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August 18

1535
Battles

August 18, 1535

Surrender of "Silken" Thomas Fitzgerald

Thomas Fitzgerald, the 10th Earl of Kildare, also known as "Silken Thomas", surrendered on August 18, 1535, ending his rebellion against King Henry VIII. The rebellion was sparked by false rumors of his father's execution in the Tower of London. After a series of sieges and battles, with his army dwindling and his allies submitting, Fitzgerald was persuaded to surrender to Lord Leonard Grey, the Lord Deputy of Ireland, on the assurance of a pardon. However, the promise was not kept, and he and his five uncles were executed at Tyburn in London on February 3, 1537. The surrender marked a significant moment in the Tudor conquest of Ireland.

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1922
Battles

August 18, 1922

Capture of Mallow by Free State Forces

On August 18, 1922, during the Irish Civil War, the town of Mallow in County Cork was captured by the National Army of the Irish Free State. Mallow had been a significant stronghold for the anti-Treaty IRA forces in the Munster Republic. The capture of Mallow was part of a wider Free State offensive in the south of Ireland, which saw the capture of several other key towns and cities. The fall of Mallow was a major blow to the anti-Treaty side, further consolidating the Free State's control over the region and contributing to the eventual end of the Civil War the following year.

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1927
Sports

August 18, 1927

Inaugural Irish Open

The first Irish Open was held at Portmarnock Golf Club. George Duncan, starting 14 shots behind, scored a remarkable 74 in the final round to win the championship by one stroke over Henry Cotton and three over Jack Smith. Local professional Willie Nolan led after the first day with a course record.

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1994
Other

August 18, 1994

Assassination of Martin Cahill

Martin Cahill, one of Ireland's most notorious and audacious criminals, was assassinated on August 18, 1994, in Ranelagh, Dublin. Known as "The General", Cahill was responsible for a series of high-profile robberies, including the theft of the Beit collection of paintings from Russborough House in 1986. His criminal career was marked by a flamboyant and defiant attitude towards the authorities. His assassination, believed to have been carried out by the Provisional IRA, brought an end to a criminal reign that had both fascinated and terrified the Irish public for years. The killing remains a significant event in the history of Irish crime.

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2019
Sports

August 18, 2019

Tipperary Wins After Richie Hogan Red Card

The decade ended with a Tipperary-Kilkenny final. Kilkenny led early, but a goal from Niall O'Meara sparked Tipperary's revival. The turning point was Richie Hogan's dismissal for a high challenge just before halftime. Tipperary capitalized on the extra man, with goals from Séamus Callanan and John O'Dwyer, securing a comfortable 14-point win on August 18.

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