1652 – Galway Surrenders to Parliamentarian Forces
On May 12, 1652, the city of Galway, the last stronghold of Irish Catholic resistance during the Cromwellian conquest, surrendered to English Parliamentarian forces under Charles Coote. The city had suffered through famine and plague during a protracted siege, and its military governor, Thomas Preston, was forced to capitulate. The surrender marked the effective end of the Irish Confederate Wars. Following the occupation, Galway’s ruling merchant families, known as the Tribes of Galway, were heavily penalized, and the city’s municipal power was stripped from Catholics for generations.
1823 – Daniel O’Connell Founds the Catholic Association
Daniel O’Connell, known as “The Liberator,” founded the Catholic Association on May 12, 1823, to advocate for the civil and political rights of Catholics in Ireland and Britain. With mass support fueled by a popular subscription called the “Catholic Rent,” the association mobilized grassroots activism and pressure on the British Parliament. It played a vital role in paving the way toward Catholic Emancipation, culminating in the 1829 Catholic Relief Act that allowed Catholics to sit in the British Parliament.
1916 – Executions of James Connolly and Seán MacDiarmada
In the aftermath of the Easter Rising, leaders James Connolly and Seán MacDiarmada were executed by firing squad at Kilmainham Gaol on May 12, 1916. Connolly, unable to stand due to injuries, was tied to a chair before being shot, an act that deeply shocked the Irish public. MacDiarmada, a key member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood, faced death with stoic resolve. These final executions turned public sentiment decisively against British rule, strengthening the momentum for Irish independence.
1920 – IRA Destroys RIC Barracks in Dublin
On May 12, 1920, during the Irish War of Independence, the IRA conducted coordinated attacks on vacated Royal Irish Constabulary barracks at Kill O’the Grange and Rockbrook in Dublin. The destruction of police infrastructure was part of a broader strategy to undermine British control. Tragically, two IRA volunteers—Lieutenant Tom Dunne and Quartermaster Pat Meaney—were critically injured in an explosion and later died of their burns. The event exemplified both the tactical daring and human cost of the IRA’s campaign.
1921 – Gortaglanna Executions
Three young IRA volunteers—Paddy Walsh, Paddy Dalton, and Jerry Lyons—were arrested by a patrol of the Black and Tans on May 12, 1921, near Gortaglanna in County Kerry. After a brief interrogation, Walsh and Dalton were executed on the spot. Lyons tried to flee and was also shot dead. Remarkably, Con Dee, the fourth man, escaped despite being wounded. The incident became a potent symbol of British brutality and was immortalized in ballads like “The Valley of Knockanure.”
1958 – Opening of Ardmore Film Studios
Ardmore Studios officially opened on May 12, 1958, in Bray, County Wicklow, with the backing of the Irish government and investors like Louis Elliman. The studios were envisioned as a hub for both domestic and international film production, providing Ireland with a vital cultural and economic industry. Films such as Shake Hands with the Devil and Braveheart would later be shot there. Ardmore remains a key institution in Irish cinema history.
2001 – Real IRA Designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization
Although the designation was formally announced on May 16, 2001, the decision to list the Real Irish Republican Army (Real IRA) as a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the United States was confirmed in the days leading up to it. The move followed the group’s involvement in the 1998 Omagh bombing, the deadliest single atrocity of the Troubles. The designation allowed U.S. authorities to freeze assets and criminalize support, significantly curbing the group’s international reach.
2002 – Teresa Carey Becomes Ireland’s First Female Train Driver
On May 12, 2002, Teresa Carey from County Kerry began her first day driving the Cork to Heuston train route, making history as Ireland’s first female train driver. Her appointment broke long-standing gender barriers within Iarnród Éireann (Irish Rail) and was widely celebrated as a milestone for equality and representation in public service roles traditionally dominated by men.