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 – 30th October 1921
Publication date:
October 30, 2021
Reference date:
19211030
Stories Included:
1921: A Belfast wedding party is attacked outside St Matthew’s Church, a Ballykinlar internee receives a Great War decoration and printer Patrick Malone dies
Latest On This Day Posts
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
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: June 10, 2021
On This Day – 10th June 1921
Stories Included:
1921: Details emerge of a secret Irish–Soviet treaty while Viceroy FitzAlan condemns Belfast rioting and a Gaelic summer college prepares to reopen
Published: June 9, 2021
On This Day – 9th June 1971
Stories Included:
1971: Stormont faces opposition over a full-time UDR while tensions rise over a banned Orange parade and violence continues in Belfast
Published: June 8, 2021
On This Day – 8th June 1921
Stories Included:
1921: two farmers were murdered in South Armagh, while three executions took place in Mountjoy Prison, Dublin
Published: May 7, 2021
On This Day – 7th June 1971
Stories Included:
1971: John Hume warns that sectarianism will bring disaster while church and political leaders unite in condemning violence and extremism.
Published: June 5, 2021
On This Day – 5th June 1921
Stories Included:
1921: A Belfast girl dies from wounds suffered in sectarian violence while Irish relief efforts gain support among Jews in America
Published: June 4, 2021
On This Day – 4th June 1921
Stories Included:
1921: Lord Buckmaster challenges British policy in Ireland; disguised IRA men attempt a daring but unsuccessful raid on Crumlin Road Jail
Published: June 3, 2021
On This Day – 3rd June 1921
Stories Included:
1921: A Unionist MP issues a stark warning to opponents while a remarkable mistaken identity emerges following the devastating Custom House fire
Published: June 2, 2021
On This Day – 2nd June 1921
Stories Included:
1921: MPs clash over the killing of a child in Cork while sectarian violence and inflammatory rhetoric deepen tensions in Belfast
Published: June 1, 2021
On This Day – 1st June 1921
Stories Included:
1921: Two Specials are killed in Fermanagh while Britain considers harsher repression measures as violence escalates across Ireland
Published: May 31, 2021
On This Day – 31st May 1921
Stories Included:
1921 Joseph Devlin celebrates election victories in Belfast and Antrim while Sinn Féin leaders secure gains during the NI Partition elections
Published: May 29, 2021
On This Day – 29th May 1921
Stories Included:
1921: Ireland’s elections passed relatively peacefully in rural areas amid intimidation claims and the funeral of an RIC sergeant
Published: May 28, 2021
On This Day – 28th May 1921
Stories Included:
1921: Reports told how the IRA launched a dramatic attack on Dublin’s Custom House, leaving the building ablaze amid fierce gun battles, deaths and mass arrests.