Can anybody send me a list of historical Irish weapons. I have made a Shillelagh and I’m looking to make more melee weapons from Irish history.

As many of you would be familiar with the 19th to early-20th century OS maps are easily available online through sites such as geohive.

However, a mining site I am studying had its first major development in 1928 with the construction of a railway. I know there are the wartime 1in to the mile map, but they dont show the necessary detail unfortunately.

The other main periods of use then were 1942-1961 and the one of interest to myself 1973-1979.

If anyone would have info on later editions of OS maps that would be brilliant. Also the mine is in Co. Sligo.

Thank you in advance.

Seems it something that is dodged by former leaders. Does making an apology open up old wounds or does it contribute to understanding the barbarity of the conflict?

Any books on the Irish Labour Party? Have looked and not really found anything. Particularly recent books (not including Eamon Gilmore’s book). Any suggestions welcomed.

Weird path to this question: I was browsing the Irish army for the wargame Saga, and I saw that they have no ranged weapons from what I can see.

Does anyone here know if Gaelic soldiers (let's say floating around 1000AD and earlier) use ranged weapons to any significant degree? Javelins, bows, slings or anything? Is there any evidence one way or the other? I suppose I always assumed they did but I now have realised that I've no idea.

Were the IRA justified in killing touts? (informers to the British)

OR could they have dealt with it differently?

I recently watched 'Say Nothing' on Disney+ so I said i'd ask this question

I’ve been looking this up and can’t find anything I’ve allways been under the assumption that during the war of independence cork saw the most fighting. I don’t know if I have this assumption from being from here and hearing old family story’s about both my great grand fathers times in the IRA and from what I’ve read about Tom Barry’s flying columns or what but was it really where most of the action took place.

For those of us who had family who did not emigrate during the famine, how realistically did these people survive?

My family would have been Dublin/Laois/Kilkenny/Cork based at the time.

Obviously, every family is unique and would have had different levels of access to food etc but in general do we know how people managed to get by?

Found this very old picture in my grandparents attic. Does anyone know where exactly this shop was located?

I’m hoping this falls within the 30 year rule - please advise if not.

Scot here with some very distant Irish heritage (x1 Irish grandparent) and educated in catholic schools (Though never closely followed its teachings and have no affiliation with the church now).

I’ve recently read A History Of Loneliness, a fiction novel by John Boyne about abuse by catholic priests, and with the release of Small Things Like These it’s re-sparked an interest in this topic (I watched The Magdalene Sisters about a decade ago and swore to learn more, but never did). It doesn’t need to be Catholicism, even if it’s the denomination I’m most familiar with. Any and all suggestions are welcomed!

I know after independence the Irish government set up Gaeltachts to help restore the language but how come it never managed to be fully revived outside of those?

Volunteer Lieutenant Patrick Crowley of the Kilbrittain Company died in early February 1921. Just two weeks earlier, his father’s house had been burned down. While on the run, Crowley had been taking his meals at the home of the O’Neill family in Clooncalla Beg between Kilbrittain and Timoleague.

On 4 February 1921, the O’Neill homestead was surrounded during an extensive round-up in the area conducted by a large convoy of military, police and Black and Tans from Bandon led by Officer Arthur Percival. This was performed in retaliation for attacks on the Mount Pleasant and Timoleague police barracks.

Aided by the O’Neills, Crowley attempted to escape but was followed and shot dead. He was aged just 26 but was already active in local governance, being a member of the Bandon Rural District Council and the Bandon Board of Guardians at the time of his death. As for his activities as a Volunteer, Liam Deasy, Adjutant of the Cork No. 3 Brigade (West Cork), recalled that Crowley, having joined the IRA in 1917, became an experienced officer, one of the principal organizers of the Rathclarin ambush of 1919, and was involved in successful attacks on Howes Strand Coast Guard station, Kilbrittain barracks, and the Newcestown and Tooreen ambushes. On a more personal note, Deasy referred to Crowley’s optimism and gaiety and described him as “the life of the party”.

Crowley’s body was found not far from the house from which he fled by a member of the Cumann na mBan. After being waked in the O’Neill homestead, his remains were brought to the medieval church site in Clogagh, where a military funeral was offered in his honour at which his childhood friend Charlie Hurley, Commandant of the Cork No. 3 Brigade, spoke at the graveside. He, alone, with his revolver, fired the last salute over Crowley’s grave. Just over a month later, Hurley would also be laid to rest in Clogagh in his family’s burial plot, only days before his 28th birthday.

https://preview.redd.it/5expkog1e33e1.png?width=1080&format=png&auto=webp&s=be79820ab12860b31e243ef563a66cfa7e20aa60

What would've happened to people who were born in the UK with Irish ancestry who wanted to join the ira? Would they have been let in (albeit I assume with more scrutiny) or would they have just been killed as suspected infiltrators?

I recently finished “Say Nothing” and am eager to learn more about Irish history. I’m thinking I’ll stay focused on The Troubles for a bit, and the books “Armed Struggle” and “A Secret History of the IRA” are commonly listed as good reads on the subject. Fortunately, both are at my local library, so I imagine I’ll get around to each book eventually, but I’m wondering if one might be a more ideal place to continue my reading. Thanks!

Just saw this article about people of Irish origin who contributed to Mexico's history. https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2024/1122/1482333-irish-people-mexico-history-culture-william-lamport-el-zorro-juan-de-odonoju-y-oryan/