How the 1918 flu changed the course of the War of Independence in Donegal The Covid-19 pandemic has had a devastating effect not only on our social life and freedoms but also on our economy. It was no different in the last great pandemic in 1918 known as the Spanish Flu. Largely forgotten until recently, the Spanish Flu had similar consequences for our forebears. In the case of Donegal, it had a dramatic impact on the War of Independence a…
Throughout the country, the National Volunteers were being organised and by 1914 a corps was formed in Culdaff with the purpose of securing the final passing of the Home Rule Bill. Initially, the corps was unarmed but by the end of 1914, finance became available from an unusual source. A Ballyharry man, James Kelly was working in Boston and was in contact with a Carndonagh man Patrick Doherty of Churchtown. Kelly decided to hold dances to raise funds for arms…