The Information about Ireland Site Newsletter
    April 2009


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      The Information about Ireland Site Newsletter 
                       April 2009
     
    The Newsletter for people interested in Ireland 
     Now received by over 50,000 people worldwide 
          https://www.ireland-information.com 
              https://www.irishnation.com
                  Copyright (C) 2009  
    
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    		IN THIS ISSUE
    
    === News Snaps from Ireland 
    === New free resources at the site
    === Who were the Black Irish?
    === Portrush, Northern Ireland by J. Herbert Silverman
    === The Mayo Memorial Peace Park by Martin Coyle
    === The Goose by Pat Watson
    === A Dream of Ireland from Afghanistan by Rick Ervin
    === The Irish Coins Proof Set
    === Gaelic Phrases of the Month
    === Monthly free competition result
    
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    FOREWORD
    ========
    
    Hello again from Ireland where the full grip of 
    the recession can be felt everywhere. The mood 
    is very gloom and doom here at the moment with 
    almost daily announcements of job losses and 
    further financial problems. Of course the media 
    have joined in with gusto with certain commentators 
    never having looked so happy!
    
    Be sure to check out our limited time offering of 
    a proof set of Irish coins that are sure to 
    increase in value (see below). These are real 
    recession-busters!
    
    Michael
    
    
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    =======================
    NEWS SNAPS FROM IRELAND
    =======================
    
    SAVAGE BUDGET CUTS CONTINUE
    
    The extent of the problems facing the Irish 
    government has been highlighted by its 
    introduction of arguably the most savage 
    budget in recent history. The huge public 
    sector pay bill has not been tackled however 
    and it remains to be seen if this omission 
    will cost the Fianna Fail government even more 
    of its dwindling support. Various opinion polls 
    have put the party at as low as 23%, well behind 
    Fine Gael and even behind the Labour Party in 
    some polls.
    
    With a huge fall in the amount of income taken in 
    by government, due largely to the property crash, 
    Finance Minister Brian Lenihan has decided to 
    try to tax his way out of the problem. The new 
    income levy that was only recently introduced has 
    been doubled, with those earning 50,000 euro or 
    more paying 4% in direct tax, without any 
    allowances and before the other rates of taxation 
    are applied. 
    
    Cuts in payments have also been announced with the 
    Christmas bonus to welfare recipients being 
    scrapped and the possibility of child benefit being 
    either taxed or 'means tested' being mooted.
    
    The government has surprised some commentators with 
    its announcement of a new National Asset Management 
    Agency which will buy 'bad loans' from the banks at 
    a greatly reduced price. The current valuation is 
    expected to be at least 80 B.illion euro but the 
    government will pay only a fraction of this amount 
    and will recoup any loss it might incur from the 
    banks over time, if necessary.
    
    HOUSE PRICE COLLAPSE LEVELLING OFF
    
    A recent survey has found the average price of a 
    house in Ireland is now 281,000 euro, some 63,000 
    euro off the peak and back at 2005 levels. Huge 
    price reductions in new developments and a final 
    acceptance of the new situation by previously 
    over-optimistic sellers has resulted in the market 
    moving again somewhat although at a more modest 
    rate than in previous years. The large oversupply 
    of houses that still exists, some 60,000 homes, 
    will have to be reduced considerably however, 
    before the absolute bottom of the market can be 
    called.
    
    ECONOMIC DOWNTURN REDUCES ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION
    
    One aspect of the ongoing recession that may yet 
    have a positive effect is the reduction in the use 
    of alcohol. The Drinks Industry Group of Ireland 
    has stated that 2008 was the worst year for its 
    business in 25 years with alcohol consumption 
    reducing by nearly 6% in 2008 alone. For the first 
    time the amount of alcohol sold in off-licences 
    has exceeded that sold in pubs and clubs which 
    is a further blow to the rural pub trade. A recent 
    report has indicated that alcohol consumption is 
    now back to 1998 levels.
    
    SIGNIFICANT ARCHEOLOGICAL FIND AT HILL OF TARA
    
    An ancient wooden version of Stonehenge has been 
    discovered at the Hill of Tara. The scale of the 
    monument which is still buried beneath the hill 
    is comparable with the size of the pitch at Croke 
    Park. It is estimated the discovery is 4500 years 
    old and while the actual wooden structure no 
    longer exists a ditch stretching six metres wide 
    and three metres deep was detected in the bedrock, 
    using techniques that give a kind of X-Ray of 
    the hill.
    
    DUBLINER WINS WORLD BOXING TITLE
    
    Dubliner Bernard Dunne has enhanced his boxing 
    reputation with the stunning capture of the WBA 
    World Super Bantamweight title in Dublin. An 
    eleventh round knockout of Ricardo Cordoba of 
    Panama was the culmination of a fine display by 
    the 29-year old who has become the first Irishman 
    since Barry McGuigan to win a WBA title.
    
    IRISH RUGBY TEAM WINS THE GRAND SLAM
    
    The Irish Rugby team has claimed its first 
    'Grand Slam' in 61 years with a last gasp victory 
    against Wales. The victory was as dramatic possible 
    with the Welsh having a chance to ruin the party 
    with a last minute penalty. It didn't cross the bar 
    though and the long wait for Irish rugby was over.
    
    
    Voice your opinion on these news issues here:
    
    https://www.ireland-information.com/newsletterboard/wwwboard.html
    
    ==============================
    NEW FREE RESOURCES AT THE SITE
    ==============================
    
    IRELAND HOUSE-SWAP LISTING
    
    We are working on the online program to allow you 
    to freely add and view details of other people who 
    are interested in this service.
    
    You can add your home-swap details to our new free 
    listing service at:
    
    https://www.ireland-information.com/irelandhouseswap.htm
    
    IRISH HOLIDAY AND TOURIST BOARD
    
    Post a question about holidaying in Ireland 
    and we guarantee an answer will be posted on 
    the board.
    
    https://www.ireland-information.com/irishholidays-irishtourist/irishtouristboard.html
    
    NEW COATS OF ARMS ADDED TO THE GALLERY:
    
    The following 5 coats of arms images and family
    history details have been added to the Gallery:
    
    B: Bird
    C: McCall
    G: Godfrey
    L: Landers
    P: Powers
    
    View the Gallery here:
    
    http://www.irishsurnames.com/coatsofarms/gm.htm
    
    THE PERFECT WEDDING, ANNIVERSARY OR BIRTHDAY GIFT!
    We now have over 100,000 worldwide names available.
    Get the Coat of Arms Print, Claddagh Ring,
    Screensaver, Watch, T-Shirt Transfer or Clock for
    your name at:
    
    https://www.irishnation.com/familycrestgifts.htm
    
    
    
    =================================================
    YOU CAN HELP TO KEEP THIS FREE NEWSLETTER ALIVE!
    
    Visit: 
    https://www.irishnation.com
    where you can get great Irish gifts, prints, 
    claddagh jewellery, engraved glassware and 
    much more.
    
    Anne MacDonald ordered a family crest plaque:
    
     Hello, Michael,
    
     Received my plaque, carefully wrapped, 
     in good order. It is splendid! I am 
     thrilled, and I know that my dad, for whose 
     81st birthday this was ordered, will love 
     it. I would like to order another one! 
    
     Everyone who has seen the plaque has been 
     really impressed, even those who, as my 
     daughter says are 'not into ancestor 
     worship!'
    
     Again, my hearty thanks for this 
     first-class product.
    
     Best wishes for happy holiday season.
    
     Sincerely, Anne MacDonald
    
    THE PERFECT WEDDING OR ANNIVERSARY GIFT!
    
    View family crest plaques here:
    
    https://www.irishnation.com/familycrestplaques.htm
    
    =========================
    WHO WERE THE BLACK IRISH?
    =========================
    
    The term 'Black Irish' has commonly been in 
    circulation among Irish emigrants and their 
    descendants for centuries. As a subject of 
    historical discussion the subject is almost 
    never referred to in Ireland. There are a 
    number of different claims as to the origin of 
    the term, none of which are possible to prove 
    or disprove.
    
    'Black Irish' is often a description of 
    people of Irish origin who had dark features, 
    black hair, dark complexion and eyes. 
    
    A quick review of Irish history reveals that 
    the island was subject to a number of influxes 
    of foreign people. The Celts arrived on the 
    island about the year 500 B.C. Whether or not 
    this was an actual invasion or rather a more 
    gradual migration and assimilation of their 
    culture by the natives is open to conjecture,
    but there is sufficient evidence to suggest 
    that this later explanation is more likely. 
    The next great influx came from Northern 
    Europe with Viking raids occurring as early 
    as 795 A.D. The defeat of the Vikings at the 
    Battle of Clontarf in the year 1014 by Brian 
    Boru marked the end of the struggle with the 
    invaders and saw the subsequent integration 
    of the Vikings into Irish society. The migrants 
    became 'Gaelicized' and formed septs (a kind 
    of clan) along Gaelic lines. 
    
    The Norman invasions of 1170 and 1172 led by 
    Strongbow saw yet another wave of immigrants 
    settle in the country, many of whom fiercely 
    resisted English dominance of the island in
    the centuries that followed. The Plantation of 
    Ulster in the seventeenth century saw the 
    arrival of English and Scottish colonists in 
    Ulster after the 'Flight of the Earls'.
    
    Each of these immigrant groups had their own 
    physical characteristics and all, with the 
    exception of the Ulster Planters, assimilated 
    to some degree into Irish society, many 
    claiming to be 'more Irish than the Irish 
    themselves!' 
    
    The Vikings were often referred to as the 
    'dark invaders' or 'black foreigners'. The 
    Gaelic word for foreigner is 'gall' and for 
    black (or dark) is 'dubh'. Many of the 
    invaders families took Gaelic names that 
    utilised these two descriptive words. The 
    name Doyle is in Irish 'O'Dubhghaill' which 
    literally means 'dark foreigner' which 
    reveals their heritage as an invading force 
    with dark intentions. The name Gallagher is 
    'O Gallchobhair' which translates as 'foreign 
    help'. The traditional image of Vikings is of 
    pale-skinned blond-haired invaders but their 
    description as 'dark foreigners' may lead us 
    to conclude that their memory in folklore 
    does not just depend on their physical 
    description.
    
    The Normans were invited into Ireland by 
    Dermot McMurrough and were led by the famous 
    Strongbow. Normans are ultimately of French 
    origin where black haired people are not 
    uncommon. As with the Vikings these were 
    viewed as a people of 'dark intentions' who 
    ultimately colonised much of the Eastern 
    part of the country and several larger 
    towns. Many families however integrated 
    into Gaelic society and changed their Norman 
    name to Gaelic and then Anglo equivalents: 
    the Powers, Fitzgeralds, 
    Devereuxs, Redmonds.
    
    It is possible that the term 'Black Irish' 
    may have referred to some of these immigrant 
    groups as a way of distinguishing them from 
    the 'Gaels', the people of ultimately Celtic 
    origin.
    
    Another theory of the origin of the term 
    'Black Irish' is that these people were 
    descendants of Spanish traders who settled in 
    Ireland and even descendants of the few 
    Spanish sailors who were washed up on the 
    west coast of Ireland after the disaster 
    that was the 'Spanish Armada' of 1588. It is 
    claimed that the Spanish married into Irish 
    society and created a new class of Irish who 
    were immediately recognisable by their dark 
    hair and complexion. There is little evidence 
    to support this theory and it is unlikely 
    that any significant number of Spanish soldiers 
    would have survived long in the war-torn place 
    that was sixteenth century Ireland. It is  
    striking though how this tale is very similar to 
    the ancient Irish legend of the Milesians who 
    settled in Ireland having travelled from Spain.
    
    The theory that the 'Black Irish' are descendants 
    of any small foreign group that integrated with 
    the Irish and survived, is unlikely. It seems 
    more likely that 'Black Irish' is a descriptive 
    term rather than an inherited characteristic that 
    has been applied to various categories of Irish 
    people over the centuries.
    
    One such example is that of the hundreds of 
    thousands of Irish peasants who emigrated to 
    America after the Great Famine of 1845 to 1849. 
    1847 was known as 'black 47'. The potato blight 
    which destroyed the main source of sustenance
    turned the vital food black. It is possible that 
    the arrival of large numbers of Irish after the 
    famine into America, Canada, Australia and beyond 
    resulted in their being labelled as 'black' in 
    that they escaped from this new kind of black 
    death. 
    
    Immigrant groups throughout history have generally 
    been treated poorly by the indigenous population 
    (or by those who simply settled first). 
    Derogatory names for immigrant groups are legion 
    and in the case of those who left Ireland include 
    'Shanty Irish' and almost certainly 'Black Irish'. 
    It is also possible that within the various Irish 
    cultures that became established in America that 
    there was a pecking order, a class system that 
    saw some of their countrymen labelled as 'black'.
    
    The term 'Black Irish' has also been applied to 
    the descendants of Irish emigrants who settled 
    in the West Indies. It was used in Ireland by 
    Catholics in Ulster Province as a derogatory term 
    to describe the Protestant Planters.
    
    While it at various stages was almost certainly 
    used as an insult, the term 'Black Irish' has 
    emerged in recent times as a virtual badge of 
    honour among some descendants of immigrants. It 
    is unlikely that the exact origin of the term 
    will ever be known and it is also likely that it 
    has had a number of different creations depending 
    on the historical context. It remains therefore a 
    descriptive term used for many purposes, rather 
    than a reference to an actual class of people who 
    may have survived the centuries.
    
    ==========================
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    ==========================
    
    ==========================
    PORTRUSH, NORTHERN IRELAND
    by J. Herbert Silverman
    ==========================
    
    The winds blow steadily off the Atlantic and 
    across the sandy dunes along the Antrim coast 
    road. High above the sea stands a tiny pub 
    surrounded by a hedge of twisted blackthorn. 
    Nameless, it is certainly the only 
    establishment of its kind in Ireland - North 
    or South. Here the average drinker will order 
    a large whiskey, down it at the instant and be 
    off - all within ten minutes.
    
    For here stands one of the Emerald Isle's most 
    notable watering spots, a venerable bar on the 
    tenth tee of the Royal Portrush Golf Course, 
    where the phrase 'Make it one for the road' 
    actually means, 'Get on with it to the second 
    nine, there's a foursome behind you.' It may 
    well be the only institution of its kind 
    anywhere that lowers its flag to signal that 
    the bar stocks need replenishing.
    
    In Portrush, the links (by definition, a course 
    along the sea) attract avid golfers as do such 
    nearby attractions as the spectacular Giant's 
    Causeway and Old Bushmills. The latter is the 
    world's oldest licensed  distillery. Often, 
    not surprisingly, both tourists numbering in 
    the thousands and golfers intermingle cheerfully.
    
    To the uninitiated, the Causeway is the place 
    where the legendary Irish folk hero Finn MacCool 
    is said to have crossed the sea between Ireland 
    and Scotland. The astonishing set of basalt 
    columns number in the thousands and stretch 
    from this North Atlantic port to the Hebrides.
    
    It goes without saying that Bushmills is another 
    kind of local attraction. Located on the coast 
    between Tara, one-time capital of Ireland, and 
    Dunseverick Castle, it dates to 1608.
    
    In this historic region, the Royal Portrush Golf 
    Club has helped convert an erstwhile fishing 
    village into a world-famous holiday resort. It was 
    at Portrush that the Irish Open Amateur 
    Championship was inaugurated in 1892. Three years 
    later, Lady Margaret Scott, playing in a long 
    white dress and wearing a broad-brimmed straw 
    skimmer, won the British Ladies Championship here. 
    Both events established the course's reputation 
    as one of the most challenging in Britain.
    
    The links have been laid out on the windward side 
    of the Causeway Road, and from inception were 
    extended further and further onto the sand hills. 
    In some places three terraced levels, created in 
    prehistoric times by the receding of the ocean, 
    have left parallel lines of high hills, plateaus 
    and valleys. The difficulties caused by this 
    touch of nature's handiwork could contribute to 
    the fact that foursomes have been known to reach 
    the end of their tether at the ninth hole and 
    bartender John McLoughlin's hospitable bar.
    
    
    This article is continued in the online 
    edition of this newsletter:
    
    
    https://www.ireland-information.com/apr09.htm#article
    
    
     

    Members take custom and history seriously. The books of clipping about past events would do justice to a newspaper's 'morgue.' A faded letter, framed on a corridor wall, sent from Whitehall in 1908 by an aide to King Edward VII, informed the club president, the Rt. Hon. Lord Macnaghten, that 'I am directed by the Secretary of State that the application of the Port Rush (sic) Golf Club to use the prefix 'Royal' has been graciously acceded to by His Majesty,' who two years later became a patron.

    Another interesting footnote to history is the club's liquor license for its unique alfresco operation. That invaluable document was awarded by one Lord Babington, a distinguished public official who with a 'scratch of a pen' made it all legal. (Oddly enough, he also happened to be president of the club at the time.).

    The opening hours, unlike those of any other bar, are 'totally at the discretion of the bartenders, and indeed if they doesn't want to serve, they don't, said a member. 'In fact, on occasion in the past when someone has had a dram too many, a bartender has been known to take him home on a golf cart.'

    At the fifth hole on the brink of the sea, golfers can handily view another of Antrim's more appealing offshore sights, Rathlin Island. The island, Ireland's largest, is a favorite for sportsmen of a different order, with deep-sea angling for cod, haddock, flounder and mackerel. It's also site of the cave where legend has it that Robert the Bruce hid after his defeat at Perth. Here the Scots soldier saw a spider repeatedly trying to ascend to the cave's roof by a gossamer strand, eventually succeeding in the effort. Bruce was thereby inspired to 'try, try again' to regain the Scottish throne, which he finally did at the Battle of Bannockburn.

    Not to be overlooked is the sixth hole, which is sinking toward the sea. It has been shored up with railway ties and planted with course grass to hold the slopes. Here the sea itself is a hazard as it 'comes up' with the gales off the Atlantic, but golfers at Portrush quickly adjust to such natural intrusions.

    Cattle from a neighboring farm used to roam the fairways until the club bought the acreage. Earlier golfers were also distracted by the sight of the great Clydesdale brewery horses stabled alongside the road near the old clubhouse, a steepled structure resembling a church.

    In the past, the club secretary at Royal Portrush was as distinguished as the course itself. Eric Wainwright, a mustachioed Yorkshire-man and every inch the officer and gentleman, befitting his rank as an RAF squadron leader during WW II came out of retirement several years ago, prompted by the 'boredom of it all,' to take command of what he considered to be one of the finest courses in the British Isles and then re-retired Brothers Hugh and Kenny Gault currently tend the bar.

    Visiting players are welcome to the club, with fees of approximately 125 pounds per person during the week and $140 pounds on weekends apply during high season - March-October.

    Old Bushmills Distillery, a ten-minute drive away, offers a different kind of welcome - a chance to visit a tourist center and museum and taste the magnificent triple-distilled whiskey known as 'Black Bush' while listening to the story of 'Usquebaugh' or 'water of life,' told by the chief guide Valerie Coils While on the tour, you have the choice to taste one of the fine Bushmills whiskeys The picturesque and placid River Bann flows from Lough Neagh,thelargest lake in Ulster, to the rugged Northern Atlantic coast emptying into the ocean at the seaside town of Portstewart.

    On its way, the river passes through the lush countryside of County Antrim and some of the finest farmland in the North of Ireland. The Antrim coast, with the famous Giant's Causeway and its 'stepping' stones extending seaward toward Scotland only 14 miles away, is Northern Ireland's leading tourist attraction. The countryside has its fair share of small hotels, beach resorts and 'bed & breakfasts' to accommodate the thousands of visitors who annually travel up the coast.

    Their destination, this awesome natural phenomenon formed 60 million years ago by cooling molten lava from ancient volcanic explosions. Looking for a place to stay? Just minutes from coast and, of course Bushmills, is the highly recommended is Joey (short for Josephine) King's farmhouse here in the nearby bustling town of Coleraine. This cheerful ebullient cattle breeder has turned an historic farmhouse into an astonishingly comfortable b&b although the term, country inn, might be more applicable. Her wayfaring guests have a chance to experience, at first hand, a touch of Irish farm living and folk history along with delightfully warm hospitality, l9th century style, albeit with some modern amenities such as large bathrooms, color TV and telephones.

    The house, known as Camus (Gaelic for bend in the river), was built in l685 by the Hemphill family, passing to l9th century 'linen lords,' by the name of, owners of mills which produced some of the finest of all Irish fabrics. The estate originally occupied 2,OOO acres. In l9l4, Joey's father purchased it starting what was to become one of Ireland's premier Friesian herds. He sold off some of the land, retaining enough, however, to maintain the family's presence on the river bank and to insure adequate grazing for his herds.

    After WW 11, Joey and her late husband, James, took over the herds and began to specialize in Jersey pedigree stock which produced 'Jersey' cream, that delicious high butterfat product, a major ingredient in authentic high tea.

    It was after James's premature death that Joey decided to take in visitors. 'I like people, and I thought our house would be appreciated by travelers who would enjoy farmhouse living, even though it might only be for a few days,' she says with understandable feeling.

    Guests are made welcome on arrival with tea, possibly warmed with the local Bushmills whiskey and scones with the cream fresh from the cow. Joey serves it in a cozy living room brightened by a fire in a fieldstone fireplace built by James.

    The chimney which twists toward upper gables is an impressive four feet in width and burns ash logs 'which gives no sparks,' Joey notes, 'although we do have smoke detectors and alarms to protect our home, just in case.'

    The furnishings are purely Antrim inspired with l25 horse 'brasses,' intricate handmade saddle decorations that Joey painstakingly shines with Brasso every ten days. There are comfortable period couches, easy chairs, and antique chests and tables as well as a priceless 'gossip' chair' all contributing to a feeling of l9th century home entertaining.

    In an adjacent sitting room, King family memorabilia includes a Georgian hunting table, also known as a 'wake' table, made of mahogany with a pitch pine finish and wooden dowels. It once served a dual function as a desk and end table and occasionally served as the resting place for coffins during funeral vigils.

    Perfectionists might have a problem with the room which has three floor levels, supported by massive pitch pine joists, a product of additions, revisions and repairs over three centuries.

    The house is somewhat of a mélange of architectural styles with a dividing outer stone wall from the original farmhouse separating an addition probably built in the early l8OO's. Upstairs there are five bedrooms, each with basin and hot water, a comfortable bed with electric blanket, plenty of closet room and hangers, and equally refreshing, plenty of lamps for reading and writing. The bath is a shared facility.

    Breakfast is ready at 7 a.m. in order to let guests wander the nearby fields or pet the one cow that remains from the dairy herd. On a sideboard in the dining room there is a choice of fresh fruit and juices. One can enjoy an Ulster 'fry' with eggs and ham or country bacon and tasty wheaten bread. Joey whips up the repast in a huge farm kitchen complete with traditional copper preserving pans and measures, overhead clothes drying racks from the turn of the century and a large corner family table in the corner.

    A series of warming pans hang near the big c

    ook store and can be heated for guests who want some extra warmth before retiring on a chill January evening. Early in the morning one can walk through the dewy tall grass to the nearby banks of the River Bann to cast a line for its resident salmon, trout, pike or perch. With the mist rising from the river, it is one of the more pleasant ways to start the day.

    An ancient graveyard with a 'High Cross' as its centerpiece adjoins the main house. Here lie Hemphills, Bennetts and now Kings.

    The weather beaten stones have epitaphs remembering former Coleraine residents such as Mary, wife of Samuel Patton, dead 25 March l847.

    It reads:
    Farewell my husband and children dear,
    I am not dead but sleeping here.
    My end you know and my grave you see
    Prepare yourselves to follow me.

    Then in another corner of the graveyard there is the marker for Anne Hendry with this lament on a similar theme with some unconscious plagiarism.
    'Weep not for me, my husband dear
    I am not dead but sleeping here
    I rest in faith and hope to rise
    And live with Christ in paradise.

    The grass grows tall in this cemetery. Once sheep kept it trim, but the local authorities, in their infinite wisdom, decreed that it was not a proper show of respect to mow such hallowed ground in this fashion. So all buried here rest among lush greenery.

    Coleraine is easily accessible by excellent highways from Belfast. The Antrim Coast Road drive is akin to a Gaelic version of the Corniche drive along the Mediterranean coast of southern France and passes through the famous Glens of Antrim.

    J. Herbert Silverman
    ========================== KEEP THIS NEWSLETTER ALIVE! Visit: https://www.irishnation.com ========================== =================================================== THE MAYO MEMORIAL PEACE PARK, GARDEN OF REMEMBRANCE by Martin Coyle =================================================== The Mayo Memorial Peace Park, Garden of Remembrance was officially opened in Castlebar, County Mayo, by the President of Ireland Mary McAleese in October 2008. This special and unique Memorial commemorates all the Men and Women from County Mayo who lost their lives in world wars and conflicts over the past century . There is also a special memorial dedicated to remember Mayo born soldiers of the Irish Defence Forces, who died in the Lebanon whilst serving on U.N. Peacekeeping operations. More than eleven hundred young men from Mayo were killed in action in World War One and World War Two. They fought in the uniforms of America, Australia, Britain, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa. The official opening of the Park was a magnificent occasion, with President McAleese being joined by five world ambassadors with two other embassies represented. It brought together probably one of the largest local and international military gatherings in the history of the state. The park is now a tourist and educational amenity for the area. If you have any information on Mayo born Navy, Marines, Army, Air Force, Merchant Navy, Medical Staff, Clergy or Civilians who lost there life as a result of enemy action they would be delighted the committee hear from you. Contact http://www.mayopeacepark.com ========================== KEEP THIS NEWSLETTER ALIVE! Visit: https://www.irishnation.com ========================== ======================= THE GOOSE by Pat Watson ======================= Jim was dreaming that somebody was whinging about freezing feet and the hour of the night and somebody was drilling a hole in his head. Suddenly, he heard the screams. Jumping out of bed he ran down the stairs. He met Victoria, his wife. 'There's a dead bird in my new kitchen.' Then he remembered he had won a live goose at the party last night. His newfound friend John had strangled it and left them both lying in the kitchen. He recovered and staggered up to bed. The goose didn't. John had also drunkenly told him how to pluck it, clean it and prepare it for the oven. 'Don't worry darling I will pluck it and prepare it for cooking.' 'Good' she said frostily. 'I am off to Dublin to collect my parents, the twins are still asleep, I will get breakfast on the road. I couldn't eat here now, I feel nauseous.' Picking up the keys, she left. As he was finishing the Alka-Seltzer, the twins appeared on the stairs. 'Where is Mama? We want our breakfast, we want fried bread sausages and Seven Up.' He gave them bread and jam and milk. This kept them quiet for a little while. He would work quickly and get the goose plucked before they finished. Just three weeks ago, they had moved from Dublin 4 to this beautiful five-bedroom dormer on it's own grounds in Cavan. Victoria had designed the kitchen, with the electric cooker in the middle of the floor under a giant extractor fan. The cooker hob had a large flat surface area. He would do the plucking here. He placed the goose on the cooker, grabbed a bunch of feathers and pulled. Apart from hurting his hand, nothing happened. He would have to pull the feathers one at a time. By the time the twins had finished their breakfast he had extracted twenty-five feathers in an area of two square inches. He was surprised to find that the bloody bird had underwear, lovely and soft but impossible to remove. Then he remembered his old great-grandmother who had spent her last few months in their house when he and his brothers were children. Daft Granny they called her. She spoke a weird language and said silly things like, 'If you get up on an ass, you'll get down on a goose.' Now the penny dropped, even without getting up on the ass he had got the 'down' on the goose. How the hell was he going to get the down off the goose? 'We will help,' said the twins. Wasn't he lucky! Their third birthday was last week. All three were still in their pyjamas. 'Here pull the soft bits, a tiny bit at a time, Jack! Don't throw it at Denis, just put it down.' The Alka-Seltzer wasn't working. He would have to get a hair of the dog, just a short to steady his hands. That helped and after a while the undressing was going well, more flesh was appearing and he and the twins were growing white beards and hair, 'a bit like Santa,' Denis said. The teddy bears on their slippers were also growing beards. The floor too, was turning white, the feathers and down was supposed to stay on the cooker top and not move around. Not to worry, he could easily tidy up afterwards. He hadn't noticed that the twins had gone upstairs to the toilet, to the guest room with grandpa's present, to their own room for the present, back again with grandma's present and to Mammy's room to roll in the lovely soft duvet and of course to see the Christmas tree in the sitting room. They had also got dressed, in a manner of speaking. He was still in his pyjamas and some goose clothing. Now to move the naked bird to the sink for cleaning, oops! He had hit the switch on the extractor fan. Whoosh! It sucked up all the feathers, scrape! The fuses blew, with a sort of sneeze, it threw out all the feathers and down again over a wider area, over everything in the kitchen, the hall, the stairs and everywhere. Three year-olds do not close doors. Leave that for now - get on with the cleaning the bird. How? 'Just put a cut at both ends and pull out the insides' that's what John said. That was easy but Oh! The smell. Was that the goose? No it was burning feathers, in the panic with the fan he had turned on one plate on the cooker. The feathers just crinkled up and turned black, some exploding on to the floor and walls, others caking on to the cooker. He rushed to switch it off, must be bloody voodoo. He didn't see the cat that had come with the house, coming in. Growling, the cat grabbed the entrails and made good his escape into the hall and upstairs leaving a feathery fence around his bloody trail. Fidelma arrived with her parents, Alexandria and Ronald, the retired Judge. All four generations of Ronald's family had been members of the judiciary since his great grandfather came over as legal adviser to the Viceroy. Since then, they had never mingled with anybody from outside the Pale until Victoria had become infatuated with this Cork man. Glancing round the room he observed the devastation, the whiskey bottle and the glass with the feathers stuck to it. Alexandria's worst fears were realised but he always knew the Irish man would revert to class and culture at the first opportunity. 'Cavan was such an opportunity' and he had wasted no time, now he hoped his daughter would see sense and divorce him immediately. Instead, having viewed the scene and seeing the little-boy-lost look on her Jimmy's face she laughed heartily before melting into his feathery arms. The Judge and Alexandria threw arms and eyes heavenward before they too broke into laughter as he picked up the whiskey bottle and reached for fresh glasses from the cabinet. At last they had become Irish. 'The Goose' is one of sixty lyrical yarns from 'Original Irish Stories' by Pat Watson, Creagh, Bealnamulla, Athlone, Ireland. First published in April 2006. To get your copy email the author here: pjwatson@utvinternet.com ========================== KEEP THIS NEWSLETTER ALIVE! Visit: https://www.irishnation.com ========================= =================================== A DREAM OF IRELAND FROM AFGHANISTAN by Rick Ervin =================================== Greetings Ireland and Thank You. It's cold here and it has finally stopped raining. The snow and rain do nothing to add beauty to the land I now walk, at least not from what I see. I write this from Afghanistan, a place filled with despair, ugliness and death. Now... I want to tell you of a place I dream about daily, a place that I consider as my 'Heaven' on earth. It's a land where all of the people that I have met, showed me and my family nothing but kindness, warmth and friendship during our visits. They left me with the feeling of appreciation, appreciation for their traditions and that my ancestors were born of the isle. These past couple years, I came to wish that I had the honor of taking my first breath of life there as well. I thank you for the experiences and sites you gave me. I frequently daydream of the plush green fields and pastures, bordered by narrow two lane roads that wind through the countryside and towns that I traveled. I daydream of the many castles, places that I walked and got lost in imagination - the adventures of history that your island created. I have come to appreciate each opportunity to learn more of your history - history the people give so willingly, and with open arms. I daydream of the simple fragrance of grass or flowers along a roadside. I daydream of your coastlines, watching the waves come in as the sunset shimmers on the water. These are the pictures I carry in my mind. It doesn't matter whether the sky is blue, or torrent gray, I still long to see a land I wish I could call my own. It's easy to daydream of beauty here, when all you see is ugliness. I carry with me many pictures of the green isle, pictures I have taken during my vacations, nay... my visit to sanity, and of course, I carry the Irish flags. Though I was not born unto the country, I try to represent my ancestors with pride. The best part of my daydreams, are getting lost with your traditional music. It's the soothing sound of the music, the voices of your composers that bring a great deal of comfort to me, especially during times of confusion or when one hears the periodic sounds of the war on terrorism. The Celtic Women are my favorite. In closing, I want to say 'Thank You' Ireland, and to it's people. Coming from an old American soldier in an ugly land, it's my memories of your land and it's people that make each day bearable. It's your music that brings me comfort. I am proud my ancestors are of Ireland. May Ireland and it's people always be blessed with happiness and love. Rick Ervin American by birth, of Ireland by ancestry, and currently in Afghanistan. ========================= THE IRISH COINS PROOF SET ========================= The recent limited edition proof set of Irish coins produced by the Irish government is now available. We have a very small supply of these fantastic items which you can get from here: https://www.irishnation.com/irishcoinsandbanknotes.htm =========================== GAELIC PHRASES OF THE MONTH =========================== PHRASE: An bhfuil pian ort? PRONOUNCED: On will peen urt MEANING: Are you in any pain? PHRASE: Gheobhaidh me an bhanaltra duit PRONOUNCED: yo-igg may on bonn-altra dwit MEANING: I will get the nurse for you PHRASE: Beidh an dochtuir anseo gan mhoill. PRONOUNCED: beg on docktoor onshuh gon vwill MEANING: The doctor will be here soon View the archive of phrases here: https://www.ireland-information.com/irishphrases.htm ======================== APRIL COMPETITION RESULT ======================== The winner was: byrnespatricia@bellsouth.net who will receive the following: A Single Family Crest Print (decorative) (US$19.99 value) Send us an email to claim your print, and well done! Remember that all subscribers to this newsletter are automatically entered into the competition every time. ================================================= I hope that you have enjoyed this issue. Until next month, Michael Green, Editor, The Information about Ireland Site. https://www.ireland-information.com Click here to contact us


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