1861: The Provisional Confederate Congress convenes in Montgomery, Alabama. As many as 30,000 Irish  born would fight on the confederate side during the  civil war including Chaplain John B. Bannon. A number of Irish rose to senior leadership in the Confederate army including Patrick Cleburne and Henry Strong. Strong was killed at Antietem while on the opposite Union side on that awful day, 540 members of the Irish Brigade were killed.

1868: Countess Markievicz is born in London.  Markievicz was the first woman elected to the English House of Commons, but she never took her seat. An Irish political activist, when elected Sinn Fein MP in the 1918 elections, she instead joined with other Sinn Fein MPs at the first Dail, January 1919.

Markievicz was an arms bearing rebel during the 1916 rising, not surrendering for six days. Her sentence of death was commuted to life imprisonment. As with other surviving 1916 rebels, she was released in June 1917.

In this clip: Countess Markievicz, De Valera and other Anti-Treaty members following the Dail vote to accept the Treaty.

1921: Edward Carson resigns as leader of the Unionist Party in Northern Ireland to be replaced by James Craig who would become the first Prime Minister of Northern Ireland. Carson was a hugely effective leader of the Loyalist / Unionist movement in Northern Ireland which felt under siege as Irish nationalism drove Ireland (relentlessly as he saw it) to Irish independence from England.In particular, his skills in organizing effective Loyalist opposition to a proposed 1912 Home Rule act ensures he is seen by many today as an Ulster hero. He was a founding member of the Ulster Volunteers whose objective was to preserve a Protestant Ulster for a Protestant People.

Edward Carson circa 1912

Carson was born in Dublin in  1854. A successful barrister, he led the case for the Marquess of Queensberry in his famous libel action against Oscar Wilde.

Learn more about Ireland? See these images and more in the acclaimed For the Love of Being Irish

Today in Irish History is edited by Chicago based business keynote speaker, author, award winning humorist and history buff Conor Cunneen – IrishmanSpeaks. As a Chicago based professional speaker, this Irishman’s client base ranges from Harley-Davidson to Helsinki, from Memphis to Madrid as he Energizes, Educates and Entertains his audience to grow their business, people, teamwork and productivity.

Conor Cunneen is just the 63rd person in the history of Toastmasters to be awarded Accredited Speaker designation. If you spot any inaccuracies or wish to make a comment, please don’t hesitate to contact us. – Cheers!