1288 – The Leap Year Proposal Tradition
According to legend, St. Brigid of Kildare complained to St. Patrick about the unfairness of women not being able to propose marriage. In response, they agreed that on February 29, women could propose to men. The first written record of this tradition appeared in 1288 when Queen Margaret of Scotland allegedly passed a law requiring men to pay a fine if they refused a woman’s leap-day proposal. However, historical evidence of this law remains uncertain.
1892 – Death of John Lucas, Victoria Cross Recipient
John Lucas, an Irish soldier who was awarded the Victoria Cross for gallantry in 1861 during the New Zealand Wars, passed away. His bravery was recognized when he carried a wounded comrade to safety under heavy enemy fire.
1896 – Ireland National Football Team Faces Wales
The Ireland national football team played against Wales in Wrexham, suffering a 6–1 defeat. This was part of the British Home Championship, a football competition contested annually by the national teams of England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland.
1896 – First International Match for the Ireland Women’s Hockey Team
The Ireland women’s national field hockey team played their first international match, defeating England 2–0 at Alexandra College in Dublin. This historic game marked the beginning of women’s international hockey in Ireland.
1976 – St. Patrick’s College, Maynooth Wins the Sigerson Cup
St. Patrick’s College, Maynooth, emerged victorious in the Sigerson Cup, a Gaelic football competition for university teams, by defeating University College Dublin with a score of 2–5 to 0–9. The final took place at Croke Park, the home of Gaelic games.
1976 – Death of Fianna Fáil TD Liam Cunningham
Liam Cunningham, a member of Fianna Fáil and Teachta Dála (TD) for the constituency of Tipperary South, passed away. He had served in the Irish Parliament and was an influential political figure in his region.
2012 – Anti-Austerity Protests at Leinster House
On February 29, 2012, dozens of community groups from counties Donegal, Tipperary, Galway, Limerick, and Kerry gathered in Dublin to protest against austerity measures imposed by the Irish government in response to the financial crisis.
2012 – Éamon Ó Cuív Dismissed from Fianna Fáil Leadership
Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin dismissed Éamon Ó Cuív from his role as Deputy Leader and Communications Spokesperson due to a disagreement over the party’s stance on the Fiscal Compact referendum. Ó Cuív, the grandson of Éamon de Valera, opposed Fianna Fáil’s support of the EU treaty.