News

Mayor Mitchell and Friendly Sons of St. Patrick to Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day With a Flag Raising Ceremony

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New Bedford, Massachusetts – A delegation of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick will join with Mayor Jon Mitchell and other elected officials for a flag raising ceremony at City Hall on Saturday, March 17, 2012 at 9:00 A.M. The St. Patrick’s Day flag raising is in recognition of the many achievements, contributions, and successes of Irish Americans. ...read more

Non Published

The State of Irish Government Run Healthcare (Why I’m closing my practice – an Irish Dentist)

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Dentistry in Ireland is at a crossroads. This time last year, two State-sponsored dental schemes operated in this State and covered dental bills, at least in part, for 80 per cent of the adult population here. Draconian cutbacks in state-sponsored dental schemes have led to a severe drop in the number of patients. Dentist Paul O’Dwyer tells his story Next month, after a decade serving the community in rural Co Tipperary, my dental practice will close. ...read more

Non Published

Irishman Saved Adolph Hitler’s Life (thanks Mick – for nuthin’)

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The long-lost memoirs of an Irish soldier who saved a young Adolf Hitler and fought on both sides during World War I have been published after being missing for over 40 years. Dubliner Michael Keogh’s life was one of adventure. In 1906 he went to the United States where he studied engineering. He joined the 69th Regiment of the National Guard. In 1910 he fought in Oklahoma against Mexican invaders. He then went on to work on construction of the Panama Canal. Returning to Ireland in 1914 he joined the British Army before being captured by the Germans in 1916. ...read more

News

Cork are All-Ireland Champions ~ Pints of Murphys will Flow in the Rebel Camp Tonight (2 Videos)

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Resurgent Cork won their first All-Ireland football title since 1990 with a one point comeback win over Down at an emotion-filled Croke Park. After so many setbacks, disappointments and false dawns, the Rebels finally got their hands on Sam (Sam Maguire Cup) once again, but they had to dig deep into their reserves of courage and self-belief to see off the Mourne men. ...read more

Reference

Irish Wolfhound

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The Irish wolfhound is a breed of domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris), specifically a sighthound. The name originates from its purpose (wolf hunting) rather than from its appearance. Irish Wolfhounds are the tallest dog breed on average. Built like a very muscular greyhound, the Irish wolfhound male can attain the stature of a small pony. Its large, long head tapers to a medium point and is held high. Ears are small and stay close to the head except during moments of intensity. Strong shoulders, a muscular neck, a deep chest and a retracted abdomen give the dog its characteristic body shape. Paws are large and round. The tail is carried between the legs, curving slightly upward. The coat is rough, shaggy, wiry and especially bushy over the eyes and under the jaw. ...read more

Music

Irish Music Sessions (seisiún)

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The general session (seisiún) scheme is that someone starts a tune, and those who know it join in. Good session etiquette requires not playing if one does not know the tune, and waiting until a tune one knows comes along. In an “open” session, anyone who is able to play Irish music is welcome. Most often there are more-or-less recognized session leaders; sometimes there are no leaders. At times a song will be sung or a slow air played by a single musician between sets. The objective in a session is not to provide music for an audience of passive listeners; although the punters (non-playing attendees) often come for the express purpose of listening, the music is most of all for the musicians themselves. “Audience” requests for a particular song or tune of the players can be considered rude. The session is an experience that’s shared, not a performance that’s bought and sold. ...read more

Arts

Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh – Listen to 10 Minutes of Spoken Irish (with English Sub-titles)

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Irish (Gaeilge) originated in Ireland and was historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language only by a small minority of the Irish population, and as a second language by a larger minority. However, it is widely considered to be an important part of the island’s culture and heritage. It enjoys constitutional status as the national and first official language of the Republic of Ireland. It is also an official language of the European Union and an officially recognized minority language in Northern Ireland. Irish was the predominant language of the Irish people for most of their recorded history, and they brought their Gaelic speech with them to other countries, notably Scotland and the Isle of Man where it gave rise to Scottish Gaelic and Manx. It has the oldest vernacular literature in Western Europe. ...read more

News

Legendary Radio Voice Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh to Retire After Cork v Down GAA game on Sunday (Sept. 19th)

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AFTER 62 seasons of powerful sporting commentaries full of legendary wit and intelligence, Micheal O Muircheartaigh has announced that this Sunday’s All-Ireland Football Final will be his last. A national institution described as “one part commentator, two parts seanachai”, whose voice is synonymous with the Irish summer, Micheal said: “There is only a while in everything” and that he wants to go while he still enjoys it. He will, however, continue to contribute to RTE Radio on a regular basis and will be in the commentary box for the international rules series with Australia in October. ...read more

Non Published

Man Sentenced to a Pilgrimage to Croagh Patrick for Verbally Abusing a Garda

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Donegal man Joseph McElwee, 38, was outside a pub when he called an on-duty garda a “Mayo Wanxxx” and told him to “Fxxx off home to Mayo”. Garda Nicholas Freyne told the court the abuse continued for 10 minutes. McElwee was charged at Milford District Court with threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour, intoxication, disorderly conduct, wilful obstruction and failing to comply with the direction of a garda. ...read more

News

Cork v Down in All-Ireland Football Final 2010 (Sunday 19th Sept. – 3:30pm Croke Park)

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The All-Ireland Senior Football Championship is the premier “knockout” competition in the game of Gaelic football played in Ireland. The series of games are organized by the Gaelic Athletic Association  and are played during the summer months with the All-Ireland Football Final being played on the third or fourth Sunday in September in Croke Park, Dublin. The prize for the winning team is the Sam Maguire Cup.  Every county in Ireland participates in the Championship (except Kilkenny) so the competition is much more open than the Hurling Championship. Kerry and Dublin are among the most successful football teams. Kerry defeated Cork in the 2009 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final. ...read more

News

Sons and Daughters of Irish Emigrants all Over the World Encouraged to Study in Ireland

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An Taoiseach, Brian Cowen TD, has launched a new education initiative supported by Enterprise Ireland to bring the sons and daughters of Irish emigrants all over the world to study in Ireland. The Ireland Homecoming Study Programme (IHSP) aims to encourage the children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of Irish nationals, and non-resident passport holders living outside the European Union, to return to Ireland for their higher education studies. According to the Emigrant Advice Network (EAN) there are over 3.1 million non-resident Irish passport holders. ...read more

Reference

Bog Snorkelling (and you thought the Irish just did Riverdance…)

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A CHAMPION is still a champion — even if they are covered in mud. Yesterday, a new winner — and world record holder — was crowned when Peter Cunningham shaved six seconds off the previous record, in the annual bog snorkelling championships. Peter (29), from Blackrock, Dublin, was one of 60 people taking part in the annual event just outside Castleblaney, Co Monaghan. The men’s event was closely fought with the winning time of 1 min 24 secs by Mr Cunningham, which exceeded the world record of 1 min 30 secs. ...read more

Reference

The Irish Flag

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The national flag of Ireland (Irish: bratach na hÉireann / suaitheantas na hÉireann) is a vertical tricolor of green (at the hoist), white, and orange.  It is also known as the Irish tricolour. The flag proportion is 1:2 (length twice the width). Officially the flag has no meaning in the Irish Constitution, but a common interpretation is that the green represents the Irish nationalist tradition of Ireland and the orange represents the Orange tradition in Ireland, with white representing peace between them. The white in the center would thus signify a lasting truce between the ‘Green’ and the ‘Orange’. ...read more

News

High praise in China for Derry’s Bogside Artists

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Derry’s Bogside Artists have just returned from Shenzhen in China where they painted a special mural for the Dafen Museum. Artists from all over the world were invited to Shenzhen to painting murals on the walls of the museum situated in Dafen Village, a place given over entirely to the art of painting and the only place of its kind in the world. Representing Ireland at the event, the Bogside Artists created a mural depicting the transition of old China to a new modern China. The piece won the praise of organizers, fellow artists and public alike and the trio have already been invited to return to Shenzhen in the future. ...read more