June 05, 2006
The Fenian
Raids. This weekend marked the 140th anniversary of the Battle of Ridgeway. The plan was for members of the Fenian Brotherhood to either hold Canada hostage for the ransom of a Free Ireland, or to create a New Ireland, nobody's quite sure.
The Raids, blown out of proportion, served as a cause of Canadian Confederation. (Our local regiment, the Lincoln and Welland, did their bit to advance the cause of Confederation, as when they saw a few Fenian officers on horseback, they presumed that they were being attacked by cavalry, and rather than going into the proper response of forming a square, they all just ran away. Ridgeway was lost, Canada got scared, and united as a country as a result! Hooray for the L&W!)
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*waves wooden sword in the general direction of canada*
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That's the first use of the term Irish Republican Army? Huh. And I'd planned not to learn anything today.
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Mentioned here by roryk, incidentally. But definitely not a double.
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which is why i waved only a wooden sword
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*waves a salted codfish because what else can ye do with one?*
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Many things to do with salted codfish! But waving them about seems as good a plan as any... *does the Merry Wavey Salted Codfish Dance* Also, very interesting links Capt, thankee.