1639 – Lord Deputy Thomas Wentworth imposes the Black Oath of loyalty to Charles I on all Ulster Scots over the age of 16.
1745 – Count Daniel O’Connell, a soldier in French and British services, is born in Derrynane, Co Kerry.
1799 – Bill of Union (later the Act of Union) introduced in Irish House of Commons.
1862 – Death of actor, John Drew. Born in Templeogue, Co Dublin, his family emigrated…

1311 – The war of the O’Briens of Thomond escalates as the Norman-Irish become involved on both sides: the de Burghs support Dermot O’Brien and Richard de Clare supports Donough O’Brien. There is a pitched battle at Bunratty on this date, with heavy losses on both sides; de Burgh and others are imprisoned.
1648 – Truce between the confederates and Inchiquin; its adherents are excommunicated by…

1660 – An Act by the British Parliament forbids the export of Irish wool.
1710 – John Forster is unanimously elected Speaker of the House of Commons, replacing Alan Brodrick.
1769 – Just ten years after Guinness is first brewed in St. James Gate, Dublin, the beautiful magic brew is first exported from Ireland. Six and a half barrels left for England.
1798 – Lord Edward Fitzgerald, a leader of the…

1401 – John de Stanley is told that he is to be replaced as lieutenant by Thomas of Lancaster (duke of Clarence and second son of Henry IV), who is 12 or 13 years old. Lancaster’s deputy, Sir Stephen le Scrope, will effectively govern Ireland for the next few years.
1613 – James I’s Irish parliament opens in Dublin.
1798 – The 2nd Earl of Kingston is tried amid great pomp by the Irish House of…

1315 – Edward Bruce (brother of Robert Bruce, king of Scots), having been invited by some Gaelic chiefs, leads an expedition to Ireland with the aim of conquering it, creating a kingdom of Ireland and driving out the Norman-Irish settlers. He lands at Larne on this date and is proclaimed king of Ireland.
1705 – On this date, May Eustace Sherlock, gentleman, petitions the Commons for relief from…

1487 – Lambert Simnel (aged 10), the Yorkist pretender to the English throne, is brought to Ireland. It is claimed that he is Edward, Earl of Warwick (Clarence’s son), but in fact, he is a baker’s son – the real Warwick is a prisoner in the Tower of London and will be executed in 1499. Most of the Anglo-Irish believe that Simnel’s claim is genuine and support him (exceptions are the Butlers,…

1561 – The first court of High Commission, a group of officials and Protestant clergy, is set up to enforce the Reformation in Ireland.
1754 – Birth of Dr. William Drennan in Belfast; physician, poet, educationalist political radical and one of the chief architects of the Society of United Irishmen. Drennan’s poetic output included some powerful and moving pieces. He is chiefly remembered today…

1748 – Birth of landscape painter, Thomas Roberts in Co Waterford.
1805 – Michael Doheny, poet and Young Irelander, is born near Fethard, Co Tipperary.
1849 – Novelist, Maria Edgeworth, dies in Mostrim, Co Longford. She is laid to rest in a vault at Edgeworthstown Church. Even though in her late seventies, she worked strenuously for the relief of the stricken peasants at the height of An Gorta…

1430 – Charges are made against Thomas Foster, Archdeacon of Glendalough, that he has sold the lands of the dignity, has kept concubines, has had offspring, is ignorant of letters and does not know the language of the country: if they are true, he is to be deprived on this date.
1744 – Birth of Richard Lovell Edgeworth, an Anglo-Irish politician, writer, inventor and educationist. He is credited…

1630 – Birth of Charles Stuart who will become Charles II of Great Britain and Ireland.
1784 – Belfast’s first Catholic church, St. Mary’s, opens for public worship.
1798 – United Irishmen Rebellion: The Battle of Three Rocks – Rebels capture Enniscorthy and Wexford town.
1807 – During the election for Co Wexford, two of the candidates, William Congreve Alcock and John Colclough, fight a duel in…

1205 – King John makes Hugh de Lacy Earl of Ulster.
1660 – English Restoration | Charles II is restored to the throne of England, Scotland and Ireland. The Restoration of the English monarchy began in 1660 when the English, Scottish and Irish monarchies were all restored under Charles II after the Interregnum that followed the Wars of the Three Kingdoms.
1666 – The Act of Uniformity confirms Guy…