‘Invasion: The Normans’ explores Ireland’s real-life Game of Thrones-the Anglo-Norman invasion. Narrated by leading Irish actor Michael McElhatton (Game of Thrones, The Last Duel) this two part documentary series airs on RTÉ ONE at 6.30pm on Sunday, 2nd June and Sunday, 9th June.

#OnThisDay 1941 The Luftwaffe dropped four high explosive bombs on Dublin, the North Strand being worst hit. 28 people died, 90 injured & 300 houses ruined. One quarter of the deaths came from the Browne family, when seven members were killed in the blast.
#Ireland #History #WW2

#OnThisDay 1940 Captain Marcus Ervine-Andrews from Keadue, Cavan received the first Victoria Cross of the war when during the Battle of Dunkirk, he organised a perimeter defence, stalled a large German attack, removed the wounded & returned to the fight.
#Ireland #History #WW2

#OnThisDay 1921 Seven soldiers of the Hampshire Regiment band were killed when they marched over an IRA mine (electronically detonated) in the road on their way to the rifle range in Youghal, Cork. Three killed outright, four died later & over twenty wounded.
#Ireland #History

#OnThisDay 1916 The Battle of Jutland raged between the British & German Navies. While the Royal Navy lost more men & ships, they pushed the Germans back to port & maintained command of the sea. Over 10,000 Irishmen served in the RN & 350 died during the battle. #Ireland #History

#OnThisDay 1921 Monaghan IRA lead by James Mulligan, attacked a twelve man patrol of Ulster Specials at Mullaghfad Cross near the Fermanagh/Monaghan border killing two Constables (Coulter & Hall-not in pic) and wounding another.
#Ireland #History

#OnThisDay 1855 Lt Hugh Burgoyne, Royal Navy, from Dublin received the Victoria Cross during the Crimean War for landing in the face of superior enemy numbers, out of range of his ship’s guns & destroyed Russian food & ammo stores before returning to his ship.
#Ireland #History

#OnThisDay 1798 Major General Sir James Duff & Dublin Militia killed over 350 unarmed United Irishmen in the Curragh. The rebels had previously received amnesty from General Dundas & were waiting for him to take their surrender. Duff received a victory parade.
#Ireland #History

#OnThisDay 1920 The IRA attacked & burned Kilmallock RIC barracks, killing two constables: Kane & Morton. Volunteer Liam Scully was shot in the neck & died soon after. Despite the blaze, the RIC refused to surrender the barracks.

Below are the RIC survivors.

#Ireland #History

#OnThisDay 1892 Margaret Skinnider was born near Glasgow. Margaret, a maths teacher smuggled detonators around her body to Dublin, was a sniper in the Rising (shot thrice), ran safe houses in WoI & was Paymaster General of the IRA during the Civil War.
#Ireland #History

#OnThisDay 1798 United Irishmen took Enniscorthy, following their success at Oulart Hill. The rebels managed to dislodge the garrison of 300 but at a loss of many hundreds themselves. Loyalist town dwellers also fled. The UI established a camp on Vinegar Hill.
#Ireland #History

#OnThisDay 1921 Dan Head, the 17 year old Volunteer & keen footballer was shot dead as he ran down Abbey Street after the IRA attack on the Custom House. Head had thrown a grenade at British soldiers. Paddy Daly said he looked 15 & was 'a mere boy'.
#Ireland #History

#OnThisDay 1921 Dublin IRA set the Customs House on fire. Crown Forces quickly surrounded it & over 100 IRA were arrested & 5 killed. Dublin Fire Brigade snuck many trapped Volunteers out & kept the fires burning for days. However, the mission was a success.
#Ireland #History

#OnThisDay 1870 The Fenians led by Civil War officer John O'Neill invaded Canada & fought local militia at the Battle of Eccles Hill. Outnumbered but holding the high ground, the Canadians made the Fenians withdraw. Fenian John Rowe (pic) was 1 of 5 killed.
#Ireland #History

#OnThisDay 1798 Over 500 rebels & civilians alike were killed by the yeomanry when rebels fell into a trap set for them in Carlow town. In Carnew, Wicklow 28 prisoners suspected of being in the United Irishmen were also executed, by the Antrim Militia.
#Ireland #History

#Onthisday 1923 Frank Aiken ordered Anti-Treaty IRA to 'dump their arms'& return home. Éamon de Valera said:

'Military victory must be allowed to rest for the moment with those who have destroyed the Republic'.

This brought the Irish Civil War to an end.

#Ireland #History

#OnThisDay 1921 Tom Barry test fired the first Thompson submachine gun(Tommy Gun) in a demonstration of power for Collins & Mulcahy in Marino. The Tommy Gun was used in combat, for the first time ever, by the IRA three weeks later on a troop train in Drumcondra
#Ireland #History

#OnThisDay 1915 At the 2nd Battle of Ypres, the German Army released chlorine gas on the Royal Irish Reg, Royal Dublin Fusiliers & Royal Irish Fusiliers. Despite having gas masks and respirators the RIR’s casualties were 17 Officers & 378 other ranks.
#Ireland #History #WW1

#OnThisDay 1941 Lt Lord Hugh Tristam de la Poer Beresford, from Waterford, died when the ship he was aboard, HMS Kelly (captained by Louis Mountbatten) was bombed & sunk by the Luftwaffe during the Battle of Crete. He is buried in El Alamein, Egypt.
#Ireland #History #WW2

#OnThisDay 1921 Lt Seymour Livingston Vincent disappeared in Cork & was never seen again. In 1924, the IRA sent a letter to the British Gov informing them that a British officer was buried in Lenihan’s Bog, Glenville, Cork. Later, he was reinterred in a church.
#Ireland #History