Portal:Ireland

Aibidil Gaoidheilge agus Caiticiosma ("Irish Alphabet and Catechism") is the first book printed in Ireland in the Irish language. Meant as a Protestant primer, the book was written by John Kearney (Irish: Seán Ó Cearnaigh), a treasurer of St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin. It includes a short section on the spelling and sounds of Irish.

The production of this book was part of a larger endeavour by Irish Protestants to print the Bible in the Irish language so that the common person could read it. The book was printed on a press which was set up in the home of Alderman John Ussher (Irish: Sheón ̧user). Ussher, who was a well-known Dublin Protestant, also paid for the venture. Though the printer's identity is unknown, it is possible that William Kearney, a nephew of John Kearney was the printer.

200 copies of the book were printed but only four known copies exist today. In 1995 a copy of the book was bought by Trinity College Library Dublin for £47,700 ($76,463) at Christie's. Read more...

Simon Byrne was an Irish bare-knuckle prize fighter, nicknamed "The Emerald Gem", who lived between 1806 and 1833. As the heavyweight boxing champion of Ireland, he was drawn to England by larger prize money and hopes of becoming the heavyweight champion there as well. He became one of only six fighters ever to have been involved in fatal fights since both survivor and deceased since records began in 1741.

Byrne fought in an era when English boxing, although illegal, was patronised by many powerful individuals. Its patronage and popularity did not, however, free it from corruption, heavy betting, and staged fights. Byrne fought eight recorded matches, but accounts of his career focus on the last three, against the Scottish champion Alexander McKay, the English champion Jem Ward, and James Burke for the vacant championship of England. The injuries McKay received in his fight with Byrne resulted in his death the following day, and rioting in his home country of Scotland. His final contest in May 1833 was a gruelling 99 rounds against James Burke that lasted for 3 hours and 6 minutes, the longest ever recorded prize fight. Byrne died three days later as the result of damage to his brain caused by the beating he had received. Read more...

Newry (/ˈnjʊəri/; from Irish An Iúraigh) is a city in Northern Ireland, standing on the Clanrye river in counties Down and Armagh. It is near the border with the Republic of Ireland, on the main route between Belfast (34 miles/55 km away) and Dublin (67 miles/108 km away). The population was 27,913 in 2021.

Newry was founded in 1157 as a settlement around a Cistercian abbey. In the 16th century the English dissolved the abbey and built Bagenal's Castle on the site. Newry grew as a market town and a garrison, and became a port in 1742 when the Newry Canal was opened, the first summit-level canal in Ireland. A cathedral city, it is the episcopal seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Dromore. In 2002, as part of the Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II, Newry was granted city status along with Lisburn. (Full article...)

• ...that Limerick city was besieged three times in the 17th century?
• ...Irish Times journalist Arthur Quinlan has interviewed every US president since Harry Truman?
• ...that gas bubbles travel downwards in a pint glass of Guinness ale?
• ...The Wanderings of Oisin, published in 1889, was Yeats' first publication outside of magazines, immediately winning his reputation as a significant poet?
• ...that Irish songwriter Christy Moore wrote a comic song about the building of the Knock Airport, which transports hundreds of pilgrims to and from the Roman Catholic shrine at Knock, declaring, "I've never seen a miracle like the airport up in Knock"?
• ...that, unlike oft-violent hurling, its female variant, camogie, forbids any unnecessary physical contact?