Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Home Rule

(Encyclopedia)Home Rule, in Irish and English history, political slogan adopted by Irish nationalists in the 19th cent. to describe their objective of self-government for Ireland. Escalating violence between Prot...

Patrick, Saint

(Encyclopedia)Patrick, Saint, c.385–461, Christian missionary, the Apostle of Ireland, b. Bannavem Taberniae (an unknown place in Britain, possibly near the Severn or in Pembroke). He was one of the most successf...

Molyneaux, James Henry, Baron Molyneaux of Killead

(Encyclopedia)Molyneaux, James Henry, Baron Molyneaux of Killead, 1920–2015, Northern Irish political leader. A Protestant and strong Unionist, he served in the Royal Air Force during World War II and subsequentl...

Curragh, the

(Encyclopedia)Curragh, the kûrˈəkh [key], undulating plain or common, 4,885 acres (1,977 hectares), Co. Kildare, E Republic of Ireland. It has been a military camp since 1646. The Curragh racecourse is Ireland's...

Clare

(Encyclopedia)Clare, county, 1,231 sq mi (3,188 sq km), W Republic of Ireland, between Galway Bay and the Shannon River. The county and Roman Catholic seat is Ennis. ...

Clonmacnoise

(Encyclopedia)Clonmacnoise klŏnmăknoizˈ [key], village, Co. Offaly, central Republic of Ireland, on the Shannon River. The monastery founded (548) on the site by St. Kieran became the most famous in Ireland. It ...

Tyrconnel, Richard Talbot, duke and earl of

(Encyclopedia)Tyrconnel, Richard Talbot, duke and earl of tôlˈbət, tərkŏnˈəl [key], 1630–91, Irish Jacobite. He escaped from Ireland after Oliver Cromwell's punitive campaign there (1649) and was party to ...

Casement, Sir Roger David

(Encyclopedia)Casement, Sir Roger David, 1864–1916, Irish revolutionary. While in British consular service, he exposed (1904) the atrocious exploitation of wild-rubber gatherers in the Congo (thus helping to brin...

Laoighis

(Encyclopedia)Laoighis, Laois, or Leix all: lāsh, lēsh [key], county (1991 pop. 52,325), 664 sq mi (1,720 sq km), central Republic of Ireland. The county seat is Port Laoise (Maryborough). A part of the central ...

Fitzgerald, Maurice

(Encyclopedia)Fitzgerald, Maurice, d. 1176, Anglo-Norman soldier. He was the son of Gerald, steward of Pembroke castle, and Nesta, daughter of the prince of South Wales. Fitzgerald crossed to Ireland in 1169 to joi...