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A statue of Daniel O'Connell, Jane Austen, and people celebrating Arthur's Day Alamy
250

Quiz: How well do you know these semiquincentennials?

A lot of things happened around 250 years ago.
10.01pm, 29 Nov 2025
23.8k
22

THIS YEAR MARKS the 250th birthday of Daniel O’Connell.

The 250th anniversary of an event is called a semiquincentennial (say that five times fast), and there were others celebrated recently too.

Take the quiz and test your knowledge of them!

In which month of 1775 was Daniel O'Connell born?
Alamy
August
September

October
November
The United States will next year celebrate the 250th anniversary of it declaring independence from Britain. Where did the last battle of the Revolutionary War take place?
Alamy
Yorkshire
New York

Yorktown
Yorksville
Pope Pius VI was elected 250 years ago. How many popes have there been since?
Alamy
10
17

25
32
The 250th birthday of Jane Austen is also celebrated this year. What was the name of her first novel?
Alamy
Pride and Prejudice
Sense and Sensibility

Persuasion
Emma
In 2009, "Arthur's Day" was created by Guinness to mark which semiquincentennial?
Alamy
Arthur Guinness' birthday
Arthur Guinness' death

The establishment of the Guinness brewery
The most pints of Guinness ever drank in a day
The state released a commemorative stamp this year for O'Connell's birthday. Which modern invention was strangely included in the image's background?
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A television aerial
A bus

An iPhone
A disco ball
Which French King was crowned in 1775?
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Henry IV
Louis XVI

Napoleon I
Charles X
Britain was in the middle of the Industrial Revolution 250 years ago. Which of these inventions is James Watt credited for?
Alamy
Sewing machine
Telegraph

Spinning Jenny
Steam engine
O'Connell's legacy includes a sizeable monument, located (aptly) on O'Connell Street. Which of these elements does NOT also feature on the monument?
Alamy
A fairy
Erin (the female personification of Ireland)

The Act of Emancipation
An Irish wolfhound
Irish author Oliver Goldsmith was celebrated last year on the semiquincentennial of his death. Which county was he from?
Alamy
Donegal
Kildare

Cork
Longford
Answer all the questions to see your result!
You scored out of !
Semiquincentennial Queen
You know a lot about 250th anniversaries!
Share your result:
You scored out of !
History Buff
You have pretty good knowledge of things that happened around 250 years ago
Share your result:
You scored out of !
Semiquincentennial Simpleton
It's like you don't even remember what happened 250 years ago!
Share your result:

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