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June 5

1798
Battles

June 5, 1798

Battle of New Ross

The Battle of New Ross was a pivotal engagement during the Irish Rebellion of 1798, fought on June 5th in County Wexford. United Irishmen rebels, numbering around 3,000, launched an attack on the town, which was garrisoned by 2,000 government forces. The rebels aimed to expand the rebellion beyond Wexford into Kilkenny and Munster. Despite initial gains and fierce fighting, the rebels, primarily armed with pikes and limited gunpowder, were eventually repelled by the well-equipped Crown forces. Casualties were significant, with an estimated 1,000-2,800 rebel deaths and around 230 government losses.

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1868
Births

June 5, 1868

Birth of James Connolly

On June 5, 1868, James Connolly, a prominent Irish socialist leader and revolutionary, was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, to Irish immigrant parents. Connolly became a key figure in the labor movement, founding the first Irish socialist paper, The Workers' Republic. After spending time in the United States, he returned to Ireland and played a crucial role in organizing the Irish Citizen Army. He was a signatory of the Proclamation of the Irish Republic and a leader in the 1916 Easter Rising, for which he was executed by the British authorities.

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1876
Sports

June 5, 1876

First International Athletics Match

The first ever international athletics match took place in Lansdowne Road, Dublin, between Ireland and England. Maurice Davin was the first Irish athlete to represent his country in an international athletics meeting.

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1982
Other

June 5, 1982

March for Survival

On June 5, 1982, the Irish Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (ICND) organized a 'March for Survival.' This event was part of a broader movement advocating for nuclear disarmament and peace. The march aimed to raise public awareness and encourage participation in the campaign against nuclear weapons. The ICND, established in 1958, played a significant role in Irish activism, highlighting concerns about nuclear proliferation and the potential impact of nuclear conflict during the Cold War era.

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