December (Nollaig) 25^th  - Nollaig Shona Daoibh

I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year!

God Bless our brave service men and women and keep them safe around the world!

1185 - Around Christmas, a crown that Henry had sought from the papacy for John's use as king of Ireland is delivered, but will never be used

1351 - William Ó Ceallaigh, chief of Uí Mhaine, holds a great Christmas feast for the bards of Ireland

1744 - Sir John Parnell, Chancellor of the Irish Exchequer, is born in Co. Laois

1781 - John Ward, mystic and religious writer, is born in Queenstown, Co. Cork

1808 - Stephen Cleeg Rowan, Commander (Union Navy) born near Dublin, died in 1890
http://www.rowan.addr.com/Vice%20Adm.htm

1824 - William Lawless, United Irishmen and officer in Napoleon's Irish Legion, dies in Paris
1772-1824, b. Dublin; A United Irishman and later a French General, he trained as a surgeon, RCSI. Captain of the Irish Legion, 1803; distinguished at Flushing and decorated with legion d’honneur by Napoleon, 1806; promoted Col. 1813, wounded and lost a leg at Lowenberg, 1813; half-pay Brig.-General, 1814 [Restoration], resided in country house at Tours; d. Paris.

1829 - Patrick Sarsfield Gilmore, bandmaster and composer, is born in Co. Dublin

1831 - Christopher Palles, judge and Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer in Ireland is born in Dublin

1844 - Rev. William Steel Dickson, Presbyterian minister and United Irishmen supporter, is born in Co. Antrim
http://www.alecbanmacconaill.co.uk/adobe%5C1798.pdf (Scroll to page 4 on this link)

1855 - Hall of Fame pitcher, James Galvin born, shut-out every opposing team in 1884

1860 - Patrick Dinneen (Pádraig Ó Duinnín) priest, lexicographer and editor, is born in Rathmore, Co. Kerry

1873 - Patrick Gallagher aka 'Paddy the Cope', cooperative society developer, is born in Cleendra, Co. Donegal

1881 - Sir John Greer Dill, Field-Marshalis born in Lurgan, Co. Armagh

http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/jgdill.htm

1916 - Irish prisoners interned at Frongoch are released

Frongoch internment camp at Frongoch in Merionethshire, Wales was a makeshift place of imprisonment during the First World War. Until 1916 it housed German prisoners of war in an abandoned distillery and crude huts, but in the wake of the 1916 Easter Rising in Dublin, Ireland, the German prisoners were moved and it was used as a place of internment for approximately 1,800 Irish prisoners, among them such notables as Michael Collins and Arthur Griffith. They were accorded the status of prisoners of war. It is a common misconception that Éamon de Valera was also imprisoned at Frongoch. [1] During this time de Valera was held at Dartmoor, Maidstone and Lewes prisons.

1957 - Shane McGowan, rock vocalist born (The Pogues-Red Roses For Me)
http://www.shanemacgowan.com/

1971 - Noel Hogan musician  (Cranberries) born today.

1974 - Harry Kernoff, Irish artist in oils and woodcuts, dies

1999 - While most parts of the country experience heavy rain and winds, the snow capped Knockmealdown and Comeragh mountains in Co Waterford are picturesque on Christmas Day, particularly for punters who had a flutter on a White Christmas. The presence of snow in many areas costs bookmaker Paddy Power £50,000

2002 - Ireland experiences its mildest Christmas in over a decade.