Ireland

Willie John McBride, Ireland and Lions rugby captain, is born in Toomebridge, Co. Antrim

Evacuation of Dunkirk (which began on May 27) was completed., 338,226 soldiers were brought back to the UK by the little ships.

Winston Churchill made his speech to the nation

On June 4, 1940, Winston Churchill delivered one of his most famous speeches to the British House of Commons — later broadcast to the nation — in the wake of the Dunkirk evacuation. Declaring Britain’s resolve against Nazi Germany, he stated:

Proinsias de Rossa, politician and leader of Democratic Left, is born in Dublin

The Cork Opera House is destroyed by fire

Cork Opera House is a theatre and opera house in Cork in Ireland. The first venue opened in 1855 on Emmet Place (then known as Nelson’s Place) to the rear of the Crawford Art Gallery. This original building was destroyed by fire in 1955, and a replacement opened in 1965. With a number of additions in the early 21st century, the 1000-seat venue hosted over 100 theatre, music, opera, and comedy events in 2015.

Four senior IRA men executed by the Provisional Government are executed without trial

On 7 December 1922, Hales was killed by anti-Treaty IRA men as he left the Dáil in Dublin. Another TD, Pádraic Ó Máille, was also shot and badly wounded in the incident. His killing was in reprisal for the Free State’s execution of anti-treaty prisoners.

Sir James Galway, born in Belfast

Sir James Galway OBE (Order of the British Empire) (born 8 December 1939) is an Irish virtuoso flute player from Belfast, nicknamed “The Man with the Golden Flute”. He established an international career as a solo flute player. In 2005, he received the Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music at the Classic Brit Awards.

Sinéad O'Connor, Irish Singer, born

Sinéad Marie Bernadette O’Connor (8 December 1966 – 26 July 2023) was an Irish singer, songwriter, and activist. Her debut studio album, The Lion and the Cobra, was released in 1987 and achieved international chart success. Her 1990 album, I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got, was her biggest commercial success, selling over seven million copies worldwide. Its lead single, “Nothing Compares 2 U”, was honoured as the top world single of the year at the Billboard Music Awards.

Birth of Luke Kelly of the Dubliners

Luke Kelly, the renowned Irish folk singer and founding member of The Dubliners, was born on November 17, 1940, in Dublin, Ireland.

City of Glasgow Fighter Squadron (No, 602) shoots down the first enemy aircraft over Britain after an attack on the River Forth.