This Day In History..., Celtic events around the world

August 16, 1766 - Carolina Oliphant, Lady Nairne was born in Gask, Perthshire. A poet, Oliphant added her words to old folk tunes. Her parents were staunch Jacobite supporters and many of her works, including "Charlie is my Darling", reflect her family's sympathies. Were it not for Carolina, many Scots folk tunes would have been forgotten.

Land of the Leal - words by Carolina Oliphant, performed by Silly Wizard with quite an entertaining intro.

The tune used in that performance is "Hey Tuttie Tatie", which is the same tune Burns wrote "Scots What Hae" to.

The tune used in that performance is "Hey Tuttie Tatie", which is the same tune Burns wrote "Scots What Hae" to.

Getting a lot of mileage out of that tune!

August 23, 1305 - William Wallace was executed in London. Wallace was hanged, drawn, and quartered for high treason and crimes against English civilians

William Wallace by Alastair McDonald

August 26, 1784 - Cape Breton separated from Nova Scotia to become and independent colony. It was merged with Nova Scotia for a second time in 1820.

August 28, 1861 - William Lyon Mackenzie died in Toronto. Mackenzie was a journalist, MLA, first mayor of Toronto, a leader of the rebellions of 1837 and was a central figure in pre-Confederation political life in Canada.

He spent more than 10 years in exile in the U.S. after the Rebellions of 1837 including one year in jail after violating U.S. neutrality laws. He returned in 1849 after receiving a government pardon.

August 30, 1204 - The order was given by King John to erect Dublin Castle. “You have given us to understand you have no safe place for the custody of our treasures, and because for this reason and for many others, we are in need of a strong fortress in Dublin, we command you to erect a castle therein such a place as you may consider to be suitable for the administration of justice and if need be, for the defence of the city…”

August 30, 1812 - The first of Lord Selkirks colonists arrived to settle at the forks of the Assiniboine and Red rivers in what was known as Rupert’s Land. Most of these colonists were impoverished Scots, led by a former soldier named Miles Macdonnell whom Lord Selkirk had made governor of this new colony.

August 30, 2013 - Irish poet and Nobel winner, Seamus Heaney has died in a Dublin hospital following a short illness. He was 74.

Article in today's "The Independent" newspaper

Seamus Heaney biography

September 3, 1787 - Journeymen weavers rioted during the Calton Weavers Strike against a 25 percent wage cut and lockout in Glasgow. After bricks were thrown, injuring magistrates and military, the soldiers were ordered to fire on the rioters, killing six people.

September 5, 1926 - Drumcollogher cinema tragedy claimed 48 lives during a showing of “The Ten Commandments”. Reels of film were set ablaze when a candle was upset. The tragedy led to strict international guidelines and also to the development of a new type of film.

September 11, 1297 - Scots under the lead of William Wallace defeated the English at the Battle of Stirling Bridge.

Battle o Stirlin Brig - The Corries

This post has been edited by Keltic on 13-Sep-2013, 07:02 AM

September 13, 1903 - The first edition of the “Gaelic American”, a Fenian newspaper from New York, was published. The Gaelic American published every Saturday until 1951

September 20, 1621 - Sir William Alexander, a Scottish poet, is made Lord Proprietor of a territory to be known as New Scotland or Nova Scotia by King James I. He convinced James that the Scots needed a New Scotland as the French had a New France and the English had a New England. He was not too successful in settling colonists for the next 6 years.

September 27, 1895 - The ‘Irish National Convention’ was held in Chicago, where the use of physical force was discussed as a means of achieving freedom for Ireland from Great Britain

October 8, 1871 - A fire in Chicago, Illinois ("The Great Chicago Fire") destroyed approximately 17,500 buildings, killed more than 300 people and left in excess of 100,000 homeless. Legend has it that the fire was started when a cow, owned by Mrs. O’Leary, kicked over a lantern but in truth, the fire actually started in the barn of a labourer named Patrick O’Leary. The fire raged for about three days levelling a large part of the city.

Nov. 10 1871 Journalist and Explorer Henry Stanley found David Livingstone in Central Africa and made his famous exclamation. "Dr. Livingstone, I presume?"

1969 Sesame Street premiered on PBS

1970 The Great Wall of China opened to the world for tourism.

1982 The Vietnam Veterans Memorial opened in Washington D.C.