Danny Boy (7 page)

TIMELINE

6000
B.C.
.
The first human settlements in Ireland.

600–150
B.C.
Gaels from western Europe invaded Ireland and subdued the previous inhabitants.

250
B.C.
Laigin from Armorica in northwestern France arrived in southeast Ireland.

50
A.D.
Gaeil or Goidets migrate from Europe to the Kenmare River in south Kerry and the Boyne estuary near Drogheda.

600
St. Brendan of Kerry is said to have sailed to North America (not proven).

795
Vikings land near St. Columcille's monastery on Lambay Island.

800–850
Norwegian Vikings plunder many Irish monasteries. In 845, Thorgils, king of the Norsemen in Ireland, is captured and killed by Maelseachlainn, king of Meath.

853
Danish fleet defeats the Norwegians and takes possession of Dublin.

1507
Accession of Henry VIII.

1515
Anarchy in Ireland.

1534
Kildare rebellion.

1547–1549
Henry VIII made his great breach with Rome, and set himself up as the head of the Church of England.

1548
Henry VIII declares himself king of Ireland.

1548
Henry VIII dies and is succeeded by the boy king Edward VI.

1577
Mary ascends the throne.

1558
Accession of Elizabeth I.

1577
Elizabethan wars in Ireland.

1577
Spanish Armada sent by Phillip of Spain to conquer England.

1594
Accession of James 1. Surrender of Hugh O'Neill. Enforcement of English Law in Ireland.

1595
Rebellion of Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone.

1601
Defeat of O'Neill, O'Donnell and Spaniards by Mountjoy at Battle of Kinsale.

1632–38
Compilation of the Annals of the Four Masters.

1641
Great Catholic-Gaelic rebellion for return of lands, later joined by Old English Catholic in Ireland. Under leadership of Irish chieftain, Rory O'Moore, conspiracy was formed to seize Dublin and expel the English. English settlers were driven out of Ulster. Catholics hold 59% of land in Ireland.

1642
Confederation of Kilkenny met.

1647
Alliance between lords of Pale and native Irishmen came to an end.

1648
English soldier and statesman, Oliver Cromwell, landed at Dublin. His troops killed 2,000 men. A great part of lands in Munster, Leinster and Ulster (Drogheda and Wexford) were confiscated and divided among the English soldiers.

1651
The Siege of Limerick.

1656
Over 60,000 Irish Catholics had been sent as slaves to Barbados and other islands in the Caribbean.

1658
The population of Ireland, estimated at 1,500,000 before Cromwell, was reduced by two-thirds, to 500,000, at his death in 1658.

1659
The Siege of Derry.

1660
Accession of Charles II.

1661–68
The Duke of Ormond ruled Ireland as Viceroy.

1672
Over 6,000 Irish boys and women sold as slaves since England gained control of Jamaica.

1685
Rory Dall O'Cahan (aka Rory Dall Morrison and Rory Dall, 1660-1712), an Irish harper, may have composed the melody later known as the Londonderry air. Accession of James II.

1688
Protestant Apprentice Boys close gates, raise drawbridge and refuse to surrender to Catholic forces in Derry; James II's Parliament restored all lands confiscated since 1641. Catholics now hold 22% of land in Ireland.

1689
William of Orange lands at Carrickfergus and defeats James II at Battle of the Boyne.

1690
Catholic defeat at Aughrim and surrender at Limerick.

1692–1829
Exclusion of Catholics from Parliament and all professions.

1695
Anti-Catholic Penal Laws introduced. Catholics hold 14% of land in Ireland.

1698
William Molyneaux pamphlet against England making laws for Irelend.

Early 1700s Ancient Scottish manuscript originating from Lowland Scotland appears to include a melody very similar to the melody of the Londonderry air.

1714
Catholics hold 7% of land in Ireland.

1740
The Forgotten Famine.

1770
Thomas Moore is born.

1775
Henry Grattan becomes leader of the Patriot Party; Daniel O'Connell born at Derrynane, County Kerry. He received early schooling from Parish Priest and was then sent to France to receive further instruction at St. Omer and Douai.

1782
Legislative Independence won from Britain by Irish Parliament.

1789
George Petrie is born.

1798
Act of Union passed.

1803
Robert Emmett's rising, trial and execution.

1823
Daniel O'Connell's Catholic Association founded.

1828
Catholic emancipation passed; Tithe war began.

1831
James Hardiman publishes Irish Minstrelry, which includes “Aisling an Oigfhir” which is strikingly similar to what would later be known as the Londonderry air.

1834
Thomas Moore publishes a ten-volume work,
Irish Melodies
, with one poem, “My Gentle Harp,” set to a melody which may have been an earlier version of the Londonderry air.

1837
Accession of Queen Victoria.

1838
O'Connell's Repeal Association founded.

1842
The Nation
newspaper founded by Thomas Davis.

1843
Blight in the Potato Harvest.

1845–1849
Beginning of Famine; Charles Treveleyan, permanent head of Treasury. Sir Robert Peel, Prime Minister, imports Indian corn.

1846
Lord John Russell replaces Peel as Prime Minister.

1848
Fever spreading. Treveleyan winds up Soup Kitchen Act, and retires to write history of famine

1849
Frederick Edward Weatherly is born in Portishead, England.

1848
Smith O'Brien (Young Ireland Leader) arrested. James Stephens flees to France.

1848–49
Worst years of famine; by 1848 through emigration and deaths by famine, Ireland's population decreased by more than 2 million people.

1851
Blind fiddler Jimmy McCurry plays frequently on Maine Street during fair days at the Limavady market.

1851
Miss Jane Ross of Limavady County Derry annotates an air she heard played by an itinerant piper (possibly Jimmy McCurry) along Maine Street, where her house is.

1852
Thomas Moore dies.

1855
Dr. George Petrie publishes
Ancient Music of Ireland
, crediting Miss Jane Ross for annotating the Londonderry air.

1856
Stephens returns from France.

1857
Stephens founds Irish Republican Brotherhood. Fenian Brotherhood founded in America.

1861
Beginning of American Civil War.

1863
Irish People
newspaper founded.

1865
End of American Civil War. Arrest of editorial board of
Irish People
. James Stephens arrested and escapes from Richmond Jail.

1866
Dr. George Petrie dies.

1867
Abortive raid on Chester Castle. Fenian rising in Ireland. Clerkenwell explosion.

1869
Gladstone, Prime Minister, dis-establishes Protestant Church in Ireland.

1877
Weatherly receives his call to the Bar at the Inner Temple, taking chambers with Henry Dickens, son of the eminent novelist.

1879
Threat of famine. Evictions. Irish National League founded.

1879–82
Land War.

1881
Gladstone's 2nd Land Act. Parnell imprisoned.

1882
Kilmainham “Treaty.” Parnell's release. Phoenix Park Murders.

1886
First Home Rule Bill.

1891
Parnell loses three by-elections in Ireland. Parnell dies in October.

1893
Weatherly joins the Local Bar in Bristol, beginning a very successful law practice. Second Home Rule Bill. Gaelic League formed.

1903
Land Purchase Act (Wyndham Act).

1910
Frederick E. Weatherly writes the lyrics to “Danny Boy” for another melody.

1912
Frederick E. Weatherly receives the Londonderry air from a sister-in-law in America. Weatherly likes the tune and slightly reworks “Danny Boy” to fit the air.

1913
“Danny Boy” is published by Boosey and Hawkes in London.

1914
World War I breaks out in Europe.

1916
Weatherly writes “Roses of Picardy,” a very popular song of the time.

1918
Sinn Fein wins a majority of Irish seats in Westminster parliament elections.

1926
G.P. Putnam's Sons publishes Weatherly's autobiography,
Piano and Gown
.

1929
Weatherly dies, leaving behind a collection of more than 1,500 published verses.

1932
General Election. Fianna Fail victory.

1937
Constitution of “Eire” claims 32 counties.

1939
Second World War.

1945
End of Second World War.

1948
General Election. Fianna Fail defeated.

1949
External Relations Act. Ireland leaves Commonwealth. Republic of Ireland declared (26 counties).

1951-62
IRA campaign in North.

1955
Ireland joins the United Nations.

1965
O'Neill-Lemass Talks.

1967
Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association founded.

1968
First Civil Rights March. Derry Civil Rights March, banned by William Craig, Minister of Home Affairs, held but broken up by police brutality.

1969
People's Democracy Belfast to Derry Civil Rights March. Marchers attacked at Burntollet Bridge. O'Neill resigns. Chichester Clark named Prime Minister. British troops sent to Derry. Protestant riot in Belfast.

1970
Dublin Arms Trial.

1972
January 30: Bloody Sunday in Derry. British paratroopers shoot 13 civilians during civil-rights march. Stormont suspended.

1973
Sunningdale agreement.

1974
Ulster workers strike brings down Faulkner and assembly. Direct Rule re-imposed. Loyalists bomb Dublin and Monaghan, killing 30.

1981-82
Ten republicans die on hunger strike in Maze Prison.

1985
Anglo-Irish Agreement signed.

1994
Peace Declaration and IRA cease-fire.

1996
Cease-fire breaks down after Britain's Conservative government refuses to allow Sinn Fein to join all-party talks on NI.

1997
IRA cease-fire resumes; talks begin in Belfast between government of Irish Republic, Britain's new labor government, and representatives of all NI's political parties.

1998
Initial peace-plan accepted by all parties.