23 November-St Columbanus

— Share your story

St Columbanus is commemorated in a stained glass window in the Church of Exaltation of the Holy Cross in Myshall, Co Carlow, Ireland. St Columbanus is regarded a key figure in Irish missionary activity in early medieval Europe. He is traditionally believed to have been born near the village of Myshall in 543 AD.

Having studied at various locations including Bangor Abbey in Co Down, Columbanus left Ireland for the Continent in 585 AD. He established several monasteries including Luxeuil in France and Bobbio in Italy. St Columbanus died on November 21st 615 at Bobbio. He is buried in the crypt at Bobbio Abbey. The Columbans (Missionary Society of St. Columban) is dedicated to St. Columbanus.

The Feast Day of St Columbanus, who is believed to have been born near the village of Myshall, Co Carlow, Ireland in 543 AD, is celebrated every year On This Day.

Photo by Internet Archive Book Images

Image from page 253 of “Lives of the Irish saints : with special festivals, and the commemorations of holy persons, compiled from calendars, martyrologies and various sources, relating to the ancient Church history of Ireland” (1875) by Internet Archive Book Images on 1875-01-01 00:00:00

Photo by bibendum84

Bobbio – Abbazia di San Colombano – Facciata by bibendum84 on 2010-03-12 13:33:36

Photo by Giovanni_Ve

Duomo di Bobbio (PC) – Interno by Giovanni_Ve on 2011-03-11 15:57:11

05 November-Guy Fawkes

— Share your story

Today is known as Guy Fawkes Day. In England it is celebrated with fireworks, bonfires and the burning of effigies of Guy Fawkes. The celebrations recall a plot by Fawkes and twelve others to blow up the House of Lords during an address by King James 1 in 1605. The plot, which became known as The Gunpowder Plot was a failure.

Guy Fawkes Day is celebrated in England each year On This Day.

Photo by Mike_fleming

Guy Fawkes Night by Mike_fleming on 2009-11-05 21:52:15

Guy Fawkes photo

Guy Fawkes Night at Chirk

Photo by LlGC ~ NLW

27 October-St Abban

— Share your story

St Abban’s Athletic Club is located in Co Laois about 10km (6 Miles) west of Carlow town, Ireland. St Abban (Abbán) was an abbot and Irish missionary during the 6^th century AD. He was the son of King Cormac of Leinster and is particularly associated with Co Wexford.

As a youth, Abbán was sent to Wexford to study with his uncle St Ibar. Ibar was a bishop and Abbán travelled with him to Rome. Following his training Abbán established several monasteries and churches. The best known of his foundations were in Adamstown (formerly Abbanstown), Co Wexford and Killabban, Co Laois. He is also said to have founded a monastery in Nurney Co Carlow.

The Feast Day of St Abban is celebrated every year On This Day.

Relief of Saint Abban, Church of St. Mary and St. Michael, New Ross

Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Germany

08 March-International Women’s Day

— Share your story

Today is International Women’s Day 2019.

The Campaign theme for this year’s International Women’s Day is #BalanceforBetter. A balanced world is a better world. International Women’s day has its origins in events in New York in 1907. In that year a group of women working in the clothing industry ‘sweatshops’ held a march to protest at wages and working conditions. The march was attacked by the police and a similar march was held on March 8th the following year.

The first International Women’s Day was held in 1911. From small beginnings it has become a day set aside when governments, corporations, institutions and women groups have the opportunity to celebrate the achievements of women while calling for greater equality.

In Ireland a series of events are held each year on and around March 8th in celebration of International Women’s Day.

International Women’s Day is celebrated each year On This Day.

International Womens Day photo

12 October-Columbus Day

— Share your story

Columbus Day is a national holiday in several countries in North and South America. It is also celebrated in Spain and Italy. The day celebrates the anniversary of the landing of Christopher Columbus in the New World. Christopher Columbus was an explorer and navigator who was a native of Genoa, Italy. He is known as ‘the man who discovered America’. He was hoping to find a new route to India when he landed in the New World on October 12^th 1492. His discovery changed the course of world history.

Columbus had failed to get support from Portugal, France and England for his ‘enterprise of the Indies’. However, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain agreed to sponsor the Expedition. On August 3rd 1492 Columbus sailed from Palos de la Frontera in Southwestern Spain. Ten weeks later he landed in the Bahamas. He believed he had discovered a new route to India. He claimed all the newly discovered territories for Spain.

The first celebration of Columbus Day was held in New York City in 1792. In the same year the first monument honouring Christopher Columbus was dedicated in Baltimore, Maryland. In 1892, in celebration of the 400th anniversary of the Columbus landing the original version of the Pledge of Allegiance was first recited in public schools in the United States. The celebration of Columbus Day has been opposed by various groups and organisations in recent years.

Columbus Day, on the anniversary of the landing of Christopher Columbus in the New World, is celebrated every year On This Day.

Columbus photo