Many of the staunch supporters of Northern Ireland’s unionist tradition might be very surprised to learn that Edward Carson, the father of modern Irish unionism, was born in Dublin, now the capital city of the Irish Republic.
Carson was born at 4 Harcourt Street, Dublin, on 9 February 1854. His father was an architect of Scottish descent; his mother was descended from one of Cromwell's generals. Educated at Arlington House, Portarlington, Co Laois, and at Trinity College, Dublin, Carson...

Through much of the American civil war, the Confederate troops we dressed raggedly. Those who were dressed in uniform, wore outfits of poor quality textiles, hastily finished.

However, as the war continued, the situation improved for the Confederate soldiers. By the final year of the war, the Confederate troops were dressed in the best quality uniforms available, when they commissioned Peter Tait of Limerick, Ireland to produce their uniforms.

Throughout the Civil War,...