In September 1845, the Dublin Evening Post reported ‘a disease in the potato crop.’ This disease destroyed 40 percent of the crop in that year and nearly 100 percent the following year, resulting in the “Great Hunger.” The population declined over 8 million to less than 6 million in six years due to starvation, disease and emigration.
On September 10, 2001 Fr. Mychal Judge, chaplain to the New York Fire Department, re-dedicated a firehouse in the Bronx with these words, “Good days, bad days, but never a boring day on this job. You do what God has called you to do. You show up, you put one foot in front of another, and you do your job, which is a mystery and a surprise. You have no idea, when you get in that rig, what God is calling you to do. But He needs you, so keep on going. Keep supporting each other. Be kind to each other. Work together. You love your job. We all do. What a blessing that is.” Less than 24 hours later, Fr. Judge was killed working alongside police and firemen trying to save lives in the Twin Towers. September 11, 2001 will rank among the bloodiest days in Irish history. Thousands of friends and relatives around the world lost loved ones that day. People of all nationalities died, hundreds of Irish and Irish-Americans among them, more than any other ethnic group.
St. Patrick’s Hospital for the mentally ill was opened in Dublin in September 1757, funded by Jonathan Swift who, suffering from an inner ear disease, thought he was going mad. From “Gulliver’s Travels” by Jonathan Swift…”that whoever could make two ears of corn or two blades of grass to grow upon a spot of ground where only one grew before would deserve better of mankind and do more essential service to his country than the whole race of politicians put together.”
Michaelmas Day is celebrated on September 29, the Feast of St. Michael. This marks the end of the harvest and fishing season.
