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 – 28th October 1921
Publication date:
October 28, 2021
Reference date:
19211028
Stories Included:
1921: Fermanagh and Tyrone become central to Irish peace negotiations, Arthur Griffith addresses a London gathering and a Protestant bishop calls for unity rather than partition
Latest On This Day Posts
Published: June 14, 2021
On This Day – 14th June 1971
Stories Included:
1971: Orangemen clash with troops after defying a parade ban in Dungiven while community leaders examine the challenges facing Ballymurphy
Published: June 12, 2021
On This Day – 12th June 1921
Stories Included:
1921: On 12 June, reports told how three Belfast men were abducted and murdered in brutal reprisals following an attack on RIC officers
Published: June 11, 2021
On This Day – 11th June 1921
Stories Included:
1921: An RIC constable is killed in Belfast while Presbyterian minister Rev J.B. Armour launches a remarkable attack on Partition and the new parliament
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
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: May 13, 2021
On This Day – 13th May 1971
Stories Included:
1971: former Taoiseach Seán Lemass died while the Scarman Tribunal heard evidence about weapons handling by B Specials
Published: May 12, 2021
On This Day – 12th May 1921
Stories Included:
1921: A Belfast youth is charged after shooting a girl while Seán McCartney is buried and Joe Devlin urges Nationalists to unite against Partition
Published: May 11, 2021
On This Day – 11th May 1921
Stories Included:
1921: Two RIC constables were killed in Donegal, and their bodies were thrown into the sea. James Craig rallied Unionists ahead of the crucial Partition election
Published: May 10, 2021
On This Day – 10th May 1971
Stories Included:
1971: an explosion killed the mother of loyalist leader John McKeague, while Easter Rising figure James Connolly’s son Roddy spoke in Belfast of socialism and political transformation in Ireland
Published: May 8, 2021
On This Day – 8th May 1971
Stories Included:
1971: Job discrimination is condemned at a Labour conference while a BBC reporter is released after refusing to identify an IRA source
Published: May 7, 2021
On This Day – 7th May 1921
Stories Included:
1921: James Craig reassures Unionists after meeting de Valera, insisting no concessions while signalling willingness to engage through the Council of Ireland
Published: May 6, 2021
On This Day – 6th May 1921
Stories Included:
1921: James Craig and Éamon de Valera meet in secret talks in Dublin, briefly raising hopes of peace amid deepening tensions over Partition
Published: May 5, 2021
On This Day – 5th May 1921
Stories Included:
1921: James Craig travels to Dublin as Unionists attack Catholic education, and a Donegal man is sentenced by court-martial during rising tensions
Published: May 4, 2021
On This Day – 4th May 1921
Stories Included:
1921: Unionists protest the Catholic Viceroy of Ireland and warn of sectarian conflict while James Craig urges unity ahead of the Partition elections
Published: May 3, 2021
On This Day – 3rd May 1971
Stories Included:
1971: bomb attacks hit RUC officers’ homes in Belfast, while trade unions raised discrimination concerns, and Ian Paisley faced criticism
Published: May 1, 2021
On This Day – 1st May 1971
Stories Included:
1971: Troops seal off the Lower Falls as priests protest injustice and Nationalists call for a stronger political response amid escalating tensions
Published: April 30, 2021
On This Day – 30th April 1921
Stories Included:
1921: Looting hits Belfast shops while Sinn Féin campaigns against Partition and MPs clash over the Government’s reprisals policy in Ireland