°´°*ø,¸¸,ø*°´°*ø,¸¸,ø*°´°*ø,¸¸,ø*°´°*ø,¸¸,ø*°´°*ø

		IN THIS ISSUE
~~~ Foreword
~~~ Keep us Free!
~~~ News Snaps from Ireland
~~~ New Free Resources at the Site
~~~ Next Week's Winning Irish Draw Numbers
~~~ A Passion for Wood-Carving by Andrea Santillo
~~~ Cara Irish Penpals News
~~~ Famous Irish Songs: She Moved Through The Fair
~~~ My Trip to Ireland 	by Claudia Bacigalupo
~~~ Gaelic Phrases of the Month
~~~ Monthly free competition result

°´°*ø,¸¸,ø*°´°*ø,¸¸,ø*°´°*ø,¸¸,ø*°´°*ø,¸¸,ø*°´°*ø


FOREWORD
~~~~~~~~
Hi again from Ireland where there is outrage! 
At the soaring cost of living caused by the 
introduction of the EURO? 
At the continuing problems in the Health Service?
At the increase in University Registration fees/

No not at all!!

The outrage is caused by the fact that future 
Irish Soccer International matches have been 
sold to British broadcaster SKY Television 
who will now charge Irish fans for the privilege 
of viewing their own team!

For shame.

The Gaelic Phrases of the Month Section has been 
reintroduced into the newsletter after many 
requests. We'll never remove it again. Honest!

Until next month, wherever you are, Stay Safe!

Michael


WE REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY 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/jul02.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

°´°*ø,¸¸,ø*°´°*ø,¸¸,ø*°´°*ø,¸¸,ø*°´°*ø,¸¸,ø*°´°*ø


KEEP THIS NEWSLETTER ALIVE!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GET YOUR FAMILY CREST NOW!

JULY ONLY! Get a free family crest watch with 
every Family Crest Ring!

Get you Christmas Gift Shopping over with now 
- see here:

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

Authentically researched and reproduced and backed 
up by a lifetime guarantee our family crest prints, 
rings, watches and more make the perfect gift for 
a friend or relative - or get them for yourself!

New Product: Family Crest Plaques with 4 hand 
painted metal shields (Husband's name, Wife's 
name, Maiden name of Husband's mother, Maiden name 
of Wife's mother)

Go here to find out more:

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

°´°*ø,¸¸,ø*°´°*ø,¸¸,ø*°´°*ø,¸¸,ø*°´°*ø,¸¸,ø*°´°*ø


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

THE EURO OVERTAKES THE DOLLAR

The EURO has finally reached parity with the US 
Dollar. Recent developments have resulted in the 
new currency gaining 13% on its transatlantic 
partner since the start of the year. The 
corporate shocks that have rocked the US economy, 
including Enron and Worldcom, have done little to 
help the US recovery from recession and although 
the overall outlook for the American economy is 
good the effect on the Dollar has been dramatic.

The EURO last traded above parity with the US 
Dollar shortly after it was launched but now 
seems set to reach 1.03 of the value of the 
greenback or even beyond that amount, depending 
on Stock market sentiment and the degree to 
which the US Administration can reassure 
investors.

All of this is very bad news for US tourists who 
plan to visit Ireland as their currency will 
simply not go as far as it used to. Irish 
exporters are also very unhappy about the surge 
in value of the EURO as it makes their products 
much more expensive to export and thus results 
in a loss of competitiveness.

The Irish economy is already struggling with an 
inflation rate that is twice the European average 
at 4.4% and with public service unions demanding 
large pay increases there are worrying times 
ahead.

CRACKDOWN ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION

The newly appointed Minister for Justice, Michael 
McDowell, has wasted no time in cracking down on 
the number of illegal immigrants that are 
entering the country. A dawn raid has recently 
resulted in the arrest of over 60 foreign 
nationals, mostly Romanian and Nigerian, who are 
now expected to be deported.

The new Minister also plans to close the loophole 
that allows parents of a child born in the State 
to remain with their child, even if they are not 
Irish citizens. In recent years Maternity 
Hospitals have been inundated with foreign 
mothers-to-be who are in the late stages of 
pregnancy and who fully expect the birth of their 
child to entitle them to stay in Ireland. Ireland 
is the only European country with this provision 
and the Minister plans to block it off completely.

Distinction should be drawn, he recently stated, 
from genuine asylum seekers who are in fear for 
their lives and from economic migrants, many of 
whom have no right to be here.

LANDMARK IRA APOLOGY TO INNOCENT VICTIMS

The IRA has unexpectantly apologised to the 
hundreds of 'non-combatants' who died during the 
last 30 years of the troubles in Northern Ireland. 
In their Statement they said that the peace 
process 'includes the acceptance of past mistakes 
and of the hurt and pain we have caused to 
others'. 

The various Unionist parties have rejected the 
statement saying that it did not go far enough 
and did not include words to the effect that 'the 
war is over'. The English and Irish Governments 
however, have welcomed the statement as being of 
huge and historic significance.

MAJOR SPORTING EVENTS FOR TERRESTRIAL TELEVISION

The Football Association of Ireland has reacted 
to the tremendous support given to the Irish 
Soccer team in the recent World Cup in Japan 
and South Korea by selling the broadcasting 
rights of future home games to SKY Television 
for EURO 7.5 Million, and thereby making the 
viewing of these matches unavailable to the 
majority of fans.

Needless to say the various supporter's clubs 
have reacted with outrage and have threatened 
legal action.

The Government has responded too and is preparing 
a list of major sporting events that must be shown 
on freely available terrestrial television 
stations.

It remains to be seen if the new legislation can 
scupper the deal that the FAI has struck with SKY 
and ensure that the forthcoming European 
Championship and World Cup qualifying matches 
are free to view.

CATHOLIC CHURCH REFUSES TELEPHONE SPIRES

Despite the crisis in its finances the Catholic 
Church in Ireland has refused a deal that would 
have seen mobile phone antennae placed on 
strategically located church spires.

The deal could have earned each of the Church's 
200 parishes over EURO 50,000 annually each.

The Protestant Church of Ireland already has 
telephone equipment located on some of its 
Chapels.

IRISH SCIENTISTS WORK ON BIONIC EYE

Scientists working in the University College 
of Cork are developing a bionic eye, a 
microchip device that is implanted into the 
retina, that it is hoped will be of great value 
to the 65,000 Irish people who suffer from 
retinal degenerative disease.

IRISH ARE AMONG THE WORLDS WORST TOURISTS

A recent survey has indicated that the Irish are 
among the world's most unwelcome and badly behaved 
tourists. Only visitors from Britain and Israel 
are worse behaved. 16 tourist offices in popular 
worldwide destinations were surveyed and tourists 
were judged on the basis of politeness, money 
spent, willingness to speak the local language 
and to try local cuisine. 

Of the 24 nationalities that were ranked, visitors 
from Germany were regarded as the most desirable 
whilst tourists from Britain as the least so.

 
Voice your opinion at these news issues here:

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

°´°*ø,¸¸,ø*°´°*ø,¸¸,ø*°´°*ø,¸¸,ø*°´°*ø,¸¸,ø*°´°*ø


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

NEW COATS OF ARMS ADDED TO THE GALLERY:

The following 8 coats of arms images and family
history details have been added to the Gallery:

C: Clarkson
D: Druery
G: Gaffney, Gill
H: Hollingsworth
Q: McQuiggan
S: Samson, Seagraves

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, Claddagh Ring,
Screensaver, Watch, T-Shirt Transfer or Clock for
your name at:

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

NEWSLETTER FORUM

Voice your opinion at the Newsletter Forum here:

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

°´°*ø,¸¸,ø*°´°*ø,¸¸,ø*°´°*ø,¸¸,ø*°´°*ø,¸¸,ø*°´°*ø



°´°*ø,¸¸,ø*°´°*ø,¸¸,ø*°´°*ø,¸¸,ø*°´°*ø,¸¸,ø*°´°*ø


CARA IRISH PENPALS NEWS

Many thanks to those Penpals who have upgraded. 
Upgrading allows you to upload a picture of 
yourself for viewing by prospective penpals at 
the website as well as being able to receive the 
list of the '50 newest penpals'.

Another benefit of upgrading is that you may have 
your listing shown in this newsletter. Here are a 
batch of the most recent Penpals who have helped 
to keep this service alive:

Name: Margaret (full name available at the website)
City, Country: Hampshire, UK
Age: 46
Interests: Going to see live gigs - all kinds of 
good music, reading, socialising 
Message: I'd like to make some friends around the 
world.

Name: Mary (full name available at the website)
City, Country: Liverpool, UK
Age: 36
Interests: Barry's tea (lots of it!!), Kelly (my 
cat!),kids, telly, life, friends, etc
Message: Born of Irish father,lived Newry for 16 
months,please end HOMEsickness & get in touch

Name: James (full name available at the website)
City, Country: Dublin, Ireland 
Age: 29 
Interests: HELLO :) I am James, Ireland is my 
birthplace and home...send me a mail? :)

Name: Kieran (full name available at the website)
City, Country: Tipperary, Ireland
Age: 25 
Interests: Sports of all types, partying & having 
fun generally. Sketching portraits, reading, etc. 
Message: A guy who loves to laugh & make others 
laugh with me.

Looking for a penpal to communicate with, either 
by email or 'snail-mail'? If you are then the 
first thing you need to do is to sign up for 
our FREE penpal service at:

 http://www.irishpenpals.com

°´°*ø,¸¸,ø*°´°*ø,¸¸,ø*°´°*ø,¸¸,ø*°´°*ø,¸¸,ø*°´°*ø


A PASSION FOR WOOD CARVING      by Adrea Santillo

Foreword: This article is about Michael Quirke who 
is a famous woodcarver from Sligo. He has been 
featured in many magazines and on television. We 
have spent many a visit discussing many topics 
which includes local and world issues.

~~~

When a visitor enters his shop, Michael is busy 
carving, not thick slabs of beef, but wood. His 
working life may have began as a butcher but there 
was a time when cutting carcasses no longer filled 
the void which creativity demanded.

Now ash, sycamore and beech in various sized 
pieces are scattered, waiting for the master's 
hands to turn inert objects into magic. He speaks 
as he works, telling tales which will take shape 
as the chisel reveals what lays trapped in each 
piece.

The saw that cuts through these sections is the 
only real link with the past when this was his 
butcher's shop. The tools that he uses are 
modified to fill the needs of a trade which have 
brought the world to this denizen of Sligo town, 
a place where Quirkes from Cork have settled and 
remained. 

As he puts it 'There are no skeletons in this 
closet'. Heroes, monsters, queens and goddesses 
are fodder for this genius in wood. Each is not 
carved but brought to life with all attributes 
intact. The shop windows where once cuts of meat 
were displayed, now are filled with objects that 
amaze with the brilliance of their creation. Many 
people have stopped only to be drawn into inside.

Some come to buy, place an order, to chat or 
simply ask a question. A stack of books, well 
thumbed and well used constitutes his library which 
is an annex to the one at home. A Calendar adorns 
the walls, the world comes to him and since he 
dislikes travel, he need not venture beyond Wine 
Street.

What catches the eye are the books which contain 
articles and photographs to which one is prompted 
to look in this archive of achievement. Tourists 
may be few on the ground but there are enough 
local orders to keep this man busy, happy in his 
work as perhaps no other.

Michael forsees no retirement, with hands eager to 
extract that blend of myth and history so lacking 
in the media driven society. Under his care, they 
all come to life and each stands as a product of 
skill married to imagination.

Andrea Santillo

°´°*ø,¸¸,ø*°´°*ø,¸¸,ø*°´°*ø,¸¸,ø*°´°*ø,¸¸,ø*°´°*ø


FAMOUS IRISH SONGS: SHE MOVED THROUGH THE FAIR

This is a very old Irish romantic song. Apart from 
featuring on several television ads it was also 
sung by Julia Roberts to Liam Neeson in the film 
'Michael Collins'.

~~~~

She Moved Through the Fair

My young love said to me, 'My mother won't mind
And my father won't slight you for your lack of 
kind.'
And she stepped away from me and this she did say
It will not be long, love, till our wedding day.'

As she stepped away from me and she moved through 
the fair
And fondly I watched her move here and move there
And then she turned homeward with one star awake
Like the swan in the evening moves over the lake.

The people were saying, no two e'er were wed
But one had a sorrow that never was said
And I smiled as she passed with her goods and her 
gear
And that was the last that I saw of my dear.

Last night she came to me, my dead love came in
So softly she came that her feet made no din
As she laid her hand on me and this she did say
'It will not be long, love, 'til our wedding day.'


Listen to the tune to this and other famous Irish 
songs here:

 https://www.ireland-information.com/irishmusic/

°´°*ø,¸¸,ø*°´°*ø,¸¸,ø*°´°*ø,¸¸,ø*°´°*ø,¸¸,ø*°´°*ø


MY TRIP TO IRELAND 	by Claudia Bacigalupo

I am just returning from my first trip to Ireland.  
Oh my goodness!!! What an absolutely beautiful 
country. We were 6 days in County Cork. Rented a 
car and drove around. 3 days in Kinsale. One night 
at Jim Edwards, 2 nights at Kerins Folkhouse. We 
took in a lot while there.  

The town itself is so colorful...buildings and 
people both. Walked over to James Fort along the 
waterside path, drove out to Smith Fort, toured 
Castle Kinsale, and I think we were in just about 
every shop there in town. The pubs are great!!  

Drove along the R600 to Glengariff through Bantry.  
Stopped at Bantry House. What a spectacular place. 
The gardens a quite lovely and, the view of the 
house with the Bay in the background from atop 
the garden stairs...well what can I say?  Stayed 
the night at a farmhouse at the foot of Sugarloaf 
Mountain in Glengariff. Took the ferry out to 
Garinish Island....a MUST see. Drove towards 
Killarney to Muckrose House. There we took the 
carriage ride to the waterfalls and took the house 
tour.

From there we drove through Cork to Innishannon. 
Next day went to Blarney...yes, we kissed the 
Blarney Stone....after our long trek up the 
winding stairs. The view from atop the castle is 
one to behold. Then on to Cobh.  Heritage Station 
Museum. From there we went back to Kinsale for a 
few hours and then to the hotel at the Kinsale 
airport for our last night.

What a trip.  Can't wait to go back again. Next 
time I believe we will tour the western side.

Love your newsletter!!!

Thank you

Claudia Bacigalupo

°´°*ø,¸¸,ø*°´°*ø,¸¸,ø*°´°*ø,¸¸,ø*°´°*ø,¸¸,ø*°´°*ø


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

PHRASE:		Is maith an t-anlann an t-ocras. 
PRONOUNCED:	Iss mot on tawn/lawn on tuck/russ?
MEANING:		Hunger is a good sauce 

PHRASE:		An bhfuil ocras ort?  
PRONOUNCED:	On will uck/russ urt?
MEANING:		Are you hungry?

PHRASE:		Níl. Ach tá tart orm.                   
PRONOUNCED:	Kneel. Ock taw tart ur/um
MEANING:		No, but I am thirsty


View the archive of phrases here:

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

°´°*ø,¸¸,ø*°´°*ø,¸¸,ø*°´°*ø,¸¸,ø*°´°*ø,¸¸,ø*°´°*ø


JULY COMPETITION RESULT
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The winner was: vburns@twcny.rr.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. 

°´°*ø,¸¸,ø*°´°*ø,¸¸,ø*°´°*ø,¸¸,ø*°´°*ø,¸¸,ø*°´°*ø


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

Until the next time,

Stay Safe!

Michael Green,
Editor,
The Information about Ireland Site.

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