April 05

1603

King James VI leaves Edinburgh to travel to London.

Scotland

Following the death of Elizabeth I and his accession to the English throne, James VI of Scotland left Edinburgh for London on April 5, 1603. His journey south marked the Union of …

1806

William Dool Killen, ecclesiastical historian, is born in Ballymena, Co. Antrim

Ireland

William Dool Killen (1806–1902) was a Presbyterian minister and church historian from Ballymena, County Antrim. He served as professor of church history at the Presbyterian College …

1818

Bernardo OHiggins defeats the Spanish at the battle of Maipo River, Chile

Ireland

Bernardo OHiggins defeats the Spanish at the battle of Maipo River, Chile. This April 5, 1818 entry records a moment in Celtic history connected with Ireland.

1820

Scottish Insurrection of 1820 begins

Scotland

The Radical War, also known as the Scottish Insurrection of 1820, was a week of strikes and unrest, a culmination of Radical demands for reform in the United Kingdom which had …

1830

Birth at Lesmahagow of composer Alexander Muir, creator of Maple Leaf Forever.

Canada

Alexander Muir (5 April 1830 – 26 June 1906) was a Canadian songwriter, poet, soldier, and school headmaster.[1] He was the composer of The Maple Leaf Forever, which he wrote in …

1855

The Dublin-Belfast railway line is completed

Ireland

The Belfast–Dublin Main Line is a main and busiest railway route on the island of Ireland that connects Dublin Connolly station in the Republic of Ireland and Belfast Lanyon Place …

1869

Birth in Dublin of Margaret Tennant, née Abraham; trade unionist and campaigner for improved working conditions

Ireland

Margaret Edith (May) Tennant, (1869 — 11 July 1946), née Abraham, born in Rathgar, County Dublin, Ireland, was a civil servant, trade unionist, factory inspector, and campaigner, …

1900

Spencer Tracy, the son of an Irish father, is born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Unitedstates

Spencer Bonaventure Tracy (April 5, 1900 – June 10, 1967) was an American actor. He was known for his natural performing style and versatility. One of the major stars of …

1902

Disaster at English-Scottish football match at Ibrox Stadium when part of the flooring collapsed, killing 20, and injuring 200.

Ireland

The 1902 Ibrox disaster was the collapse of a stand at Ibrox Park (now Ibrox Stadium) in Govan (now part of Glasgow), Scotland. The incident led to the deaths of 25 supporters and …

1916

Patrick Pearse denies rumors of a possible rising to Irish Volunteer Chief of Staff Eoin MacNeill

Ireland

The Irish Volunteers, also known as the Irish Volunteer Force or the Irish Volunteer Army, was a paramilitary organisation established in 1913 by nationalists and republicans in …