Ireland
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The buzzword of the day seems to be “immigrants,” often carrying a negative connotation. But here’s the question: who exactly is an immigrant? What follows is just a brief snapshot of history—a glimpse into my family’s background, at least on my mother’s side. The picture at the beginning of this blog shows the marriage certificate…
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The Dutch Hunger Winter, also known as the Hongerwinter, was a devastating famine that gripped the Netherlands during the final months of World War II, from November 1944 to April 1945. This period of extreme hardship left a profound mark on Dutch society, shaped the collective memory of the war, and offered critical insights into…
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William Robert Fitzgerald Collis (1900–1975) was an Irish doctor and writer. As an author, he was known as Robert Collis. As a doctor, he was commonly known as Dr Bob Collis. Maurice Collis was his elder brother, and John Stewart Collis was his twin brother.| He was born in Killiney, County Dublin. He joined the…
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Petronella de Meath: The Tragic Story of Ireland’s First Witch Execution Petronella de Meath, a name often overshadowed by the larger figure of Lady Alice Kyteler, stands as a poignant symbol of the brutal treatment of marginalized individuals during the medieval period. In 1324, Petronella became the first recorded person in Ireland to be executed…
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Fascism, a political ideology that rose to prominence in Europe during the early 20th century, left deep imprints on the history of several countries, from Mussolini’s Italy to Hitler’s Germany and Franco’s Spain. In Ireland, however, fascism remained a relatively marginal movement, confined to small groups and figures that never gained mass political support. Yet,…
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The Dublin and Monaghan bombings were a series of coordinated bomb attacks that took place on May 17, 1974, during the Troubles in Ireland. These attacks are considered the deadliest in the history of the conflict, resulting in the highest number of casualties on a single day. 34 people were killed that day, 33 civilians…
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Oliver J. Flanagan was an Irish politician known for his conservative views and strong nationalist stance. He was first elected to the Dail(the Irish parliament) in 1943, and he was elected as an independent TD(member of parliament) In the 1950s he joined Fine Gael, one of the current government parties. Before I post his hateful…
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I had the privilege today to interview Hans Knoop. Hans Knoop is a Dutch journalist who was best known for the role he played in the unmasking and arrest of the war criminal Pieter Menten.Knoop was born during the Second World War to Jewish parents in hiding. Knoop grew up in Amsterdam. In 1963, Knoop…
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Yesterday I interviewed Claire Sugden, a Northern Irish politician who was the Minister of Justice in the fourth Northern Ireland Executive from May 2016 to March 2017. She is a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for East Londonderry, having been co-opted to the position after the death of David McClarty in 2014, and won election…
History of Sorts 