On This Day
One of the many things Dr Éamon was renowned for was his On This Day column in the Irish News.
Expertly chosen, the column chose a day in history and brought it in its significance to the modern reader.
The column was usually placed down the right-hand side of a news or features page, and the page number varied from edition to edition.
But wherever it was placed, the mix was variously enlightening, eclectic, sometimes sad, but always interesting.
Éamon loved doing the column, from the 1980s right up to late 2022. On This Day continues in the Irish News to this day under a new author.
These items are an invaluable historical record – old reports curated by an expert and brought to life again in modern media.
Over time we plan to greatly add to this collection of Éamon’s On This Day contributions. We are very thankful to Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs and the Magill Trust for funding this project.
Please note:
The Foundation has worked hard to recreate Eamon’s distinctive voice through AI. Since this is an emerging technology, occasional imperfections may be audible.
On This Day – 2nd November 1921
Publication date:
November 2, 2021
Reference date:
19211102
Stories Included:
1921: Two Unionists face court over threats against Catholic tramway workers on Belfast’s Antrim Road, while Fermanagh councillors reject efforts to remove secretary Thomas Corrigan
Latest On This Day Posts
Published: July 30, 2021
On This Day – 30th July 1921
Stories Included:
1921: Assembly’s College in Belfast is selected as the first home of Northern Ireland’s Parliament while Lloyd George expresses optimism about achieving peace in Ireland
Published: July 29, 2021
On This Day – 29th July 1921
Stories Included:
1921: Countess Markievicz is released from prison while Britain’s negotiations with Sinn Féin come under sustained attack from Conservative opponents of the peace process
Published: July 28, 2021
On This Day – 28th July 1921
Stories Included:
1921: American relief delegates inspect the destruction caused by Belfast’s sectarian violence and pledge support for families left homeless by the unrest
Published: July 27, 2021
On This Day – 27th July 1921
Stories Included:
1921: Éamon de Valera returns from London to consult colleagues while British peace proposals are assessed in Dublin and Belfast during the Truce
Published: July 26, 2021
On This Day – 26th July 1971
Stories Included:
1971: Mass Army dawn raids spark fears of impending internment while John Hume warns repression will deepen Northern Ireland’s political crisis
Published: July 24, 2021
On This Day – 24th July 1971
Stories Included:
1971: Derry ex-servicemen burn their medals in protest as an independent inquiry begins into the Bogside shootings and new hopes emerge for the city’s future
Published: July 23, 2021
On This Day – 23rd July 1921
Stories Included:
1921: Eoin O’Duffy reports that the Truce is largely holding across Ulster, despite continued intimidation, sectarian violence and provocative actions by the Specials
Published: July 22, 2021
On This Day – 22nd July 1921
Stories Included:
1921: Belfast IRA prisoners are spared execution during the Truce while Fermanagh Volunteers refuse to recognise a British military court
Published: July 21, 2021
On This Day – 21st July 1921
Stories Included:
1921: James Craig defends Northern Ireland’s mandate for Partition while a judge highlights the legal absurdities created by Ireland’s political division
Published: July 20, 2021
On This Day – 20th July 1921
Stories Included:
1921: Peace talks continue in London as Éamon de Valera rejects Partition while Belfast Catholic families displaced by violence seek emergency refuge
On This Day Posts by Year
Please select a year to see the series of articles written by Éamon.
Latest On This Day Posts
(384 Posts)
Published: July 8, 2021
On This Day – 8th July 1921
Stories Included:
1921: the Southern Parliament met in Dublin, Clogher reprisals followed the Daisy Hill burning and Loughguile won the postponed Antrim hurling championship in Ballycastle
Published: July 7, 2021
On This Day – 7th July 1921
Stories Included:
1921: Dundalk Museum attack aftermath, major’s Daisy Hill mansion burned by raiders, and Canon O’Donnell condemned Crown forces’ raids on Catholic homes in Ballymena
Published: July 6, 2021
On This Day – 6th July 1971
Stories Included:
1971: A machine-gun attack wounded soldiers and civilians in Belfast, women protested in Ardoyne, and a loyalist mob attacked Lisburn’s Catholic quarter
Published: July 5, 2021
On This Day – 5th July 1971
Stories Included:
1971: A Coalisland parade bomb was defused, Scarman heard an RUC denial of Paisley’s claims, Dunnes Stores opened in Bangor and youths were fined
Published: July 3, 2021
On This Day – 3rd July 1921
Stories Included:
1921: Bishop O’Donnell urged Irish language revival in Donegal, Bernard Maguire and Pat Tully were sentenced, and Craig refused de Valera’s Dublin invitation
Published: July 2, 2021
On This Day – 2nd July 1921
Stories Included:
1921: Churchill spoke of possible reconciliation in Ireland, IRA commander Walter Leo Murphy was shot near Cork, and a Belfast bread van was burned in Cavan
Published: July 1, 2021
On This Day – 1st July 1921
Stories Included:
1921: De Valera consulted imprisoned Sinn Féin leaders, replied to Lloyd George, invited unionists to talks, and Craig accepted the London conference invitationOn This Day – 1st July 1921
Published: June 30, 2021
On This Day – 30th June 1921
Stories Included:
1921: Belfast inquests examined riot deaths including Thomas Sturdy, Hugh McAree, William Frazer and Kathleen Collins
Published: June 29, 2021
On This Day – 29th June 1921
Stories Included:
1921: Patrick McAteer died after being shot in the aftermath of the Adavoyle troop train attack, while two Auxiliaries were shot in Dublin’s Mayfair Hotel.
Published: June 28, 2021
On This Day – 28th June 1921
Stories Included:
1921: Peace hopes in Ireland grew around Lloyd George’s conference proposal, while eight deaths were reported and Hugh Martin warned over Catholic safety in the Six Counties
Published: June 26, 2021
On This Day – 26th June 1921
Stories Included:
1921: Lloyd George invited de Valera and Craig to London talks after King George V’s appeal, while Dublin debated King William III’s statue
Published: June 25, 2021
On This Day – 25th June 1921
Stories Included:
1921: an IRA attack derailed a royal troop train at Adavoyle, killing soldiers, horses and the train guard Frank Gallagher