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			IN THIS ISSUE
~~~~~ Foreword
~~~~~ Support us for free
~~~~~ New free resources at the site
~~~~~ News Snaps from Ireland
~~~~~ Irish Christmas Traditions
~~~~~ The Children of Lir - An Irish Legend
~~~~~ Readers Article: An American Irish Talker in Kerry
~~~~~ Shamrock Site of the Month: Brehon Law Project
~~~~~ Searcher Site of the Month: The National Archives
~~~~~ Readers NoticeBoard
~~~~~ Monthly free competition result

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FOREWORD
~~~~~~~~

Hi again from Ireland,

In this months issue we have a wonderful Celtic myth - The
Children of Lir (and how four children were turned into
magical swans).

I am pleased to finally announce that our new Penpal Service
is now live - be sure to give it a visit (see below).

If you are loooking for quality Irish gifts this Christmas
then be sure to visit Artshapes at:


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

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/dec99.htm

PLEASE DO: Feel free to forward this newsletter in its
entirety to anyone you think might be interested. Drop me
a line if you have any queries - I love getting feedback.

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

......but you'll be missing out!

and finally:

HAVE A GREAT CHRISTMAS AND A PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR!

best regards from Ireland,

Michael.


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SUPPORT US FOR FREE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Want to support us, keep us alive? Well you can and it
won't cost you a penny! 

Do the 1,2,......

1. VISIT ARTSHAPES


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


2. VISIT THE LINK BELOW AND SIGN UP FOR MORE
   GREAT INFO, (ITS FREE!):


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


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

CARA: THE IRISH PENPAL SERVICE LAUNCHED

Our new penpal service is now fully active and free for you
to make some new friends.

Visit at:

http://www.irishpenpals.com

NEW COATS OF ARMS ADDED TO THE GALLERY:

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

Barrett Bowen McBride Broderick
Canavan Carson Coleman Condon Cooney Considine McCulllough
Davis Donegan O'Donoghue McDowell
Ennis
Fanning Ferris Fitzgerald Fitzpatrick Foy
Gaffney Glennon Guilfoyle
Hannon Hickey Hogan Horan
McInerney
Keanrs King Kirwan McKean
Leahy Leonard
Mooney Moran
McNamara
Payne
Rochford Redmond O'Riordan
Sharkey O'Shaughnessy
Taylor Traynor
Wolfe Woulfe

View them at:


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

Get the screensaver featuring YOUR family name (or send it
to a friend or relative as a gift) at:


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

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

HISTORIC DEVELOPMENTS IN IRISH PEACE TALKS:

The conclusion of the review fo the Good Friday agreement
 by US Senator George Mitchell has concluded and directly
paved the way for the formation of the new Northern
Ireland Executive.

The following historic events took place:

* Power was ceded by the English Government in Westminister
  by the repeal of the Northern Ireland Act
* The New Northern Ireland Assembly was formed in Ulster
* A new cabinet was formed consisiting of members from Sinn
  Fein, the Ulster Unionists, the SDLP and the DUP (who did
  not take their place)
* The Irish Government removed their territorial claim to
  the North of in the Constitution of Ireland
  (Articles 2 & 3)
* The IRA made contact with the decommissioning body to
  appoint a liaison

The main stumbling point for the future remains the
decommissioning of weapons by the IRA who are annoyed with
the timetables being imposed on them by the Ulster
Unionists. The entire peace process, the assembly and David
Thrimble's position as leader of the UUP rest on the
successful decommissioning of the weapons.

As David Thrimble the Ulster Unionist leader put it:
'We've jumped. Now Mr. Adams - it's over to you'.

£900M POUND TAX CUTS IN LATEST GOVERNMENT BUDGET:

The Irish Fiannce Minister, Charlie McCreevy, has announced
tax cutbacks amounting to over 900 million punds but has
still met with fierce criticism from many quarters about
some of the new measures he introduced:

* Tax Table raised: It is now possible for workers to earn
  IR£110 before they enter the lower tax rate of 22%

* Tax Rates cut: Both the lower and higher tax rates have
  been cut by 2%, to 22% and 44% respectively.

* Tax bands widened: Workers will now enter the higher tax
  rate after earning up to IR£34,000 per annum (but workers
  are now taxed indivisually. The higher threshold for a
  single income family is IR£56,000, some IR£12,000 below
  that of individual workers in a family where there are two
  earners.

* Subsidies for Creches: An IR£40 million package has been
  announced to encourage the building of more child-care
  facilities.

* Travel tax cut: The IR£5 travel tax on all tourists
  leaving the country will be abolished from January 1st.

* Cigarettes: An extra levy of 50 pence per package of
  twenty takes effect immediately.

It is the different treatment of families with only 1 worker
as opposed to 2 that has led to claims that this budget is
'anti-family, anti-women and probably unconstitutional'.

IRISH SOCCER TEAM GET TOUGH WORLD CUP QUALIFYING GROUP

In an example of things going from bad to worse for the
Irish soccer team manager Mick McCarthy, his charges have
landed one of the toughest qualifying groups for World
Cup 2002 in Japan/Korea.

It is bad enough that the Irish team failed in yet another
play-off against Turkey recently (for Euro 2000) but it
now looks as if second place (and a playoff against an Asian
opponent) is the best he can hope for as Ireland were
matched against Holland, Portugal, Estonia, Andorra and
Cyprus in Group 2.

The Irish have a reasonably good record against the in-form
Portugese team but have a very poor recent history when
combatting the Dutch. Whilst Andorra and Cyprus should
provide little resistance it is unlikely that even the
most avid fan would back Mick McCarthys men to beat Estonia
both home and away.

Qualifying starts next year but not before Irish soccer fans
have to look on in envy as Turkey compete in Euro 2000,
knowing that they were only 30 seconds away (in the game
against Macedonia) from being automatic qualifiers
themselves.

BOXER STEVE COLLINS CONTEMPLATES A COMEBACK

Former Irish middleweight champion Steve Colins is planning
a comeback for financial reasons. It remains to be seen if
a license is granted by the boxing authorities.

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IRISH CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ireland, like most countries, has a number of Christmas
traditions that are all of its own. Many of these customs
have their root in the time when the Gaelic culture and
religion of the country were being supressed and it is
perhaps because of that they have survived into modern
times.

THE CANDLE IN THE WINDOW

The placing of a lighted candle in the window of a house
on Christmas eve is still practised today. It has a number 
of purposes but primarily it was an symbol of welcome to
Mary and Joseph as they travelled looking for shelter.

The candle also indicated a safe place for priests to
perform mass as, during Penal Times this was not allowed.

A further element of the tradition is that the candle should
be lit by the youngest member of the household and only be
extinguished by a girl bearing the name 'Mary'.

THE LADEN TABLE

After evening meal on Christmas eve the kitchen table was
again set and on it were placed a loaf of bread filled with
caraway seeds and raisins, a pitcher of milk and a large
lit candle. The door to the house was left unlatched so that
Mary and Joseph, or any wandering traveller, could avail of
the welcome.

THE WREN BOY PROCESSION

During Penal Times there was once a plot in a vilage against
the local soldiers. They were surrounded and were about to
be ambushed when a group of wrens pecked on their drums and
awakened the soldiers. The plot failed and the wren became
known as 'The Devil's bird'.

On St. Stephens day a procession takes place where a pole
with a holly bush is carried from house to house and
families dress up in old clothes and with blackened faces.
In olden times an actual wren would be killed and placed on
top of the pole.

This custom has to a large degree disappeared but the
tradition of visiting from house to house on St. Stephens
Day has survived and is very much part of Christmas.

DECORATIONS:

The placing of a ring of Holly on doors originated in
Ireland as Holly was one of the main plants that flourished
at Christmas time and which gave the poor ample means with
which to decorate their dwellings.

All decorations are traditionally taken down on Little
Christmas (January 6th.) and it is considered to be bad luck
to take them down beforehand.

TRADITIONAL GAELIC SALUTATION

The Gaelic greeting for 'Merry Christmas' is:
'Nollaig Shona Duit'
......which is pronounced as 'null-ig hun-a dit'.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS!

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THE CHILDREN OF LIR: AN IRISH LEGEND
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There was a time in ancient Ireland when the people believed
in magic and in druids and spells. These were the days of
the Tuatha De Danann tribe, the Goddess Danu and of Lir, the
lord of the sea.

Lir's wife, Eva, had given him four beautiful children. The
two eldest, Fionnuala and Aodh, went swimming in a small
lake. But these were no ordinary swimmers! They possessed
gills for breathing and webbed feet as they were, after all,
the offspring of 'the ruler of the land beneath the waves'.

They met a messenger who told them that they were wanted by
their father. They went home immediately only to find their
father disturbed.

'What is wrong father?' they enquired
'Your mother has given birth to twins....' he replied
'....and has gone off to rest'
'What do you mean father?' they asked

Lir explained that this was what humans called 'death' but
 that since they were immortal that their mother had gone
to recover, possibly for a thousand years or more. The
children were to look after the new brothers, Fiachra and
Conn.

The children kissed their mother for the last time and
then left.

As the children grew Lir's spirits declined until one day he
met Aiofe, the sister of his wife. Aoife was possessed of
magical powers and soon enough it was known that she and Lir
would marry. The new family thrived under the influence of
their new mother but not for long as guilt and jealousy
about the childresn real mother took its toll on Aoifes
health. She fell into sickness for a year but recovered only
to start to become old before here time.

Aoife was a changed woman now and one day suggested that she
and the children should visit their grandfather. On the
journey they stopped by a lake and she encouraged the
children to go for a swim. The four children played happily
in the water, not noticing that their stepmother was now
standing at the waters edge wearing her fathers magic cloak.

'For too long you children have stood between your father and
I, but not for much longer!'
she cried

'We cannot be killed by you...' Aodh replied,
'...we are the Children of Lir and if you harm us our ghosts
will haunt you!'

'I’m not going to kill you.....' she shouted
'......but I am going to change you!'


At this she bowed her head and started an inacntation. The
children looked at each other in fear as they saw a red and
gold circle envelope them on the water. They saw Aoife open
up her cloak from which the great light of a fireball emerged
and hurtled towards them, burning all in its wake.

The fireball hit the water and caused masses of steam to
rise about the children and they soon lost all feeling in
their legs, arms, shoulders and head. They soon regained
their sight only to see Aoife laughing at them. Aodh tried
to attack her and flailed his arms about furiously but
nothing happened except the splashing of water. He turned to
look at his brothers and sister only to see that they had
all been turned intot the most beautiful swans ever seen.

Aoife scowled at them again and told them that they were to
spend nine hundred years as swans, three hundred on Lough
Derravaragh, three hundred on the Straits of Moyle and three
hundred on the Isle of Inish Glora. To end the spell they
would have to hear the bell of the new God. 

'I leave you with your voice however, and the most beautiful
singing ever heard' she said.

Lir searched for his children that day, but Aoife told him
that they had been attacked and killed by wild boars.
Fionnuala, now in swan form, approached her father and told
him what Aoife had done. Lir was furious and banished Aoife
into exile as an evil demon of the air.

Lir faithfully visited his children and the power of his
love ensured that their timeon the lake was one fo bliss. He
knew thousgh that the 300 years of the first phase had passed
and that the next phase of the spell was about to begin. The
swans left for the Straits of Moyle, never to see their
father again.

Their time on the Northern Straits of Moyle were not so
joyous, with frequent storms separating them, only for they
to join up again. Another 300 years passed but they had
survived together.

They departed the cold straits and made their way towards
Lough Derravaragh. They flew over th land, hoping to find
their father's fort, but it was now nothing more than ruins.
They wept because they knew the time of the
Tuatha De Danann was gone.

They travelled West to the waters of Inish Glora and found
refuge on a small saltwater lake where time passed solowly.
One day an old man named Mochua visited the lake and the
children enquired of hiim if he was a follower of the new
God. The startled man asked if they were the children of Lir
and they told him that they were.

'Are you a holy man?' asked Fiacra.
'I am...' came the reply '

The children knew that to break the spell that they would
have to hear the bell of a new God toll in their own land.

Mochua told them all about his new God and all about Saint
Patrick who had brought his faith to their country.

The children became excited as they knew that this was the
new god their stepmother had told them of. They stayed with
Mochua for many years who gave them sanctuary in a small
chapel which he had built. He intended to make a bell and
collected old swords, shileds and other metal to make it.
The bell was now completed and was about to be rung when
another disaster occurred.

A Warrior dressed in armour entered the chapel. He had come
for the children who were famed for their wonderful singing.

'I am Liargren, King of Connaught' he shouted,
'My wife desires those swans and I will have them...
...give them here or I wil tear this building down.'

Fionnuala looked at Mochua and then siad that they would
agree to go away with this King. Liargen was amazed to hear
her speak but soon composed himself and ordered his men to
take the children away. They were being loaded onto a carraige
when suddenly, the church bell tolled loudly.

Time seemd to stand still, but in another instant a great
white mist had been blown off the nearby lake and enveloped
the children as it had done 900 years before. The mist
changed into all of the colours of the rainbow before a great
wind gusted it away.

The children had at last been transformed back into human
form.

Liagren fled immediately, never to return. Mochua baptized
the beautiful children who had begun to age rapidly  and so
it was that the children of Lir, the last of the
Tuatha De Danann died soon afterwards, their legend to live
on forever.

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AN AMERICAN IRISH TALKER IN KERRY
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dia dhuit,
  
My wife and I, with my brother and his wife, went back
'home' to Ireland last September. While in Killarney in a
pub (naturally), I was overheard talking Irish to the
bartender by a newspaperman.

He was astounded that a Yank could speak the 'Language of
Kings'. I gave him an interview and he was just amazed!
Although I speak with the Donegal accent, nevertheless he
thought that it was amazing that Irish was spoken in America.

Not too hard to understand. I grew up in the rural farming
community of Newry Township, where all our neighbors were
Irish. Our Catholic Parish was St. Mary's, and we usually
had very Irish priests there.  At wakes and weddings we all
spoke the Irish.  My wife is Irish too. I cherish that
tradition and am very proud to be an Irishman.

Slan,

Stan and Ann (McGee) Coughlin

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

BREHON LAW PROJECT:

'Irish law is the oldest, most original, and most extensive
of mediaeval European legal systems. It is a unique legal
inheritance, an independent indigenous system of advanced
jurisprudence that was fully evolved by the eighth century.
It is also far less well known than it deserves.'

Put that right with a visit:
 

http://www.brehon.org

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

THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF IRELAND:

The National Archives of Ireland is one of the most
significant resources for genealogists, professional and
amateur alike, in researching their family history.

Visit at:


http://www.nationalarchives.ie/

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READERS NOTICEBOARD:

The Irish Center of Southern California is a non-profit
organization dedicated to promoting Irish culture in our
local community. We are collecting donations for The Irish
Center of Southern California’s annual St. Patrick’s Day
fundraiser and are counting on your support for our
March 11, 2000 silent auction.

Visit here for more: http://www.irishcenter.org

Eileen Donovan
Irish Center of Southern California
1931 W. Glenoaks Blvd.
Glendale, CA 91201

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SUPPORT THE INFORMATION ABOUT IRELAND SITE
HELP US TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE FREE RESOURCES BY TAKING
ADVANTAGE OF THESE SPECIAL OFFERS

* Get YOUR Irish family name Screensaver:
  Kelly, Murphy, Sullivan.... over 750 names now available
  Only US$10 with free bonuses
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* Report: How to start the search for your Irish roots,
  Only US$9
  To order visit here:

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* Tourist Report: Ireland, 100 Places to See, 500 Places to
  Stay. Only US$9
  To order visit here:

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or visit our Gift Shop at:


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

The winner was: leannmurphy@hotmail.com
who will receive the following:

Our 6-Pack of Irish Screensavers (US$42 value)

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/


michael@ireland-information.com