August 08

1296

King Edward I removed to England the Stone of Destiny on which generations of Scottish kings had been crowned.

Ireland

In 1296 the Stone was captured by Edward I as spoils of war and taken to Westminster Abbey, where it was placed under the Coronation Chair, known as St. Edwards Chair on which …

1503

King James IV married Margaret Tudor, daughter of King Henry VII of England.

Ireland

The marriage of King James IV of Scotland to Margaret Tudor, daughter of King Henry VII of England, took place on August 8, 1503. This union is famously referred to as the …

1588

The Spanish Armada is defeated by the English

Ireland

The defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588 by the English navy is one of the most famous events in European history. The Armada’s mission was to invade England and overthrow …

1694

Birth of Francis Hutcheson, Presbyterian philosopher, in Co. Down

Ireland

Francis Hutcheson, a significant figure in the history of philosophy and one of the founding figures of the Scottish Enlightenment, was born on August 8, 1694, in Drumalig, a …

1781

James Gandon moves from London to Dublin; the first stone of his Customs House is laid on this date

Ireland

James Gandon, one of the most renowned architects of his time, moved from London to Dublin in 1781. On August 9, 1781, the first stone of his most famous work, the Custom House in …

1923

The Civic Guard is renamed the Garda Siochana

Ireland

The Civic Guard, the national police force of the Irish Free State, was renamed Garda Síochána na hÉireann (Guardians of the Peace of Ireland) in 1923. The name change was part of …

1981

Thomas McElwee, Irish polictical prisoner, dies on hunger strike in Maze prison, Northern Ireland.

Ireland

Thomas McElwee (30 November 1957 – 8 August 1981) was a Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) volunteer who participated in the 1981 hunger strike. From Bellaghy, County …