytale of New York’ with Shane MacGowan and the Pogues, was a native of Croydon, England. Fairytale of New York was written by Shane MacGowan and Jem Finer. The song was first released in November 1987. Often referred to as the best Christmas song of all time Fairytale of New York achieved one million sales in 2013.

Kirsty Anna MacColl was born in Croydon, Surrey, England on October 10th 1959. She was the daughter of folk singer Ewan MacColl. Kirsty and her brother were raised by their mother Jean in Croydon where she attended school. As a teenager she performed for a short time with the band Drug Addix.

She left the band to begin her solo career and had a hit in 1981 with ‘There’s a Guy Works Down the Chip Shop Swears He’s Elvis’. During the 1980’s and 1990’s recorded several hit pop records. She also performed on recordings by other artists including The Smiths, Alison Moyet, The Pogues and Anni-Frid Lyngstad of ABBA.

In 2000 Kirsty MacColl was on holiday in Cozumel, Mexico. She was diving with her two sons in a designated diving area which boats were restricted from entering. However a speedboat entered the area. MacColl managed to save her two sons but she was hit by the boat and killed instantly.

Kirsty MacColl, singer, songwriter and entertainer who recorded the Christmas song ‘Fairytale of New York’ with Shane MacGowan and the Pogues, died in the Caribbean Sea off the island of Cozumel near the coast of Mexico in the year 2000 On This Day.

Kirsty MacColl

Kirsty MacColl

 

12 February-Peanuts Cartoon

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 20th 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.

PEANUTS Gang

24 September-Westlife

Westlife was a hugely successful Irish boyband which was active from 1998 until it disbanded in June 2012. The band consisted of Nicky Byrne, Kian Egan, Mark Feehily, Shane Filan and Brian McFadden. In 2000, Westlife made popular music history when they became the first band to have six consecutive singles go straight to the top of the UK charts.

Westlife was formed on July 3rd 1998. The band had its first hit with ‘Swear It Again’ in April 1999. In total the band had 14 number one singles in the United Kingdom. Westlife sold over 50 million records worldwide. It is the holder of four Guinness World Records, including the 21st century top-selling album group in the UK.

Westlife was an Irish boyband which made British pop history by becoming the first act to have six consecutive number one singles, in the year 2000 On This Day.

 

 

 

24 July-Judge John Garavan

John Garavan was a native of Castlebar Co Mayo, Ireland. He served as district court judge in Co Galway for more than two decades. During his time on the bench Judge Garavan is reported to have often cracked jokes and engaged in banter. His remarks sometimes caused controversy.

In 2000, Cuba nightclub in Galway applied for an extension of its opening hours. Sitting in court to hear the application the judge remarked, ‘I hear from respectable young men that they can’t meet nice respectable girls in these nightclubs. The girls they meet there are dreadful, at least that is what I am told’. He refused the application and his remark caused controversy. Judge Garavan stepped down from the bench in 2003.

Judge John Garavan refused to extend late night opening hours in a Galway nightclub, because the women frequenting them are ‘dreadful and not respectable’, in the year 2000 On This Day.

Galway City