Tag: Irish news

Northern Ireland’s Public Prosecution Service (PPS) announced on Friday, April 19 that it will not to prosecute 16 individuals in relation to allegations of false evidence relating to the Bloody Sunday Inquiry. 

The PPS said in a statement on Friday that the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) previously submitted an investigation file to the PPS in relation to allegations of murder and attempted murder on Bloody Sunday.

Those reported included former soldiers and alleged members of the Official IRA and a decision to prosecute one soldier, known as Soldier F, issued in 2019.

At the time, the PPS explained that consideration would also then be given as to whether the Test for Prosecution was met in respect of allegations that those reported had given false evidence in connection with the Bloody Sunday Inquiry. 

The prosecution team, which included senior independent counsel, has now carefully considered all the available evidence in the investigation file and the content of the Report of the Bloody Sunday Inquiry in respect of allegations of the giving of false evidence. 

The prosecution team has determined that the available evidence is insufficient to provide a reasonable prospect of conviction of any suspect considered, which include 15 former soldiers and one former alleged member of the Official IRA. 

PPS Senior Public Prosecutor John O’Neill said: “All decisions on whether or not to prosecute are taken by independently and impartially applying the Test for Prosecution.

“The standard of proof needed for a criminal prosecution is high. For a conviction, the prosecution must establish beyond a reasonable doubt, through available and admissible evidence, the commission of a criminal offence by the suspect. 

“After careful consideration, it has been concluded that the available evidence in this case is insufficient to provide a reasonable prospect of obtaining a conviction of any suspect for offences in relation to the giving of false evidence. 

“The decision making involved the consideration of a vast amount of material. Consideration of the allegations of false evidence presented particularly complex evidential and legal issues, all of which were thoroughly analysed by the prosecution team.

“Three particular issues arose. Firstly, although the Bloody Sunday Inquiry may have rejected the evidence of individuals, it did not always express those findings in terms amounting to the criminal standard of proof. That is the standard which the PPS must consider.

“Secondly, many of the findings related to the rejection of accounts given by former soldiers in 1972. The PPS has concluded that, for a number of legal reasons, those accounts from 1972 would not be admissible in criminal proceedings today.

“Thirdly, the full amount of evidence upon which the Bloody Sunday Inquiry based its findings is not generally available to the prosecution today. Issues arise in respect of the admissibility of evidence and its availability, since not all witnesses who provided evidence to the Inquiry provided witness statements to the PSNI. 

“I wish to make clear that these decisions not to prosecute in no way undermine the findings of the Bloody Sunday Inquiry that those killed or injured were not posing a threat to any of the soldiers.

“We acknowledge that these prosecutorial decisions will be disappointing to the victims and families involved, and that this may be another difficult day for them. We have written to them to explain in detail the reasons for the decisions. We would like to provide assurance that these decisions were taken impartially, independently and only after the most thorough and careful consideration of all available evidence and the relevant legal issues.”

Ciarán Shiels of Madden & Finucane, the Belfast law firm that represents the majority of the families of the people murdered and the people wounded at the Bloody Sunday, said in a statement that the Bloody Sunday families are “very disappointed” but “certainly not fooled” by the PPS decision.

Shiels said: “Anyone who closely observed the evidence given at the Bloody Sunday Inquiry will know that members of 1 Para, and indeed senior military officers in command positions within the British Army in 1972, both individually and collectively, perverted the course of justice by concealing the criminal behaviour of their colleagues in Support Company of 1 Para, thereby ensuring that they would evade prosecution for their crimes.

“Those who gave dishonest evidence on oath also committed perjury and were clearly outside the scope of the assurance against self incrimination provided by the Attorney General at the outset of the Inquiry, which was designed to facilitate the provision of truthful evidence to the Inquiry to assist that Inquiry to reach its proper findings.

“A major cause for concern arose last week when police informed the families of the persons referred to the PPS for prosecution and not one officer in a position of command on Bloody Sunday, in particular Captain Mike Jackson, featured. The families made serious and detailed allegations in relation to Mike Jackson’s conduct on Bloody Sunday. He had personally interviewed those who admitted firing live rounds in the rear of his APC before the Paras had even departed the Bogside and was recalled to the Bloody Sunday Inquiry to explain omissions in his evidence. Jackson was the chief architect and puppeteer in relation to the British Army’s cover up on Bloody Sunday, yet a file does not appear to have been submitted in relation to him.

“It is of course regrettable that this decision has been communicated to us only today, some 14 years after the Inquiry’s unequivocal findings, but less than two weeks before the effective enactment date of the morally bankrupt Legacy legislation designed specifically to allow British army veterans to escape justice for its criminal actions in the north of Ireland.

“We will carefully consider the reasons we have received today and do not rule out the prospect of further legal action.”

John Kelly, whose 17-year-old brother Michael was murdered on Bloody Sunday, said on behalf of the Bloody Sunday families and wounded: “The families of Bloody Sunday who sit here today disappointed and perplexed by this decision not to prosecute a single soldier for perjury ask themselves rhetorically: ‘Why is it that the people of Derry cannot forget the events of Bloody Sunday, yet the Parachute Regiment, who caused all of the deaths and injury on that day, apparently cannot recall it?’

“The answer to this question is quite simple but painfully obvious.

“The British Army lied its way through the conflict in the north.

“Accountability was never an option.

“And it is clear from the events of Bloody Sunday that killing unarmed civilians and lying about the circumstances of those murders never operated as a bar to individual promotions for soldiers, but in fact helped endear themselves to their superior officers and authorities.

“We consider that today’s ruling by the PPS is an affront to the rule of law and a continuation of the injustice that was perpetrated on Bloody Sunday.”

You can watch Ciarán Shiels and family members speaking at press conference responding to the PPS decision here:

In November 1945, the United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) was founded in the aftermath of the Second World War.

Best known for its work in designating and protecting World Heritage Sites – of which there are three on the island of Ireland – the organization was originally conceived to promote peace through international cooperation in education.

Today, UNESCO builds on that mission in tackling some of the most pressing global policy challenges from a cultural and scientific perspective.

UNESCO’s objectives include attaining quality education and lifelong learning for all, mobilizing science knowledge and policy for sustainable development, addressing emerging social and ethical challenges, fostering cultural diversity, intercultural dialogue, and a culture of peace, and building inclusive knowledge societies through information and communication.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites on the island of Ireland

Brú na Bóinne / The Boyne Valley (1993)

Brú na Bóinne, which means the ‘palace’ or the ‘mansion’ of the Boyne, refers to the area within the bend of the River Boyne which contains one of the world’s most important prehistoric landscapes.

The archaeological landscape within Brú na Bóinne is dominated by the three well-known large passage tombs, Knowth, Newgrange, and Dowth, built some 5,000 years ago in the Neolithic or Late Stone Age. An additional 90 monuments have been recorded in the area giving rise to one of the most significant archaeological complexes in terms of scale and density of monuments and the material evidence that accompanies them. The Brú na Bóinne tombs, in particular Knowth, contain the largest assemblage of megalithic art in Western Europe.

Sceilg Mhicíl (1996)

Sceilg Mhichíl, also known as Skellig Michael, was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1996. The island of Sceilg Mhichíl lies at the extreme north-western edge of Europe, rising from the Atlantic Ocean almost 12 km west of the lveragh Peninsula in County Kerry. It is the most spectacularly situated of all Early Medieval island monastic sites, particularly the isolated hermitage perched on narrow, human-made terraces just below the South Peak.

Recently the County Kerry islands were made famous by the movie franchise, “Star Wars”. 

Giant’s Causeway and the Causeway Coast (1986)

The Giant’s Causeway lies at the foot of the basalt cliffs along the sea coast on the edge of the Antrim plateau in Northern Ireland. It is made up of some 40,000 massive black basalt columns sticking out of the sea. The dramatic sight has inspired legends of giants striding over the sea to Scotland. Geological studies of these formations over the last 300 years have greatly contributed to the development of the earth sciences, and show that this striking landscape was caused by volcanic activity during the Tertiary, some 50–60 million years ago.

UNESCO Memory of the World Register

Book of Kells (inscribed in 2011)

The Book of Kells is widely regarded as Ireland’s greatest historical treasure and is one of the most spectacular examples of medieval Christian art in the world. Its fame rests principally on the impact of its lavish decoration, the extent, and artistry of which are incomparable.

The decoration ranges in complexity from full folio compositions based around initials or portraits to small details used to augment and emphasize text. Each page contains decoration. The Book of Kells attracts around 500,000 visitors to Trinity College Dublin every year, and functions for many both in Ireland and further afield as a cultural symbol of Ireland.

UNESCO Geoparks

The Marble Arch Caves Global Geopark (cross-border counties Fermanagh and Cavan)

The Marble Arch Caves UNESCO Global Geopark is the World’s first UNESCO Global Geopark crossing an international border. It lies in the northwest corner of the island of Ireland, much of it is in County Fermanagh in Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom and a sizeable remainder is in County Cavan in the Republic of Ireland.

The region displays a classic, glaciated landscape comprising of extensive uplands that have been smoothed down by successive ice sheets. The uplands are intersected by broad u-shaped valleys that sweep down to the surrounding lowlands where numerous lakes have formed in glacial hollows and swarms of drumlins form many egg-shaped, rounded hills. The uplands contain extensive areas of forest, blanket bog, and karst where the underlying limestone has been carved out by the abundant rainfall to form significant cave systems including the world-famous Marble Arch Caves.

The caves are widely regarded as a world-class natural attraction containing marvelous stream passages formed by three rivers that sink underground on the slopes of Cuilcagh Mountain.

Copper Coast Global Geopark

The Waterford Copper Coast is now a UNESCO Global Geopark, one of three in Ireland, it extends along the County Waterford coastline for 25kms and is named after the 19th-century copper mines that lie at the heart of this spectacular stretch of cliffs.

Copper Coast UNESCO Global Geopark and Visitor Centre is located on the southeast coast of Ireland, between Tramore and Dungarvan in County Waterford. It extends between Fenor in the east to Stradbally in the west and up to Dunhill in the north.

Burren and Cliffs of Moher Global Geopark

Located on the west coast of Ireland, the Burren & Cliffs of Moher UNESCO Global Geopark has an area of 530 km2, it is bounded by Atlantic coastal cliffs (10-200 m high) to the west, the Gort lowlands to the East, and by low hilly terrain to the south. Much of the land is at an elevation of 100 m-200 m above sea level; the highest point is Slieve Elva at 344 m. The area of limestone which comprises most of the UNESCO Global Geopark has few rivers and only one (Caher River) which flows its entire length overground.

The geological landscape is one of glacially smoothed Carboniferous (300 million years ago) fossil-rich limestone hills; dramatic sea cliffs; seasonal lakes; and vast networks of subterranean caves. This physical landscape hosts rare natural habitats and unique floral assemblages not found anywhere else on Earth; as well as abundant legacies of human settlement dating back over 6,000 years.

UNESCO Biosphere Reserves

Dublin Bay (1981)

The Dublin Bay Biosphere Reserve (former North Bull Island) comprises Dublin Bay, North Bull Island, and adjacent land, including parts of Dublin, the capital city of Ireland. It is one of the finest sand dune systems in Ireland and is internationally important in terms of its conservation value. There are high-quality examples of several rare and threatened coastal habitats present on the island.

Kerry (1982)

Located just southwest of the city of Killarney in south-west Ireland, Kerry Biosphere Reserve (former Killarney) comprises the mountains and woodlands surrounding Lough Leane Lake and adjacent smaller lakes, moorlands, parks, and gardens.

Human history has also left its mark in the biosphere reserve, e.g. with the well-preserved remains of Inisfallen Abbey on an island in Lough Leane, Muckross Abbey, or the Muckross House which serves as a visitor center today. This Killarney National Park Education Centre fulfills an important educational role within the national park and biosphere reserve, which is one of the best-known tourist destinations in Ireland.

UNESCO’s Irish Intangible Cultural Heritage inscriptions

Uilleann piping (2017)

Uilleann piping is a musical practice that uses a particular type of bagpipe (known as the ‘uilleann’, ‘Irish’ or ‘union’ pipes) to play Irish music. It is a highly developed instrument with strong roots in a tradition dating back many generations. Bearers and practitioners are dispersed throughout the world, but the greatest concentration is in Ireland and Irish communities abroad.

Uilleann piping offers an important way of socializing and plays an integral role in life events such as marriages and funerals, where it provides a sense of rootedness and a connection to the past.

Hurling (2018)

Hurling, or Camogie (a form of Hurling played by women), is a field game played by two teams that dates back 2,000 years and features strongly in Irish mythology, most notably in the epic saga of Cú Chulainn. It is played throughout the island of Ireland, particularly in more fertile agricultural areas, as well as overseas.

Traditionally, the number of players in the game was unregulated and games were played across open fields. Nowadays, there are fifteen players on adult teams and the game is played on a clearly marked pitch. Players use a wooden stick (hurley), similar to a hockey stick but with a flat end, and a small ball (sliotar), with the aim being to use the hurley to strike the sliotar and hit it between the opposing team’s goalposts. The primary bearers and practitioners are the players, known as ‘hurlers’ (male) and ‘camógs’ (female).

Hurling is considered an intrinsic part of Irish culture and plays a central role in promoting health and wellbeing, inclusiveness, and team spirit. Today, the skills are promoted and transmitted through coaching and games in schools and clubs. As the custodians of Hurling, the Gaelic Athletic Association and the Camogie Association, both volunteer-led organizations, play a central role in transmitting the skills and values associated with Hurling.

* Originally published in 2020, updated in April 2024.

Ali Dunworth explores the culture, customs and craic surrounding pints in Ireland in her new book “A Compendium of Irish Pints”. In this extract, she explores the complex relationship between the Irish and “Funeral Pints”.

When I sat down to write my book, “A Compendium of Irish Pints”, I tried to list all the occasions we have for a pint in Ireland it struck me that the essential pint moments in life aren’t too dissimilar to the sacraments of the Catholic church: first pints, wedding pints, funeral pints. Ecumenical pints if you will.

I know, I know, most of us will think of the TV show “Father Ted” when we say “ecumenical”. “That would be an ecumenical matter, Father!” was a favorite coverall answer the priests in “Father Ted” liked to use and it’s become a catchphrase in its own right. But the actual definition of ecumenical is “of or relating to the Christian Church throughout the world, especially with regard to its unity”.

So when I talk about ecumenical pints, I’m referring to all the opportunities for pints that the Christian Church, in particular the Catholic Church, affords us. There are so many holy days, religious days and holidays that, let’s face it, we find a place for a drink – at least in Ireland, anyway. And without getting too philosophical (or should I say ecumenical?) about the whole thing, the Catholic Church based most of their celebrations and sacraments around pagan rituals that already existed, so are they really even ecumenical to begin with?

I realise we’re here to talk about pints and not mass but there is simply no getting away from the church references. Wetting the baby’s head, communions, and confirmations, we’ll always find a place for a pint. Then there was the whole Good Friday situation and let’s not forget Holy Hour which if you’re in the Church, refers to a devotional tradition of spending an hour in Eucharistic adoration in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament.

But if you were in or near a pub in Ireland from the 1920s up until 2000, it meant you could be kicked out in the middle of the day. The more I researched pints the more the parallels between the pub and the church became apparent.

There’s a brilliant book I read by Kevin C. Kearns called “Dublin Pub Life and Lore – An Oral History of Dublin’s Traditional Irish Pubs: The Recollections of Dublin’s Publicans, Barmen and ‘Regulars'” where he really nails this:

“One cannot ignore the religious symbolisms associated with the public house-the barman was long known as the ‘curate’; afternoon closing time was the ‘holy hour’; snugs were termed ‘confession boxes’; a black pint of Guinness with its white collar is called the ‘parish priest’; regulars are the ‘faithful’; persons barred feel ‘excommunicated’; pubs closed to women were the ‘holy ground’; privileged bar space was the ‘inner sanctum’; and when notorious pubman Brendan Behan would crawl from pub to pub he proclaimed he was ‘doing the stations of the cross’. Which of these two revered institutions, the church or the pub, is more indispensable to modern life is open to lively philosophical debate.”

When it comes to impacting the nation these days, shaping public opinion, and fostering unity, the pub can easily rival the pulpit for influence. In modern Ireland, the pub boasts a far greater number of establishments than the church. The pub is still very much part of contemporary society whereas the interest in the church, well that’s very much been waning. But there’s no getting away from their intermingling. And that’s never more evident than when it comes to funerals. 

Pubs, pints and funerals. They have a long and storied past in Ireland. For a long time, it wasn’t just beers you could be served, but also a burial. Publicans often ran an undertaking business alongside their usual trade and in fact, up until 1962, all publicans were technically obliged to store dead bodies. This legal obligation stemmed from the Coroners Act of 1846, which dictated that dead bodies should be brought to the nearest “tavern, public house, or house licensed for the sale of spirits”. It made practical sense you see because pubs usually had cold storage perfect for preserving bodies. It helped that funerals were good for business too so many publicans also had a sideline in the undertaking businesses. It’s no wonder we have a unique relationship with funerals in Ireland.

Death is not something we shy away from. Death, dead, dying. It’s not whispered. We aren’t afraid of it. Local radio stations broadcast death notices a few times a day. Most of us will have known a grandparent or parent who listened or still listens. Or perhaps they’ve moved on to RIP.ie, a website that lists deaths as they are announced. It’s a go-to daily check-up for plenty of Irish people of a certain generation – like Facebook but for funerals. 

Irish funerals are not the delicate, dressed-in-black events we see in American movies and TV. They are gatherings and are open to all. A wake at home might be a bit more low-key but you usually don’t need to be invited and you don’t need to dress in black. Anyone can show up, pay their respects, shake hands, share their condolences and depending on who they were to the deceased, be invited for hospitality after. We have a set of traditions we like to follow, traditions that ground us and bind the bereaved to the dead. Hospitality – and in turn, drink – is a big part of that. Funeral hospitality could have a whole book to itself. It goes back to Brehon Law and Gaelic feasts. Providing a decent send-off, including food and drink, was – and still is – expected. 

After the church and burial or cremation, there’s an expectation for ‘afters’ which is usually held at a hotel, a pub or even a GAA club. There is often it’s a sit-down meal.  We even have a particular style of funeral food: triangle sandwiches, vegetable soup, maybe a carvery. And pints, of course. The afters, in whatever form, is an important part of the funeral and the grieving process. It offers a welcome distraction – the chance to talk, to reminisce, to share stories and to listen – which is much needed if you’re feeling hollow and helpless.

It’s a chance to continue commemorating the life of the departed.  Ritually sharing and consuming a pint with someone can be the ideal antidote. In a way, it’s the perfect example of why I wanted to write my book. It’s not about the drink or the alcohol but rather everything else that surrounds it.

* Ali Dunworth is a writer, journalist, consultant and events curator who loves writing and talking about food and drink so much that she’s made a career out of it. She started out working in hospitality before a career behind the scenes in food TV. As a freelance food, drink and travel writer, Ali contributes to the Irish Times, Food & Wine Magazine and many others. She also curates and hosts numerous Irish food events and festival stages. Find Ali on Instagram here @alidunworth.

“A Compendium of Irish Pints” by Ali Dunworth will be published on May 7, 2024. For more visit NineBeanRowsBooks.com.

Children’s doctors in Northern Ireland and England are calling for equal protection for children and young people against physical assault, such as smacking, hitting, and slapping.

The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) published a landmark report on Wednesday, April 17 that lays out the health, education, and legal case for a legislative change to remove the “reasonable punishment” defence and to prohibit all physical punishment of children in all circumstances in England and Northern Ireland. 

RCPCH says that the negative health impacts of physical punishment in childhood are well documented. Children who experience physical punishment are nearly three times (2.6x) as likely to develop poorer mental health and are more than twice (2.3x) as likely to experience serious physical assault and abuse.

Physical punishment also increases the likelihood of behavioural problems in childhood, poorer relationships with parents and family, and instances of aggression later in life. 

Currently in England and Northern Ireland, a parent can use the defence of ‘reasonable punishment’ to justify physically punishing a child in certain circumstances, for example by slapping, smacking, or hitting. Adults in both countries are rightly protected in law from all forms of physical assault; however, children do not have this same protection in all circumstances.

RCPCH notes that Scotland and Wales are among more than 60 other countries around the world that have brought in measures to give children the same protection from assault that adults have, fully protecting children’s rights to be protected from violence. This means there is a discrepancy across the UK regarding the rights of the child.

Internationally, 65 states have full prohibition of physical punishment of children. 27 more states have committed to reforming their laws to achieve a complete legal ban.

The report, “Equal protection from assault in England and Northern Ireland: The health, education, and legal case for legislative change to remove the “reasonable punishment” defence and to prohibit all physical punishment of children,” highlights the range of harms to children and safeguarding complications that current legislation around physical punishment creates, as well as key recommendations for Governments in Westminster and Stormont. 

RCPCH recommendations include:

• The Secretary of State for Education in England commencing the legislative process necessary to change the law to remove the reasonable punishment defence (as set out in Section 3 of the report) in sufficient time to conclude enactment of these prior to the next UK general election.
• The Education and Health Ministers for Northern Ireland leading the Northern Ireland Assembly in amending the Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Northern Ireland) Order 2006) to remove the reasonable punishment defence from Northern Irish Law.
• All political parties incorporating the removal of the reasonable punishment defence in their general election party manifesto, and if appointed to UK Government, signal the legislative change will be enacted in the first wave of new legislation after formation of the new Parliament, with a specific commitment set out in the King’s speech.

Professor Andrew Rowland, RCPCH Officer for Child Protection and Consultant Paediatrician, said: “The laws around physical punishment as they stand are unjust and dangerously vague. They create a grey area in which some forms of physical punishment may be lawful, and some are not.

“As a paediatrician working in child protection services, I am regularly faced with situations where it is alleged that physical punishment has been used against a child.

“The vague nature of the laws make it extremely challenging to talk to families about what the rules are around physical punishment of children, thus making it more difficult to talk about the best interests of their children. This lack of legislative clarity can even add an extra layer of complexity when trying to identify cases of child abuse. 

“No one can deny that our society’s views on punishment have changed over the past few decades, with 67% of voting adults agreeing that physical punishment of children is unacceptable.

“We have extensive evidence which shows the range of harms that physical punishment has on a child, including the learned belief that violence is accepted and even encouraged by society.

“For many children, this belief can lead to further instances of violence and harm later in life. Research and history show us that violence is often cyclical in nature; it is up to us as adults to break that cycle for our children. 

“There must be no grey areas when it comes to safeguarding children. Changing the laws in England and Northern Ireland will give us absolute clarity and ensure there are no instances where it is acceptable or lawful to smack a child.

“Ahead of a UK General Election, this is the perfect opportunity for all political parties in England and Northern Ireland to make meaningful commitments on this important children’s rights issue, and signal to young people and those who serve them that championing their wellbeing and safety will be a priority for any incoming government.”

Bess Herbert, Advocacy Specialist at End Corporal Punishment, said: “The science on physical punishment of children is now settled. Hundreds of studies have found that it is associated with a wide range of negative outcomes, including physical harm, poorer mental and physical health, atypical brain function, lower cognitive development and educational outcomes, school dropout, increased aggression and poor moral internalisation, and perpetration of violence and anti-social behaviour in adulthood.

“Happily, 65 countries have now passed laws prohibiting physical punishment of children, and their experience shows that this legal reform can play a powerful role in reducing the prevalence of physical punishment and other forms of violence against children, often positively impacting extremely large numbers of children. 

“Experience also shows that laws prohibiting physical punishment are most effective when they are well communicated and implemented, through a comprehensive and sustained programme that ensures parents and carers, professionals, children and the public understand the new law, and are supported to adopt positive and healthy ways of raising children.

“I hope that England and Northern Ireland will soon join the ever-growing number of countries that have taken this fundamental step in protecting children, upholding their rights, and supporting healthy and positive child raising.”

Nora Keane narrowly survived the Titanic disaster, her delay in donning a corset nearly costing her life.

A profile of Irish woman Nora Keane from Senan Molony’s book “The Irish Aboard the Titanic”.

Ticket number 226593. Paid £12 7s.

Boarded at Queenstown. Second Class.

From: Gardenhill, Castleconnell, County Limerick. 

Destination: 167 Paxton Street, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. 

A corset nearly got in the way of Nora Keane saving her own life. She was wasting so much time as she fumbled to put it on and lace it up that it became the object of a dispute with her traveling companion, Edwina Troutt. When Edwina returned to her cabin, one woman, Susie Webber, had already left. The other, Nora, was still dressing. Having replaced her dressing gown with a warmer coat, Edwina dealt with the nervous Irishwoman. When Nora insisted on trying to put on a corset, Edwina grabbed it from her and sent it flying down the narrow passage leading to the porthole.

Interestingly a similar confrontation over a corset is played out in the James Cameron movie “Titanic”. Edwina could not believe that Nora could put her life at risk over a foolish item of clothing at the height of a sinking.

The three women had been sharing compartment 101 on E deck aft. Edwina Celia Troutt (27) was from Bath, heading back to a sister in Massachusetts. Susie Webber (37) was from Devon, bound for Hartford, Connecticut. Both also survived. Edwina lived to be 100, dying in December 1984, while Susan Webber died in 1952 at the age of 77.

Edwina later recounted how their Irish companion, Nora Keane from Castleconnell, had undergone a sudden premonition that the Titanic would sink when boarding at Queenstown, speaking openly of her fears when the vessel was barely underway. It is one of a number of verified incidents of foreboding and one of the most chilling – Edwina later claimed that Nora told her she was so overcome with sudden dread as she tottered towards the towering Titanic that she dropped her Rosary and prayer book into the water as she was going up the gangway from a tender that had brought mainly Third-Class Irish passengers from Deepwater Quay.

Another member of the women’s cabin had a story of foreboding to share: Nellie Hocking, a 21-year-old girl from Cornwall. Edwina later recounted how Nellie put the fear of God into Nora Keane by telling her how she had heard a cock-crow on the Titanic at dusk on the fateful Sunday. Hearing such a cry while traveling on a journey is viewed as an ill omen in Cornish custom. Nora told the unnerving story to Edwina, who laughed it off. But Nellie had not been imagining things – there was a live rooster and other poultry on the Titanic. First-class passengers Marie Grice and Ella Holmes White were importing a clutch of French chickens to the United States.

Nora was on her way back to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where she and her brother ran the Union Hotel on Paxton Street.

She told her story to a local paper:

Miss Keane Home; Her Complete Story

Survivor of Wreck tells how Ship Sank as those in Boats looked on – Drifted Eight Hours in Darkness and Cold before Aid Came

Miss Nora Keane, the only resident of this city who was aboard the Titanic when it was wrecked off the Newfoundland banks, arrived home at 7.10 o’clock last evening. She was accompanied by her brothers and their wives who met her at the Cunard line pier where the Carpathia docked Thursday evening at 9.15. Last night she told to The Patriot all the details of her terrible experience, from the time the giant ship first struck the iceberg until she was gathered into the arms of her four big brothers on the New York dock.

‘It was terrible that wreck … I felt a slight shock a little time before they came. I thought nothing of it. No person had any idea that the vessel was hurt. Even after we were told to get ready we didn’t think there was any danger, for we had been told that the ship could not sink – that it was unsinkable. People had told me that it was an impossibility for it to go down. I went on deck with other persons. The officers had perfect control of everything. There was some excitement amongst some of the people but not what you would expect under the circumstances.

‘Officers called out just who were to go in the boats. I was fortunate to get out in the fourth or fifth boat that left. The crew showed every courtesy in lowering the women and children into the boats. The men passengers stood back. Without doubt, they sacrificed their lives to give women and children the preference … There was a foreigner of some kind ran from some part of the ship and jumped into our boat. No one saw him go. When we got into the boat, we tramped over him for some time but didn’t see him or even know we were stepping on a human form.

‘Later he proved of great use. He could handle the boat. After we rowed away from the ship, we learned that he was in the boat and asked him if we hurt him when we walked over him. He said, “No, still living.” The boat had but one sailor in it and this man came in very useful in helping us work the boat. He did good work … Two men floated by us. Both of them had life preservers. One of them drooped low in the water.

He did not call. The other called to us: “Take me on.” It was almost an impossibility to do anything. Our boat barely floated. “Goodbye,” the man in the water called. Then his head went down a little later. He disappeared out of sight. That was the case with many others. It was [a] terrible sight to witness. It cannot be forgotten. The sight of men in the sea was awful.’

From the lifeboat, Nora saw the Titanic go down. ‘The ship seemed to go down forward and raise to an awful height, all at once. There was a roar and a deafening sound. The cries and moans of those passengers and crew in the water were awful. Very soon there was nothing seen or heard. The ship went down about 100 yards from where our boat was. Bodies drifted past us. Pieces of the wreck were around.

‘And that band played, I don’t know how the men did it, while we were getting on the boats. It played when we drifted away. Men jumped into the sea but the band played.

Some of them must have stood in water that was then over that part of the deck while they played, for we were on nearly the same level with the deck then.

‘They played Nearer My God to Thee till the ship rose and they went out of sight. They must have been playing when it went down,’ said Nora. Nora and the 704 other survivors were picked up by the Carpathia about daybreak. And it was The Patriot which told her brothers in Harrisburg that she was safe, having previously reported their anxiety about her. At 9.15 a.m. on 18 April, the Carpathia docked in New York where Nora was met by her brothers, Dennis, William, Patrick and John Keane.

Nora then returned to Harrisburg where she had made her home with another brother, Michael, who had a hotel there.

(The Patriot, 20 April 1912).

The same newspaper the day before quoted Nora, in an account dictated to her brother Dennis, as saying that ‘some shots were fired on the ship. People said men had been shot. I don’t know who they were … it is so awful I cannot think of all that happened.’

Nora, who discreetly carved eleven years off her age when signing aboard the Titanic, had been born in 1866 to John Keane (1819–1885) and his wife Nora Fee (d. 1916) of Gardenhill, Castleconnell, Limerick. Nora later bought and managed a pub in Harrisburg, using money she received from an inheritance. The American Red Cross assisted her to the tune of $100.

Nora told her family back in Ireland little about the disaster. She said the other women in her cabin were woken up by stewards and told to leave the ship immediately. She was in the lifeboat all night, dressed only in her nightgown – sans corset of course – and strictly enjoined her nephews and nieces in later life: ‘When they tell you to get off the boat, do what they say!’

She eventually returned to Ireland and died on 20 December 1944, at the County Infirmary in Limerick, aged 78. The cause of death was complications from a broken leg.

Source – Mercier Press – Ebooks from Ireland – Irish author on Kindle, iPad, Nook and all e-reading devices.

* Originally published in 2016, updated in April 2024.

There is little doubt that many Irishmen enlisted in the Union Army very shortly after their arrival in the United States.

Editor’s note: On this day April 12, 1861, the Confederate Army opened fire at Fort Sumter in Charleston Bay, launching the American Civil War. The War raged for four years and caused the deaths of over a million people. Here, Irish historian Damien Shiels explores the stories of the 150,000 Irishmen who fought in the War of the Rebellion.

One of the best-known scenes in Martin Scorsese’s 2002 movie “Gangs of New York” is that which depicts the enlistment of Irish emigrants ‘straight off the boat’ into the Union army. The seemingly unsuspecting men are quickly dressed in uniform and packed off for the front, even as those unfortunates who have gone before are brought back in coffins.

This scene is one of the most influential in dictating modern memory of Irish recruitment into the Union army. The popular image of thousands of Irishmen, ignorant of what they were getting into, joining up the moment they stepped ashore, is one I encounter frequently. But how true is it?

There is little doubt that many Irishmen enlisted in the Union Army very shortly after their arrival in the United States. There is even some evidence of illegal recruitment from Ireland itself, although this appears to have been extremely rare. When Irishmen were ‘duped’ into joining the army, it was unfortunately often the case that it was other Irishmen – like Patrick Finney- who were the ones trying to profit from their enlistment.

It is also open to question just how unaware the Irish landing in America were of the realities of the American Civil War. The sheer number of Irish in the United States meant that there was a constant flow of information about the conflict crossing the Atlantic. Many of these letters – written before the age of censorship – gave explicit detail of what was occurring in America between 1861 and 1865, and of what service in the Northern armies meant.

The more I investigate the Irish experience, the more apparent it is that the type of incident portrayed in “Gangs of New York” rarely, if ever, occurred.

Far from being duped, it was much more likely that many of these men had traveled to the United States with the express intention of joining the military, in the hope of benefiting from the financial rewards available for doing so. This was the primary motivation for Irish enlistment in the Union Army from at least 1863 onwards. These men were not stupid – they came from a country where enlistment in the British Army for economic reasons was commonplace, and they came informed about the Civil War.

The New York Irish-American Newspaper of 23rd July 1864 presents an interesting counterpoint to the scene depicted in “Gangs of New York.” It outlines that serious consideration had in fact been given to opening a recruiting station at Castle Garden, where Irish and other emigrants arrived in America.

However, they decided against it, as it was thought it would ultimately prove counter-productive. The main reason put forward for this was that Irish-American and other communities would quickly inform those at home as to what was going on, discouraging future prospective emigrants. This would impact not only the economy but ultimately also enlistment into the military.

The New York County Volunteers Recruiting Committee presided over by Mr. Orison Blunt, recently applied to the Commissioners of Emigration for permission to establish a recruiting rendezvous within and in connection with the emigration depot at Castle Garden. The Commissioners very properly refused such permission and authorized their agent to convey such intelligence to the Committee. The following is a copy of the letter of Mr. Casserly:

OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONERS OF EMIGRATION, NEW YORK, JUNE 30

Elijah F. Purdy, Esq.:

Dear Sir- Mr. O. Blunt, the Chairman of the County Recruiting Committee and member of the Board of Supervisors, called here yesterday, and stated that he had conversed relative to a building to be erected on the Battery for recruiting purposes, with some of the Commissioners, and concerning a passage-way opening into and connection Castle Garden with said building, and that he had been sent to me for the purpose of learning if there were any objection to such connection with Castle Garden. In reply I informed him that I had not heard anything about the matter before, and that I believed there were no serious objections; which, however, I did not deem proper to state at that time, but would do so in case the matter came before the Board at the meeting to be held in the afternoon, and my opinion was requested by the Board. To do so sooner, on such an important matter, might have been considered an assumption of authority on my part.

At the meeting to-day, I mentioned the matter to several of the Commissioners, and while on account of their being no quorum, and as no official communication had been received by this Board from the Board of Supervisors or any other body, there could be and was no official action taken on the matter; yet the opinion of the Commissioners was decidedly adverse to granting such a request, on the ground that it would be injurious to the country in interfering with emigration, as would be the case as soon as known in Europe; and would be confirmatory, to a certain extent, of the charges made in the British House of Commons, as well as in France and Germany, by rebel emissaries and sympathizers, that the armies were being filled by the forced enlistments of arriving emigrants. As it is, the resident friends of emigrants expected to arrive are much excited on this very subject at present, and their persuasions and advice, in the form of letters of their friends in Ireland and Germany, as well as other countries from which emigrants come, would be immediately added to keep emigration from the country, and thus an injury inflicted on the industrial prosperity of the country exceeding a thousand fold the increased benefit in the way of additional recruits obtained in the manner proposed by Mr. Blunt.

Being a member of the Board of Supervisors, as well as of this Commission, I have deemed it proper to advise you of what occurred in relation to this matter, to which I have taken the liberty of appending my own views of the application, as the subject appears to me.

Yours respectfully,

Bernard Casserly,

General Agent.

*Damian Shiels is an archaeologist and historian who runs IrishAmericanCivilWar.com, where this article first appeared. His book “The Irish in the American Civil War” was published by The History Press in 2013 and is available here.

* Originally published in 2016, updated in April 2024.

Who doesn’t love April? Spring break. Spring fever. Spring produce. With only a few weeks of the new season under our belts, it’s time to start planning for ways to use all those wonderful spring ingredients with these wonderful recipes straight from Ireland.

These recipes, from my new cookbook “Favorite Flavors of Ireland,” should help to kick off the season.

Lamb Cutlets with Fresh Herb Dressing

Serves 4

Lamb cutlets, chops, or steaks are perfect for spring grilling, but cooking them in a griddle pan or under the broiler works equally well. The kick in this flavorful dish is the lovely herb dressing that can be drizzled over boiled new potatoes, peas, green beans, or asparagus. For a slightly sweeter dressing for the lamb, try the Apricot-Tarragon Sauce that follows.

Lamb

• 12 lamb cutlets or loin lamb chops
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Juice and zest of 1 lemon
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Dressing

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

To prepare the lamb, place the cutlets or chops in a shallow dish. Whisk together the oil, lemon juice, zest, salt, and pepper. Drizzle the mixture over the lamb and marinate at room temperature for 15-20 minutes, turning once.

To make the dressing, whisk together all the ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.

Light a charcoal fire or preheat a gas grill. Grill lamb for 3 minutes on each side (for rare), and up to 8 minutes for well done.

To serve, arrange the cutlets on a plate and drizzle with the dressing. Add sautéed cherry tomatoes, if desired.

Variation

Lamb Cutlets with Apricot-Tarragon Sauce: In a large bowl, combine 1 cup chopped dried apricots, 2 cups homemade chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth, and 2 tbsp. chopped fresh tarragon. Marinate for 3-4 hours. Stir in 1 tbsp. honey, 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice, salt, and freshly ground pepper to taste. Transfer the mixture to a food processor and process for about 1 minute, or until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a small saucepan over medium heat, and cook for 1-2 minutes, or until heated through. Light a charcoal fire or preheat a gas grill. Combine 2 tbsp. honey, 1 tsp. hot curry paste, and 2 tbsp. olive oil in a small bowl. Brush the mixture over both sides of 12 lamb cutlets and season again with salt and pepper. Grill lamb as above. To serve, arrange the cutlets on a plate and drizzle with the sauce.

Spring Greens with Shaved Dubliner, New Potatoes, and Walnuts

Serves 4

Irish-made cheese is nothing short of superb. No matter what variety you choose, it’s always an excellent addition to a simple salad and never overpowers the other ingredients. Try this fresh spring salad with shaved Dubliner and top it with toasted walnuts and one of these assertive vinaigrette dressings.

Sherry Vinaigrette

• 2 tbsp sherry vinegar
• 1/4 cup sunflower oil
• 1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• Pinch of sugar
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Walnut Vinaigrette

• 1/4 cup walnut oil
• 1/3 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup rapeseed or olive oil
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Salad

• 1 (10 oz) bag mixed greens
• 8 salad variety potatoes, such as Yukon gold, steamed, cut into 1/2-in. cubes
• 1/2 cup walnut pieces, toasted (see Note)
• Shaved Dubliner to taste
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• To make the vinaigrette, in a small bowl, whisk together all the ingredients until smooth. Set aside.

To compose the salads, divide the greens and potatoes among four salad plates. Drizzle with the vinaigrette and sprinkle with the walnuts. Shave the cheese on top and season with pepper.

Note: To toast walnuts, preheat the oven to 350° F. Spread the walnuts out on a baking sheet and toast for 10-15 minutes (shake the pan once or twice), or until browned.

Garden Greens with Cheese Fritters

Serves 4

This recipe can be made with goat’s cheese or a combination of Blarney Castle and Dubliner cheese. A real bonus is that you can make the fritters well ahead of serving time; in fact, the longer they have to firm, the better! Serve them with one of the vinaigrette dressings above.

Fritters

• 3 tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup milk
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 cup grated Blarney Castle cheese
• 1 cup grated Dubliner cheese
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• Dash of cayenne pepper
• Flour for dredging
• 1 large egg beaten with 1 tbsp. water
• Seasoned breadcrumbs for dredging
• Vegetable oil for frying

Salad

• 1 (10 oz) bag mixed greens
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• Freshly ground pepper to taste

To make the fritters, in a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and milk and cook for 1-2 minutes, or until smooth. Whisk in the eggs and Blarney cheese. Continue to whisk until the cheese melts.

Remove from the heat, add the Dubliner cheese, salt, pepper, and cayenne, and whisk until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and refrigerate for 3-4 hours, or until firm.

Scoop out the mixture one tbsp. at a time, and with floured hands, shape into eight balls. Dredge each in flour, then egg wash, and then breadcrumbs. Return to refrigerator for 30-45 minutes.

In a deep fryer or skillet, heat the oil. Cook the fritters for about 4 minutes, gently turning each with two spoons to brown evenly. With a slotted spoon, remove the fritters and transfer to paper towels to drain.

To compose the salad, toss the greens with the vinaigrette and divide it among four salad plates. Place two fritters on each and sprinkle the dried cranberries over the greens. Top with a few grinds of black pepper.

Margaret M. Johnson’s “Favorite Flavors of Ireland” is a “labor of love and tribute to her thirty years of travel there. It offers more than 100 best-loved recipes from her previous ten cookbooks and celebrates the special flavors of each Irish season: Spring/An t-Earrach, Summer/An Samhradh, Autumn/An Fómhar, Winter/An Geimhreadh.” To order a signed copy, visit www.irishcook.com.

— 

This article originally appeared in the Irish Echo. You can read more from them here. 

* Originally published in April 2017. Updated in April 2024.

Cian T. McMahon’s book “The Coffin Ship: Life and Death at Sea During the Great Irish Famine” uses archives and libraries across three continents to focus on the lived experiences of the Irish migrants through history and their legacy.

Editor’s note: This is an extract from the introduction to Cian T. McMahon’s book “The Coffin Ship: Life and Death at Sea During the Great Irish Famine”, published in 2021.

In his colorful history of the Kennedys—Irish America’s first family— John H. Davis imaginatively reconstructed the “probable shipboard experiences” of JFK’s great-grandparents, who sailed on an emigrant ship from New Ross to Boston during the Great Famine. Life below deck, where the emigrants were quartered, was dark and dangerous.

“The sick vomited and moaned, women shrieked in childbirth, and men fought over a few inches of bunk or an insult to a county of origin,” wrote Davis.

Rape was “a common occurrence” as crew members regularly molested female passengers during storms. Worst of all, death ran rampant in these vessels, leaving only one in three passengers to survive the ordeal.

“‘Coffin ships,’ these were called,” Davis claimed, “and indeed the only coffins the dead had been the ships they died in.”

This one-dimensional portrait of Famine-era emigrant vessels as “coffin ships” has long overshadowed any hope for a true understanding of the voyage.

When we use the actual words of the emigrants themselves to scratch its surface, however, we get a much more complicated but clearer picture of what life was actually like.

In the autumn of 1847, when shipboard mortality was at historically high levels, Thomas McGinity emigrated with his son from Ireland to New York. Soon after arriving, he penned a letter to his loved ones back home to let them know they had arrived. That note sits, along with hundreds of other emigrant letters, in Belfast’s Public Record Office of Northern Ireland.

“I take this favorable opportunity of writing to youse to let youse know that I and John arrived safely, thank God, after a passage of thirty days,” wrote Thomas.

“I never had better health than that which I had at sea.”

Of course, McGinity ought not to be taken as representative of all emigrants who sailed from Ireland in 1847 (or any other year) for there were many who suffered and died. But his letter is significant because it offers us an intriguing new angle on the strange and complicated story of the Great Famine exodus. And it begs an important question: what would happen if we used the words and experiences of the Irish emigrants themselves to re-create, and thus more fully understand, that epic moment in modern history?

We need this kind of fresh perspective because historians have long ignored the sea journey, treating it as little more than a brief interlude in the grand drama of human migration. This is particularly true of those who study Ireland’s Great Famine.

“The miserable epic of the Atlantic crossing in these years has been told so often and well that it hardly seems necessary to recount its dreadful details,” explained historian Robert Scally, in 1995.

“Flanked by the scenes of Skibbereen and Grosse Isle at either end of the voyage, the ‘coffin ship’ stands as the center panel of the famine triptych.”

Although most academic historians, including Scally, have long questioned the veracity of the proverbial “coffin ship,” their lack of a robust alternative has allowed a range of ahistorical elisions and distortions to survive. It is still often assumed, for example, that the term “coffin ships” originated during the Famine.

In fact, the phrase predated the 1840s, was barely mentioned during the Famine and became popular among Irish nationalists only in the early 1880s as a rhetorical weapon with which to combat landlords and British misgovernment during the Land War.

The notion of the “coffin ship” also limits the story of Ireland’s Famine migration to a primarily transatlantic one, thus crowding out the smaller but important streams of people (including transported convicts) who traveled to Britain and Australia between 1845 and 1855. Perhaps most importantly, the picture of Irish emigrants as trapped in “coffins” has stripped them of their liveliness, creativity, and agency.

I have titled this book “The Coffin Ship”, therefore, precisely as a way to open up and then challenge the accepted truisms that have limited a fuller understanding of not only Irish migration during the Famine but also human migration more broadly.

The emigrant voyage began long before one’s ship set sail and lasted beyond that first sight of land. My goal in this book is to rescue that process from its historical obscurity and thus resituate the sailing ship, alongside the tenement and the weekly newspaper, as a dynamic element of migration history.

Using letters, diaries, government documents, and newspapers scattered across archives and libraries on three continents, The Coffin Ship focuses on the lived experiences of the migrants themselves.

My original goal was to identify and understand the strategies that Famine-era Irish emigrants used to survive crossing the Atlantic Ocean. Given that folks who were headed to Britain and Australia employed many of the same tactics used by their friends and families en route to Canada and the United States, however, it soon became clear that maintaining strict distinctions between migratory streams to the northern and southern hemispheres would only hamper the project’s full potential.

Nationalist politician John O’Connell’s 1854 demand that emigrant vessels be at least as seaworthy as convict ships points to another important factor: that those Irish who sailed on convict transports (many of whom did so voluntarily) constituted another trickle in the flood of migrants during this time period. At a broader level, it also became apparent to me that the weeks or months one spent on a ship were only part of the journey.

A nineteenth-century sea voyage was actually a long process, which began with the collection of resources to leave and ended as one started to settle in one’s host community. At every step of the way, migrants relied on local and international networks of communication and exchange.

This book’s core argument, therefore, holds that the migratory process was not merely about enabling individuals to move here or there. In fact, by encouraging the transnational exchange of money, tickets, advice, and news, the voyage itself fostered the development of countless new threads in the worldwide web of the Irish diaspora.

* “The Coffin Ship: Life and Death at Sea During the Great Irish Famine” is available online here.

** Originally published in 2021, updated in Apr 2024.

Boarded third-class at Queenstown, this Athlone man’s sensational story tells of an officer shooting two men dead – before another shot rings out and the officer himself falls.

Editor’s note: On April 15, 1912, the Belfast-built RMS Titanic sank after colliding with an iceberg, killing over 1,500 passengers and crew on board. This was one of the deadliest commercial, peacetime maritime disasters in modern history and among those on board were many Irish.

The following is an extract from “The Irish Aboard the Titanic” by Senan Molony, which tells the tales of the people who were on board the night the ship went down. This book gives those people a voice. In it are stories of agony, luck, self-sacrifice, dramatic escapes, and heroes left behind.

Eugene Daly

Ticket number 382650.

Paid £6 19s.

Boarded at Queenstown.

Third Class.

From: 2 Wolfe Tone Terrace, Athlone, County Westmeath.

Destination: E.G. Schuktze, 477 Avenue E, Brooklyn, New York City.

Eugene Daly was on board the Titanic until the very end. His sensational story tells of an officer shooting two men dead – before another shot rings out and the officer himself falls.

Daly’s account of the panic and of his own escape is probably the most graphic of any told by any survivor. He was in compartment C-23 on F deck, very far forward on the starboard side, so close to the impact that he was almost thrown out of bed:

“I was in compartment 23, Deck C, steerage [there was no steerage accommodation on C Deck]. Two other men were with me. I was in my bunk asleep on the Sunday night (the night of the disaster). A crash woke me up. It nearly threw me from my bed. I got up and went to the door. I put on my trousers and shoes.

“I met the steward in the gangway. He said there was nothing serious and that I might go back. I went back for a little while. Then I went up on deck as I heard a noise there. People were running around. Then I went down and went to the room where Maggie Daly and Bertha Mulvihill were.

“They came out with me, but a sailor told us there was no danger. He said the ship would float for hours. He also said to go back, and that if there was any danger he would call us.

“I went for a lifebuoy in the stern and Maggie and Bertha came with me. I had a scuffle with a man for a lifebuoy. He would not give it to me, but he gave it to Maggie Daly.

“There was a great deal of noise at this time and water was coming in. We knelt down and prayed in the gangway. Then the sailor said there was danger. We went to the deck but there were no boats going off. Then we went to the second cabin deck. A boat was being lowered there. It was being filled with women. Maggie and Bertha got in, and I got in. The officer called me to go back, but I got in. Life was sweet to me and I wanted to save myself. They told me to get out, but I didn’t stir. Then they got hold of me and pulled me out. Then the boat was lowered and went off.

“There was another boat there, but I went up to the first cabin. The steerage people and second cabin people went to the first cabin part of the ship. They were getting women into the boats there. There was a terrible crowd standing about. The officer in charge pointed a revolver and waved his hand and said that if any man tried to get in he would shoot him on the spot.”

Saw two men shot

“Two men tried to break through and he shot them both. I saw him shoot them. I saw them lying thereafter they were shot. One seemed to be dead. The other was trying to pull himself up at the side of the deck, but he could not. I tried to get to the boat also but was afraid I would be shot and stayed back. Afterward, there was another shot and I saw the officer himself lying on the deck. They told me he shot himself, but I did not see him.

“Then I rushed across the deck, and there was a sort of canvas craft there. I tried with six or seven men to get it out, but we could not. It was stuck under a wire stay which ran up to the mast. The water was then washing right across the deck. The ship lurched and the water washed the canvas craft off the deck into the ocean. I was up to my knees in water at the time. Everyone was rushing around, but there were no boats. Then I dived overboard.

“When I struck the water I swam for the boat that had been washed over. When I got to her she was upside down. I helped myself up on her. About fifteen people got upon her the same way. At the time I jumped there were a lot of people jumping overboard.

“As I stood on the craft I saw the ship go down. Her stern went up and she gradually sunk down forward. Her stern stuck up high. I thought she would fall over on us, and she seemed to be swinging around, but she did not. There was no suction at all that we felt. Our craft was not drawn in at all.” – (Daily Sketch, 4 May 1912, reprint of New York Herald)

Eugene Daly was finally rescued on collapsible B, a life-raft lashed to the roof of the officers’ quarters on the port side until washed off by the onrushing sea. He had previously seen his cousin Maggie and his Athlone neighbor Bertha Mulvihill into lifeboat No. 15, all the way aft on the starboard side, which loaded from A Deck and from which he himself was bodily pulled having defied orders.

The boat where men were gunned down appears to have been collapsible A, all the way forward on the starboard side since Daly says he then ‘rushed across the deck’ to collapsible B on the port side. In 1913 evidence he cited two shot dead, but no officer.

Dr. Frank Blackmarr, a passenger on board the Carpathia, noted that Eugene Daly was unconscious when carried to his cabin, where he was revived with stimulants and hot drinks. Dr. Blackmarr later took down Daly’s dictation of his experiences as they approached New York on 18 April 1912. This was his first account of what transpired: 

“I left Queenstown with two girls from my own hometown who were placed in my charge to go to America. After the accident, we were all held down in steerage, which seemed to be a lifetime. All this time we knew that the water was coming up, and up rapidly.

“Finally some of the women and children were let up, but, as you know, we had quite a number of hot-headed Italians and other peoples who got crazy and made for the stairs. These men tried to rush the stairway, pushing and crowding and pulling the women down, some of them with weapons in their hands.

“I saw two dagos shot and some that took punishment from the officers. After a bit, I got up on one of the decks and threw a big door over the side. I caught hold of some ropes that had been used setting free a lifeboat. Up this, I climbed to the next deck because the stairs were so crowded that I could not get through.

“I finally got up to the top deck and made for the front. The water was just covering the upper deck at the bridge and it was easy to slide because she had such a tip. 

 ([Blackmarr’s note:] Here this man fell back on his pillow crying and sobbing and moaning, saying: ‘My God if I could only forget!’ After a bit, he proceeded.) 

“My God, if I could only forget those women’s cries. I reached a collapsible boat that was fastened to the deck by two rings. It could not be moved. During that brief time that I worked on cutting one of those ropes, the collapsible was crowded with people hanging upon the edges. The Titanic gave a lurch downwards and we were in the water up to our hips.

“She rose again slightly, and I succeeded in cutting the second rope which held her stern. Another lurch threw this boat and myself off and away from the ship into the water. I fell upon one of the oars and fell into a mass of people. Everything I touched seemed to be women’s hair. Children crying, women screaming, and their hair in their face. My God, if I could only forget those hands and faces that I touched!

“As I looked over my shoulder, as I was still hanging [on] to this oar, I could see the enormous funnels of the Titanic being submerged in the water. These poor people that covered the water were sucked down in those funnels, each of which was twenty-five feet in diameter, like flies.

“I managed to get away and succeeded in reaching the same boat I had tried to set free from the deck of the Titanic. I climbed upon this, and with the other men balanced ourselves in water to our hips until we were rescued. People came up beside us and begged to get on this upturned boat. As a matter of saving ourselves, we were obliged to push them off. One man was alongside and asked if he could get upon it. We told him that if he did, we would all go down. His reply was ‘God bless you. Goodbye.’ 

“I have been in the hospital for three days, but I don’t seem to be able to forget those men, women, and children who gradually slid from our raft into the water.

Signed, Eugene Daly. Collapsible B. 

After safe arrival in New York, Daly wrote a letter to his mother in which he clearly and casually glossed over all that had happened:

Dear Mother, got here safe. Had a narrow escape but please God, I am all right, also Maggie. I think the disaster caused you to fret, but things could have been worse than what they were.

-(The Cork Examiner, 7 May 1912)

But the Irish World of New York, in its May 4, 1912 issue, offered another picture:

Eugene Daly of County Athlone [sic] bore the marks on his face of blows from sailors who fought with him against entering the last boat as it was lowered with many vacant seats. With five other men, he launched a life raft and put off, picking up a score or more of passengers and crew who were struggling in the water.

‘We were only a little distance from the Titanic when I saw her sinking and sinking, but I mistrusted my eyes until I looked and saw that the sea covered the place where she had been.’

It had all been so different when Daly first set out to join the Titanic at Queenstown. A 29-year-old weaver in Athlone Woollen Mills, he was also a mechanic and a prominent member of the Clan Uisneach War Pipers’ Band, the Irish National Foresters Band, and the local Gaelic League. He had been working for ten years at the woollen mills when he decided to leave that job and the terraced family home which faced directly onto a salmon weir that roared and foamed with the rushing waters of the broad and majestic Shannon river. He bought his passage in Butler’s of the Square, Athlone.

Traveling with his 30-year-old cousin Maggie, Eugene played airs on his bagpipes on the tender America ferrying passengers from Queenstown to the Titanic anchorage at lunchtime on Thursday 11 April 1912. The Cork Examiner of 9 May reported that as the tender cast off from the quay, he played ‘A Nation Once Again’, his performance being received with delight and applause by his fellow travelers.

He played many native airs on board the tender and as the latter moved away from the liner, the pipes were once more giving forth A Nation Once Again. Those who were on board the tender that day heard with extreme pleasure of his being amongst the survivors.”

Daly’s pipes are visible from his right ear downwards as he stands with them on the tender America in a little-known photograph taken on the day the Titanic sailed by Cork Examiner photographer Thomas Barker (see page 2). 

The Westmeath Independent played up its local hero on May 4, 1912:

“Eugene Daly’s courage”

“The courage credited to Eugene Daly in the foregoing will not surprise his fellow townsmen, who knew him as a man of principle and pluck. In the present deplorable disaster, he appears to have upheld the traditions of the Gael, and one can well imagine that when the Captain seized the megaphone and roared: ‘Be British!’ Daly thought of the Pipers’ Club in the old Border Town and determined to ‘Be Irish’, as he ever has been.”

The Cork Examiner (May 7, 1912) said he was an Athlone man who ‘acted the part of a hero. He fought his way to the boats and was the means of saving two of his town’s women.’ Actually another passenger, Katie Gilnagh, also credited Daly with helping to save her life. 

The Longford woman told how she was woken by a man she had seen playing the bagpipes on deck earlier that day. He told her to get up, ‘Something is wrong with the ship.’

“The famous bagpipes were actually Irish uileann pipes, and Daly later claimed $50 compensation from the White Star Line for their loss. He was very pleased with the level of compensation and considered it more than the pipes were worth. A set of pipes has been recovered from the Titanic’s debris field which may have belonged to Daly. They are undergoing restoration. Not everyone who heard them was impressed with his playing, however. Lawrence Beesley, a teacher in Dulwich College, wrote in his survivor’s account, The Loss of the SS Titanic:

Looking down astern from the boat deck or from the B deck to the steerage quarter, I often noticed how the Third-Class passengers were enjoying every minute of the time; a most uproarious skipping game of the mixed-double type was the great favorite, while ‘in and out and roundabout’ went a Scotchman with his bagpipes playing something that [W. S.] Gilbert said ‘faintly resembled an air’.

The Westmeath Examiner spoke of the same festive feeling:

“Athlone piper’s story of Titanic disaster: scene of jollity”

In a letter to a former colleague in the Athlone Pipers Band, Mr. Eugene Daly describes the scene of jollity on board immediately before the Titanic ran into the iceberg. They were, he said, having a great time of it that evening in steerage.

‘I played the pipes and there was a great deal of dancing and singing. This was kept up even after we had struck, for the stewards came through and told us that we need not be afraid, that everything was all right. There was no danger, they said. 

‘Most of those assembled believed them until it was too late. That is why so many of the steerage were drowned. When they tried to get on deck the rush had begun and they could not get to the boats.

‘I lost my pipes, which were a presentation, and which I prided myself so much on possessing. I lost my clothes and £98 which it had taken me many years to save in anticipation of this voyage to the United States …’

Daly later attested to the fact that his thick overcoat had saved his life in the freezing water. He dubbed it his lucky coat and wore it religiously thereafter. 

Report of the American Red Cross (Titanic disaster) 1913: 

No. 99. (Irish.) Mechanic, 29 years of age, lost $250. Had delicate sister, aged 17, dependent on him in Ireland. ($250) Daly told US immigration in New York that he was from Lisclougher, County Meath, where his mother, Mrs. Catherine Daly, was born. His younger sister named to the Red Cross was Maggie, the same name as his cousin who accompanied him on board the Titanic. The 1911 census report showed that his mother, Kate Daly, was a 60-year-old widowed housekeeper, while Maggie was a 21-year-old dressmaker, and Eugene’s brother John a 19-year-old warper of wool.

Finally, the Irish American newspaper of May 4, 1912, reported that the irrepressible Daly was quickly back to his pipes: 

“Gaelic Feis in Celtic Park

“Athlone Piper Who Lost His Kilts and Pipes in Titanic Wreck to Play the Old Tunes

“The Gaelic Feis to be held in Celtic Park on May 19 … One of the competitors in the War Pipes is a survivor of the Titanic disaster, and he has recovered sufficiently to be confident of marching off with the prize. His name is Eugene Daly, from Athlone, Ireland. Eugene was coming from Ireland to compete at the New York Feis and sailed on the ill-starred liner. He lost his Irish kilts and bag-pipes when the Titanic went down and he himself was floating on a raft for over two hours before he was picked up.”

Eugene did not win the competition, but he stayed in New York for much of his life, occasionally returning to Ireland to visit relatives. On at least one occasion when he did so, he related that ‘six or seven’ men had been shot on board the vessel and that there had been pandemonium in the final struggles for survival. It was not at all as noble or as civilized as had been suggested, he said. He told his nephew Paddy Daly that by the time his lifeboat reached the Carpathia there were many already dead, ‘frozen solid’. Many years later, Daly was interviewed in Ireland in connection with script preparation for the 1958 film A Night to Remember. 

He returned permanently to the United States in the early 1960s and died on October 30, 1965, at the age of 82, and was buried in St Raymond’s Cemetery, the Bronx. He and wife Lillian had an only daughter, Marian Joyce, later Marian Van Poppe.

Athlone woman Bertha Mulvihill told the Providence Evening Bulletin of April 19, 1912, that a boy named Eugene ‘Ryan’ from her hometown had told the group on leaving Queenstown that he had dreamt the Titanic was going to sink: 

‘Every night we were at sea he told us he had dreamt that the Titanic was going down before we reached New York. On Sunday night just before we went to bed, he told us the Titanic was going to sink that night. It was uncanny.’

Daly certainly knew Bertha and seems to have been keen on her. On August 20, 1912, he sent a postcard to ‘Miss Mulvihill’ at the City Hospital in Providence, Rhode Island. The card was a Titanic memorial card. Daly placed an X on the front illustration to indicate where his sleeping quarters had been and wrote on the reverse that he had ‘got home safe’, apparently after a visit to Bertha. He added: ‘Hope you keep well until we meet again and perm. me to be ever your friend, Eoghan O’Dalaigh, a survivor. “

*“The Irish Aboard the Titanic” by Senan Molony is available online.

*Originally published in 2012, updated in April 2024. 

Ten thousand Micks
They swung their picks
To build the new canal
But the choleray was stronger
And killed

– Ballad, 1800s.

Irish labor became an invaluable resource for the development of America in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

In the Midwest and Far West, the Great Lakes region and upstate New York, farming and ranching were common trades for Irish immigrants.

In the East, labor contractors hired men to work in “labor gangs” that built railroads, canals, roads, sewers and other construction projects. Their work provided a significant portion of the labor that built infrastructure in expanding cities.

Erie Canal

Over 3,000 Irish helped to build New York’s Erie Canal, which had to be dug with shovels and horsepower, and thousands more worked on railroads, farms and in mines. In mill towns in New England, Irish provided low-cost labor at textile mills.

Some, including children, worked long and dangerous hours at factories. Within view of the Western New York Irish Famine Memorial are the Erie Canal and the grain and steel mills where the Irish helped to build American industry and solidify their place in the country.

Many men who had in Ireland been unemployed or worked as basic laborers and farmers found work in mines. The work was dangerous and caused many health problems, and only low wages for long days were offered as a reward.

Miners lived in “mine patch” communities, overcrowded and crudely built towns in which the housing, the community stores, and the land were all owned by the mining companies, characterized by mine bosses whose practices included intimidation and oppression to avoid worker unrest or complaint. Miners’ children worked in “breaker rooms,” where they picked off slate from coal and broke coal lumps.

New Orleans, New Basin Canal

In New Orleans, the Irish played a major role in the building of the New Basin Canal. An outbreak of yellow fever meant that workers were dying in large numbers. Irish immigrants were desperate enough to take on the dangerous and difficult work for $1 a day.

As boatloads of Irish continually arrived, the New Orleans Canal and Banking Company had no trouble replacing the Irish who died by the thousands.

By the time the canal opened in 1838, 8,000 Irish laborers had succumbed to cholera and yellow fever. Over the following decade, the canal was enlarged and shell roads were built alongside.

While there are no official records of immigrant deaths, somewhere between 8,000 and 30,000 are believed to have perished in the building of the New Basin Canal, many of whom are buried in unmarked graves in the levee and roadway fill beside the canal.

Textiles in MA

Mills also began to hire more Irish during the influx of Famine immigration. “No Irish Need Apply” signs were prevalent through the 1830s, and some Irish women were segregated when first hired in mills in Lowell, Massachusetts, where Yankee Protestants called “Lowell Girls” had previously held the majority of the jobs.

However, by the 1850s mills were hiring the Irish regularly because they would work for less money and did not make the same demands for reasonable working conditions that Yankee mill girls were beginning to stand for in their historically famous strikes. Between 1828 and 1850, Lowell’s population grew from 3,500 to 35,000. In 1860, approximately 62 percent of Lowell’s textile workers were immigrants, half of whom were Irish.

Connecticut River Valley

The Connecticut River Valley saw a large number of Irish immigrants in the wake of the Great Famine, and many settled in Hadley Falls, Massachusetts, the upcoming industrial center upriver from Springfield which was renamed Holyoke in 1850 to fight negative attitudes towards “the Irish Parish.”

Some 5,000 Irish settled there by 1855 and built a dam and a series of canals that would provide water power to mills and factories, primarily for textiles and paper. Local Catholic churches played a vital role in forming a sense of community and pride for the Irish in Holyoke, a legacy that continues to this day in the Holyoke St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

The Gold Rush

Some Irish immigrants went west towards California, especially San Francisco, to seek their fortune in the Gold Rush of 1848-1855. San Francisco’s Irish population grew to 4,200 by 1852 and 30,000 by 1880, and the Irish were the largest group of foreign-born workers in the city by that year.

There was no easy way to travel to California, either by ship or the treacherous 2,200-mile journey by land from trailheads in Missouri or Iowa that could easily take three or four months.

Gold mining was difficult and time-consuming work, and one bucket of soil might turn out only ten cents’ worth of gold. One estimate is that one in five miners to arrive in California in 1849 died within six months of disease, hunger, accidents and injury, or violence.

In 1859, two Irishmen named Peter O’Reilly and Patrick McLaughlin found silver in what is now Virginia City, Nevada, in the famous Comstock Lode of silver ore. Their discovery brought thousands of Irish to Nevada, and Virginia City was one-third Irish by the mid-1870s. The “Bonanza Kings” or “Irish Four,” John Mackay, James Flood, James Fair and William O’Brien, made their fortunes organizing the Consolidated Virginia Silver Mine near Virginia City, Nevada.

The earliest gold discovered in Montana was in 1858 in Gold Creek. More discoveries followed in Bannack in 1863 and then in Virginia City. Ultimately Montana would become known for its rich deposits of copper, and an Irish man, Marcus Daly, who was born in County Cavan in 1841 and immigrated to New York at the age of 15, became known as The Copper King for the fortune he made from the Anaconda Copper Mine in Butte.

American Wars

The Civil War and war with Mexico provided situations for many Irish men to serve. Men were enlisted to fight in the Civil War as they arrived in the U.S. at Governor’s Island in New York.

A full 150,000 Irish-born Americans fought with the Union army, about one-third of whom came from New York, and while statistics for the Confederacy are less solid, the Irish were certainly among their ranks as well. Thomas Francis Meagher and Michael Corcoran led the Irish Brigade and the Corcoran Legion to fight for the honor of their home country and the salvation of their adopted one on the Union side.

Except the 116th Pennsylvania, which carried the state flag, the regiments in the Irish Brigade and Corcoran Legion carried the Irish green flag with gold harp, and a Gaelic battle cry was often added for effect.

During the Civil War, the Medal of Honor was created and has since been awarded to 3,401 men. Ireland is the birthplace of the largest number of medal recipients, with 258 Medals of Honor. Five of the 19 men who won a second Medal of Honor were also born in Ireland. In fact, the recipient of the Medal of Honor for the first action in which one was awarded, Bernard J. Irwin, was born in Ireland in 1830.

By 1860 some 4,000 miles of canals were spread out across America, mostly dug by Irish immigrant labor.

US Railroad men and women

Many of those same immigrants and newer immigrants moved on to work on the railroads. There was an expression heard among railway men: “An Irishman was buried under every tie.”

If a worker was injured, he was fired. If he was killed, his widow and family went without.

Many new immigrants, women in particular, found employment as factory workers, or as domestics, cooks and maids, in affluent homes such as those on Boston’s Beacon Hill and along New York’s Fifth Avenue.

Immigrant women

Studies have shown that women emigrated as often as men from Ireland, and at equally young ages. Some sociologists give the role of female Irish domestic workers credit for neutralizing American attitudes in regard to Irish immigrants, as they experienced personal interaction in the intimacy of family lives and the private American home.

Irish women, known familiarly as “Bridgets” or “Biddys,” were often hired as servants at hiring fairs, and were usually taken on for a six-month or other given time period, largely as indentured servants or paid only a small compensation aside from room and board.

However, these domestic jobs were luxurious compared to the tragedy unfolding in Ireland or the cramped spaces of “Shanty Towns” where Irish immigrants were crammed in urban areas. “Bridgets” sent significant portions of what money they did earn home to Ireland, an estimated total of $260 million between 1850 and 1900.

Whether running American households, building American infrastructure, fighting American wars, manufacturing consumer goods or seeking their fortune out West, Irish immigrants sacrificed their lives in great numbers in the name of the country on whose shores they had arrived, in huddled masses, tired and poor but not necessarily welcomed by the nativists that met them there. The labor that the new Irish Americans contributed cemented their role in the development of the country they now called their own.