Irish Historical walks in london

28/12/2024

Michael Collins' Last Christmas

With the Dáil Treaty debates adjourned for the Christmas break Michael Collins returned home to West Cork for Christmas 1921.

After being on the run during the War of Independence and then participating in the Anglo Irish Treaty negotiations and the subsequent debates in the the Dáil, the Christmas break offered Collins a long overdue reprieve from his duties and an opportunity to return home and enjoy his Christmas. Of course, Collins family home at Woodfield had been burned in early 1921 so Christmas was spent at his cousin and neighbour, Annie Collins' house, along with his brother Johnny and his family.

On returning home Collins was somewhat fearful of what his republican minded brother would think of the Treaty. He found his brothers main concern on meeting was the moustache Collins had recently began sporting. He told Michael, ‘Next time you’re shaving, don’t forget your upper lip.’ The next time Collins is photographed in public, sure enough, he is clean shaven.

On Christmas day after mass and a ‘damn fine breakfast’ Michael and Johnny climbed the nearby Carraig a Radhairc. This rocky hilltop gives incredible views from Knockfeen across the West Cork countryside and all the way to the Atlantic Ocean. As they looked over this view they discussed the Treaty, Michael's plans and what he hoped to achieve with before deciding to return down the hill to spend time with friends, family and neighbours. Michael hung back a little commenting ‘I’ve seen more of my country this morning than I have ever seen in my whole life’.

Pictured is still from a video of Michael and Johnny Collins in the ruins of their former home. This film was released in January 1922 so is likely from Collins time in West Cork at Christmas 1921 (but also possibly could have been filmed later in 1922).

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and a happy new year from all at Michael Collins House.

05/12/2024

22/08/2024

The Ulster Unionist Party is at war with itself following the shockresignation of party leader Doug Beattie, citing a lack of support fromsenior party officials.

09/08/2024

Some members of the PSNI riot squad wore racist symbols on theiruniforms as they failed to prevent anti-Muslim violence on the streetsof Belfast last weekend.

27/07/2024

Be a patriot. Reject racism.

12/07/2024

An incredible find from near Limavady county Derry, which was discovered in the late 19th century. The hoard in the corner of a field while ploughing near the river Roe.
A miniature boat made of gold, part of a collection known as the Broighter hoard which also included a torc, necklace and bowl of intricate design from the Iron age period. The origin of the Iron age items are not definitively known but it is speculated that two of the objects may be Romano-Egyptian.
Subsequent to the find there was a legal dispute between the British Museum and the National Museum of Ireland before the hoard was housed in the collections of the latter.

16/06/2024

Did you sing this as a kid..it explains below, where this song came from..

This old man he played one
He played nick nack on my drum
With a nick nack paddy whack
Give a dog a bone
This old man came rolling home
This old man he played two
He played nick nack on my shoe
With a nick nack paddy whack
Give a dog a bone
This old man came rolling home
This old man he played three
He played nick nack on my tree
With a nick nack paddy whack
Give a dog a bone
This old man came rolling home
This old man he played four
He played nick nack on my door
With a nick nack paddy whack
Give a dog a bone
This old man came rolling home
This old man he played five
He played nick nack on my hive
With a nick nack paddy whack
Give a dog a bone
This old man came rolling home
This old man he played six
He played nick nack on my stick
With a nick nack paddy whack
Give a dog a bone
This old man came rolling home
This old man he played seven
He played nick nack on my deven
With a nick nack paddy whack
Give a dog a bone
This old man came rolling home
This old man he played eight
He played nick nack on my gate
With a nick nack paddy whack
Give a dog a bone
This old man came rolling home
This old man he played nine
He played nick nack on my vine
With a nick nack paddy whack
Give a dog a bone
This old man came rolling home
This old man he played ten
He played nick nack on my hen
With a nick nack paddy whack
Give a dog a bone
This old man came rolling home

This rhyme is thought to relate to Irish beggars who arrived in England during the potato famine which lasted between 1845 to 1852 and resulted in one million deaths. Paddies' as they were known would sell 'knick knacks' door to door, also playing a rhythm of ‘nick nack’ using spoons, in the hope of receiving some pennies. According to the tale, they'd be given a 'whack' and sent on their way, while their dog would be given a bone.

01/05/2024

The All-Ireland Football match behind barbed wire, Frongoch Internment Camp, June 1916

It is over a century after a unique All-Ireland football final between Kerry and Louth was played among the men interned in the wake of the 1916 Rising in Frongoch in north Wales. Over 1,800 Irishmen were rounded up and detained without trial under the Defence of the Realm Act at the prisoner of war camp near the Welsh village of Bala, in the rolling hills of Snowdonia from June 1916 onwards.

In 1914, an old distillery in the village was converted into a prison to hold German prisoners of war, and then emptied to hold the Irish until December 1916 when it closed. Interest in the camp’s history has grown in the village over the last few years, particularly since the Liverpool branch of Conradh na Gaeilge/The Gaelic League with the support of Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg/The Wesh language Society, installed a plaque with inscriptions in Irish, Welsh and English, in 2002, as a memorial.

Read more 🔗 https://wp.me/p3XCMr-LZw

11/03/2024

11/03/2024