Happy Summertime from Ireland!

For once Ireland is actually getting some decent sunshine
for more than a day at a time. It has been great here
for weeks - most unusual.

Well, I have a terrific freebie for you this time - and a
bit of news about the site. We have teamed up with another
Irish-based site to offer a 'shopping' element to The
Information about Ireland Site. This is something that was
often requested and was badly missing - but no more! Have
a visit and help to keep us alive.

The freebie in question is a customisable 'Startpage' and
is our challenge to the dominance of Microsoft and Netscape.
Give it a try - its free!

Got something to say? Why don't you submit an article for
inclusion in the next edition? Email to:

newsletterarticle@ireland-information.com

As always, if I can be of any assistance to you please send
me an email and I will do my best to help. 

All the very best,
(from an 'I can't believe it is over 80 degrees' Dublin),

Michael.

This newsletter is available on-line at:

https://www.ireland-information.com/jul99.htm
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......but you'll be missing out!

In this issue:-
~~~~~ New free resources at the site
~~~~~ News Snaps from Ireland
~~~~~ Irish Heraldic Charges - Part I
~~~~~ 'Charles Stewart Parnell' by Sean McCready
~~~~~ Monthly free competition result
~~~~~ Recommended


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

FORMER TAOISEACH TO GO TO TRIAL:

In yet more bad news for the former Taoiseach, Charles
Haughey, it has been decided that there is enough evidence
to justify a charge of obstruction by the former Fianna
Fail leader regarding his evidence to the McCracken
Tribunal. This tribunal was set up to investigate payments
made to Mr. Haughey by Ben Dunne, the head of the major
retailing chain, Dunnes Stores.

NORTHERN PEACE TALKS GO INTO 'REVIEW':

In a major blow to the peace initiative in Northern
Ireland the Good Friday Agreement has been put into
'review'. This follows the Ulster Unionists refusal to
form an assembly with Sinn Fein in it and was followed by
the resignation of the Deputy First Minister - Seamus Mallon.

The Unionists want the weapons destroyed by the IRA before
any Assembly can be established. Sinn Fein have maintained
that they cannot deliver this and that the terms of the Good
Friday agreement do not require it.

Tony Blair and Bertie Ahearn had attempted a compromise by
stating that an Assembly will be formed and that full
demilitarisation should commence by next year.

IRISH POVERTY RATE AMONG THE HIGHEST

The United Nations Human Development Report has indicated 
that Ireland has the second highest poverty rate among
seventeen Western nations surveyed.

Over 15% of the population live in what is described as
'human poverty'. Despite this, the report showed that
Ireland is still one of the most desirable places in
the World to live.

The United States topped the Poverty index with 16.5%
in poverty, followed by Ireland with 15.3% and Britain
with 15.1%. 

The report also revealed that Ireland has the lowest
murder rate among Western countries and the lowest rate
of recorded rapes. 

TELECOM SHARES FLOATED

Amid much fanfare the long awaited sell-off of the 
Governments silverware finally took place with the sale
of the national Telecommunications Company, Telecom Eireann.

The sale witnessed unprecedented public interest with
thousands of people borrowing heavily to invest in the 
shares. Initial appreciation of the stock has provided a
gain of between 12% and 18%.

SPORT SNAPS: 

Soccer: Irish international soccer team is fined by UEFA
and ordered to play the match against Yugoslavia that was
recently postponed. No points were docked from the Irish.

Motor-Racing: The Jordan motor-racing team has gone from
strength to strength this year with both drivers finishing
in the top 5 in the British Grand Prix at Silverstone.
Eddie Jordans team are now placed third in the Constructors
Championship in what is very unchartered territory for an
Irish motor-racing concern.


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IRISH HERALDIC CHARGES - PART I
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Gallery of Irish Coats of Arms is expanding rapidly
at the site and can be viewed at:

http://www.ireland-infromation.com/heraldichall/gm.htm

It is often asked if the individual images or charges that
appear on the coats of arms mean anything. The answer is
that they most certainly do! Find below a number of the
most commonly found charges and their meanings.


Axe 		A symbol of military duty
Example:	McNally

Crescent 	Signifies one who has been enlightened by
		royalty and who is expectant of higher glory
Example:	Duggan, Chapman, Carson, Breen

Crown 		Royal or spiritual authority
Example:	Ward, Keegan

Chains 		A mark of honour, symbols of obligation or duty
Example:	Kelly

Fruit		Signify peace and freedom
Example:	O'Beirne, Donnellan, Flanagan

Helmet 		Security and defence
Example:	Kennedy

Red Rose 	Beauty and grace
Example:	Knight, Agnew

Sword: 		Military honour and virtue
Example:	Davoran, Deasy, Maher, Quinn

Tower/Castle 	Grandeur and society
Example:	Kelly, Redmond

Boar 		A ferocious looking animal which symbolises
		a fierce combative nature and is a charge of
		the warrior class.
Example:	Doran, McCann, O'Hanlon

Boars head 	Designates hospitality.
Example:	Gordon, Nesbitt, Evans

Griffin 	This creature has the head, wings and talons
		of an eagle but the body of a lion. It
		symbolises extreme bravery, especially among
		warriors and may also signify vigilance
Example:	McManus, Hanratty

Fish 		This is used to denote royalty and is one
		of the most superior of royal charges,
		often preferred above beasts and birds.
Example:	O'Neill, Kane, McCabe

Fox		As might be expected, the use of this charge
		denotes a degree of cunning, and an
		expectation that the bearer will use wisdom,
		wit and astuteness in its defence.
Example:	Callaghan, Duane

Hares/Rabbits	Known as 'conies' these charges depict a
		nature that prefers a harmonious and
		peaceful existence.
Example:	Gaffney

Snake		A symbol of wisdom
Example:	Donovan, O'Dea, Hayes

Stag		This is a symbol of skillfulness, adroitness
		or of a love of harmony.
Example:	Cullinan, O'Connell, McCarthy, Green

Talbot/Greyhound Signifying Vigilance, devotion, courage
		 and loyalty.
Example:	 Allen, Flynn


Get the custom made Screensaver that features YOUR family
name and coat of arms at:

https://www.ireland-information.com/sitemap.htm#shop


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CHARLES STEWART PARNELL			by Sean McCready
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Great Famine of 1845 to 1849 left over 1 million dead
with a further 1 million emigrating over the following 10
years. One of the effects of the disaster was to
demonstrate to ordinary Irish people that the English
Government had failed them in their time of need and
that they must seize control of their own destiny.

Out of the Famine grew several revolutionary movements
which culminated in the 1916 Easter Rising. In the
second half of the nineteenth century the main concern
of the Irish people was their land and the fact that
they had no control whatsoever over it ownership.

Charles Stewart Parnell was the son of a Protestant
landowner who organised the rural masses into agitation
against the ruling Landlord class to seek the 3 Fs:
Fixity of Tenure, Freedom to Sell and Fair Rent.

Violence flared in the countryside but Parnell preferred
to use parliamentary means to achieve his objectives and
the result was a series of Land Acts which greatly improved
the conditions under which the Irish agricultural class
toiled.

Parnell's main ambition was Home Rule for Ireland (local
Government) and he led the Irish Party, deposing Isaac
Butt in the process to achieve this aim. He and colleagues
such as Joseph Biggar made a science out of 'fillibustering'
and delayed the English parliament by introducing amendments
to every clause of every Bill and then discussing each aspect
at length. His popularity in Ireland soared to great heights.

Trouble loomed for Parnell however, in his private life. He
had secretly courted a married woman, Kathleen O'Shea, the
husband of whom filed for divorce, naming Parnell as the
co-repsondent. He tried to ignore the scandal and continued
his public life. Public pressure in Ireland and from
Gladstone in England eventually brought his downfall and he
died shortly afterwards, in 1891. The Home Rule Bill that
he had forced Gladstone into introducing was passed in the
House of Commons, but defeated in the House of Lords.

In his last speech in Kilkenny in 1891 he said: 'I don’t
pretend that I had not moments of trial and of temptation,
but I do claim that never in thought, word, or deed, have
I been false to the trust which Irishmen have confided in me'.

But perhaps he will be most remembered for the quotation
that can be found on his statue at the junction of O'Connell
Street and Parnell Street in Dublin City Centre:

'No man shall have the right to fix the boundary to the
march of a Nation'.


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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 our 2 new Screensavers that features Irish Postage
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* Why not send someone a super Irish family name
Screensaver: Kelly, Murphy, Sullivan.... over 750 names now
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To avail of these special offers simply visit the link below
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JULY COMPETITION RESULT
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The winner was: marciep@u.washington.edu
who will receive the following:

Our new Irish Authors Screensaver
AND
Our new Irish Postage Stamps Screensaver
AND
Our 'How to start the search for your Irish roots' Report

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,

Stay Safe,

Michael Green,
Editor,
The Information about Ireland Site.


https://www.ireland-information.com

mailto:michael@ireland-information.com