20 May-East Timor

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The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste also known as East Timor occupies the Eastern section of the island of Timor in Southeast Asia. It was recognised as an independent state by the United Nations in May 2002. East Timor occupies an area of 14,609 km2 and has a population of 1.2 million.

The Portuguese began to colonise the island of Timor during the 1600’s. The island was split between the Portuguese and the Dutch in 1749. However it was not until 1914 that a definitive border was established between the two sections of the island by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague.

Following the 1974 coup, Portugal began to withdraw from its colonies. East Timor declared itself independent on November 28^th 1975. This led to the country being invaded by Indonesia nine days later. The invasion was resisted by the people of East Timor and over the following two decades over 100,000 people died.

A referendum on independence supervised by the UN was held in 1999. The people of East Timor voted overwhelmingly for independence. Timor-Leste became an internationally recognized independent state in 2002.

East Timor was internationally recognised as an independent state in the year 2002 On This Day.

Photo by J.P. Esperança

Bisikleta iha Dili, East Timor

Photo by Kate B Dixon

Maubisse in the early morning, about 70km south of Dili

21 March-Carlow Courthouse

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Carlow Courthouse is located at the junction of the Athy and Dublin roads in Carlow town, Ireland. The courthouse, which is an impressive public building, was constructed between 1828 and 1834. It is one of Ireland’s finest examples of ancient Greek revivalist architecture. The building is based on the Temple of Llissus in Athens, Greece.

Completed in 1834, Carlow Courthouse was designed by architect William Vitruvius Morrison. It is built of bricks hewn from Carlow granite (ashlar granite). A flight of steps leads from street level to the portico which is supported by eight columns. Inside there are two D-shaped courtrooms, to the rear of which are the offices of the court. The building was designed to make maximum use of natural light. Prisoner cells are located in the plinth beneath the building.

The courthouse is surrounded by iron railings which stand on a limestone base. The piers at the gates consist of clusters of fasces topped by a Roman axe, known as a halberd. In Roman times these symbolised a magistrate’s power and jurisdiction.

The cannon on the steps of Carlow Courthouse was captured from the Russian Army during the Crimean War (1853-1856). It commemorates all the Irish soldiers who lost their lives during the Crimean War. It was donated to the town of Carlow by the British Minister of War Lord Panmure in 1858.

After being in use for over 160 years the Carlow Courthouse building was in need of major refurbishment. A survey identified a number of serious defects. Plans for the restoration of the building were drawn up in consultation with the Heritage Council. The refurbishment work was carried out and the building was carefully restored. Restoration work on the railings has yet to be undertaken.

Carlow Courthouse was officially re-opened following major refurbishment in the year 2002 On This Day.

Photo by Nico Kaiser

Carlow Courthouse

04 December-William Trevor

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William Trevor was a novelist, playwright and short story writer who was a native of Co Cork, Ireland. He won the Whitbread Prize on three occasions and was the recipient of numerous other awards. Trevor received an honorary knighthood for his services to literature in 2002. He was a member of Aosdána.

William Trevor was born William Trevor Cox in Mitchelstown, County Cork May 24^th 1928. He graduated from Trinity College Dublin, with a degree in history in 1950. Trevor worked as a schoolteacher for a time before moving to live in England in 1954. He became a full-time writer in 1964 following the success of his novel ‘The Old Boys’. He went on to write more than 15 novels and several short stories. He died at the age of 88 at his home in Somerset, England on November 20^th 2016.

William Trevor received an honorary knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II in the year 2002 On This Day.

Photo by dalcrose

William Trevor의.. by dalcrose on 2010-07-31 02:04:51

23 May-Callan Augustinian Friary

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Callan Augustinian Friary in Callan, County Kilkenny, Ireland was closed and had its lands confiscated as part of the dissolution of monasteries during the reign of Henry VII (1457-1509). The ruins of the Abbey, in what is known as the Abbey Field, are located close to the town of Callan.

In 1766 a new Augustinian Friary was founded in the town of Callan. By the year 1810 the building housing the Friary was in such poor condition that the roof collapsed. Fr John Rice, a brother of Edmund Ignatius Rice, was prior of Callan at the time. With the help of the people of Callan and the surrounding areas he raised sufficient funds to construct a new building which was completed in 1811. Callan became the only Augustinian novitiate in Ireland in 1815.

In 1841 a secondary school was opened in Callan by the Augustinians. The secondary school closed in 1872 when the new Christian Brothers School was opened in Callan. The Augustinian Friary continued its presence in Callan for another 130 years before finally closing down.

Callan Augustinian Friary, Co Kilkenny closing down ceremony, took place in the year 2002 On This Day.