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  The Information about Ireland Site Newsletter 
                  February 2010
 
 The Newsletter for people interested in Ireland 
   Now received by over 50,000 people worldwide 
       https://www.ireland-information.com 
           https://www.irishnation.com
               Copyright (C) 2010  

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		IN THIS ISSUE

=== News Snaps from Ireland 
=== New free resources at the site
=== 10 Little Pieces of Dublin
=== An Evening in Lisdoonvarna by Kimberly Burke
=== The Thunder Storm by Pat Watson
=== The Flag of Ireland
=== A Poem for Molly by Gord Wilson	
=== Gaelic Phrases of the Month
=== Monthly free competition result

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FOREWORD
========

After an initial surge in optimism with the advent 
of the new year the mood has turned pessimistic in 
Ireland again with the economy still struggling 
badly. The country may be officially out of 
recession but the huge increase in unemployment 
and almost daily bad economic news means that 2010 
is going to be another tough year for Ireland. The 
coldest winter in over 50 years didn't help either!

This is sharp jolt to the younger generation who 
have never known anything but the good times. 
Spring is here though so maybe the tide can turn 
later this year.....

Until next month

Michael

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=======================
NEWS SNAPS FROM IRELAND
=======================

BAD-BANK GETS EU APPROVAL

The lynchpin of the Irish government's plan to 
restore credit to the economy and thus to 
promote economic activity has been given 
approval by the European Union. The National 
Assets Management Agency (NAMA) will being 
taking bad loans from the main commercial banks 
at a big discount, thus freeing up the banks 
from these loans while providing them with 
much needed capital. The banking system is under 
renewed pressure with the news that Bank of 
Scotland is to close its Halifax retail banking 
division. Postbank is also to be closed down 
completely.

The NAMA plan involves the government paying the 
banks 54 Billion euro for loans estimated to be 
worth 80 Billion euro. The government hopes that 
it can recoup its investment over 10 to 15 years 
and has written provisions into the legislation 
to enable it to retrieve its initial stake from 
the banks in future years, should the loans not 
meet their repayment expectations. Five banks will 
surrender loans to NAMA: Allied Irish Bank, Bank of 
Ireland, Irish Nationwide Building Society, EBS, 
and the now nationalised Anglo Irish Bank.

GOVERNMENT SURVIVES RECENT DRAMAS

The resignation of high-profile TD George Lee from 
Fine Gael should have been very good news for the 
ailing government led by Brian Cowen. Yet there 
was to be no respite when his Defence Minister, 
Willie O'Dea, was forced to resign. This was 
quickly followed up by the resignation of two 
members from his coalition partners party.

George Lee was the RTE economic spokesman before 
being courted by Fine Gael and securing a big 
boost for Enda Kenny's party in a landslide 
by-election victory. He had expected to play a 
big role in shaping the economic policy of the 
party however and had recently given interviews 
that he was unhappy with the lack of input he 
had been afforded. His shock resignation not just 
from Fine Gael but from politics completely put 
the focus very much on the position of Enda Kenny 
as party leader, with questions about his 
leadership abilities refusing to go away.

Fianna Fail have their own problems however and 
the resignation of Defence Minister Willie O'Dea 
gave Enda Kenny the perfect opportunity to put the 
focus back on the ruling coalition. Further 
resignations were to follow with first Deirdre de 
Burca and later Trevor Sargent resigning to heap 
more pressure on the government

They look likely to survive. If an election were 
to be called tomorrow then Fianna Fail would 
surely be ousted from power. The Green party would
be decimated, perhaps losing all of their Dail 
seats. It is likely this fear that is keeping 
the two parties together in government. They will 
press ahead and hope that the economy recovers in 
time for the next election.

IRISH TOURISM HAMMERED BY RECESSION

900,000 fewer tourists visited Ireland in 2009 
which is a huge decline in a most vital part 
of the Irish economy. Part of the problem is the 
currency weakness of both sterling and the US 
dollar relative to the Euro which makes it more 
expensive for visitors to travel to the emerald 
isle. Hotels are offering hugely discounted 
deals in an effort to attract business. Irish 
trips abroad dropped by over 10% in the same 
period, having a knock-on effect on airline 
employment.

ANCIENT BROOCH SAVED FROM THE ASHES

When placing sods of dried turf on her fire 
Kerrywoman Sheila Edgeworth had little idea that 
she would make a major archeological discovery. 
A 1400 year old brooch that had become lodged in 
a piece of turf was found in the fire-grate when 
Sheila was cleaning the grate. It is thought the 
ancient brooch was used by a priest to secure a 
cape or overcoat. Having been initially lost in
the bog the brooch survived nearly one and a half 
millenia to further survive first the turf cutting 
machines and then the heat of Sheila's fire. The 
Brooch was handed over to Kerry Museum who 
confirmed its authenticity and that it was a 
remarkable find.

FILM CLIPS OF CIVIL WAR ERA IRELAND NOW ONLINE

The archives of the famous British Pathe News 
Company that was established in Paris in the 
1890s have been made available for public 
viewing for the first time. Film clips of 
Irish interest that can be viewed include:

Michael Collins

http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=18667

The 1922 Free State Government

http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=22732

Civil War Scenes

http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=75097

The Tailtean Atletic Games, 1922

http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=18599

JFK visits Ireland in 1963

http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=43393


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NEW COATS OF ARMS ADDED TO THE GALLERY:

The following 5 coats of arms images and family
history details have been added to the Gallery:

A: McAlinden
I: McIntyre
P: Payne, Pell
V: Vance

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Anne MacDonald ordered a family crest plaque:

 Hello, Michael,

 Received my plaque, carefully wrapped, 
 in good order. It is splendid! I am 
 thrilled, and I know that my dad, for whose 
 81st birthday this was ordered, will love 
 it. I would like to order another one! 

 Everyone who has seen the plaque has been 
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 Sincerely, Anne MacDonald

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==========================
10 LITTLE PIECES OF DUBLIN 
==========================

-----------------------
HOW DUBLIN GOT ITS NAME
-----------------------
The Gaelic name for Dublin is 'Baile Atha Cliath' 
which translates literally as 'town of the hurdle 
ford', a description of the bank of wooden hurdles 
built up across the river Liffey by the Vikings. 
The word 'Dublin' is actually a composition of 
two Gaelic words: 'dubh' meaning 'black' and 
'linn' means 'pool' (or 'mire'). Thus the 
literal translation of the words from which 
Dublin gets its name is Black pool!

Crossing the 'hurdle ford' was not without its 
dangers. In 770 AD a band of Bon Valley raiders 
were drowned crossing the Liffey at the hurdle 
ford.

-----------------------------
END OF THE VIKINGS IN IRELAND
-----------------------------
The famous victory by Brian Boru over the Vikings 
at Clontarf in the year 1014 marked the end of 
the Viking raids on Ireland. By this time however,
the Vikings had already begun to assimilate into, 
and make their mark on Gaelic society.

One such Viking was Sitric Silkenbeard, the King 
of Dublin. Despite the reputation of the Vikings 
Silkenbeard was a devout Christian and was 
responsible for the founding of the famous 
Christchurch Cathedral at the top of Dame Street 
in Dublin City Centre. His reign saw the first 
coins ever minted in Ireland. They bore his 
image on one side and a cross on the other. He 
remained in power until 1036 and spent the last 
of his days on the island of Iona, Scotland.

----------------------------
ORIGIN OF THE WORD 'CHANCER'
----------------------------
The sixteenth century saw a fierce rivalry develop 
between the Butlers and Fitzgeralds. Violent 
clashes between the two groups were commonplace with 
once such melee occurring in 1512. Butler, the 
Earl of Ormond retreated and was forced to take 
refuge in Saint Patrick's Cathedral. He barricaded 
himself behind a stout wooden door and refused to 
leave until he got assurances for his safety. After 
some negotiation a deal was struck. In order to 
seal the deal a hole was hacked through the wooden 
door so that the two leaders could shake hands. It 
is thought that the modern expression 'chancing 
your arm' originated from this event. From that 
time on a 'chancer' was someone who took a risk 
or a gamble. The hole in the door can still be 
seen to this day.

----------------
O'CONNELL STREET
----------------

In 1924 the main street in Dublin City had its 
name changed from Sackville Street to O'Connell 
Street, in honour of 'The Liberator'. This change 
had for long been resisted by the English 
Vice-Chancellor, Chatterton, who prevented Dublin 
Corporation from granting the wish of the vast 
majority of Dubliners. Not to be outdone, the 
local citizenry opted to use the new name in 
spite of the lack of official recognition.

Dublin Corporation joined into the spirit of 
things by allowing the 'Sackville' street signs to 
deteriorate and even threatened to rename a street 
where prostitutes were known to frequent as 
'Chatterton Street'. 

The creation of the Free State in 1922 finally 
allowed for the official transformation of 
Sackville Street into O'Connell Street.

---------------
KILMAINHAM JAIL
---------------

Kilmainham Jail near Inchicore in Dublin was 
originally built on a site known as 'Gallows 
Hill'. A jail had existed on the site since the 
year 1210 but was in such neglect that it was 
demolished and rebuilt in 1796. By the time of 
the 1798 rebellion the jail was overcrowded but 
further development did not take place until 1863. 
Many famous Irish famous historical figures were 
imprisoned there including Robert Emmett, Charles 
Stewart Parnell, Padraig Pearse, Countess 
Markievicz and Eamon DeValera. The prison was 
closed down in 1924 and is now a museum heritage 
site, a national monument.

--------------
DUBLIN AUTHORS
--------------
The early part of the twentieth century was a 
magical time for Irish literature. Yeats, O'Casey 
and Synge were prominent in the famous Abbey 
Theatre while Dublin provided no less than three 
Nobel prizewinners. James Joyce was born in 
Rathgar although there are twenty houses in 
Dublin city that claim him as an occupant, owing 
to his family constantly moving about during his 
early years. His most famous work is Ulysses. 
Dubliners still celebrate 'Bloomsday' every year, 
named after his most famous fictional character 
Leopold  Bloom. 
 
George Bernard Shaw was another Dubliner who won 
the famous Novel prize, renowned for 'Pygmalion' 
on which the movie 'My Fair Lady' is based. 
Dubliner Samuel Beckett also won a Nobel, and is 
perhaps most remembered for writing 'Waiting for 
Godot'.

----------------------------------
THEFT OF THE 'IRISH CROWN JEWELS'
----------------------------------
The 1907 theft of the 'Irish Crown Jewels' still 
remains a mystery nearly a century later. The 
famous regalia of the 'Order of Saint Patrick' 
were to be placed in a safe in a strongroom in 
Dublin Castle but, when it was found that the new 
safe was too large to fit into the strongroom the 
safe was located in the Library instead.  

An inspection of the safe in July revealed that 
the treasure had disappeared. The haul was valued 
at 30,000 pounds, a huge sum at the time and has 
never been recovered.

-----------------------
THE ATMOSPHERIC RAILWAY
-----------------------
The famous Atmospheric Railway was opened in 1844. 
The line ran from Dalkey to nearby Kingstown (now 
Dun Laoghaire) on the southside of the city. This 
unique system relied on atmospheric pressure to 
force the railway carriage up the hill to Dalkey 
and then relied on gravity for the return to 
Kingstown. 

A 483 yard pipe ran the length of the track from 
which air was extracted by a steam-driven pump at 
the Dalkey end. The resulting vacuum caused a 
piston to move along the pipe, to which was 
connected the train. Wax-covered flaps in the pipe 
opened and closed allowing the piston to move 
along its length. As the train moved along a wheel 
pressed down on the pipe sealing in the vacuum as 
progress was made. Problems with this system meant 
a man had to follow the train to manually seal 
the flaps. 

Momentum from the journey would allow the train to 
travel the final part of its journey when the pump 
had been stopped. The piston was then hooked onto 
the train for the return journey back to Kingstown.  
If the train stopped short of the station the 
third-class passengers were required to push the 
carriage the final part home. Occasionally the 
train would fly past the Dalkey station and off 
the tracks at the far end. 

The system worked well for a decade but was 
eventually abandoned because of the problems with 
sealing the vacuum flaps and because of 
developments with steam-driven engines. The grease 
and wax that was used on the flaps was also a great 
attraction for rats who caused repeated damage to 
the line. The tunnel that was constructed along the 
line only offered 3 inches of head clearance making 
it a tricky proposition passengers sticking their 
heads out of the windows! 

-------------
THE BLACKPITS
-------------
The part of Dublin city just off Clanbrasil 
Street has for centuries been known as 'The 
Blackpits'. The origin of this name is unclear. 
One theory suggests it is so named because of the 
large number of dead who were placed there during 
the 'Black Death'. Another suggestion alludes to 
the black vats used by tanners during the 
eighteenth century.

-------
THE GPO
-------
The famous General Post Office in Dublin was 
first opened in 1818. A suggestion that the 
building be used as a Catholic Cathedral was 
rejected by the authorities as they did not want 
a religious institution in such a prominent place 
in the city. 

The building was to gain international prominence 
however, when it was seized during the 'Easter 
Rising' of 1916. The rebellion, which was led by 
Padraig Pearse, was very much centered at the GPO 
which was gutted during the battle that ensued.

It was rebuilt during the 1920's but several of 
the original bullet-holes from the Rising were 
left untouched, as a reminder of the turbulent 
history of perhaps the worlds most famous post 
office. 

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==========================
AN EVENING IN LISDOONVARNA
by Kimberly Burke
==========================

Though excited by the prospect of being in a 
different part of Ireland that evening, 
Lisdoonvarna seemed a bit sleepy when we 
arrived. 'Sunday nights are supposed to be 
good for music and dancing, right?' my 
husband Eric asked as we drove through town to 
find the Marchmont B&B. 'Looks a bit quiet 
tonight,' he added as we parked and liberated 
our luggage from the car.

We'd left the wild beauty of Connemara that 
morning and the current landscape (the same type 
that thrilled us upon our arrival in Ireland) 
seemed uninspiring and conventional, adding to 
our growing concern that this night might be a 
bit of a let-down. Eileen Barrett met us with the 
usual Irish grace and friendliness that we'd grown 
so fond of and then showed us to our room. We 
inquired if she knew of any live music being 
played in town that night. She said she wasn't 
aware of anything but to try the sport pub. We 
walked the short distance to the pub. No music. 
We stayed for a pint ('See? The evening isn't 
going to be complete flop,' Eric pointed out) and 
to watch a bit of television. The barman suggested 
we try Lynch's Hotel and see if anything might be 
happening there. 

So we sauntered off, already feeling better having 
one under our belts. To our great surprise and 
happiness, the pub at Lynch's was hopping with all 
sorts of folk ­ kids, young adults, older adults, 
maybe even a dog. Above the door was a birthday 
banner for Brigid and just inside a couple of 
fellows were setting up their band equipment. 'A 
birthday party ­ fun!' quipped Eric. 'But we 
haven't been invited,' I protested. The barman 
quickly assured us that we were as welcome as if 
we'd lived there all our lives and proceeded to 
inquire after our drinking needs. 

Eric wondered if there might be a whiskey he'd 
previously overlooked and asked the barman what 
his favorite was. Without a word he went to the 
storage room and brought out a bottle of Jameson 
Crested 10 for Eric to try. 'Brilliant' was the 
verdict. 

We settled in with our drinks and watched the 
locals visit with each other while we waited for 
the music to start. Once it did, Brigid 
(apparently she worked for the hotel) and several 
friends commenced dancing. Watching a birthday 
celebrant having a complete blast at their own 
party has always made me happy and I felt 
privileged to witness this same joy while in a 
different country.

Eventually I needed to visit the toilet. While 
washing my hands, a girl of about 10 years was 
filling up a squirt gun in the other basin. 'Is 
that to get your brother with?' I asked her. 'How 
do you know I have a brother?' she demanded with 
an astonished look. I replied that when I was her 
age, I had filled up a squirt gun or two with my 
brother being the intended target. She grinned and 
confessed that she had already gotten him in the 
pants so it looked like he had wet them. We both 
had a good giggle over that. 

I returned to our seat to find that Eric had 
abandoned it for the dance floor. A woman in a 
lavender jacket (we never got her name) either 
took pity on him for being alone or felt brave 
enough to ask the Yank to dance. Either way, they 
looked like they were having fun. When the song 
was over, the women rushed over to assure me that 
her intentions were good and not to worry. I 
wasn't, but it was a nice gesture on her part. 

At one point the band launched into a song that 
sounded a lot like a Gordon Lightfoot song we 
like. So at the next break we asked them about it 
and got a bit of a history lesson about Bobby 
Sands (the song was 'I Wish I Was Back in Derry') 
and the hunger strikes. When they played 
'Fisherman's Blues” by the Waterboys, we raced for 
the dance area, anxious to move along with one of 
our favorite songs. Practically everyone danced 
and smiles were plentiful. We felt like we 
belonged and were sad when the song ended.

As we were making our way through the crowd to 
leave when the party ended, Eric felt a tug on his 
sleeve. He looked over and there was Eileen! With a 
playful grin on her face, she asked us to leave the 
light on for her. 'No problem' we told her as we 
headed out into the chilly night. As we walked (or 
was it wobbled?) back to our B&B, we noted with 
great satisfaction that the evening had not been as 
quiet, nor indeed disappointing as we'd originally 
feared. In fact, it was one of the most enjoyable 
evenings we spent while in Ireland. And though we'd 
probably never be able to recreate the series of 
events that transpired that Sunday night in May of 
2003, I'd like to think we could pop back into the 
pub at Lynch's someday and still feel the magical 
warmth of that evening.

Kimberly Burke
Newark, Ohio, USA

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=================
THE THUNDER STORM 
by Pat Watson
=================
                                                               
'Gather up your cows and bring them home now,' 
that's what Pakie said as he walked past very 
fast on his way home from work. 
'But it's only six o'clock yet and I don't bring 
them home until eight.'
'There's lightning and thunder coming, so bring 
them home now and you might make it before the 
rain'. I think he changed it to rain because he 
saw that I was frightened of the lightning and 
thunder. Then he hurried on walking very fast. 
If he was hurrying like that it looked bad for 
me because I had farther to go than him and I 
had to get the cattle from the far end of the 
callow. If I ran very fast and beat them on with 
my stick I might make it. Off I ran as fast as I 
could but the cows knew it was early and I had to 
run from one side of the field to the other 
beating them on one at a time as they thought I 
was daft bringing them home this early. There had 
been no wind all day but now there was a sort of 
strong whirlwind, warm and blustery, sort of going 
all directions at once. Was this a fairy blast? 
It certainly was eerie.

Then I heard the first rattle of thunder rolling 
up from the bottom of the sky to a spot over 
Lennon's shop. I had to pass that way so I would 
meet the shower on the road. Then there was a 
great zigzag flash of lightning, that must be fork 
lightning and fork lightning is more dangerous. 
Oh! Oh! The thunder was rolling up the sky again, 
higher and nearer this time and much, much louder. 
I had barely got the cattle out on the road when 
the rain started, huge drops, bigger than I'd ever 
seen before. The lightning flashes were one after 
another now and the thunder rolled one on top of 
the other. I beat the cattle into a run but I 
could not hear myself shouting at them with the 
noise of the thunder. Then the rain was running 
down my face so fast that I could not draw my 
breath without turning my face to the ground to 
keep the stream of water off my mouth and nose. 
My braces began to stretch, as my old trousers 
got heavy with water. I was the third person to 
grow into these trousers and the many patches on 
the backside were now making it very heavy. That's 
what comes from sliding down the hay-shifter. This 
morning the dry sand was running between my toes 
but now the road already had a sheet of water, 
deep enough to cover my toes. Lucky I was in the 
bare ones, (wearing no footwear). As we started 
up the hill to the trees the water got deeper 
under my feet, it was up to my ankles now and the 
torrents were tearing the gravel from under my 
feet and the lightning was very near. The thunder 
was now a tearing sound and I could smell the raw 
sulphur smell of the lightning. Would the next 
flash hit me? I was seven years old and I had 
just made my First Communion. I would say my 
communion prayers. I give Thee my body that it 
may be chaste and pure. I think chaste means clean 
and even behind my ears is clean now with all the 
heavy rain and my feet, which are always dirty, 
are definitely washed now. I give Thee my soul 
that it may be free from sin. There's a cow-dung 
after passing in the torrent but it's washed away 
now.  I can't think of any sins now so I suppose 
I'm all right. I give Thee my heart that I may 
always love Thee. I suppose I do love You. You 
look a nice little fellow in your Mother's arms. 
I give Thee every breath that I shall breathe, 
'as if I could stop' Hadn't I to turn my face to 
the road a minute ago to get my breath. And 
especially my last - maybe this is my last if the 
next flash hits me. I might turn into a little 
cherub and I could fly above the cows and beat 
them on. But then I'd be naked and the people in 
the shop would laugh at me. I give Thee myself in 
life and in death that I may be Thine forever and 
ever. What am I talking about? Aren't You already 
in total charge already? Isn't it You who makes 
the lightening and thunder and the rain and 
everything, You can do what You like so I might 
as well trust You? 

I didn't know that the shop was full of people 
crying with fear and saying the rosary. Jack who 
was standing looking out the door saw me and 
shouted, come out ye bunch of cowards and see 
this. Faces and more faces appeared at the door 
and windows. Some even came out in the rain. They 
were laughing and crying at the same time. How 
was I to know that the weight of the rain had 
pulled all the patches off my trousers and that 
my backside was looking out? I was ready to die 
a minute ago anyway, so what did I care! I 
laughed too and walked on with my cows. I would 
never again fear death or people laughing at me.

'The Thunder Storm' is one of sixty lyrical 
yarns from 'Original Irish Stories' by 
Pat Watson, Creagh, Bealnamulla, Athlone, 
Ireland. First published in May 2006.
To get your copy email the author here:

pjwatson@utvinternet.com

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===================
THE FLAG OF IRELAND
===================

The national flag of Ireland is a tricolour of 
green, white and orange. The tricolour is 
rectangular in shape with the width being twice 
the depth. The three colours of the Irish flag 
are of equal size, vertically disposed, and the 
green is displayed next to the staff, followed by 
the white, and then the orange. 

The flag was first introduced by Thomas Francis 
Meagher during the revolutionary year of 1848 as 
an emblem of the Young Ireland movement which 
sought Irish independence. The 3 colors have 
great significance. The green represents the 
old Gaelic tradition, the orange represents the 
Ulster Unionist tradition and the white 
represents a place in the middle where both 
traditions can co-exist in peace. The 1916 
rising led by Padraig Pearse was the moment 
when the tricolor began to be accepted as the 
Irish flag.

The national coat of arms of Ireland depicts the 
famous Irish Harp on a blue background. The Irish 
harp is also often used on flags bearing the 
saying 'Erin go Braugh' which has been a symbol 
of Irish identity for centuries. The phrase Erin 
go Bragh (sometimes 'Erin go Braugh') translates 
from Gaelic as 'Ireland Forever' and is pronounced 
'air-inn guh braw'. The Saint Patrick's Battalion 
who fought in the Mexican war of 1847 were among 
the first to use  the flag which shows the harp 
with the famous phrase underneath it.

In modern times it is not uncommon for people of 
Irish heritage to display the Irish flag with 
their own family coat of arms within it.

Any of the flags above and the Ireland Family 
Crest Flag for YOUR family name can be ordered 
from here:


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================
A POEM FOR MOLLY
by Gord Wilson		
================ 

This is a little bit of verse I've been working 
on since seeing the statue of Molly Malone on 
Grafton Street in Dublin, Ireland. For those who 
don't know the story, Molly Malone was a woman, 
made famous in song, who sold fish (alive, 
alive-o) from a cart that she wheeled around the 
city. What I learned from a tour guide and people 
in Dublin is that Miss Molly was thought to be 
selling something other than fish, if you know 
what I mean - and that her area was around 
Trinity College, quite a distance from the nearest 
fish market. The Irish refer to the statue as 
'The Tart with a Cart'.

===

A POEM FOR MOLLY

An Irish girl is in my heart
she's just as real as her cart
and though we shall never meet
she waits for me on Grafton Street.

Not far from St. Stephen's Green
for many years, there she's been
and while many say that she was not true
who can guess what she'd been through?

It's been said she sold near Trinity
with no market in the vicinity
though her reputation has been smudged
by me, my friend, she'll not be judged.

She did what she felt she must do
in order to earn her daily stew
I'm sure some details she'd like to alter
Who, pray tell, are we to fault her?

She made her choices as best she could
to make her way in the neighbourhood
As decades pass we see the folly
of being too hard on dear Miss Molly.

=========================
THE IRISH COINS PROOF SET
=========================

The recent limited edition proof set of Irish 
coins produced by the Irish government is now 
available. We have a very small supply of these 
fantastic items which you can get from here:

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

===========================
GAELIC PHRASES OF THE MONTH
===========================

PHRASE:		Corp dicheile
PRONOUNCED:	corp dee-kayleh
MEANING:	The height of folly

PHRASE:		Rogha an da dhiogha
PRONOUNCED:	rowah on daw deegah
MEANING:	The lesser of two evils

PHRASE:		Bua na cainte
PRONOUNCED:	boo-ah nah coin-che
MEANING:	The gift of the gab (ability to converse)

View the archive of phrases here:

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

===========================
FEBRUARY COMPETITION RESULT
===========================

The winner was: colin.ronan@wanadoo.fr
who will receive the following: 

A Single Family Crest Print (decorative) 
(US$19.99 value)

Send us an email to claim your print, and well 
done! Remember that all subscribers to this 
newsletter are automatically entered into the 
competition every time. 

=================================================

I hope that you have enjoyed this issue.

Until next month,

Michael Green,
Editor,
The Information about Ireland Site.

https://www.ireland-information.com