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On this day

July 26

1575
Battles

July 26, 1575

Rathlin Island Massacre

On July 26, 1575, English forces, under the command of Captain John Norris and Francis Drake, carried out a brutal massacre on Rathlin Island, off the coast of County Antrim. Acting on the orders of the Earl of Essex, the English troops attacked the Scottish garrison and subsequently slaughtered hundreds of the Clan MacDonnell, primarily women and children who had sought refuge on the island. This horrific event was a significant act of violence during the Tudor conquest of Ireland and remains a dark chapter in Anglo-Irish history.

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1869
Politics

July 26, 1869

Irish Church Act 1869 Receives Royal Assent

On July 26, 1869, the Irish Church Act received Royal Assent, leading to the disestablishment of the Church of Ireland. This pivotal legislative act separated the Church of Ireland from the Church of England, ending its status as the state church in Ireland. It was a significant step in dismantling the Protestant Ascendancy, which had dominated Irish society for centuries. The act also meant the Church of Ireland could no longer collect tithes from the populace and its bishops ceased to be Lords Spiritual in the House of Lords.

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1914
Battles

July 26, 1914

Howth Gun Running

On July 26, 1914, the Irish Volunteers successfully smuggled 1,500 Mauser rifles and ammunition into Howth Harbour aboard Erskine Childers' yacht, the Asgard. This audacious daylight operation aimed to arm the nationalist paramilitary force in response to the Ulster Volunteers' earlier gun-running. The event sparked a confrontation with police and military forces, leading to the Bachelor's Walk massacre, where British soldiers fired on an unarmed crowd, killing four civilians. The Howth gun-running significantly escalated tensions and bolstered Irish nationalist resolve.

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