1879 in Ireland
Encyclopedia
Events
- 20 April - First of many "monster meetings" of tenant farmers held in IrishtownIrishtown, County MayoIrishtown is a village in County Mayo, Ireland, located on the southern county border with County Galway about halfway between Claremorris and Tuam on the R328 regional road...
near ClaremorrisClaremorrisClaremorris , is a town in County Mayo in the west of Ireland, at the junction of the N17 and the N60 national routes. The population of Claremoris in the 2011 Census was 3,979....
, County MayoCounty MayoCounty Mayo is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the village of Mayo, which is now generally known as Mayo Abbey. Mayo County Council is the local authority for the county. The population of the county is 130,552...
. - 8 June - Charles Stewart ParnellCharles Stewart ParnellCharles Stewart Parnell was an Irish landowner, nationalist political leader, land reform agitator, and the founder and leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party...
at Westport, County MayoWestport, County MayoWestport is a town in County Mayo, Ireland. It is situated on the west coast at the south-east corner of Clew Bay, an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean....
meeting. - 16 August - Land League of Mayo founded at Castlebar.
- 21 August - Claimed apparation at KnockKnock ShrineKnock Shrine is a major Roman Catholic pilgrimage site and National Shrine in the village of Knock, County Mayo, Ireland, where it is claimed there was an apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint Joseph, Saint John the Evangelist and Jesus Christ in 1879.-Details of the apparition:On the...
, County Mayo, of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint JosephSaint JosephSaint Joseph is a figure in the Gospels, the husband of the Virgin Mary and the earthly father of Jesus Christ ....
, Saint John the Evangelist and Jesus Christ (as the Lamb of GodLamb of GodThe title Lamb of God appears in the Gospel of John, with the exclamation of John the Baptist: "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" in John 1:29 when he sees Jesus....
). - 21 October - Irish National Land LeagueIrish National Land LeagueThe Irish Land League was an Irish political organization of the late 19th century which sought to help poor tenant farmers. Its primary aim was to abolish landlordism in Ireland and enable tenant farmers to own the land they worked on...
founded at Dublin.
Full date unknown
- Repeal of Convention Act of 1793.
- Start of the Land WarLand WarThe Land War in Irish history was a period of agrarian agitation in rural Ireland in the 1870s, 1880s and 1890s. The agitation was led by the Irish National Land League and was dedicated to bettering the position of tenant farmers and ultimately to a redistribution of land to tenants from...
. - The Royal Dublin SocietyRoyal Dublin SocietyThe Royal Dublin Society was founded on 25 June 1731 to "to promote and develop agriculture, arts, industry, and science in Ireland". The RDS is synonymous with its main premises in Ballsbridge in Dublin, Ireland...
acquires its current premises at BallsbridgeBallsbridgeBallsbridge is a suburb of Dublin, Ireland, named for the bridge spanning the River Dodder on the south side of the city. The sign on the bridge still proclaims it as "Ball's Bridge" in recognition of the fact that the original bridge in this location was built and owned by a Mr...
(15 acres (60,702.9 m²) compared to forty acres (60,000 to 160,000 m²) currently).
Sport
- The Irish Rugby Football UnionIrish Rugby Football UnionThe Irish Rugby Football Union is the body managing rugby union in Ireland. The IRFU has its head office at 10/12 Lansdowne Road and home ground at Aviva Stadium, where Irish rugby union international matches are played...
(IRFU) was founded being an amagamation of the Irish Football Union and the Northern Football Union of Ireland.
January to June
- 16 February - Hubert de BurghHubert de Burgh (cricketer)Captain Hubert Henry de Burgh, DSO, RN was an Irish cricketer and Officer in the Royal Navy...
, cricketer (d.19601960 in Ireland-Events:*13 January - The Broadcasting Authority Bill proposes to establish an authority to provide the new national television service.*16 January - A 103-year old shipping service between Cork and Glasgow ends....
). - 20 March - Terence MacSwineyTerence MacSwineyTerence Joseph MacSwiney was an Irish playwright, author and politician. He was elected as Sinn Féin Lord Mayor of Cork during the Irish War of Independence in 1920. He was arrested by the British on charges of sedition and imprisoned in Brixton prison in England...
, playwright and poet, member of 1st Dáil, Sinn FéinSinn FéinSinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
Lord Mayor of CorkLord Mayor of CorkThe Lord Mayor of Cork is the honorific title of the Chairman of Cork City Council which is the local government body for the city of Cork in Ireland. The incumbent is Terry Shannon of Fianna Fáil. The office holder is elected annually by the members of the Council.-History of office:In 1199 there...
, died on 74th day of hunger strike (d.19201920 in Ireland-Events:*27 February - The text of the Home Rule Bill to be introduced in the British House of Commons is published. It provides for the establishment of a 128-member parliament in Dublin and a 52-member parliament in Belfast....
). - 9 April - William MeldonWilliam MeldonWilliam Waltrude "Budge" Meldon was an Irish cricketer. He was a right-handed batsman and a right-arm fast-medium bowler....
, cricketer (d.19571957 in Ireland-Events:*January 1 - Seán South and Fergal O'Hanlon are killed in an IRA attack on an RUC barracks in Brookeborough, County Fermanagh. The two men become part of republican folklore.*January 24 - Sir Alfred Chester Beatty becomes the first honorary Irish citizen....
). - 1 June - Freeman Wills CroftsFreeman Wills CroftsFreeman Wills Crofts was an Irish mystery author, one of the 'Big Four' of the Golden Age of Detective Fiction.-Birth and education:Crofts was born at 26 Waterloo Road, Dublin, Ireland...
, novelist (d.19571957 in Ireland-Events:*January 1 - Seán South and Fergal O'Hanlon are killed in an IRA attack on an RUC barracks in Brookeborough, County Fermanagh. The two men become part of republican folklore.*January 24 - Sir Alfred Chester Beatty becomes the first honorary Irish citizen....
).
July to December
- 11 July - Hugh KennedyHugh KennedyHugh Kennedy was the only Attorney-General of Southern Ireland and the first Attorney-General of the Irish Free State, and later the first Chief Justice of the Irish Free State. As a member of the Irish Free State Constitution Commission, he was also one of the constitutional architects of the...
, only Attorney-General of Southern IrelandSouthern IrelandSouthern Ireland was a short-lived autonomous region of the United Kingdom established on 3 May 1921 and dissolved on 6 December 1922.Southern Ireland was established under the Government of Ireland Act 1920 together with its sister region, Northern Ireland...
, first Attorney-General of the Irish Free StateAttorney General of IrelandThe Attorney General is a constitutional officer who is the official adviser to the Government of Ireland in matters of law. He is in effect the chief law officer in Ireland. The Attorney General is not a member of the Government but does participate in cabinet meetings when invited and attends...
and first Chief Justice of the Irish Free StateIrish Free StateThe Irish Free State was the state established as a Dominion on 6 December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed by the British government and Irish representatives exactly twelve months beforehand...
(d.19361936 in Ireland-Events:*February 9 - Brian de Valera, third son of Éamon de Valera, dies in a riding accident, aged 21.*March 5 - Five hundred delegates attend the Fine Gael - United Ireland Party Árd-Feis in Dublin. W. T...
). - 15 July - Joseph CampbellJoseph Campbell (poet)Joseph Campbell was an Irish poet and lyricist. He wrote under the Gaelicised version of his name Seosamh Mac Cathmhaoil...
, poet and lyricist (d.19441944 in Northern IrelandThis is a list of events that happened in Northern Ireland in 1944.-Events:*March 13 - The British Government bans all travel between Great Britain and Ireland.*August 22 - Men from Tyrone and Fermanagh form an Anti-Partition League in Dublin.-Football:...
). - 15 July
- James CrichtonJames Crichton (VC)James Crichton VC was a soldier in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, and recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award of the British Commonwealth for gallantry "in the face of the enemy", during the First World War...
, soldier, recipient of the Victoria CrossVictoria CrossThe Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
for gallantry in 1918 at CrèvecœurCrèvecœurCrèvecœur or Creve Coeur may refer to:* A French term for broken heart* Crèvecœur , a French chicken breed* Creve Coeur, Missouri, a suburb of St...
, France (d.19611961 in Northern Ireland-Events:*December 20 - The last legal execution in Ireland occurs in Belfast, Northern Ireland - it is of Robert McGladdery for murder.-Football:*Irish League*Irish Cup-Births:*15 January - Damian O'Neill, guitarist.*15 June - Dave McAuley, boxer....
). - Margaret BuckleyMargaret BuckleyMargaret Buckley was an Irish republican and president of Sinn Féin from 1937 to 1950.-Early life:Originally from Cork, she joined Inghinidhe na hÉireann, which was founded in 1900, and was involved in the War of Independence in Cork...
, president of Sinn FéinSinn FéinSinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
from 1937 to 1950 (d.19621962 in Ireland-Events:*March 13 - Irish artists leave Dublin Airport for the Congo to entertain United Nations troops there.*March 17 - President Éamon de Valera and Mrs...
).
- James Crichton
- 17 July - Seamus O'SullivanSeamus O'SullivanSeumas or Seamus O'Sullivan, real name James Sullivan Starkey, was an Irish poet and editor of The Dublin Magazine. He was born in Dublin and spent his adult life in the suburb of Rathgar...
, poet and editor (d.19581958 in Ireland-Events:*6 February - Dublin's Liam Whelan is among the dead when a plane carrying the Manchester United team crashes in Munich.*18 March - Taoiseach Éamon de Valera says he would be willing to have talks with the government of Northern Ireland on wider economic co-operation.*20 March - Work begins...
). - 3 August - Mary Devenport O'NeillMary Devenport O'NeillMary Devenport O'Neill was an Irish poet and dramatist and a friend and colleague of W. B. Yeats, George Russell,and Austin Clarke....
, poet and dramatist (d.19671967 in Ireland-Events:*9 January — Demonstrations by the National Farmers' Association caused major chaos when farm machinery blocked many roads.*4 April — The Fianna Fáil party made a presentation to former Taoiseach Seán Lemass....
). - 23 September - E. Temple ThurstonE. Temple ThurstonErnest Temple Thurston was an Anglo-Irish poet, playwright and author. He was born in Halesworth, Suffolk, England, and his family moved to Cork when he was aged ten. In 1901 he married the popular novelist, Katherine Cecil Madden, . The marriage did not last and they separated in 1907 and were...
, poet, playwright and author (d.19331933 in Ireland-Events:*February 4 - Fianna Fáil, led by Éamon de Valera, win their first overall majority in Dáil Éireann. He is welcomed in his own constituency in County Clare where 77 horsemen and 77 torchbearers who light 77 tar barrels in honour of the 77 seats won by the party.*February 21 -...
). - 31 October - Sara AllgoodSara Allgood-Biography:Allgood was born in Dublin, Ireland. Her sister was actress Maire O'Neill.Allgood began her acting career at the Abbey Theatre and was in the opening of the Irish National Theatre Society, appearing in many of their plays all over Britain...
, actress (d.19501950 in Ireland-Events:* 12 March - 83 people die when a plane carrying rugby fans home from Belfast crashes in Wales.* 12 May - Nationalist Senators and MPs in Northern Ireland ask the government of the Republic to give Northern-elected representatives seats in the Dáil and Seanad.* 1 July -- Sir Gilbert...
). - 10 November - Patrick PearsePatrick PearsePatrick Henry Pearse was an Irish teacher, barrister, poet, writer, nationalist and political activist who was one of the leaders of the Easter Rising in 1916...
, teacher, barrister, poetIrish poetryThe history of Irish poetry includes the poetries of two languages, one in Irish and the other in English. The complex interplay between these two traditions, and between both of them and other poetries in English, has produced a body of work that is both rich in variety and difficult to...
, writer, nationalist and political activist, one of the leaders of the Easter RisingEaster RisingThe Easter Rising was an insurrection staged in Ireland during Easter Week, 1916. The Rising was mounted by Irish republicans with the aims of ending British rule in Ireland and establishing the Irish Republic at a time when the British Empire was heavily engaged in the First World War...
, executed (d.19161916 in Ireland-Events:*January 14 - Michael Collins quits his job in London and returns to Ireland.*February 14 - John Redmond is re-elected Chairman of the Irish Parliamentary Party in Dublin.*February 29 - The week long Derry Feis opens in the city....
). - 4 December - Hamilton HartyHamilton HartySir Hamilton Harty was an Irish and British composer, conductor, pianist and organist. In his capacity as a conductor, he was particularly noted as an interpreter of the music of Berlioz and he was much respected as a piano accompanist of exceptional prowess...
, conductorConductingConducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
and composerComposerA composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
(d.19411941 in Ireland-Events:*January 2 - Three Carlow women are killed in a night of bombing in parts of Leinster.*January 13 - The poet and novelist James Joyce dies in Switzerland.*January 24 - Part of the old State Chambers in Dublin Castle are destroyed by fire....
). - 7 December - Austin StackAustin StackAustin Stack was an Irish revolutionary and politician.-Early life:Stack was born in Ballymullen, Tralee, County Kerry. He was educated at the Christian Brothers School in Tralee. At the age of fourteen he left school and became a clerk in a solicitor's office. A gifted Gaelic footballer, he...
, Sinn FéinSinn FéinSinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
MPMember of ParliamentA Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
and TDTeachta DálaA Teachta Dála , usually abbreviated as TD in English, is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas . It is the equivalent of terms such as "Member of Parliament" or "deputy" used in other states. The official translation of the term is "Deputy to the Dáil", though a more literal...
, member of 1st Dáil (d.19291929 in Ireland-Events:*January 17 - All cats from abroad, except Great Britain, are to be kept in quarantine for a period of six months to avoid rabies.*February 8 - A Belfast court sentences Fianna Fáil leader, Éamon de Valera, to one month in jail for illegally entering County Armagh.*February 20 -...
).
Full date unknown
- Joseph CampbellJoseph Campbell (poet)Joseph Campbell was an Irish poet and lyricist. He wrote under the Gaelicised version of his name Seosamh Mac Cathmhaoil...
, poet and lyricist (d.19441944 in Northern IrelandThis is a list of events that happened in Northern Ireland in 1944.-Events:*March 13 - The British Government bans all travel between Great Britain and Ireland.*August 22 - Men from Tyrone and Fermanagh form an Anti-Partition League in Dublin.-Football:...
). - Elizabeth CroninElizabeth CroninElizabeth "Bess" Cronin was an Irish singer who specialized in traditional music.Born in West Cork, the daughter of Seán Ó hIarlaithe, a schoolteacher, she lived in the Baile Bhuirne area all her life. She spent her teenage years on her uncle's farm nearby. She married Seán Ó Croinin and they...
, traditional singer (d.19561956 in Ireland-Events:*15 February - Senator Owen Sheehy-Skeffington introduces a motion calling for the prohibition of all corporal punishment for girls in Irish national schools.*2 April - President Seán T...
). - Patrick KeohanePatrick KeohanePetty Officer Patrick Keohane was an Irish member of Robert Falcon Scott's Antarctic expedition of 1910–1913, the Terra Nova Expedition.-Biography:Patrick Keohane was born in Courtmacsherry, County Cork, Ireland in 1879....
, navy officer, member of Robert Falcon ScottRobert Falcon ScottCaptain Robert Falcon Scott, CVO was a Royal Navy officer and explorer who led two expeditions to the Antarctic regions: the Discovery Expedition, 1901–04, and the ill-fated Terra Nova Expedition, 1910–13...
's Antarctic Terra Nova ExpeditionTerra Nova ExpeditionThe Terra Nova Expedition , officially the British Antarctic Expedition 1910, was led by Robert Falcon Scott with the objective of being the first to reach the geographical South Pole. Scott and four companions attained the pole on 17 January 1912, to find that a Norwegian team led by Roald...
(d.19501950 in Ireland-Events:* 12 March - 83 people die when a plane carrying rugby fans home from Belfast crashes in Wales.* 12 May - Nationalist Senators and MPs in Northern Ireland ask the government of the Republic to give Northern-elected representatives seats in the Dáil and Seanad.* 1 July -- Sir Gilbert...
). - Robert Wilson LyndRobert Wilson LyndRobert Wilson Lynd was an Irish writer, an urbane literary essayist and strong Irish nationalist.-Life and career:He was born in Belfast and educated at Royal Belfast Academical Institution, studying at Queen's University...
, writer (d.19491949 in Northern Ireland-Events:*17 April — At midnight 26 counties officially leave the British Commonwealth. A 21-gun salute on O'Connell Bridge, Dublin, ushers in the Republic of Ireland....
). - Sam MaguireSam MaguireSamuel Maguire , an Irish republican and Gaelic footballer, is chiefly remembered as the eponym of the Sam Maguire Cup, given to the All-Ireland Senior Champions of Gaelic football.-Early life:...
, Irish Republican and Gaelic footballer (d.19271927 in Ireland-Events:*April 6 - Dan Breen proposes a Bill in the Dáil that Article 17 of the Irish Free State Constitution be removed. President W. T. Cosgrave opposes the removal of the Oath of Allegiance....
). - Jack White, soldier, trade unionist, one of the co-founders of the Irish Citizen ArmyIrish Citizen ArmyThe Irish Citizen Army , or ICA, was a small group of trained trade union volunteers established in Dublin for the defence of worker’s demonstrations from the police. It was formed by James Larkin and Jack White. Other prominent members included James Connolly, Seán O'Casey, Constance Markievicz,...
(d.19461946 in Northern Ireland-Events:*6 June - The Ulster Unionist Party gain Down in a by-election.*Homeless families from Derry begin to occupy the former United States Navy Springtown Camp.-Football:*Irish League*Irish Cup-Golf:...
).
Deaths
- 22 January - Nevill Coghill, posthumous recipient of the Victoria CrossVictoria CrossThe Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
for gallantry at the Battle of Isandhlwana, South Africa (b.18521852 in Ireland-Events:*January 5 The troopship Birkenhead boarded British Army recruits at Queenstown. It had insufficient lifeboats.*February 26 The Birkenhead foundered...
). - 28 January - Hugh McNeileHugh McNeileHugh McNeile , was an Anglican churchman in Ireland.The younger son of Alexander McNeile , he was born at Ballycastle, County Antrim. He graduated from Trinity College, Dublin, in 1810...
, AnglicanAnglicanismAnglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
churchman (b.17951795 in Ireland-Events:*5 June - The Royal College of St Patrick established at Maynooth by Act of Grattan's Parliament to provide university-level education for Roman Catholic ecclesiastical and lay students.*21 September...
). - 19 April - Francis Kelly, surveyor, business agent, farmer, and politician in Canada (b.18031803 in Ireland-Births:*2 March - Mary Frances Clarke, founder of the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary .*29 April - Paul Cullen, Cardinal and Catholic Primate of Ireland .*1 May - James Clarence Mangan, poet ....
). - 5 May - Isaac ButtIsaac ButtIsaac Butt Q.C. M.P. was an Irish barrister, politician, Member of Parliament , and the founder and first leader of a number of Irish nationalist parties and organisations, including the Irish Metropolitan Conservative Society in 1836, the Home Government Association in 1870 and in 1873 the Home...
, Irish Conservative PartyIrish Conservative PartyThe Irish Conservative Party, often called the Irish Tories, was one of the dominant Irish political parties in Ireland in the 19th century...
MP and founder of the Home Rule LeagueHome Rule LeagueThe Home Rule League, sometimes called the Home Rule Party, was a political party which campaigned for home rule for the country of Ireland from 1873 to 1882, when it was replaced by the Irish Parliamentary Party.-Origins:...
(b.18181818 in Ireland-Births:*28 January - Robert Carew, 2nd Baron Carew, politician .*4 April - Thomas Mayne Reid, novelist .*April - Cecil Frances Humphreys Alexander, hymn-writer and poet .*24 May - John Henry Foley, sculptor ....
). - 17 May - John McClintock, 1st Baron RathdonnellJohn McClintock, 1st Baron RathdonnellJohn McClintock, 1st Baron Rathdonnell , was an Irish peer and Conservative Member of Parliament.-Biography:McClintock was appointed High Sheriff of Louth in 1840 and elected Member of Parliament for County Louth in 1857, a seat he held until 1859. He later served as Lord Lieutenant of County Louth...
, politician and Lord Lieutenant of County LouthLord Lieutenant of LouthThis is a list of people who have served as Lord Lieutenant of Louth. The office was created on 23 August 1831.*Patrick Bellew, 1st Baron Bellew 9 December 1831 – 10 December 1866*John McClintock, 1st Baron Rathdonnell 14 January 1867 – 17 April 1879...
1866-1879. (b.17981798 in Ireland-Events:* March - Great Britain's Irish militia arrest the leadership of the Society of United Irishmen marking the beginning of the 1798 Rebellion. * 19 May - Rebel leader Lord Edward FitzGerald is arrested in Dublin....
). - 9 June - Edward Butler, lawyer and politician in Australia (d.18231823 in Ireland-Events:*Catholic Association formed by Daniel O'Connell, to further Catholic Emancipation.*Northern Whig newspaper is founded in Belfast.-Births:*1 January - Edward Butler, lawyer and politician in Australia ....
). - 10 July - John ByrneJohn Byrne (VC)John Byrne VC DCM , born at Castlecomer, County Kilkenny, was an Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Life:He was about 22 years old, and a private in the 68th...
, soldier, recipient of the Victoria CrossVictoria CrossThe Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
for gallantry in 1854 at the Battle of InkermanBattle of InkermanThe Battle of Inkerman was fought during the Crimean War on November 5, 1854 between the allied armies of Britain and France against the Imperial Russian Army. The battle broke the will of the Russian Army to defeat the allies in the field, and was followed by the Siege of Sevastopol...
, CrimeaCrimeaCrimea , or the Autonomous Republic of Crimea , is a sub-national unit, an autonomous republic, of Ukraine. It is located on the northern coast of the Black Sea, occupying a peninsula of the same name...
(b.18321832 in Ireland-Births:*6 May - Margaret Anna Cusack, nun, writer and founder of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace .*10 May - William Russell Grace, businessman and first Roman Catholic mayor of New York ....
). - 3 September - Walter Richard Pollock HamiltonWalter Richard Pollock HamiltonWalter Richard Pollock Hamilton VC was born in Inistioge, County Kilkenny and was an Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. He is featured in M. M...
, soldier, recipient of the Victoria CrossVictoria CrossThe Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
for gallantry in 1879 at Futtehabad, AfghanistanAfghanistanAfghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
(b.18561856 in Ireland-Events:* M. H. Gill, printer to Dublin University, purchases the publishing and bookselling business of James McGlashan, renaming it McGlashan & Gill, the predecessor of Gill & Macmillan.-Births:...
). - 15 September - Thomas Roberts FergusonThomas Roberts FergusonThomas Roberts Ferguson was an Ontario businessman and political figure. He represented Simcoe South in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1867 to 1873 and Cardwell in the Canadian House of Commons as a Conservative member from 1867 to 1872.-Life and career:Thomas Roberts Ferguson was born...
, businessman and politician in OntarioOntarioOntario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
(b.18181818 in Ireland-Births:*28 January - Robert Carew, 2nd Baron Carew, politician .*4 April - Thomas Mayne Reid, novelist .*April - Cecil Frances Humphreys Alexander, hymn-writer and poet .*24 May - John Henry Foley, sculptor ....
). - 24 September - John HolmesJohn Holmes (Ontario politician)John Holmes was a Canadian politician and surveyor.He was born in Newtownforbes, County Longford, Ireland in 1828, the son of Alexander Holmes, and was educated in Ireland. He came to Upper Canada in 1846 and settled in Huntley Township where he became a provincial land surveyor. He married Eliza...
, surveyor and politician in OntarioOntarioOntario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
(b.18281828 in Ireland-Events:*In the election in County Clare, Daniel O'Connell wins the seat, with the Catholic Association.*Belfast Botanic Gardens opens as the private Royal Belfast Botanical Gardens.-Births:...
). - 6 November - Dennis MahonyDennis MahonyDennis Augustin Mahony was one of the founders of the Dubuque Herald , a newspaper in Dubuque, Iowa, during the American Civil War.-Biography:...
, one of the founders of the Dubuque Herald (now the Telegraph HeraldTelegraph HeraldThe Telegraph Herald, locally referred to as the TH, is a daily newspaper published in Dubuque, Iowa for the population of Dubuque and surrounding areas in Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin...
), a newspaper in Dubuque, IowaDubuque, IowaDubuque is a city in and the county seat of Dubuque County, Iowa, United States, located along the Mississippi River. In 2010 its population was 57,637, making it the ninth-largest city in the state and the county's population was 93,653....
(b.18211821 in Ireland-Events:*28 December - Sandycove Lifeboat disaster - four lifeboatmen drowned attempting to rescue Ellen of Liverpool-Births:*20 January - Dennis Mahony, one of the founders of the Dubuque Herald , a newspaper in Dubuque, Iowa .*20 February - Miles Gerard Keon, journalist, novelist, colonial...
).
Full date unknown
- John Pitt KennedyJohn Pitt KennedyLieutenant-Colonel John Pitt Kennedy was a British military engineer, agricultural reformer and civil servant.Kennedy was born at Carndonagh, County Donegal, Ireland and was educated at Foyle College, Derry, and the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, becoming lieutenant in the Royal Engineers in...
, British military engineer, agricultural reformer and civil servant (b.17961796 in Ireland-Events:*1 February - Theobald Wolfe Tone arrives in France.*12 July - First Orange parade held to commemorate the Battle of the Boyne.*Yeomanry Corp formed; Insurrection Act.*15 December - French expedition sailed from Brest....
).