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IN THIS ISSUE
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=== News Snaps from Ireland
=== Howth Gun-Running of 1914 Remembered
=== Promises and Shamrocks - A Song by Neil Noble
=== 22 Quotes About Being Irish
=== Lough Cé - a Story by Pat Watson
=== Gaelic Phrases of the Month
=== Monthly Free Competition Result

Popular Articles from Recent Newsletters:

Aillwee Cave, County Clare
5 Words That Only The Irish Really Use
Phrases That Only The Irish Really Use





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FOREWORD
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Hi There, we have a great newsletter for you this month with a song, a story, some quotes and a snippet of Irish history. It is 100 years since the gun-running at Howth and the amazing adventures of Erskine Childers. Find out more below! Until next time, Michael




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NEWS SNAPS FROM IRELAND
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ITS OFFICIAL! DUBLIN HAS A PROPERTY BUBBLE Amid much head-shaking and hand-wringing from economists and politicians alike the Dublin property market is now in a classic bubble with onlookers waiting for the crash. The lack of supply in certain parts of the city is mirrored by over-supply of unsuitable housing and apartments in other parts of Dublin with ghost estates existing a matter of a few miles from where price increases are reaching 'Celtic Tiger' proportions. It is also reported that there is up to three years worth of housing for which planing permission has been granted but for which developers are unable to raise the funding to complete. The current situation is not quite the same as that which arose during the boom years. While building work has certainly picked up there are no big sprawling developments taking place. Rather it is a case that there are certain enclaves in Dublin city, northside and southside, where young couples especially want to live. Of course when the crash does come it is hoped (prayed for?) that the banks wont be taken down again. This seems unlikely though, given the reluctance of the banks to engage in any kind of even reasonable lending. And this in itself is another factor driving these artificially high prices in Dublin even higher. IRISH ECONOMY IN RECOVERY It is something of a cliche in Ireland that when the construction industry is doing well that the economy will do well and this seems to be the case currently. The sight of builders bins on streets and huge cranes towering above them have again become more noticeable as the carpenters, plasters and bricklayers get back to work. The Central Bank of Ireland is predicting economic growth of 2.5% in 2014, better than previously expected and 3.3% next year. These are pretty good numbers considering the depths of the economic plunge the country took after the Celtic Tiger was slain in 2008. Devastation in the construction industry and in the retail sector were followed by the unemployment rate peaking at over 15.1% in 2012 but now falling back to 11.6%. The unemployment trend is very much downward. Unfortunately there is something of a lie at the heart of these statistics. Massive emigration on a scale not seen since the 1980's recession has artificially lowered the numbers of people out of work. Many smaller towns in rural Ireland have been decimated by the mass exodus of young people and families to Australia, Canada, the US and beyond. Nevertheless there is certainly a feeling that the very worst of the endless austerity measures are behind the Irish citizenry with the country successfully exiting its program of financial management by the EU, IMF, ECB 'troika' last year. Ireland will be indebted to the troika until 2023 and must find 9 Billion Euro annually in interest payments to fund the loans it received from Europe. It is against such massive indebtedness that any economic recovery will have to be measured. AMERICANS BARRED FROM IRISH CAFE The beautiful Iveragh Peninsula in County Kerry is renowned as one of the most scenic tourist spots in Europe. Visitors from every part of the globe flock to Kerry to tour the towns, view the majestic scenery, wonder at the prehistoric forts and ancient churches and to enjoy the hospitality of the locals who are famed for their welcoming nature. It is very surprising then that the owner of 'Peters Place' Cafe in the lovely village of Waterville has engaged in what can only be described as an act of self-destruction. Given that tourism is the main industry in this part of Ireland it was with a sense of both shock and amazement that visitors read the sign banning 'Loud Americans' and coach or bus tourists! Almost a million travellers from the US visited Ireland in 2013 so it is no surprise that the other villagers in Waterville are doing everything but raising their pitchforks in protest. Louise Huggard runs the Butler Arms Hotel: '(visitors always talk of the sincere warm welcome they feel at Waterville) from Charlie Chaplin to Tiger Woods to the late Payne Stewart who was honorary captain of Waterville golf links.' The Waterville Business Association is also unimpressed with the cafe-owner and is planning to 'celebrate their unique Waterville-American relationship.' Condemnation of the sign has been widespread on social media sites and in newspapers with some even calling for sanctions to be imposed! NEW YORK PUB BANS YAPPING MUTTS AND DRUNKEN IRISH It what can only be viewed as an escalation of the international competition to see which business owner can self-destruct the quickest, a Montauk bar-owner has posted a sign banning dogs, kids in strollers, cell-phones, anyone using the restroom and of course, Irish drunks. The sign on the window at the Dock Bar & Grill in the New York pub has provoked a big backlash against the owner George Watson, who is somewhat bemused by the fuss. He later remarked that the sign was intended as joke and was aimed at the famous Irish sense of humour. An anonymous commenter put the matter into some perspective: As a cell-phone owner who likes an occasional pint, has walked his child in a stroller and even had the necessity to use a restroom I am in full agreement with the sign and it sentiment. Yapping mutts in a pub ARE a real nuisance. WHAT HAVE STARS WARS AND SKELLIG ISLAND GOT IN COMMON? Skellig Island is a forbidding and remote island off the coast of Kerry. It has been battered for centuries by ferocious winds and storms so it was the perfect location for sixth century monks to establish a monastery. The monastic ruins were declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1996. The islands are also famous for their thriving gannet and puffin bird populations. 'Star Wars: Episode VII' is a film being directed by JJ Abrams and is the latest in the long line of films trading off the success of the original 1977 masterpiece. Filming for the new movie is currently taking place on Skellig Island and while the people of the Kerry region are grateful for the positive publicity, not everyone is happy with the timing of the production. Dr Stephen Newton is senior seabird conservation officer with Birdwatch Ireland and is concerned for the local wildlife: 'But it is very hard. Skellig is only open to the public really between May and some time in September but I would have preferred the filming to take place in September than in July when we have a lot of breeding birds still.' The island is indeed spectacular and it will be amazing to see how it eventually is represented on the big screen. The filming in Kerry will also be another great means of advertising the tourist attractions of the region and getting more people to take boat-rides around the island. But no loud Americans please! HOWTH GUN-RUNNING OF 1914 REMEMBERED The famous exploits of Erskine Childers and the Howth gun-runners have been commemorated, a hundred years after they landed 'The Asgard' at the North Dublin fishing village. The story of the Asgard resembles a fiction that Erskine Childers would have been proud of. The writer of 'The Riddle of the Sands' was a member of the Anglo-Irish elite in Ireland, descendants of the families who had invaded the country in the twelfth century but who became integrated into Irish society. He had met his future wife at a Boston party. His bride, Molly Osgood, was the daughter of Doctor Hamilton Osgood who was a well-known Boston physician who was credited with introducing the first Rabies antibodies into the United States. He bought the Asgard as a wedding gift for the newly married couple, both of whom greatly enjoyed sailing. Having made the transition from British soldier who fought in the Boer War to an Irish nationalist appalled by British colonialism, Erskine Childers colluded with Roger Casement, Darrell Figgis, Alice Green and several others and arranged for the weapons to be brought over from Germany. After unloading the guns from the German tug-boat 'Gladiator' the Asgard braved terrible weather and a brief encounter with the British warship HMS Froward. On 26th July 1914 the vessel was steered into Howth Harbour where 800 anxious members of the 'Irish Volunteers' quickly unloaded the invaluable cargo, consisting of 900 Mauser Rifles and 29,000 rounds of ammunition. The British authorities despatched soldiers from Kilmainham barracks but they failed to capture the arms after a brief skirmish near Howth. Retreating back to the city centre the soldiers fired upon and killed 3 civilians and injured 38 more at Bachelors Walk near O'Connell Street. The incident was met with outrage by the native Irish and the ranks of the Irish Volunteers swelled as a result. A further cache of weapons was landed at Kilcoole in Wicklow a few days later, met by Cathal Brugha and Sean T. O'Kelly, a future President of Ireland. The entire country now expected an all-out Civil War with the Ulster Unionists who had themselves landed over 30,000 weapons at Larne. Less than a week after the landing of the guns the world was plunged into the 'Great War', and Irish affairs fell down the agenda of the ruling British Parliament. Childers fought in World War 1 with the British Army but was appalled by the execution of the Easter 1916 rebels which was a stunning turning point in Irish history. Many of the weapons that had been landed at Howth and Kilcoole were used during the rebellion. Childers later joined Sinn Fein and acted as a Director of Propaganda, having been appointed by deValera. He later served as Chief Secretary to the delegation that negotiated the Anglo-Irish Treaty although he bitterly opposed the Treaty. Childers was executed by the Free State Government that took control of the country. He was sentenced to death on a trumped-up gun charge. Take a step closer, boys, it will be easier that way' he called out to the firing squad as they took aim. The Civil War, the death of Michael Collins and the subsequent Declaration of Independence were all to follow from this most amazing few years in the history of Dublin and Ireland.






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PROMISES AND SHAMROCKS - A Song by Neil Noble
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Jimmy left his Ireland back in '62 Barely a man of 20, found a wife and good job too Working 8 to 5 on a factory line Neither good humor nor hard times did his life define (chorus) He sings of Sean O'Farrell and the Rising of the Moon He drinks his glass of ale, then he sings another tune In his mind the crowd has vanished as his mind turns back the clock To a time when he was younger full of promises and shamrocks He always worked hard. Always did his best. He made a good life for himself, his wife and the rest Yet something was missing, something was wrong Most evenings he spent at his pub listening to the songs He should of stayed in Eire in the family business He could of been comfortable, a man of largesse He would of been there still but for their wakes Now his life is foggy and full of heartaches Jimmy's wife died in '90 after his children were grown They all moved away leaving Jimmy all alone His pub is now where he calls home Singing of his homeland in his booming baritone.   KEEP THIS NEWSLETTER ALIVE! Get Great Family Crest Gifts at: 22 QUOTES ABOUT BEING IRISH I think being a woman is like being Irish. Everyone says you're important and nice, but you take second place all the same. Iris Murdoch,Novelist and Philosopher, 1919-1999 I'm an atheist and I thank God for it. George Bernard Shaw, Irish writer (1856-1950) Rain is also very difficult to film, particularly in Ireland because it's quite fine, so fine that the Irish don't even acknowledge that it exists. Alan Parker, British Movie Director (born in 1944) You know it's summer in Ireland when the rain gets warmer. Hal Roach, Irish comedian (1927-2012) Irish Alzheimer's: you forget everything except the grudges. Judy Collins, American singer (born in 1939) The Irish ignore anything they can't drink or punch. James Boswell, Writer (1740-1795) The Irish don't know what they want and are prepared to fight to the death to get it. Sidney Littlewood Being Irish, he had an abiding sense of tragedy, which sustained him through temporary periods of joy. William Butler Yeats, Writer and Dramatist (1865-1939) It's a loser's emblem (the swastika), because the Nazis lost the war. It's ridiculous to suggest we are involved with fascists. All my best friends are black, gay, Irish or criminals. Johnny Rotten, British Punk Musician (Sex Pistols) It's not that the Irish are cynical. It's rather that they have a wonderful lack of respect for everything and everybody. Brendan Behan, Irish writer (1923-1964) I think that God in creating Man somewhat overestimated his ability. Oscar Wilde, Irish writer (1854-1900) St. Patrick.... one of the few saints whose feast day presents the opportunity to get determinedly whacked and make a fool of oneself all under the guise of acting Irish. Charles M. Madigan, US educator and writer If this humor be the safety of our race, then it is due largely to the infusion into the American people of the Irish brain. William Howard Taft, 27th US President (1857-1930) When anyone asks me about the Irish character, I say look at the trees. Maimed, stark and misshapen, but ferociously tenacious. Edna O'Brien (born in 1930) Under the English legal system you are innocent until you are shown to be Irish. Ted Whitehead, Actor The English are not happy unless they are miserable, the Irish are not at peace unless they are at war, and the Scots are not at home unless they are abroad. George Orwell, English Writer (1903-1950) The great Gaels of Ireland are the men that God made mad. For all their wars are merry, and all their songs are sad. G. K. Chesterton, English writer (1874-1936) The world's a stage and most of us are desperately unrehearsed. Sean O'Casey, Irish writer (1880-1964) I have my faults, but changing my tune is not one of them. Samuel Beckett, (Irish writer (1906-1989) ================================ LOUGH CÉ - A Story by PAT WATSON ================================ Originally, the Tuatha Dé Danann had three tribes, the Shea, the Bhea and the Nuadha, whose king had a silver arm and who was known as Nuadha of the Silver Arm. All three tribes had been at war for generations and they had worked so much magic, moving mountains and lakes and disappearing hills and hollows, that it was no longer possible to live on their land of Tír na nÓg – all the water there had flowed down a great hole that the Nuadha had made to drown the other two tribes. However, the God of Water got angry with the Nuadha and banished them down the hole and decreed that they could never climb out. Now that the land of Tír na nÓg had no water, the Shea and the Bhea came on the wind to Ireland. They landed on the south end of the Curlew Mountains and looked about them. The young king, whose name was Amor, led the Bhea, and his chief druid was Ola. The Shea were led by the beautiful Queen Oram, and her top druid was Oli. Because the two tribes had been at war for a long time, the druids of both tribes held a meeting between them and decided that the King of Bhea was to marry the Queen of Shea, to stop the wars. They colluded to produce the most powerful love potions, and they were very powerful love potions as they were great druids with wonderful magic. They made one male and one female potion. Now the problem was how to get both parties to take their potion at the same time and to get them to meet each other and no one else before the potions wore out. The Bhea had moved to the Ballyfarnon area while the Shea were in the Boyle region. At that time, there was no lake where Lough Cé is now, only a bubbling, sparkling spring well. The druids decided to try to get the king and queen to meet at a huge high rock that towered above the sparkling spring well. They decided that they would convince Amor to climb one side of the rock and at the same time get Oram to sing sweetly on the other side. This had to happen late on the night of a full moon for the potions to work. Now, Ola and Oli had made a terrible mistake and mixed up the two potions, each having the wrong one. Ola brought Amor to the north side of the rock and advised him to climb to the top with him. Ola then produced the potion and told Amor that he had to be alone on this rock, facing the full moon when he drank it. Then he was to raise his arms to the moon and ask to be accepted in this new land. Ola then slipped away down the rock and hid behind a bush. Amor did as he was instructed for he trusted Ola and his magic. The plan was that while Omar was addressing the moon he would hear the sweet singing and go to investigate. When he would see the beautiful Oram he would immediately fall for her. Just about the time that Ola was instructing Omar, Oli and Oram arrived at the south side of the rock. Oli then advised Oram to wait till he had gone, then drink the potion and sing sweetly to the moon and she and her tribe would be accepted in this new land. She drank the concoction that was meant for a man and immediately felt manly, strong, daring and protective. Instead of singing sweetly she bounded up the rock face. After Omer had drunk the female potion, instead of conversing with the moon, he looked about him and took fright at his plight on the top of a dangerously high rock. So he lay down, leaned on one elbow, held a jutting rock tight with the other hand and whimpered sadly. About this time Oram arrived at the summit and started to console Omer. Far below, both watching Ola and Oli realized their mistake at the same time. They rushed around the rock to meet each other. At first they started to argue, each blaming the other for the mistake but as they looked up and saw the calamity unfolding above they decided not to just stand there, but do something. They thought that when the love potions wore off that both Monarchs would be embarrassed and angry with themselves, their silly behaviour, their position, but above all with the two druids. Men had died for smaller errors. Unknown to them all, Cé, the druid of Nuadha, had piggybacked on the tail of the wind that carried the two tribes to Ireland. Cé had watched the entire proceedings from behind a bush that grew on a high rocky outcrop a distance east of the rock that the royal couple were on. He was waiting and watching for a chance to avenge the banishment of his King Nuadha of the Silver Arm down the hole. We need another plan, they said, but what? Then Ola said, 'The only thing that will make them forget their present silly behaviour after the potions wane is a terrible fright. Remember how terrified they both were when the Nuadha were threatening to throw them down the water hole?' 'I have it,' said Oli. 'We will make the well overflow at great speed and turn this whole area into a lake and when they awake from their stupor they will be stranded on the rock and we will be watching from the high ground of the mountain foothills in the west.' They pooled all their power, made great incantations, did many magic dances, shimmied about each other, and called sincerely on all the Gods, especially the God of Water. That did the trick. Their prayers were answered and the well began to overflow. Ola and Oli ran for higher ground. Then Cé saw what was happening he was delighted and he decided that he would be the one to rescue the royal pair when the flood receded. He would have Ola and Oli killed or banished. Then he would start a fight between Oram and Omer that might yet lead to the rescue of his tribe from their plight down the hole. However, Cé had underestimated the power of the flood and very soon the waters lapped about his feet, his knees, his head and then completely over his hideout. He was pulled down by the waters and was the first one to be drowned in the new lake. Before his last gasp he asked just one final favour from the Water God. Would he put a curse on the royal couple on the rock or on a pair of their descendants? The Water God reluctantly agreed to the latter and Cé gulped a lungful of water and drowned. The lake was named after him when they found his body. Meanwhile, unaware of Cé's presence, Ola and Oli ran for their lives and only barely made the high ground in front of the expanding waters. When they looked back from their high perch, the sun was just coming up the far side of the most beautiful lake they had ever seen. There were several beautiful islands scattered about and the rock was just peeping in the middle of the lake, with the two Monarchs clinging in terror to the only little shrub there and to each other. Luckily for all the lake stopped expanding at this point. At first, gasping in wonder and awe, the two druids prostrated themselves to thank all the Gods they had prayed to, especially the God of Water. Then, being our druids, they saw the funny side of things and rolled about laughing merrily. Then reality dawned. How were they going to rescue the clinging pair? And what would the mood be when they did so? Would it be a matter of life or death? Whose life? Whose death? They put on their thinking caps again. There were a couple of rotting trunks from trees that had been blown down by storms a long time ago. If they could mesh those together with light hazel wattles that were abundant about them, they might have a floatable raft. They worked feverishly, and after an hour they launched the contraption. It actually floated. Gingerly they climbed aboard. They paddled slowly with branches. They were terrified. Would they be the first to be drowned in the new lake? Would their magic be their undoing? Would the Gods stay benevolent? As some progress was made, their courage increased. Over the next hour they were so busy paddling, steering and steadying their craft that they never once checked out the pair on the rock. When they finally reached their destination the two monarchs scarcely noticed them as they held hands, gazed into each other's eyes and talked the talk of lovers. They would be the first of many loving couples, happy, magic and tragic to be associated with this scenic rock in Roscommon's most beautiful lake. The druid's magic ruse had succeeded in a totally unexpected way. The tribes were united and happy. The people were united and happy. The Tuatha Dé Danann were united and happy, the druids were united and happy but above all the young couple were united and happy ever after. They and their descendants would live in Roscommon and Ireland, and sooner or later would imbue everyone else in Roscommon and Ireland and the Irish Diaspora throughout the world with their merry, musical, mystical, magical, poetic and playful spirit. Pat Watson pjwatson77@gmail.com Pat Watson is author of 'Roscommon Folk Tales' available from The History Press. KEEP THIS NEWSLETTER ALIVE! Get Your Family Crest Flag at: https://www.irishnation.com/familycrestflags.htm ================================ 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 View the archive of phrases here: https://www.ireland-information.com/irishphrases.htm   KEEP THIS NEWSLETTER ALIVE! Get Great Family Crest Gifts at: =================== COMPETITION RESULT =================== The winner was: william.mcallister@btinternet.com who will receive the following: A Single Family Crest Print (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. by Michael Green, Editor, The Information about Ireland Site. https://www.ireland-information.com Click here to contact us Google+     PLEASE 'LIKE US' ON FACEBOOK! KEEP THIS NEWSLETTER ALIVE! Visit https://www.irishnation.com (C) Copyright - The Information about Ireland Site, 2014 P.O. Box 9142, Blackrock, County Dublin, Ireland Tel: 353 1 2893860