April 27

Cecil Day-Lewis, poet, novelist, critic, and Irelands poet laureate from 1968 to 1972, is born in Ballintogher, Co. Sligo

The first ever Irish musical comedy, The Irish Girl, written by Percy French and William Collisson, is staged at the Queen’s Theatre, Dublin

The Royal University of Ireland is founded by charter

Robert Lochore, Scots poet, died

Mary King Ward, Irish naturalist and astronomer is born

James Bruce, explorer and author of Travels to Discover the Sources of the Nile died.

Lord Barry of Santry is tried by his peers in the parliament house for the murder of his former servant Laughlin Murphy in August 1738

Act for encouraging the linen manufacture of Ireland

An Act for Encouraging the Linen Manufacture of Ireland is passed — Irish linen gains duty-free access to the British market on this date. This legislation marked a significant turning point for Ireland’s textile industry, especially the linen sector, which had long struggled under restrictive trade policies. By granting Irish linen producers duty-free access to the lucrative British market, the Act aimed to stimulate economic development in Ireland and promote local manufacturing. The move was welcomed by both Irish landlords and industrialists, particularly in Ulster, where the linen trade became a central pillar of the region’s economy. It also helped reduce Ireland’s economic dependence on agriculture and contributed to the rise of a Protestant merchant class closely tied to industrial expansion.

Battle of Carbisdale, Montroses last battle.

Scots defeated by Edward I at Battle of Dunbar.

The Battle of Dunbar was the first of the series of conflicts of the Wars of Scottish Independence. King Edward I had invaded Scotland in 1296 to punish John Balliol for his refusal to support English military action in France.