Organised by the Gaelic League, the first, official Irish ceilidh was held in the Bloomsbury Hall, on this day in 1897. While I find it difficult to be certain, the address appears to be at 5-7 Tavistock Place, Mary Ward House (Mary Ward Centre is on Queen’s Square).
A new, English Heritage blue plaque marks the site of the Bryant & May match factory at Bow Quarter, 60 Fairfield Road, E3.
The strike against the atrocious working conditions here started in July 1888. It involved about 1,400 women and girl match makers, most of whom were Irish and came from an area known as the Fenian Barracks. Their victory was a watershed in rights for women workers. The cause of the match girls was aided by the social activist Annie Besant who was also of Irish extraction.
Ironically, perhaps, the factory is now gated and gentrified.
For more information, see Irish London, Kirkland R, Bloomsbury Press, London 2021.
Also see here, and for information on one of the strike leaders, 14-year old Mary Driscoll
Micheal Mac Liammoir, actor, impresario, writer and theatrical legend was born Alfred Willmore, Purves Road, Kensal Rise, NW10. He co-founded the Gate theatre, Dublin with his partner Hilton Edwards and assisted in the establishment of An Taibhdhearc, the Irish language theatre in Galway.
Gate Theatre, Dublin
on pavement grey 