Author: Michael Green

Michael Green is Manager of The Information about Ireland Site
News from Ireland1 Comment

Irish Constitution to be Changed in Radical Shake-Up

Michael Green

A ‘Convention on the Constitution’ Committee is meeting to make several recommendations to the Government so that the Irish Constitution can be changed. The Committee is made up of 66 members of the Irish public, chosen by random, with 33 politicians from various political parties and a chairman making up the 100 strong group. The first order of business they faced was whether to leave the voting age at 18 years or to lower it to 17 or 16 years. They may also vote on reducing the term of the Presidential office from 7 years to 5 years. As many … Continue reading Irish Constitution to be Changed in Radical Shake-Up

ArticlesLeave a comment

Origin of the Song ‘Danny Boy’

Michael Green

The famous Irish song ‘Dannny Boy’ is one of over 100 songs composed to the same tune. The author was the English lawyer, songwriter and entertainer, Frederic Edward Weatherly (1848-1929). He wrote the lyrics to Danny Boy in the year 1910 but only used the traditional tune when he was sent the ‘Londonderry Air’ by his sister-in-law in 1912. The song was republished in 1913. Alfred Perceval Graves was a friend of Weatherly but the two fell out when Graves claimed that his friend had stolen some of the lyrics that Graves himself had written for the song. The tune … Continue reading Origin of the Song ‘Danny Boy’

News from Ireland1 Comment

1916 Easter Rising Building Saved from Demolition

Michael Green

The ‘Save No 16 Moore Street’ Committee has called on the Irish Government to provide funding for the restoration of a building in Dublin City Centre that is central to the story of the Easter 1916 Rising. The unassuming building that is just yards from Henry Street and the GPO was the location where the leaders of the Easter 1916 Rebellion decided to surrender their arms to the overwhelming British forces that were stacked against them. The Committee hopes that the building will be restored and turned into a museum in time for the 1916 centenary commemoration in three years … Continue reading 1916 Easter Rising Building Saved from Demolition

News from Ireland6 Comments

Potential Disaster for Ireland if UK Opts Out of European Union

Michael Green

The amount of genuine ‘Euro-skepticism’ that really exists in the United Kingdom is about to be put to the test. The UK has always had a vocal faction who are very unhappy with the EU. This skepticism ranges from those who want to have their London parliament retain more of its power rather than ceding ever-more to Brussels, to those who want the UK out of the European Union altogether. British Prime Minister David Cameron has announced that, should his Conservative party be re-elected, a referendum will be held in the UK by 2017. The vote will likely include a … Continue reading Potential Disaster for Ireland if UK Opts Out of European Union

News from Ireland1 Comment

‘Drink and Drive’ Permits Sought by Irish Politician

Michael Green

Kerry County Councillor Danny Healy-Rae has called for a special permit to be given to rural people to allow them to visit their local pub, have a few drinks and then drive home without fear of prosecution. Successive Irish Governments have enabled a big crackdown on the ‘drink and drive’ culture over the last decade. The blood-alcohol limit has been reduced significantly on a number of occasions and there is now much greater enforcement of the laws. An Garda Siochana (Irish Police) can now breathalyse any driver in any situation – no ‘please walk a straight line’ test is needed. … Continue reading ‘Drink and Drive’ Permits Sought by Irish Politician

News from IrelandLeave a comment

Unionists May Call Bluff On Sinn Fein Over United Ireland Referendum

Michael Green

In a surprise development Democratic Unionist Minister Arlene Foster has suggested that her party may actually support Sinn Fein’s call for a vote on a United Ireland – the ‘border poll’. Sinn Fein have recently begun a campaign to have a border poll held in Northern Ireland to decide if a majority still want to stay within the United Kingdom. The Republican party have been boosted by recent census statistics that have revealed a big reduction in the overall size of the majority of Protestants in Ulster. The party has repeatedly said that it wants a referendum held in advance … Continue reading Unionists May Call Bluff On Sinn Fein Over United Ireland Referendum

History, News from Ireland, PeopleLeave a comment

Ned Kelly, Irish-Australian Outlaw Finally Laid to Rest

Michael Green

The infamous Irish bushranger Ned Kelly has been buried in an unmarked Australian grave some 132 years after his death. Despite being hanged in 1880 it was not until 2011 when DNA evidence from one of his living relatives was matched against bones and remains found in a derelict Melbourne Jail that any funeral could take place. For a time there was a legal wrangle over the ownership of the remains but in the end his descendants won the right to give him the Catholic burial he is said to have wanted. A crowd of over 500 people turned up … Continue reading Ned Kelly, Irish-Australian Outlaw Finally Laid to Rest