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		IN THIS ISSUE
~~~ Foreword
~~~ Keep us Free!
~~~ News Snaps from Ireland
~~~ New Free Resources at the Site
~~~ Got a Web Site? Get free Irish Content!
~~~ Articles Contributed by Subscribers in 2001
~~~ Gaelic Phrases of the Month
~~~ Irish Banknotes and Coins Souvenirs
~~~ Irish Quotations of the Month
~~~ Monthly free competition result

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FOREWORD
~~~~~~~~

A belated and very happy new year to you and 
yours. This newsletter is entering its fifth year 
in existence and we are delighted that it has 
proved popular enough to sustain, thanks to our 
subscribers.

Keep us alive! Write an article and send it in!

The Euro has arrived amid much calmness and 
indifference among the Irish! It really is amazing 
the way that Ireland has taken the new currency in 
its stride. Maybe we just do not care enough to 
cause a problem or perhaps Ireland has finally 
grown up and taken its place among the leading 
nations of the world?

Our irishnation.com giftshop has put together a 
special souvenir to mark the occasion, find out 
more below!

As usual at this time of the year we have 
included links to the most popular articles 
from the previous year. Did you download your 
free Irish Recipes ebook yet? You still can, 
and it is free! See below.

Until the next time,

Michael.


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

GET YOUR COAT OF ARMS NOW!

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!

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

THE EURO ARRIVES!

The last ever Irish banknotes and coins were 
consigned to the history books as the new European 
currency took over on January 1st. Ireland was 
quick to make the transition and was well prepared 
for the changeover with every household being 
issued a digital calculator to make the conversion 
easier.

A massive Billboard and Television campaign 
ensured that everyone knew about the Euro even if 
they were not too happy about it! English 
television crews could be found all over the 
country as they described the ease with which the 
changeover had been made. England, Northern 
Ireland, Scotland and Wales still use Sterling as 
their currency although they certainly looked as 
if they felt a bit left out as their European 
neighbours embraced the dawn of a new era. A 
referendum in England to decide on joining the 
Euro is expected within the next two years. Sweden 
is to have a referendum with 12 months.

Other European countries have been less 
enthusiastic in their adoption of their new coins 
and banknotes! The Italian minister in charge of 
the changeover in that country has had to resign 
amidst complaints that his country was not 
prepared. Shopkeepers were reluctant to accept the 
new coins. One italian pensioners insisted on 
receiving her pension in Lire! In an Italian 
coffee shop a customer managed to pay for his late 
with a five Euro note from the new European 
edition of the game 'Monopoly'! In France 
merchants are refusing the handle the currency in 
certain areas as they want compensation for doing 
the Government's work for them.

Overall though the ease with which the new 
currency has been adopted has amazed EU officials 
and sceptics alike. The expected price inflation 
has not yet occurred and the currency has held it 
strength in the world markets.

Of course the old currency has immediately become 
a collectors item with the Irish Government set 
to benefit in millions as the hoarders of the old 
coins and notes save them away in a box hidden in 
the wardrobe until the day they give them to their 
grandchildren, while explaining that Ireland did 
once have its very own currency!

GENERAL ELECTION ON THE WAY

Election fever is beginning to grip the country as 
the various political parties jostle for position 
prior to the announcement by the Taoiseach, Bertie 
Ahearn, of the exact date of the plebiscite.

Fianna Fail currently share power with the 
Progressive Democrats (PDs) in a coalition that 
is backed by a number of independent T.D.'s 
(members of the Dail, Parliament).

The most likely result of the forthcoming election 
is to see Fianna Fail returned as the majority 
party but still without an overall majority. 
Although another coalition is on the cards the 
likely partners to Fianna Fail are not yet showing 
their cards.

The obvious candidate is the socialist Labour 
party but their leader and senior members have 
already expressed their dislike for Fianna Fail. 
Opposition Fine Gael are weak and their only 
chance of power is to form another 'Rainbow' 
coalition with Labour, the Green Party and 
probably an assortment of independents.

A real wild-card in this election will be the 
performance of Sinn Fein. Already boasting 1 T.D. 
they are expected to increase their representation 
to 3 or even 4 seats and could hold the balance of 
power in a new coalition. Apart form their obvious 
platform of being a nationalist party that is also 
represented in Northern Ireland, the social and 
economic policies of Sinn Fein are very left wing 
in nature, making them likely partners with 
Labour in the event of the Labour Party 
outperforming Fine Gael to become the second 
largest party in the new Dail.

All 'ifs' and 'buts' of course but one man who 
thinks that Fianna Fail will definitely be back in 
power is the Finance Minister Charlie McCreevey. 
He has ordered the top Civil Servant's in each 
Government Department to keep a thight reign on 
finances over the coming months, as he wants to 
make sure that everything is in order for when he 
returns in the Summer!

FINE GAEL TO COMPENSATE EIRCOM INVESTORS IF ELECTED

In a move that has been widely criticised by the 
other political parties. Fine Gael leader Michael 
Noonan has said that if elected, his party will 
compensate small investors who lost out after 
buying Eircom shares that subsequently decreased 
in value. He said that the government had misled 
the Irish public about the prospects for the 
newly privitised company.

Opposing political groups have described the 
measure as an attempt to buy votes in the upcoming 
election.

The Labour Party have indicated that they will 
completely scrap the plans for the much vaunted 
National Stadium if elected.

IRISH INVENTOR SOLVES WORLDS ENERGY PROBLEM

A 58 year old Irish electrical engineer claims to 
have invented a device called a 'Jasker' that is 
capable of replenishing its own electrical supply. 
This 'zero point' energy source has provided his 
own domestic electricity needs for the last 17 
months.

A demonstration to news media in Dublin seemed to 
be a success but the Tom Hedrick, the US company 
chief who are attempting to license the technology 
would not give any information about the identity 
of the inventor.
	  
Reaction from the scientific community has been 
swift and disparaging. Still reeling from the 
'cold fusion' debacle of 1989 when Utah scientists 
claimed to have cracked one of the holy grails of 
scientific discovery, only to be shown to be 
mistaken, scientists have been quick to throw cold 
water on the subject. This is 'voodoo science!', 
one said. 

IRELAND DRAWN WITH GERMANY IN WORLD CUP 2002

The Irish soccer team led by Mick McCarthy have 
been drawn in a group that will play its matches in 
Japan starting from June 1st. Ireland have been 
drawn with Germany, Cameroon and Saudi Arabia.

The team therefore has a realistic chance of 
qualifying for the next stage, especially if they 
can defeat Cameroon in their opening match.

The Irish soccer team has been ranked as sixth 
seed for the 2004 European Championship qualifiers 
to be held in Portugal.

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

NEW COATS OF ARMS ADDED TO THE GALLERY:

The following 12 coats of arms images and family
history details have been added to the Gallery:

B: Beegan
F: Ford 
G: Gallen 
H: Harney, Herron 
K: Keeney, Korp 
L: Loveall 
M: O'Mara, Meredith  
R: Reardon 
S: Sheen

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

IRISH RECIPES EBOOK 

After months of preparation the new Irish Recipes 
electronic book is finally available for you to 
download and enjoy. Featuring 25 of the most 
frequently requested Irish Recipes our new ebook 
is completely free! 

You can download it from here:

 https://www.ireland-information.com/irishrecipes/index.htm

You can send this ebook to a friend from here:

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

NEWSLETTER FORUM

Voice your opinion at the Newsletter Forum here:

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

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GOT A WEB SITE? GET FREE IRISH CONTENT!

If you have a web site or are thinking of 
starting one then we have some great free content 
about Ireland that you can grab immediately!

* Display our gallery of over 1000 Family Crests
* Offer your visitors free Irish screensavers
* Put an Irish Search engine on your site
* Publish dozens of quality articles

And the best news is that this is all FREE.

Find out more by visiting here:
 https://www.ireland-information.com/freecontent/freecontent.htm

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ARTICLES CONTRIBUTED BY SUBSCRIBERS IN 2001

You can access all of the past newsletters 
including the articles below by going here:

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


JANUARY 2001
The Southern Irish during the Civil War 
                                  by David Donehoo

FEBRUARY 2001
Reading the Irish Landscape 	by Andrea Santillo
The Life of Saint Patrick

MARCH 2001
Smilin' Irish-American Eyes in Savannah  
				by Suzie Covington 
Grace Connor		     by Letitia MacLintock

APRIL 2001
A Donegal Fairy		     by Letitia MacLintock

MAY 2001
Beltane Bonfires and Nettle Soup   
                               by Bridget Haggerty 
JUNE 2001
Emblems of Ireland: The Shamrock   
                               by Bridget Haggerty 

JULY 2001
The Changes in Ireland		  by Betty Iannone
The Problem with 'Angela's Ashes'   by Brian Kelly 

AUGUST 2001
In Defence of 'Angela's Ashes' #1 
                             by Tara Murphy-Flores
In Defence of 'Angela's Ashes' #2    by Gray Hodge 
Losing Brigit Finnity    by Megan Elizabeth Wright

SEPTEMBER 2001
Ireland in the Old West		  by Chuck Peabody
Boxty 				    by Al O'Rourke

OCTOBER 2001
The Meeting of the Messages         by Clara Byrne
Irish Halloween Traditions

NOVEMBER 2001
Northern Ireland	             by Joe Hayden
Ireland's Heritage Plight      by Roibeard McElroy
Irish Christmas Traditions

DECEMBER 2001
The Homeless in Ireland             by Noel Cleere

Voice your opinion about these articles at the 
Newsletter Forum here:

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

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

PHRASE:		Cé atá ag glaoch, le do thoil?
PRONOUNCED:	K ah/taw egg glay/ock, leh duh hull?
MEANING:	Who is calling?

PHRASE:		Tá an líne gafa
PRONOUNCED:	Taw on leena goffa
MEANING:	The line is engaged

PHRASE:		Níl aon fhreagra
PRONOUNCED:	Kneel ain frag/ra
MEANING:	There is no answer

PHRASE:		Bainfidh mé triail as an líne eile
PRONOUNCED:	Bwin/igg may treel os on leena ella
MEANING:	I will try the other line

PHRASE:		Tá brón orm faoin moill 
PRONOUNCED:	Thaw bro/inn ur/im fween mwill
MEANING:	I am sorry for the delay

PHRASE:		Níl sé/sí istigh inniu
PRONOUNCED:	Kneel shay/shee ish/tig in/u
MEANING:	He/She is not in today

PHRASE:		Cén uimhir ghutháin atá agat?
PRONOUNCED:	Kane iv/or goo/tawn ah/taw ah/gut?
MEANING:	What is your Telephone Number?

PHRASE:		Cén t-eolas atá uait?
PRONOUNCED:	Kane toe/lass ah/taw ooh/it?
MEANING:	What information do you want?

PHRASE:		Gheobhaidh tú gach eolas san bhileog
PRONOUNCED:	Yeo/ig two gock o/lass san vill/owge
MEANING:	You will get all the information in the leaflet

View the archive of phrases here:

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

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IRISH BANKNOTES AND COINS SOUVENIRS FROM IRELAND

Looking for a souvenir to mark the departure of 
the Irish Punt?

Get a genuine Irish ten pound or twenty pound note 
together with a full set of Irish coins before 
they are gone forever!

Find out more here:

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

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IRISH QUOTATIONS OF THE MONTH
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 Other people have a nationality.
 The Irish and Jews have a psychosis

Brendan Behan, Richards's Cork Leg, 1961

 Don't be surprised
 If I demur, for, be advised
 My passport's green.
 No glass of ours was ever raised
 To toast, The Queen.

Seamus Heaney rebuking the editors of the 
Penguin Book of Contemporary British Poetry 
for including him among its authors, 1983

 Because a man is born in a stable, 
 that does not make him a horse

Duke of Wellington, 1769-1852, rejecting the 
view that his Irish birthplace determined 
his nationality

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SUPPORT THE INFORMATION ABOUT IRELAND SITE
HELP US TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE FREE RESOURCES

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JANUARY COMPETITION RESULT
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The winner was: 

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. 

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

Until the next time,

KEEP WARM! 
(it's freezing here!)

Michael Green,
Editor,
The Information about Ireland Site.

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