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		IN THIS ISSUE
~~~ Foreword
~~~ Keep us Free!
~~~ News Snaps from Ireland 
~~~ New free resources at the site
~~~ Another Irish Penpals Success Story
~~~ John O'Callaghan's Joke Selection 
~~~ The Irish Language         by Deirdre Davitt
~~~ Gaelic phrases of the month
~~~ Monthly free competition result

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FOREWORD
~~~~~~~~

Best wishes to all of our readers this Spring time.
If, like me, you wonder at the pace of change then 
the news snaps below should give an insight into 
just how quickly Ireland has altered in recent 
years.

Many thanks to those who responded with emails to 
our last edition on Saint Patrick's day. Your 
encouragement and articles are most welcome.

Michael


WE NEED YOUR HELP!

PLEASE - send this newsletter on to your friends 
or relatives who you think are interested in 
Ireland. By doing this you are helping to keep 
us 'free'.

Got something to say? Don't keep it to yourself!
Why don't you submit an article for inclusion
in the next edition? Email to:	
 
newsletterarticle@ireland-information.com

If you have an AOL or HOTMAIL account then you 
will get much better results by viewing this 
newsletter online here:
 
https://www.ireland-information.com/apr03.htm

The only way that you could have been 
subscribed to this newsletter is by filling 
out a subscription form at the site whereupon 
a confirmation notice would have been issued.

If you wish to unsubscribe then go here:
 
https://www.ireland-information.com/newsletter.htm

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NEWS SNAPS FROM IRELAND
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NORTHERN IRELAND PEACE PROCESS IN JEOPARDY

New elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly 
are planned for May 29th next but it is unlikely 
that the new Parliament will be formed unless 
there is a major announcement from the IRA. 

Unionist leaders are angered at the unwillingness 
of the IRA to announce that the 'war is over' and 
that they have ended their fund-raising, training 
and recruiting.

The IRA has already agreed to decommission its 
weapons and this decision has already caused 
problems within the Republican movement.

Nevertheless the Unionist parties in Ulster want 
a definitive statement bringing the war to an end. 
In the absence of a further deal being reached 
the upcoming election is likely to be a 
failure.

IRISH ADOPTION RATES PLUMMET

A major change in cultural attitude to adoption 
and childbirth out of marriage has occurred in 
Ireland in recent years.

The Irish adoption rate has plummeted to an all 
time low despite one in very three Irish children 
being  born outside of marriage. Contrary to 
popular belief teenagers accounted for only 17% 
of the total number of births outside of wedlock. 

In 1967 all but 3% of children born to unwed 
mothers were offered up for adoption, a total of 
1493 children. In 2001 only 81 children were 
given up for adoption, despite an increase in 
the child birth rate.

This huge change in cultural attitude is in part 
another by-product of the economic development 
that has occurred in Ireland since the early 
1990's. A vastly improved standard of living as 
well as a generous welfare system have combined 
to make it much more feasible for an unmarried 
mother to raise a child by herself, or within 
her family. A poor attitude to contraception 
among young Irish people as well as an increase 
in alcohol intake are being cited as among the 
bigger factors in the overall increase in birth 
rate.

During the early years of the Irish State 
unmarried mothers were regarded as criminals. 
Accounts of the forced interment of very young 
women in 'Magdalene Laundries' and the 
ill-treatment they received there are only now 
coming to light. Adoption was very often the 
answer for these women, but in modern times 
adoption has become nearly taboo. 

SUICIDE RATES INCREASE LINKED TO ALCOHOL ABUSE

The huge increase in the rate of suicide in 
Ireland has been linked to an overall increase 
in alcohol consumption.

The economic surge that occurred in Ireland 
during the 1990's has not come about without a 
social cost. During the 1990's alcohol consumption 
has increased by over 40%. The greater amount of 
disposable income available to young people in 
particular has seen the rates of alcohol abuse 
among teenagers soar.

Researchers have pointed out that it is no 
coincidence therefore that suicide is now the
most common cause of death in Irish men aged 
between 15 and 24. Two out of every 100 Irish 
men who die this year will have committed 
suicide. There were 448 suicides in Ireland 
in 2001, nearly 80% of which were men.

CRACKDOWN ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS CONTINUES

The Irish Government plans to fine airlines and 
ferry companies who arrive into Ireland with 
illegal immigrants on board. Maximum fines of 
up to EURO 3000 are planned.

SINGER SINEAD O'CONNOR TO RETIRE FROM MUSIC

Irish singer Sinead O'Connor, 36, has announced that 
she will retire from the music business this summer.

Famous for her international hit 'nothing compares 
to you', the Dubliner has often been a controversial 
figure, at one time claiming to be Ireland's first 
ordained female priest.

NATIONAL STADIUM TO GO AHEAD

A rebuilt Landsdowne Road is likely to be chosen as 
the site for the new 65,000 seat national sports 
stadium with both Rugby and Soccer being the chief 
tenants. The initial proposal for a completely new 
stadium at Abbotstown now look likely to be shelved.

The Irish Government is pressing ahead with its plan 
to make certain sporting events 'free to air' on 
terrestrial television. The move is a responde to the 
recent deal struck between SKY TV and the FAI for 
the exclusive rights to air Ireland's international 
Soccer matches.
 

Voice your opinion on these news issues here:

 https://www.ireland-information.com/cgi-bin/newsletterboardindex.cgi

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NEW FREE RESOURCES AT THE SITE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NEW COATS OF ARMS ADDED TO THE GALLERY:

The following 15 coats of arms images and family
history details have been added to the Gallery:

A: Ahern, Alway
B: Briody, 
C: Corey, Cross, McCulley, McCurdy, 
D: McDaniel, 
E: Elliott, 
F: Frawley, 
G: Gately, 
H: Hinson, 
M: Moule, 
R: Ralph, 
U: Ussher

View the Gallery here:

 http://www.irishsurnames.com/coatsofarms/gm.htm

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ANOTHER CARA IRISH PENPALS SUCCESS STORY
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hello Michael,

Thank you for the great newsletter. I wanted to 
tell you that thanks to Cara pen pals, I've met 
the man of dreams and we're to be married 
early next year. 

As an American with a rich Irish heritage, I 
longed to be there in Ireland with someone that I 
love. I met Eamon and the rest is history! I've 
traveled to Ireland many times and love being 
there. Now that I've met Eamon and we're going to 
be married, I can look forward to living in 
Kilkenny by the end of this year. I'd appreciate 
any tips with regards to moving and living in 
Ireland. I'm taking my daughters with me to live 
in Ireland. They are ages 18 and 11. Any advice 
you can give me would be great!

Thanks again for the wonderful newsletter and for 
the opportunity to meet the man of my dreams.

Be well!

Laurelye


You can join Cara Irish Penpals for free here:
http://www.irishpenpals.com

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JOHN O'CALLAGHAN'S JOKE SELECTION 

When Irish Eyes Are Smiling
To Celebrate Saint Patrick's Day

~~~ The Mood Ring
I gave my last girlfriend a Mood Ring with a green 
stone in it for her birthday. When she was in a 
good mood the color of the stone changed from 
green to red. When she was in a bad mood, it left 
a Black mark on my forehead.

~~~ The Bar Pick-Up
One night while I was single I was having a drink
in the select lounge bar of the The Ballyfriggin
Arms Hotel, Ireland, when this dazzling colleen 
came over and sat down beside me. She had a peaches 
and cream complexion, dazzling white teeth, 
voluptuous hips, pouty lips and red, shoulder 
length hair.  

'The reason I came over,' she said seductively, 
'is that you that you look remarkably like my 
third husband.'

'Oh' I exclaimed in surprise. 'Just how many husbands 
have you actually had?'

She gave me a come-on smile and said,'Two!'

~~~ Desperate in Key West
I was on holiday in Key West, Florida, and having 
a quite drink at the bar in Hemmingway's on Duval 
Street when I spotted two attractive middle aged 
ladies smiling at me and giving me the glad eye. 
So naturally, I smiled back.

Then one came over and said,
'Hi. I am Sophie. My friend Shirley and I were 
just saying we haven't seen you in here before?' 

'I haven't been in here for 20 years. I just got 
out of prison.'  

'You're kidding?'

'No.'

'Did you--did you-rob a bank or something?

'No. I murdered my third wife. 

'I choked her.'

'What happened to your second wife?'

'I poisoned her.'

'And what happened to your first wife?'

'I killed her by pushing her off the balcony.'

'Oh my gosh,' Sophie said. Then turning to her 
friend on the other side of the bar, she screamed 
out:

'Yoo-hoo, Shirley. Come on over here. He's single.'

~~~ Religious Stamps
Mrs. Murphy from Ballyfriggin goes up to Belfast 
for a holiday. She is in the Post Office to buy 
stamps for her post cards.

'I want to buy 6 stamps please,' she says.

'What denomination, Missus?'

'Oh, good heavens' she replied. 'Has it really 
come to this? Oh well. Better give me 3 Protestant 
and 3 Catholic ones.'

~~~ The 10 Commandments
Young Sean was asked to list the 10 Commandments 
in any order.

So he said, '3, 6, 1, 8, 4, 5, 9, 2, 10, 7'.

~~~ The Poor Preacher
Father Felim Feelgood, the parish priest in 
Ballyfriggin was standing outside the church after
 the eleven o'clock Mass and greeting the people 
when young Sean O'Shea went up to him and said,

'When I grow up, father, I'm going to give you 
some money.'

'Well, thank you,' the priest said, 'and tell me 
now, what was it I said in my sermon that touched 
your heart, son?'

'Oh it wasn't anything you said,' the boy 
answered, 'it's something I heard me dad say. He 
said to me mom:

'Father Feelgood is one of the poorest preachers 
I have ever heard.'

~~~Saying Grace
When I was young my parents invited the new 
neighbours to dinner. At the table, my mom turned 
to me and said, 

'John-Jo. You say the blessing' 

'But mom I dunno what to say,' I replied. 

'Just say what you heard Daddy say at dinner 
last night.'

So I bowed my head, put my hands together and 
said:

'Dear God, why did we invite those awful people 
to dinner?'


PS. John's Irish Joke book. 'A BIT OF THE BLARNEY' 
has over 300 jokes and anecdotes. Available by mail 
order. US$6.95 plus US$1.95 shipping and handling in 
the US or US$3.25 foreign airmail. 
Money back guarantee. mailto:johnoc29@aol.com 
Write to: Entrepreneur's Network Inc, 8332 Barton 
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Tel 941 378 7055. Fax 941 378 7851 

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Get your Family Crest Pint Glass, Shooter Glass 
or Glassware set, and much more. Keep us alive! 
- visit https://www.irishnation.com

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THE IRISH LANGUAGE		BY DEIRDRE DAVITT

Visitors to Ireland soon realise that we are a 
country with two languages. English is the 
predominant one and virtually everyone can speak 
it, but street plates, road direction signs, bus 
tickets, notices on public buildings and so forth 
soon remind visitors that they are in a foreign 
country. For some it is a surprise to find that 
Irish is a distinct and separate language, and not 
just our Hibernian version of English! Others, 
more historically aware, can still experience a 
certain culture shock that the Irish language is 
actually a living reality, and not just the 
subject of academic study. The Irish language is 
one of the Republic's two official languages and 
is designated 'the national language' by the 
Constitution. The other official language is 
English. 

P and Q 
Irish is a Celtic language. This group includes 
Welsh, Breton and Cornish - known collectively to 
scholars as P Celtic - and Irish. The Gaelic of 
Scotland and Manx are known as Q Celtic. Although 
far less widespread than the other major language 
groups of Europe, Celtic languages in 300 BC 
stretched from Ireland to Asia Minor, from Poland 
to Spain and Northern Italy. 

The areas in Ireland in which Irish is the common 
language today are known as The Gaeltacht and 
these are to be found mainly on the Western coast, 
in the Dingle Peninsula, Conamara, and North West 
Donegal. There are also small Gaeltachtaí in 
Counties Cork, Mayo, Meath and Waterford as well 
as a strong Irish speaking community in Belfast. 

Irish is the means of communication of 
approximately 75,000 people, about half of whom 
live in the Gaeltacht. According to Census figures,
almost one million people or 30% of the adult 
population in the Republic, claim to be able to 
speak the language. From a recent survey it 
appears that about 40% of these or 400,000 
people, speak it on a fairly regular or daily 
basis. 

Since the foundation of the State, the Irish 
language has formed part of our education system. 
It is taught in all schools, both primary and 
secondary, and all teachers are required to 
have knowledge of Irish. There are over 380 
Irish medium primary and secondary schools in 
the country, over half in the Gaeltacht. 

Irish Literature 
Like most European languages in the 20th century, 
Irish has developed a rich and varied modern 
literature. Over 130 new titles are published 
every year. All the major genres of literary 
endeavour are represented - poetry, drama, novel, 
short story and essay. There are also many works 
of biography, history, philosophy, religion, 
current affairs and politics in print. Many 
books of folklore have been published, reflecting 
the rich tradition in story, music and song in 
Irish. Translation has been made from and into 
all major world languages. 

Although literature has been written continuously 
in Irish since the 6th century - making Irish 
literature the oldest in Northern Europe - modern 
literature in the sense of a body of work which 
follows on from the sensibilities represented by 
Baudelaire, Byron, Balzac or Goethe, is usually 
dated from 1882 when the magazine Irisleabhar na 
Gaedhilge (The Gaelic Journal) was founded. Another 
important date in modern literature was 1897 when 
the cultural festival, An tOireachtas (The 
Convocation) was started by Conradh na Gaeilge 
(The Gaelic League) with various competitions 
for original writing in Irish. 

Many of today's leading writers are also available 
on audio - cassette, thanks to the Galway 
publishers Cló Iar - Chonnachta. (See Inside 
Ireland's Discount Voucher). A wider audience is 
opening to Irish writers through the services of 
the recently established agency, Ireland Literature 
Exchange, (ILE) which supports in a practical way 
the translation of Ireland's dual language 
literary inheritance. 

The extraordinarily rich Irish literary tradition 
despite all the ebbs and flows occasioned by a 
turbulent history, still continues to the present 
day and has both consciously and unconsciously 
coloured the writing of Irish people in English, 
the so-called Anglo Irish Stream, which includes 
so many names of world renown, among them, Yeats, 
Shaw, Synge, O'Casey, Joyce, Friel, Hartnett and 
Heaney. 

A matter of identity 
But, what do Irish people feel about their own 
language? In a world where English is the dominant 
language of trade and commerce, of the 
entertainment industry and of the international 
pop culture, Ireland starts off with the immense 
advantage that virtually all its citizens speak 
English. If we didn't, we would have to learn, 
and quickly! Given our geographical location 
between the major English-speaking cultures, 
there hardly seems much point in hanging on to a 
language which is not spoken outside Ireland, 
which no one needs in order to do business, and 
which can hardly be shown to be an economic or 
practical necessity for Irish people. 

But the matter isn't as simple as that. No subject 
has been surveyed as exhaustively as the attitude 
of the Irish towards their own language, and a 
common finding of all recent studies is that Irish 
people want their traditional languages to be 
preserved and sustained; they want it passed on 
to their children, and they agree with special 
supports for the Irish-speaking areas. In many 
ways our attitudes are ambivalent: We may see 
little practical use for the language, yet we 
don't want it to die; we feel little need to use 
it on our daily lives, yet want our children to 
learn it. When these attitudes are probed more 
deeply, it seems that our language has become for 
us one of the few badges which we have left of a 
distinctive identity as a People. Even those who 
know little Irish and are themselves cut off from 
the literary and other traditions of the language, 
feel in some way that it is an enriching influence 
in our lives - in its own way a key to our 
self-awareness and self-understanding. 

This is the context in which Bord na Gaeilge, the 
state board with responsibility for promoting the 
Irish language as a living language, has been 
operating since its inception in 1975. Already it 
has contributed to significant growth in such areas 
as the use of Irish throughout the public service, 
the Irish - medium nursery school movement and 
Irish-speaking primary and secondary schools; the 
distribution of bilingual and Irish-language books, 
nationally and internationally; the promotion of 
the arts, particularly literature and drama, and 
the sponsoring of myriad different schemes and 
projects which nurture the language at local level 
in various communities throughout the country. Add 
to this list an Irish-language radio station, 
Raidio na Life, an Irish-language professional 
Drama Company, Amharclann de hÍde, and an Irish 
language weekly newspaper, Foinse, and you get some 
idea of just how pro-active Bord na Gaeilge has 
been over the past 25 years. There has been a 
quiet cultural revolution in Ireland, transforming 
a dying language into a vibrant, creative one, a 
process that is destined to continue into the new 
millennium. 

Deirdre Davitt is Deputy Chief Executive of 
Bord na Gaeilge.

~~~

This article has been adapted from an article 
for the 'Inside Ireland' publication.

This is a simple 2-colour production which usually 
runs to 32 pages (but is sometimes more) of 
articles packed with interest and information 
presented in a crisp, literate, readable style. 
Hardly any ads – just plenty of fascinating 
reading to sit down and relax with. 

To find out more and to subscribe go here:


http://www.insideireland.com/subscribe.htm

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GAELIC PHRASES OF THE MONTH
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

PHRASE:		Dia duit ar maidin
PRONOUNCED:	dee/ah dwit air mod/ging
MEANING:		Good morning 

PHRASE:	 	Ca bhfuil do sheomra leaba? 
PRONOUNCED:	kaw will do shoim/rah labb/ah
MEANING:		Where is your bedroom?

PHRASE:		Ta se thuas an staighre
PRONOUNCED:	taw shay who/iss on sty/rih
MEANING:		It is upstairs

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Get your Family Crest Pint Glass, Shooter Glass 
or Glassware set, and much more. Keep us alive! 
- visit https://www.irishnation.com

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APRIL COMPETITION RESULT
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The winner was: kellydoherty15@hotmail.com
who will receive the following: 

A Single Family Crest Print (decorative) 
(US$19.99 value)

Send us an email to claim your prize, and well 
done! Remember that all subscribers to this 
newsletter are automatically entered into the 
competition every time. 

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Keep us alive! - visit https://www.irishnation.com

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I hope that you have enjoyed this issue.

Until next time,

Keep the feedback coming!


Michael Green,
Editor,
The Information about Ireland Site.

https://www.ireland-information.com
Click here to contact us