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			IN THIS ISSUE
~~~~~ Foreword
~~~~~ Keep us Free!
~~~~~ New Free resources at the site
~~~~~ News Snaps from Ireland
~~~~~ Stuck for a Christmas Gift Idea?
~~~~~ The Irish in the American Civil War     by Ed McManus
~~~~~ Irish Christmas Traditions
~~~~~ Gaelic Phrases of the Month
~~~~~ Readers Noticeboard: William N Porter
~~~~~ Shamrock Site of the Month: afreeb.com  
~~~~~ Searcher Site of the Month: Geneva
~~~~~ Monthly free competition result

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FOREWORD
~~~~~~~~

Happy Christmas from Ireland! The atmosphere in Dublin is 
building up nicely with incredible scenes of shopping in 
city centre and suburban stores alike. The American 
tradition of placing lights on the outside of houses has 
really exploded this year with certain streets seemingly 
in competition with each other to see which can be the 
brightest!

Traffic is, of course, impossible and if you were to arrive 
in a supermarket this week for your groceries then you could 
expect at least a 1 to 2 hour wait just to queue to pay for 
your goods!

We have set up a number of festive postcards that you can 
send from the site that include Gaelic language greetings, 
see below. We have also republished the article about Irish
Christmas traditions.

Finally, a word of sincere thanks to all those who have 
supported and encouraged us over the last year.

HAVE A GREAT CHRISTMAS AND A SAFE NEW YEAR!

Michael.


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

This newsletter is available on-line at:

https://www.ireland-information.com/dec00.htm

The only way that you could have been subscribed to this
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If you wish to unsubscribe then go here:

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KEEP US FREE!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You can help us to continue supplying free resources and
information from Ireland and it won't cost you a penny!

Simply sign up to receive more great free information:

https://www.ireland-information.com/list.html

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

SEND A CHRISTMAS POSTCARD FROM IRELAND:

Check out the Irish Christmas postcards that you can send 
to your friends. Six to choose from including:

* Nollaig Shona
* An Irish Candle
* Have a Great Christmas!
* The Dancing Santa
* An bhfuil tu go maith?
* Nollaig Shona (again!)

Get sending! Go here:

https://www.ireland-information.com/heraldichall/postcard.htm

NEW COATS OF ARMS ADDED TO THE GALLERY:

The following 14 coats of arms images and family history
details have been added to the Gallery:

A: Archer
B: Behan, Bennett
C: Cooper
D: Daily, Downey
G: Gilpatrick
H: Hannegan
K: Kilroy
M: Martin
S: Shahan, Shanahan, Shannon, Shea

View the Gallery here:

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

We now have over 20,000 worldwide names available.
Get the Coat of Arms Print, Screensaver, Watch, T-Shirt
Transfer, Clock or Claddagh Ring for your name at:

https://www.irishnation.com/familycrestgifts.htm

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

IR£4 BILLION BUDGET BONANZA

The annual announcement of Government financial policy 
(called 'the budget') involved a 4 billion pound giveaway 
as the Irish taxpayer finally reaped some of the rewards 
of the booming economy.

Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy detailed measures that 
were on the one hand designed to keep the public happy, 
whilst on the other trying to keep the rate of inflation 
down. The current rate of inflation has grown to 7% and it 
is seen as imperative that this is reduced in order to 
maintain the pay agreements that have been the foundation 
of the countries economic success.

The main measures of the budget were:

* 2% cut in the each of the 22% and 44% income tax bands
* VAT (a sales tax) has been reduced from 21% to 20%
* Diesel and unleaded petrol prices are down by 7.3p 
  and 2.4p per litre
* Old Age Pensions to rise by IR£10 pushing them over the 
  £100 per week barrier

Mr. McCreevy is determined that the current Government will 
see out its term of office to include the next budget which 
is due in October 2001. He is committed to further reducing 
VAT and to making the national minimum wage of IR£170 per 
week completely free of any tax.

TAXI DRIVERS BLOCKADE DAIL EIREANN AND DUBLIN AIRPORT

In a response to the decision by Minister Bobby Molloy to 
deregulate the Taxi industry, allowing anyone to apply for 
a taxi licence, the various Taxi organisations blockaded 
Dail Eireann in Dublin City Centre as well as Dublin 
Airport.

The lack of taxi service was greeted with dismay by tourists 
who arrived into Dublin after their long journey only to 
find that a crowded bus was their only means of transport to 
their final destination.

The Taxi groups have taken the government to court to try 
to prevent the deregulation of the Taxi industry but it 
appears unlikely that they will be successful and further 
Taxi strikes appear inevitable.

GOVERNMENT TO CALL REFERENDUM ON EU TREATY OF NICE

5 Days of tortuous negotiations among EU leaders finally 
saw Ireland's influence decreased but allowed Ireland to 
maintain control over it's own tax regime. Britain's Tony 
Blair and Ireland's Bertie Ahearn had both been adamant 
that their countries should not have their taxation policy 
dictated by the EU as France in particular had wanted.

12 new countries are expected to join the EU in the next 
10 years including Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic 
who could join as early as 2004. Bertie Ahearn has indicated 
that the arrival into the EU market of over 120 Million 
people presents tremendous trading opportunities for Ireland.

FIRE STRIKES TRINITY COLLEGE

A major fire has struck the Trinity College complex in the 
heart of Dublin City. The Graduates Memorial Building was 
severely damaged in the blaze and may have to be demolished 
as a result of damage sustained to its roof. Fortunately 
there were no injuries and the important works of art that 
were housed in the building have been saved. The College 
has launched an investigation into the cause of the 
destruction.

US PRESIDENT CLINTON GIVEN WARM WELCOME

President Bill Clinton visited Ireland for the third time 
amidst promises that he is willing to become a 'guardian' 
of the northern peace process when he leaves office early 
next year. The President was greeted by cheering crowds 
wherever he went and was even whisked off to visit Bertie 
Ahearn's local pub in Drumcondra, Fagans, where bemused 
local residents were surprised to find Hilary and Chelsea 
wandering the streets shaking hands and generally 
demonstrating the charm that they have become famous for.

Bertie Ahearn had earlier paid a glowing tribute to the 
work of the President in helping the Northern Peace Process. 
He cited the President's ever willingness to become involved 
and caused an unintentional laugh in the packed auditorium 
when he mentioned that Mr. Clinton 'had never seemed to be 
too busy' to try to help out. Even Hilary saw the funny side.

SPORT: O'LEARY TO MOVE TO ITALY?

Italian footballing giants Lazio and Inter Milan are reputed 
to be tracking the progress of Dubliner David O'Leary who is 
the current manager of English side Leeds United. Leeds 
recently defeated Lazio 1-0 in a Champions League qualifier 
and look well placed to progress to the quarter finals. 
O'Leary has made steady progress with his young team and has 
been very active in the transfer market with the pre-season 
capture of Mark Viduka from Celtic for STG£6 Million and of 
defender Rio Ferdinand from West Ham United for STG£18 
Million.

SPORT: ROBBIE KEANE TO LEAVE ITALY?

Speculation is mounting that Irish striker Robbie Keane is 
set to leave Italian team Inter Milan. Approaches from 
Chelsea, West Ham and Manchester City have already been 
rejected with Leeds United emerging as the most likely to 
capture the signature of Ireland's most valuable footballing 
asset.

SPORT: BOXER WAYNE McCULLOUGH GIVEN LICENCE BACK

Irish boxer Wayne McCullough has been given back his boxing 
licence two months after it had been taken away from him on 
the eve of his Belfast homecoming fight. Confusion has 
existed surrounding the exact nature of the cyst that was 
said to be present in McCullogh's brain with doctors not only 
unable to agree over the danger it is likely to cause but 
even if it is present at all.

McCullough won a Commonwealth Games gold medal in 1990, was 
an Olympic silver medalist in 1992 and a world champion in 
1995. It remains to be seen if he will ever box again.

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STUCK FOR A CHRISTMAS GIFT IDEA?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In a spot of bother for a 'hard to buy for' friend or 
relative? Let them choose their own gift with an Irish 
Nation gift certificate. You can even print it directly 
from the web. Problem solved!

Visit: https://www.irishnation.com/irishgiftcertificates.htm

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THE IRISH IN THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR	       by Ed McManus
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When Abraham Lincoln was elected president, some Americans 
of that time thought that with his presidency certain rights
they were holding onto would be threatened. Their main 
right was slavery, and it would be this that would tear 
this country apart. With his election states seceded from 
the United States, the first being South Carolina. Ten 
states would follow, totaling eleven in all.   

On April 12, 1861, the Army of the Confederacy fired shots 
on Fort Sumpter, South Carolina in the harbor of Charleston. 
Lincoln ordered up the military of the day. He asked for 
75,000 volunteers for a period of ninety days.  His guess 
was that the war would be short lived. The Civil War would 
lead to many battles and subsequent deaths, and it would end 
four years almost to the day with the death of our great 
American President, Abraham Lincoln.

Shortly after Sumpter, surnames unfamiliar at the time would 
begin to emerge, such as McClellan, Reynolds, Meade, 
McPherson, Shaw and Meagher, at places from Bull Run to 
Appomattox. These were the commanders. Many of these men 
would go on into the history of their new chosen country, 
America, as winners of our highest medal awarded for 
bravery. The Irish would earn a major portion of the 
Congressional Medals of Honor issued for their moments of 
bravery as they fought on to places that also would have 
very unfamiliar names. 

Ireland's boys traveled throughout the war visiting places 
with names we as Americans hold dear such as Antietam, 
Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, The Wilderness, Cold Harbor and 
others. These would be the towns that they would fight and 
die for and earn the love and respect of a fellow soldier. 
They would die on the field of battle. Many would face the 
hell of Andersonville Prison Camp miles from Ireland where 
they or their parents once fled oppression and hunger.

Soldiers such as Thomas Meagher of County Waterford, Ireland, 
the son of a Mayor, was charged with sedition. Faced with 
being hanged, drawn and quartered a reduced sentence for his 
charges was now to be shipped to Tasmania by England. While 
on board ship and off the coast of Australia, he escaped and 
found his way to America. He organized the famed Irish 
Brigade and led its 63rd, 69th and 88 Regiments into battle. 
These military units were all New York based. The deadly 
gunfire at Antietam in 1862 would cost Meagher a sixty per 
cent casualty rate. Meagher died in. He won the 
Congressional Medal of Honor.

John Reynolds, honor graduate of West Point was a young 
soldier in the Mexican war of 1847. His First Corps was first 
on the scene to assist General John Buford whose cavalry was 
in danger of being crippled by an early advance of southern 
troops at the initial staging at Gettysburg on July 1, 1863. 
He died shortly after his arrival there, leading his men in 
a charge. The Iron Brigade with Meagher leading his Brigade 
was riding right behind Reynolds.

George B. McClellan was the soldier's general. His nickname, 
Little Mac was given him by his troops. Considered too slow 
to act by Lincoln, his strategy often confused the enemy 
confederates. He would go on to run for the presidency 
against Lincoln in 1865.

Robert G. Shaw of Massachusetts would be the only white 
officer given command of all black troops by Lincoln. His 
love of his men and their cause lead him to victory as he 
attacked Fort Wagner off the coast of Charleston, North 
Carolina. He died at Fort Wagner along with half of his 
men, with a bullet in the heart. Shaw won the medal 
posthumously.

George G. Meade would command the Union Army at Gettysburg.
For three days his army would see more than 55,000 men on 
both sides perish, almost the total of American servicemen 
in eleven years in Vietnam. 

George McPherson, a dear friend to all who knew him, died 
on his horse after riding into Confederate troops vowing 
never to surrender. A hero of Vicksburg and Atlanta. He too 
was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously. 

The war ended on April 14, 1865. It seems so odd to some 
people that while Lincoln's election caused the start of 
the war, Abraham Lincoln would later die from an assassin's 
bullet the same month the war ended. The descendants of the 
Irish who fought in the Civil War would go on to lead 
America through many other wars in foreign lands. Because 
of the love they share of freedom, America remains free.  
  
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IRISH QUOTATIONS OF THE MONTH
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

	Let schoolmasters puzzle their brain,
	With grammar, and nonsense, and learning,
	Good liquor, I stoutly maintain,
	Gives genius a better discerning

Oliver Goldsmith, 1728-74 'She Stoops to Conquer'

	'There are two kinds of priests', he declared. 
	'There are priests who made themselves and the 
	kind who are made by their mothers'.

John B. Keane, 1928- 'Letters of an Irish Parish Priest'

	No longer shall our children, like our cattle, 
	be brought up for export.

Eamon de Valera, 1882-1975 speech in Dail Eireann, 1934


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

PHRASE:		Nollaig faoi shéan is faoi mhaise duit!
PRONOUNCED:	Nullig fwee yan iss fwee mway/shih dwit
MEANING:		A prosperous and enjoyable Christmas!

PHRASE:		Nollaig Shona duit
PRONOUNCED:	nullig hunna dwit
MEANING:		Happy Christmas to you

PHRASE:		Athblian shona duit
PRONOUNCED:	ought/bleen hunna dwit
MEANING:		Happy new year to you

View the archive of phrases here:

https://www.ireland-information.com/irishphrases.htm

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READERS NOTICEBOARD
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

JAPANESE RESEARCH PROJECT SEARCHING FOR WILLIAM N PORTER

Can anyone help Peter Flaherty in Japan with a research 
project?

' His name was William N Porter. Apart from his name, all 
other data about him is in Japanese. The transliteration 
in Japanese of his birthplace says 'Wohrinton' or 
'Wellington'. He was born in 1863. He is supposed to have
graduated from a college called 'Mohbura' or 'Moghbourgh'.  
He worked in the shipyard in Belfast, etc. Eventually he 
came to Japan around 1915 and taught at the local university 
here and then disappeared from the face of the earth as 
far as records here are concerned. So far, all our efforts 
to complete the details have hit a wall. '

Peter Flaherty, Associate Professor, Sojo University, Japan
Contact at:   peter@ed.sojo-u.ac.jp

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SHAMROCK SITE OF THE MONTH
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

afreeb.com: Free Competitions, sweeps and more!

Visit at: 

http://www.afreeb.com/index.html?116328

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SEARCHER SITE OF THE MONTH
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Geneva:
An online calendar of GENealogical EVents and Activities

Visit at:
http://users.ox.ac.uk/~malcolm/genuki/geneva/

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SUPPORT THE INFORMATION ABOUT IRELAND SITE
HELP US TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE FREE RESOURCES

Visit our Online Store at:

https://www.irishnation.com

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DECEMBER COMPETITION RESULT
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The winner was: mahonp@wilton.k12.ct.us

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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I hope that you have enjoyed this issue.
Please keep the feedback coming!

Until the next time,

HAVE A GREAT CHRISTMAS!

Michael Green,
Editor,
The Information about Ireland Site.

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