Looted Irish Treasure Recovered in Britain
A hoard of treasure including medieval silver coins, some military items and a Bronze-Age axe and spear-head that were looted from Ireland have been recovered and returned to the National Museum of Ireland. The use of metal detectors in Ireland requires a licence. It is suspected that several people searched for and found the historical treasures between 2009 and 2012 and removed them illegally. Some 899 items were removed from the County Tipperary area, a location that was already in the news this year for the discovery of a 17th Century Pot of Gold Found in the Foundations of an … Continue reading Looted Irish Treasure Recovered in Britain
Divisions In Irish Government Over Abortion Laws
The Fine Gael and Labour Coalition Government are committed to implementing legislation on foot of the X-Case. This 1992 Irish Supreme Court case confirmed that a woman was entitled to an abortion in Ireland if her health was threatened. This included the risk to her health of suicide and it is this provision that is causing so much trouble for the Government. Fine Gael are perhaps the most conservative of the larger political parties in Ireland with many of their T.D.’s (members of the Irish Parliament) being from rural districts. Some of their Dublin T.D’s are now also very concerned … Continue reading Divisions In Irish Government Over Abortion Laws
Rip-Off-Ireland Shedding Its Expensive Image
The perception that Ireland had become a very expensive country – a rip-off Republic – emerged during the Celtic Tiger boom era of the 1990s and early part of the current century. Photo From Free Public Domain Photographs With near full employment (only 4% unemployment at the height of the prosperity – now unemployment is over 14%), staff could afford to pick and choose their jobs, pushing up prices, offering poor value, inflating business costs. How things have changed. With the Tiger slain the economic crisis that nearly sank the country in 2008 and 2009 has seen earnings plummet, taxes … Continue reading Rip-Off-Ireland Shedding Its Expensive Image
Gay Marriage Referendum Recommended For Ireland
The ‘Convention on the Constitution’ Committee that is meeting to recommend changes to the Irish Constitution has voted in favour of legalizing Gay Marriage in Ireland. The Committee is comprised of 66 members of the Irish public, who were chosen by random, with 33 politicians from the various political parties and a chairman making up the 100 strong group. The Committee voted by a margin of 79 to 19 in favour of recommending the Constitution be changed to allow Gay Marriage. The Government is now obliged to have a Parliamentary debate on the subject within four months and to then … Continue reading Gay Marriage Referendum Recommended For Ireland
UNICEF Ranks Ireland Tenth Best For Kids
A report by UNICEF has provided mixed news for Irish parents with its findings ranging from very good to seriously bad. The report listed an average rank in the four elements of child well-being: material well-being, health, education, and behaviours and risks. The report examined data from 2001 to 2010 for 29 developed OECD countries and ranked The Netherlands, Norway, Iceland, Finland and Sweden at the top of the list with the UK in 16th place and the US in 21st place. The listing of Ireland in 10th place is relatively good but does however mask some shortcomings in the … Continue reading UNICEF Ranks Ireland Tenth Best For Kids
Rebellion in Labour Party Might Suit Fine Gael
The Irish Government Coalition of Fine Gael and the Labour Party looks very unlikely to run its full term despite the insistence of the two Party leaders. Rarely has a Political Party leader looked in so much peril of removal as does Eamon Gilmore at this moment. To the despair of his Labour Party colleagues it is their Party who are taking the lions’s share of the blame for the never-ending austerity measures that the current Government is imposing. Never mind the fact that the policies now being implemented were first started by the previous Fianna Fail administration. Never mind … Continue reading Rebellion in Labour Party Might Suit Fine Gael
Milo O’Shea: More than just the ‘Irishman with the Eyebrows’
Milo O’Shea: More than just the ‘Irishman with the Eyebrows’ The famed Irish actor Milo O’Shea has died. He was a renowned performer and had a marvellous career on both stage and screen. Born in Dublin in 1926 his parents were both entertainers, his father a professional Singer and his mother a Harpist and Ballet Dancer. His earliest role was in a radio production of ‘Oliver Twist’ when he was just ten years old. Encouraged by his parents he pursued his dream of being an actor and left for America. Like so many aspiring actors his ‘day-job’ was a lot … Continue reading Milo O’Shea: More than just the ‘Irishman with the Eyebrows’