The Black Flu & the Khaki Election 1918 Seminar

The Spanish Flu appeared in Ireland in three waves - summer and autumn/winter 1918 and spring 1919. 

Osprey HotelNaas

Event Details

  • Sat 6 Oct  2018
  • 8.45am - 4.30pm

  • Cost: Free

  • Venue Details
    Osprey Hotel

    Devoy Quarter
    Naas



Seminar - The Black Flu and Khaki Election 1918

During the summer of 1918 troops from all warring nations began to succumb to a new mystery illness - a deadly strain of influenza. Troop losses from the epidemic soon exceeded combat casualties, especially weakening the hard pressed German army. The illness was swiftly dubbed the 'Spanish Flu,' as Spain free from wartime censorship, was the first country to announce an outbreak.

The Spanish Flu appeared in Ireland in three waves: summer and autumn/winter 1918 and spring 1919. The first recorded instance in Co. Kildare was in Athy on 13 July 1918. In Co. Kildare Naas suffered the most, with the flu accounting for just under 25 per cent of all deaths in 1918, while in Athy, just over one in five deaths were due to influenza.

Co. Kildare had the highest death rate in 1918 - 3.95 per thousand - a total of 263 deaths.

The Black Flu and Khaki Election, 1918
Presented by The Co. Kildare Decade of Commemorations Committee
in association with the Co. Kildare Federation of Local History Groups

Free Event.
Early booking advised at cilldara2016@gmail.com

Full details on Facebook page Kildare Decade of Commemorations


Event Contact Details

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