Everything Irish-Blog Marathon

My Final Post!!! (I have just blogged for 26 hours 2 minutes straight)

I would like to say 'Go raibh maith agat' which means thank you to everyone that has sponsored me.

and thank you very much to all those that stoppped by my blog over the last 26 hours to say 'Hi' and offered support.

I have been awake since 7am on Friday 1st April. (39 hours) Interesting experinece. Actually only felt really tired between 4PM and 5PM.
I'll probably be shatterd tomorrow. So I'm going to get some sleep now. zzzzzzzzzzz

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Thank you!

Posted by: mmitch / 9:50 PM 14 comments

ONLY 1 POSTS TO GO AFTER THIS!!! My next/last blog is in 20 minutes (wow cant believe I have just blogged for 26 hours!)

Even with 26 hours, there is only so much I could write about Ireland in that time. If you would like any more info you can always check out the dummie guide below :-)

If you have not been to Ireland, Shame on you! Go visit it. :-)

It has just been anounced that the Pope has died.

Please help me reach my London Marathon target for ActionAid-you can donate online at http://www.justgiving.com/michellesmarathon it’s secure and money goes direct to ActionAid.

You can also check out my London Marathon website-see how my training is going.

ONLY 2 POSTS TO GO AFTER THIS!!! (Have blogged for 25 hours straight now)

A very ramdom slection of Irish Bands/Singers

U2

The Pogues
The Corrs

Christy Moore
Sinead O'Connor
Enya

Wolfe Tones

The Original Daniel O'Donnell Site
westlife


If you like what you read here and would like to help me reach my London Marathon target for ActionAid-you can donate online at http://www.justgiving.com/michellesmarathon it’s secure and money goes direct to ActionAid.

You can also check out my London Marathon website-see how my training is going.

Remember, oh 20 something hours ago when i blogged about St. Paddy will this is the mountain in Co. Mayo (west of ireland)

Croagh Patrick is Mayo's most famous landmark, rising to 2510ft above sea level.

Croagh Patrick is now Ireland's mountain of pilgrimage (our holy mountain).
Many thousands climb 'the Reek' every year, following the path from Murrisk car park. On 'Reek Sunday' (the last Sunday in July), as many as 60,000 pilgrims climb to the summit in honour of our patron saint. (St. Patrick) Traditionally, the climb was made at night and barefoot, but night climbs are now discouraged for safety reasons.

In recent years it has become very popular for visitors to the area to climb or partially climb Croagh Patrick. With proper conditions it can be a most enjoyable and memorable experience.

Here are some photos i took of it (I have yet to climb it though-but one day i will)

One mans climb

If you like what you read here and would like to help me reach my London Marathon target for ActionAid-you can donate online at http://www.justgiving.com/michellesmarathon it’s secure and money goes direct to ActionAid.

You can also check out my London Marathon website-see how my training is going.

Podge & Rodge interview continued...

'11. How do you trick or treat?
A.RODGE: I've just bought my Gerry Ryan mask for a night of Trick or Treating. If I don't get sweets we burn your house down!

12.What product could you not live without and why?
A.PODGE: Viagra! I've a reputation with the ladies to keep up!
RODGE: Arse cream.cause I wouldn't be able to sit!

12a. What's the scariest thing a fan has ever given you?
A.An awful rash!

13. What's on your bedside locker?
A.RODGE: Arse cream, Trollops on Tractors.art magazine.
PODGE: 'Dude , where's my Country' Mickey Moore's latest book, my pipe and me baccy.

14.Have you ever indulged in some supermarket flirtation?
A. PODGE: I once had it off in the petfood section.
RODGE: I often press me meat off the glass of the deli counter!

15.Boxers or Briefs, why?
A.Why bother with either, it's only more washing every couple of months!

16.Who's your style icon and why?
A. Ryan Tubridy, shows that anyone, no matter how awkward can become an RTE superstar.

17.What's hot right now?
A.Funnily enough our new DVD of A Scare at Bedtime, the entire Series One collection, When we were younger, brighter and squeekier. 20 episodes, one disc!

18. What are you listening to at the moment?
A.PODGE: Rodge moaning about itchy hole!
RODGE: Justified by Justin Timberlake!

19. Biggest Fashion faux pas?
A.RODGE: A woollen g-string.
PODGE: Black wellies, when green were clearly de rigueur!

20. If your house were on fire what 3 purchasable possessions would you save and why?
A.Arse cream..you know why! Our vast collection of specialist adult entertainment videos because we'd miss them and our mincing machine.. because everybody loves mince!

21. If we gave you 1000 Euros right now, where would you spend it and what on?
A.We'd go straight to to Farmer Qeelan's exotic Meats and stock up for the winter with some Gorilla, White Rhino and Siberian Tiger meat and put our mincing machine through its paces. And maybe another Boob cruise in January'

If you like what you read here and would like to help me reach my London Marathon target for ActionAid-you can donate online at http://www.justgiving.com/michellesmarathon it’s secure and money goes direct to ActionAid.

You can also check out my London Marathon website-see how my training is going.

Filthy stories told by a couple of old bed-sharing Irishmen bachelor brothers' urban legends, scary stories and terrifying tales! :-) (On Irish TV and can also be baught on DVD)

Interview with Podge & Rodge

'1.Describe your sense of style?
A. Farmer chic

2.Describe your approach to shopping?
A. PODGE: For clothes and home furnishings, we wait til some fella in the town is dead, then go straight round and make the widow an offer.

3.Do you have a shopping mantra?
A.RODGE: No, but we have a shopping trolley.

4. Do you find it difficult to shop without being recognised?
A.PODGE: Yeah, definitely nowadays with the CCTV, security are onto us in a flash.
RODGE: It's getting more and more difficult concealing 5lbs of Tongue down your caks without getting nicked!

5.Name the last three purchases you've made that sum up your personality the most. Please explain.
A. PODGE: 1.Eau de Tubridy: a new cologne only available from RTE, which I think reflects my showbiz style; haunting and annoying all in one bottle. 2. Fester & Ailin' Greatest Hits album "Two in the Bush" showing my love for Irish Country music. 3. My hand gun 'The Raging Bull' the second biggest handgun available in the world, purchased from a friend of mine in Dundalk. Shows my 'are you looking at me' attitude that I'm famous for!
RODGE: Three tubs of arse cream.showing that I like to.er, take care me hole.

6.Favourite shop & why?
A.PODGE: Two for One, Ballydung's bargain shopping centre. Why? Cause you can't argue with getting two for the price of one!
RODGE: Ann Summers Nearly New Outlet shop, Mullingar! Why?
Why not!

7. Latest bargain buy?
A. side of Panda meat from Farmer Queelin's Exotic Emporium. It tastes just like chicken with a hint of bamboo. His dolphin steaks come pretty close though!

8.Most ever spent on an item. Was it worth it?
A.200 EURO on a holiday. A 'Boob Cruise' around the Aran Islands. Was it worth it? Outstanding!!! It was cold!

9. Describe your relationship with your credit card?
A.We don't own our own credit cards but we have several in our possession!

10. What are you planning for this Halloween?
A.PODGE: Same as usual, elaborate traps at the front door, a lime pit in the back garden and polishing up the Raging Bull for any trick or Treaters that dare approach Ballydung Manor!'


If you like what you read here and would like to help me reach my London Marathon target for ActionAid-you can donate online at http://www.justgiving.com/michellesmarathon it’s secure and money goes direct to ActionAid.

You can also check out my London Marathon website-see how my training is going.

The O Mally rang Dublin airport and enquired: "Oh hello, could you please how long does it take to fly to New York from Dublin?"... "Just a second Sir.." replied the receptioniast... "Thank you, you been most helpful..."

I have 6 posts to go!!!! COOOOOOOOOoooool!!!

Aideen ("ay + deen") Formed like Aidan from aed "fire." Aideen loved her husband Oscar, a grandson of Fionn Mac Cool (read the legend), so much that when he fell in battle she died of a broken heart.

Ailis,
Ailish
Eilis,
Eilish "ay + lish" Irish version of the Norman Alice or Alicia from Elizabeth "God is my oath."

Aoibheann "eve + een" Eavan aoibhinn "pleasant, beautiful sheen, of radiant beauty." Often interpreted as "little Eve." One Aoibheann was the mother of St. Enda of Aran who died c. 530 AD.

Caitlin ( "koit + leen" )
or
Cathleen ("kath + leen" ) Catherine, Kathleen Devotion to St. Catherine came to Ireland with Christianity. Revered for her courage and purity, Catherine in the Irish form, Cathleen, became such a popular name that W. B. Yeats chose it for the heroine of his 1899 play "The Countess Cathleen" which was inspired by an Irish folktale. In a time of famine the Devil offers food to the starving poor in exchange for their souls. But Cathleen convinces Satan to take her soul instead. When she dies the Devil comes to collect her soul but God intervenes and carries Cathleen to heaven, saying that "such a sacrificial act cannot justly lead to evil consequences."

Cara, Caragh ( "car + a")
or
Caera ( "keer + a" ) In Irish cara simply means a "friend."

Deirdre ( "deer + dre" or "dare + dreh" ) The most beautiful woman in ancient Ireland, she was bethrothed to the High King Conchobhar Mac Nessa but she fell in love with his nephew Naoise. Deirdre and Naoise eloped to Scotland where they lived a blissful exile for many years. By offering forgiveness, Conchobhar tricked them into returning to Ulster where Naoise was slain by the jealous Conchobhar. Deirdre threw herself from Conchobhar's chariot rather than live with the man who had caused Naoise's death. It was said that her grave was near to Naoise's and that a yew tree grew from each plot. The yew trees grew toward one another till their branches intertwined, joining the two lovers even after death.

Kerry - ciar means "dark" and probably implies "dark hair and brown eyes." County Kerry means "the land of the descendant of Ciar" who was the love-child of the High King Fergus Mac Roth and the legendary Queen Maebh.

Maebh ( "may + v" ) Maeve From an old Irish name Madb, "the cause of great joy" or "she who intoxicates." The great warrior queen of Connacht and embodiment of sovereignity she stars in Ireland's greatest epic "The Cattle Raid of Cooley" (read the legend). She left king Conchobhar Mac Nessa for Ailill because "you are a man without meaness, fear or jealousy, a match for my own greatness." But the couple quarrelled over who had the most possessions. Maebh's bull had defected to Ailill's herd and so she bought Daire's brown bull. When Daire went back on the deal she went to war with Cuchulainn (read the legend) and the province of Ulster to recover the bull.

Maire ( "my + ra" ) Mary The name that was used in Ireland for Our Lady was Muire and interestingly, her name was so honored that it was rarely used as a first name until the end of the fifteenth century. Then Maire became acceptable as a given name but the spelling Muire was reserved from the Blessed Mother.

Mairead or Muiread "mawr + aid" "mur + aid"
Margaret The Irish form of Margaret, it became popular around the fourteenth century.
Roisin ( "ro + sheen" ) Rosaleen From the Latin name Rosa and means "little rose." Records show that the name has been in use in Ireland since the sixteenth century. When the expression of Irish patriotic poetry and song was outlawed during Ireland's troubled and turbulent past, the Irish bards would disguise their nationalistic verse as love songs. In the figure of Roisin Dubh ("Dark Rosaleen"), a Gaelic poem translated by James Clarence Mangan in 1835, the name became a poetic symbol of Ireland, reflecting the Irish tradition of disguising outlawed patriotic verse as love songs where she is told not to be downhearted for her friends are returning from abroad to come to her aid.

Saoirse ( "sear + sha" ) Irish word saoirse "freedom, liberty." It has only been used since the 1920s and has strong patriotic overtones.

Shauna ( "shaw + na" ) The feminine form of Sean. It is currently a very popular name in Ireland.

Siobhan ( "shiv + awn" ) Shevaun, Shavon, Chevonne Siobhan is another Irish form of Joan meaning "God is gracious." A popular name in Ireland where the anglicised versions are often used. Siobhan McKenna, an Irish actress who died in 1986, was considered by many as a woman who personified all that was good about being Irish.

If you like what you read here and would like to help me reach my London Marathon target for ActionAid-you can donate online at http://www.justgiving.com/michellesmarathon it’s secure and money goes direct to ActionAid.

You can also check out my London Marathon website-see how my training is going.

This trip around Dublin is a good one to do. Local actors (8 of them) take turns entertaining, informing, shocking and delightening their guests with tales of Ireland's most noteworhy writers: Behan, Joyce, Yeats, Wilde, Goldsmith, Shaw and others.

If interested you can check out the Dublin Literary Pub Crawl

ok also got a joke for ya...

1st Man: Oh hello, how are you, let me buy you a drink!
2nd Man: Why thank you." he replies. "Where are you from?
1st Man: Oh, I'm from Ireland," he replies.
2nd Man: You don't say. I'm from Ireland too! Let's have another round to Ireland.
1st Man: Of course!

And they both pour back their drinks....

2nd Man: So, where in Ireland are you from?
1st Man: Dublin," comes the reply.
2nd Man: I can't believe it says the first man. I'm from Dublin too! Let's have another drink to Dublin!
1st Man: Aye! why not!" And both men continue drinking.
2nd Man: So, like... hmmmm... What school did you go to?
1st Man: St. Mary's, I graduated in '72.
2nd Man: You don't say! This is bloody unbelievable, I went to St. Mary's and I graduated in '72, too!
1st Man: Noooo way???

About that time, in comes one of the regulars and sits down at the bar. "What's been going on?" he asks the bartender. "Oh nothing much," replies the bartender. "The O'Mally twins are drunk again."

If you like what you read here and would like to help me reach my London Marathon target for ActionAid-you can donate online at http://www.justgiving.com/michellesmarathon it’s secure and money goes direct to ActionAid.

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A jaunting car is a small horse-drawn cart peculiar to Ireland. It generally holds the driver and from 2-4 passengers. If you saw The Quiet Man with John wayne and Maureen O'Hara, thy did their courting under the watchful eye of Barry Fitzgerald (as the driver) as they rode in his jaunting car.

If you like what you read here and would like to help me reach my London Marathon target for ActionAid-you can donate online at http://www.justgiving.com/michellesmarathon it’s secure and money goes direct to ActionAid.

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In the last 10 minutes I have just being going through my first really tired patch since i started blogging 21 odd hours ago. I have not had sleep for nearly 34 hours (what? wow) so I guess that to be expected.

So here rae a few photos of the countryside around me back home in Galway (West coast)

Going to get some air...will be back for next post.

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Staying on the Religious theme again for this post...
When a child is seven or eight, they can make their Communion. (Think it was 2nd class so that was 4 years in school).
In school the class prepare for this in the religion lessons. The ceremony consists of a normal mass and then each child having their first taste of communion.
For anyone that does not know-Communion is like a small round bit of wafer-like bread.

The picture above is of a girl and a boy's Communion outfits. These may vary. The girl wears a white/cream/ivory dress with sometimes a veil and sometimes a wreath of fresh flowers on the head.
The boy generally wears maybe a suit, or just trousers and a shirt.
In school the class would prepare for this in the religious education lessons. The ceremony consists of a normal mass and then each child having their first taste of communion. Communion is like a small round bit of wafer-like bread. It is sometimes called the host.

When a child makes his/her Communion it is a very happy and special time.
After the ceremony, the child and the family often go to visit friends and relatives, or else they have a party at home and they invite friends and relatives.
And of course the child that has just made their communion love it as it is customary to get money from their aunts and uncles.

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Two Irish lads had been out shacking up with their girl friends. One felt guilty and decided he should stop at the church and confess. He went into the confession booth and told the Irish father, "father, I have sinned. I have committed fornication with a lady. Please forgive me." The father said, "Tell me who the lady was." The lad said he couldn't do that and the priest said he couldn't grant him forgiveness unless he did.

"Was it Mollie O'Grady ?" asked the irish father."
"No."
"Was it Rosie Kelly?"
"No."
"Was it that red-headed wench Tessie O'Malley?"
"No."
"Well then," said the irish father, "You'll not be forgiven."

When the lad met his friend outside the friend asked, "So, did you find forgiveness." "No," said the other, "but I picked up three good prospects!"

-------------------

Although Catholic, I'm not big on 'Confessions'. The whole 'Forgive me father for I have sinned-it has been two weeks since my last confession'....whats that about?

after all, ya just told another porkie by saying two weeks when it was more likely to be 2 months (but you didnt want to sound bad in front of the Priest). Then you have to tell him your sins. Again your not sure what you should and should not be telling him. And afterwards he gives you your penance most likely a few Our Fathers and a couple of Hail Prayer and you say the Art of Contrition (if you can remember it). hmmmm


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A couple of weeks ago I went to the National Portrait Gallery here in London to view a free exhibition on Irish Artists in London.

George Bernard Shaw sums up not only his own dazzling career but the experience of many talented Irish people in 19th century London.

'England had conquered Ireland, so there was nothing for it but to come over and conquer England'.

It included pieces on many famous Irish people, including

Oscar Wilde
Oscar Wilde had many quotes and sayings (especially when it came to a member of the fairer sex) but this one seems appropriate

'35 is a very attractive age: London society is full of women who have, of their own free choice, remained 35 for years.'

Although I am still a good way off the 35 mark yet.

-------------
Bram Stroker 1847-1912)
The author of Dracula

others included Thomas Moore, Sydney Owenson (Lady Morgan) and Samuel Lover.

It was quite interesting and nice to see some of their work on display.

If you like what you read here and would like to help me reach my London Marathon target for ActionAid-you can donate online at http://www.justgiving.com/michellesmarathon it’s secure and money goes direct to ActionAid.

You can also check out my London Marathon website-see how my training is going.

A limerick is a five-line poem. The first, second and fifth lines rhyme and the third and fourth lines must rhyme.
Some people say that the limerick was invented by soldiers returning from France to the Irish town of Limerick in the 1700's.
Apparently a Limerick was first seen in 1846, in London, in Edward Lear's Book of Nonsense.

Limericks are meant to be funny. They often contain hyperbole, onomatopoeia, idioms, puns, and other figurative devices. The last line of a good limerick contains the PUNCH LINE or "heart of the joke."
Say the following limerick out loud and clap to the rhythm. (Gwan!)

My dog runs faster than most
She ran off with Mom's Sunday Roast
I was sent in pursuit
of her hot, Juicy loot
so dad wouldn't turn her to toast

7 hours to go thats nearly 20 hours blogging. WOW! Also means Ive to wrack my brain for another 14 odd posts. hmmmmmmm

If you like what you read here and would like to help me reach my London Marathon target for ActionAid-you can donate online at http://www.justgiving.com/michellesmarathon it’s secure and money goes direct to ActionAid.

You can also check out my London Marathon website-see how my training is going.

'In Dublin's fair city where girls are so pretty
Twas there that I first met sweet Molly Malone
As she wheeled her wheelbarrow
Through street broad and narrow
Crying, "Cockles and mussels, alive, alive oh"

Alive, alive oh, alive, alive oh,
Crying, "Cockles and mussels, alive, alive oh"

Now she was a fishmonger and sure twas no wonder
For so were her mother and father before
And they each wheeled their barrows
Through streets broad and narrow
Crying, "Cockles and mussels, alive, alive oh"

She died of a faver and no one could save her
And that was the end of sweet Molly Malone
Now her ghost wheels her barrow
Through streets broad and narrow
Crying, "Cockles and mussels, alive, alive oh"'

The Bronze statue of Molly Malone (the famous fishmonger as per song above) can be seen at the bottom (north) end of Grafton Street opposite Trinity College.

I have being blogging for over 16 hours now started at 7.30PM UK time its now 14:27 PM the next day. Abit tired but not to bad considering I am awake for the past 29 odd hours. Hungry now though - so going to get some food. Will be back for next post in half an hour.

If you like what you read here and would like to help me reach my London Marathon target for ActionAid-you can donate online at http://www.justgiving.com/michellesmarathon it’s secure and money goes direct to ActionAid.

You can also check out my London Marathon website-see how my training is going.

This is picture postcard country (weather permitting), if you ever get a chance to visit Ireland well your trip would not be complete without checking out Connemara in all it glory.

Roundstone in Connemara, Co. Galway is one of the oldest fishing villages in Connemara, nestled amongst the twelve Pins and is bordered by the vast Atlantic ocean. The village was built in the 1820's by Scottish engineer Alexander Nimmo. who settled in Connemara.

In Roundstone you will find a busy little harbour, where local fishermen prepare and return with the days catches of lobster, crayfish, crab and mackerel, plus a variety of other fish which can be sampled in the local restaurants/pubs.

--------------

Kylemore Abbey is located in the Kylemore Pass in Connemara, County Galway. It has been home to the Irish Benedictine nuns since 1920.

The Benedictine nuns bought the house in 1920, having fled their convent in war-torn Belgium in 1914, where they ran a boarding school for girls for over 300 years.

They re-established the school here and it is still very much alive today.

The Abbey was originally built in 1868 by Mitchell Henry, in memory of his late wife Margaret.
Its architecture is best described as neo-gothic and the house still displays all the characteristics of that period.

If you like what you read here and would like to help me reach my London Marathon target for ActionAid-you can donate online at http://www.justgiving.com/michellesmarathon it’s secure and money goes direct to ActionAid.

You can also check out my London Marathon website-see how my training is going.

he banshee in Irish Gaeilge, is called 'bean sidhe', which means 'supernatural woman'. She is envisioned with a sunken nose, scraggy hair and huge hollow eye sockets. Her eyes are fiery red from continuous weeping. She wears a tattered white sheet flapping around her. She wails outside the door of someone who is about to die, but only for old families. All the best clans have their own private banshee



Pretty scary yeh!!!???

Actually many years ago I did watch a film (can't remember what it was called) but I do recall the horrible wailing coming from the banshee. Would not like to meet her on a dark cold night.

If you like what you read here and would like to help me reach my London Marathon target for ActionAid-you can donate online at http://www.justgiving.com/michellesmarathon it’s secure and money goes direct to ActionAid.

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Just got off the phone with my mom (my weekly check in to say I'm still alive-goes on for a good hour), where she proceeds to talk about what all Irish mothers talk about the weather, the siblings, and funerals.

Mom acually mentiond a busy week of attending funerals.

What is involved in an irish funeral/Irish Wake?

The traditional Irish Wake was commonplace around Ireland up until about the 1970's, and while it still takes place today it is less common than it once was. This was the process of Laying out the body of a departed relative in the house where they lived and /or died. All of the family and quite a few of the deceased's neighbours and friends would gather at the house. The body was usually in a coffin in the parlour of the house or living room.

There would be lots of food and plenty of drink to be consumed. People would come and socialise and remember the departed person's life.
This wasn't a time for tears (deletetion), it was more of a party than a funeral.
It was the traditional Irish way of celebrating one's life and ensuring that they had a good send off. A proper Irish Wake is worth the time and effort required to return to the old customs. It is hard to imagine a passing being complete without one!

The Wake is the period of time from death until the body is conveyed to the care of the church which is generally the evening before the day of burial.

This is still comonplace in rural Ireland today.

If you like what you read here and would like to help me reach my London Marathon target for ActionAid-you can donate online at http://www.justgiving.com/michellesmarathon it’s secure and money goes direct to ActionAid.

You can also check out my London Marathon website-see how my training is going.

If you like what you read here and would like to help me reach my London Marathon target for ActionAid-you can donate online at http://www.justgiving.com/michellesmarathon it’s secure and money goes direct to ActionAid.

You can also check out my London Marathon website-see how my training is going.

Thoor Ballylee (about 12 miles from where I live back home in Galway) satisified William Butler Yeats's ((1865-1939), Irish poet, dramatist and prose writer) desire for a rooted place in a known countryside, not far from Coole Park and his life-long friend Lady Gregory.

The tower or castle that Yeats bought was a sixteeneth century norman castle built by the family de Burgo, or Burke. The tower had to be restored before Yeats could live in it. By the summer of 1919 Yeats and his wife and daughter had moved in. Yeats mentions Ballylee in a letter to Maud Gonne May 1918.

' We hope to be in Ballylee in a month and there I dream of making a house that may encourage people to avoid ugly manufactured things - an ideal poor man's house. Except a very few things imported as models we should get all made in Galway or Limerick. I am told that our neighbours are pleased that we are not getting 'grand things but old irish furniture'.

After the Yeats family moved out in 1929 it fell into disuse, but was restored as 'Yeats Tower' in 1965 and fitted out as a Yeats museum, containing an interesting collection of first editions as well as items of furniture. The adjoining cottage is fitted out as a tea room and shop. The tower has been wired for sound and a pre-recorded commentary can be played on a push-button system. In addition part of the ground floor has been adapted for an audio-visual presentation on the years of Yeats's occupancy.

Photos to follow-next post...

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Long ago, and I'm not sure how long ago...for the purpose of the story lets just say a long times ago king Conor MacNessa and warriors the Red Branch Knights were trained strong men. King Conor had a nephew called Setanta longed to be a Red Branch Knight. From a young lad he showed superhuman qualities including wisdom, magic warefare and poetry. He told his mother about his dream but she said he was too young.

Setanta had a happy childhood which involved playing hurling [the national sport of Ireland - kind of like lacrosse or field hockey] with his friends. His team always won. When Setanta was ten he told his father that he wanted to join the Red Branch Knightsbut his father also said he too young. So he stayed milking cows, carrying water and chopping wood.

One night a man came to the house to tell stories. He told lots about King Conor and his knights. That night, while everyone was asleep, Setanta got his hurling stick and ball and left for King Conor's castle.

Some days later, the king (who had welcomed him) said to Setanta, "I am going to a party at Culain's, do you want to come?" Setanta replied, "I will come later as I am playing a hurling match."

He got to the fort some time after the match and found a wolfhound guarding the fort. He hit the ball and killed Culain's hound. The man heard the dog's cry and ran out. The man said "who is going to guard my fort now?" To which Setanta replied that he would until he could replace the one he killed. "I'll be the "Hound of Culain" ["CuChulain"]," said Setanta.

So that's how Cuchulainn got his name. Soon he joined the knights and became the best guard of all. He was the best Red Branch Knight ever.

Ah nothing like a game of hurling, yeh!!! To find our more about the game click here.

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Killorglin in the geographical heart of Kerry is the venue for one of Ireland's most unusual street festivals - Puck Fair.

Held mid august every year, a 3 day event. The Puck, a wild mountain goat, is traditionally caught on the August bank holiday Monday. Then on the morning of Gathering Day he is paraded through the streets of killingly to rapturous applause and cheering. On arrival at the town square he is crowned King. The newly mad monarch is then ceremoniously raised on a scaffold platform some twenty five feet high. The Puck resides here for the next three days and nights looking down on his subjects.

But why crown a goat?
Some believe the crowning of the goat began as a pre Christian festival in honour of the Celtic Sun God, Lugh, and the Fair has always coincided with the ancient festival of Lughnasa. Others believe the fair started as early as the 13th Century By far the most popular notion however is that of the connection with Oliver Cromwell and his advancing army.

Word has it that a herd of goats were grazing an a high peak, when suddenly the noise of Cromwell’s army scattered them into the hills- all of them that is except for one brave male which, it is said, instead of fleeing with the rest, ran down the mountain and into Killorglin. The local people saw the exhausted goat sensed something was very wrong and so armed themselves with Shillelagh and pitchfork. T

There is no evidence that a battle took place that day, but what did happen on that fateful day back in 1650 was that Killorglin and it’s new found hero were given a place in Irish Folklore and have remained there to this day. And its a mighty place to go for the craic!!! (drinking, dancing etc)

To read all about it click here

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Interestingly enough Irish/Gaeilge was the only language I liked in school. Back home it was compulsory for all school goer to have Irish/Gaeilge as one of their subjects which included reading/writing and speaking it. Can I speak Gaeilge now? Yes! But I am abit rusty…but like everything it would come back to me.

Here are a few of the main sayings that you can practice

Phrase: Thank you
Irish: Go raibh maith agat
Pronunciation: Guh row mah aguth (row as in cow)

Phrase: You're welcome
Irish: Tá fáilte romhat
Pronunciation: Thaw foil-cheh roath

Phrase: Hello
Irish: Dia dhuit
Pronunciation: Djee-ah gwitch

Phrase: What is your name?
Irish: Cad is ainm duit?
Pronunciation: Codh is anam gwitch

Phrase: My name is Michelle Mitchell
Irish: Michelle Mitchell is ainm dom (actually my names changes to Michelle Ni Mhisteil in Irish)
Pronunciation: Michelle Mitchell is aman dhum

Phrase: How are you?
Irish: Conas tá tú?
Pronunciation: Kunas thaw thoo

Phrase: I am fine
Irish: Tá me go maith
Prounciation: Thaw may guh mah

Phrase: Today is Sunday
Irish: Inniu anDé Sathairn
Pronunciation: Djay Sah-harn

Phrase: I'd like a Guinness (please)
Irish: Piont (leath-phiont) Guinness/Murphy's/Harp led' thoil
Pronunciation: Pionth Guinness/Murphy's/Harp ledh hell
Note: 'bar-speak' is a little more specific and people would tend to ask for "a pint" or "half-pint" without always mentioning the brand (means Guinness unless otherwise specified!), so I'm changing this slightly to suit more usually used idioms. We don't usually use the phrase "I'd like" as such (directly translated) but rather simply, give the item and add a shortish "please"


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Irish dancing is back in fashion again thanks to Michael Flately and Riverdance

When I was a young one-every youngster from when they were about 4 years old learnt Irish dancing. Granted we gave it up again by the time we were 8/9 as we had learnt all the main dances. It was only the cream of the crop that kept it up and started to enter serious competitions. I still think I could manage an
Easy reel and the three hand reel.

Go on try it out..1 2 3...or maybe not :-)

(note this is not a photo of me :-) )

Got quite a few medals too which always seemed to surprise me as just before the music started for a competition I distinctly recall not being able to remember the steps…but the minute the music started it was like turning on a switch and it all came back to me.

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Clonmacnoise is about 35 miles from where I live back home in Galway. I know because I cycled there and back with my classmates, way back in 1991 to raise money for charity. Phew those are the days when I was fit and something like that was easy enough do without any training. The run up to the London Marathon is the most exercise I have done sense my school days.

Clonmacnoise (the Irish Cluain Mhic Nos) is an ancient ecclesiastical site. Its location contributed to its development as a major centre of religion, learning, trade, craftsmanship and political influence. Clonmacnoise has a large collection of grave-slabs dating from the 8th to the 12th century, as well as one of Ireland's finest surviving High Crosses. In addition, the monastery contains many religious buildings.

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When you think of Celtic Ireland you think of crosses and churches-a picture can paint a thousand words...so enjoy the photos (taken last year)

Kilconnell is about 8 miles from where I live back home in Galway. A wee village.

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Has anyone heard of the song ‘The fields of Athenry?’ It now gets song alot at football matches. The song tells the story of Lord Trevelyan who brought a supply of corn back from America in a bid to battle starvation during the potato famine in the mid-nineteenth century.

Check out the song here.

Anyway I am actually from a few miles up the road from there. I figured while I’m here I might as well talk a wee bit about Galway. So ill start with the Islands off Galway-The Aran Islands.

The 3 Aran Islands (Inis Mór, Inis Meáin and Inis Óirr) are situated across the mouth of Galway Bay about 30 miles from Galway City. THE ARAN ISLANDS are well-known and attract visitors from all over the world; their unique culture and heritage continue to inspire world-famous writers and artists.

It contains Dun Aengus and other island forts which were probably built about 2000 years ago. It also has a history of the island's monasteries, and information about many successful local writers. The islander’s national dress is displayed, and visitors can experience examples of the intricate Aran style knitting.

I went back to visit it in June 2004…here are a few photos I took

This is a music house (Teach Ceoil)

‘An Ghaeltacht’ indicates that it is Irish speaking area

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Eejit – You’re a right eejit - A fool
Gas (Wasn’t that gas!?) – fun (same as Craic)
Eat the head off – attack verbally
Slagging (I’m only slagging you) – Making fun
Letting on – To pretend
Stocious - refers to being drunk

Holy show (he made a holy show of himself) – seen/spectacle
Gob (he never shuts his gob) – mouth
Puss (he has a right puss on him) – sulky face
Culchies - Rural people, usually used disparagingly by city people (I’m a culchie and proud of it! :-)
Jackeens – Dublin people
Acting the maggot – Acting foolish


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Mary Robinson (1944- )
Former President of Ireland from 1990 to 1997
I was elected by the women of Ireland, who instead of rocking the cradle, rocked the system.

-----------------

Sean O'Casey (1880-1964)
Irish playwright. He was renowned for realistic dramas of the Dublin slums in war and revolution, in which tragedy and comedy are juxtaposed in a new way.
Laughter is wine for the soul -- laugh soft, or loud and deep, tinged through with seriousness. Comedy and tragedy step through life together, arm in arm... Once we can laugh, we can live.

--------------------------

James Joyce
(1882-1941)
Irish novelist, poet, playwright. He was best known for his novels of subtle, frank portraits of human nature; wrote "Ulysses," 1922; "Portrait of the Artist As a Young Man," 1914.

A man of genius makes no mistakes.
His errors are volitional and are the portals of discovery.
No pen, no ink, no table, no room, no time, no quiet, no inclination
Whatever else is unsure in this stinking dunghill of a world a mother's love is not.

--------------

Maeve Binchy (1940- )
Popular columnist and author.
It wasn't every day that you overheard a conversation that covered lies, virginity, knickers and God-all-bloody-mighty. Dublin was changing

-------------

Charles Haughey (1925– )
Irish politician. Former Taoiseach- prime minister (1979–81, 1982, and 1987).
Ireland is where strange tales begin and happy endings are possible.

I am officially awake 24 hours! a wee bit tired but not to bad-considering.

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No matter where in the world you are, you can nearly always get what you want from your homeland in another country. But there is one thing for one reason or another didn’t follow in Guinness footstep and for the life of me I cannot understand why. In one since I’m glad though because there will be more for me when I get home. hehe So what the hell am I talking about?

TAYTO!!!



What? you don’t know what Tayto are?-shame on you :-) Tayto are the original and the best (by miles) crips ever! Especially Cheese and onion flavour. Yumm havin said that salt and vinegar flavour with fresh bread and butter makes the perfect sandwich. You think I’m mad don’t you? I’m not kidding you. You should try them.

Its just after 7am here, my flatmate has just got up (Hi Janice) and is off to work in awhile. I have officially been up for the last 24 hours. I'm a wee bit tired but not to bad.

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Ireland's bogs, or peatlands, are a beautiful natural resource that have been an integral part of Irish heritage over the millennia.

A large part of Ireland’s landmass is poorly draining soil that has turned into peat over the last 10,000 years. The peat forms when partially decomposed plants accumulate on top of one another in those waterlogged environs.
A telltale sign of bog conditions is continuous land cover of moss amidst other stunted flowering plants.

One of the bogs' most enduring contributions to the Irish people has been fossil fuel. While in its natural state the turf (peat), is about 90% water and 10% solid. Its location near the surface means that it can be dried and saved, a readily available economical fuel for burning on open fires.

Again this is something that we did as kids, every summer we would spend a few weeks in the bog. In the old days the turf was cut away with a syth (like a big knife) but in my time we had a machine to come in and cut it and spread the turf on the bank. A week or so drying followed, the we came in for a few days and turned the turf, again this was left to dry before we would either ‘box’ or ‘foot' (Small stack of 6 to 8 turf)’ or clamp (A stack) the turf.



Again this was followed by drying through the summer months, which would provide enough fuel to last a family until the next year.
As a kid it wasn’t all work though we did get to run from one bank to another, all different shapes (depending on how and when they were cut away from the bank).



Some weeks later we returned to the bog to draw home the turf. This was a difficult operation but very satisfying. The turf had then to be thrown into the turf shed.
The end result was a warm house (throwing the sods of turf on the fire) for the winter months-so worth it!

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The IRISH people once celebrated HALLOWEEN as SAMHAIN, and believed it was a time when the souls of the dead came back to visit the earth.

During the eighth century the Catholic Church designated the first day of November as ALL SAINTS DAY, or ALL HALLOWS - a day of commemoration for those Saints that did not have a specific day of remembrance. The night before was known as ALL HALLOWS EVE, which, over time, became shortened to HALLOWEEN.

Poor IRISH people would beg for food and receive pastries called “soul cakes.” In return, they would pray for the dead. The distribution of soul cakes was encouraged by the church as a way to replace the ancient practice of leaving food and wine for roaming spirits. “Going a-souling” eventually became “trick-or-treating” by children who would visit their neighbors.

I have very vivid memories of Halloween as a child. It generally involved standing out in the freezing cold for hours, havin rounded up a flock of sheep. (Yes I did mention I was a farmer’s daughter, 6 kids in family) Often we had holes in our wellies (wellingtons) and had placed a Dunnes Stores bag (big food supermarket in Ireland like Marks and Spencers in the UK) in them to prevent out feet getting wet. When we finally got in out of the cold our hands would go from very cold to very warm resulting in pins and needles type sensation – have you ever had that? – weird. The good think was though we always came home to warm open fire. There is nothing like an open fire.

As a family and children in general in rural Ireland, we celebrated Halloween as a family. This did involve things like dangling an apple from a piece of string (hung from a doorway) with your hands behind your back and trying to grab a bite-it’s harder than it sounds. (good honest to god fun). We also filled a basin with water and again with hands behind back tried to grab things like an apple or money.

I think it was the spread that was put on that we enjoyed the most, grapes, loads of fruit and every type of nut (monkey nuts were an essential) also a coconut.

The bit that we all got excited about though was the Halloween brack (from the Irish word breac, meaning "speckled"). It’s like a breadie type current cake. Although the brack itself was quite nice, as a child it was the Tokens that were put inside the Brack - was what you were aiming for.

Mom would cut the brack and there was either a cheer or a groan of disappointment depending on which slice you had chosen.

If you find a coin in your slice, your fortune in the coming year is that you will be rich.
But find a rag, and you will be poor.
Finding a ring portends romance
But find a thimble or a button and you will be single!

Halloween is definitely a childhood memory I will always remember fondly.

Excellent its 6am I have been blogging for over 10 hours maybe i should talk about my childhood abit more-time goes quicker as I look back on things :-)

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After a bowl of left over pasta (5.06am birds singing) It is time to wreck my head for as many Irish slang words as I can remember…

What’s the crack? – How are you? Have you any news?
Wet the tea – Make a cup/pot of tea
A soft day - Miserable f***ing weather
The head on him – who does he think he is
What am I like – I’ve been abit silly
Stop the lights – Really!?
Gwan outta tat (Go on out of that) – I don’t believe you
Jaysus, I’m grand – I’m fine
Bog-standard - basic
Are ye headin? – Are you leaving now?
Six o’ one, half a dozen o’ the other – Same
Fair play to you – Approval to someone opinion or action
Good on ya - Approval to someone opinion or action
Soft aul day – Bad weather, light rain
Be Jaysus – Expression of surprise
Grand – Good
Alright? – Are you ok?
How’s the form? - How are you?
Feck that – disapproval/not going to do something
Yoke-eh-me-bob – name given to an object
Cop yourself on – Have a bit of sense
Thick as a brick – Stupid
I’m off ta the bog – I am going to use the toilets
What’s de storey? – What’s new?
Yer wan would be late for his/her own funeral – Slow
Would ya give over! – Will you ever stop following around
Ya legend – Compliment on a job well done
A little fart of a thing - small person
I will in my arse – I won’t do it
Pull your sock up – get to work/get busy
Off your nut – Crazy “that fella’s off his nut’
I’ve a throat on me – I’m thirsty

That was fun. I've been in London for five years now so I actually had to rack my brain for a few of them. Think I'll do another post on that in awhile. :-)

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1. The harp

2. "God and Mary be with you."

3. To teach Irishmen sword fighting when they were not permitted to use swords

4. Murphy

5. The dandelion

6. 40.7 million

7. Peat

8. Halloween

9. Dublin

10. St. George's Channel, the Irish Sea, the North Channel and the Atlantic Ocean

11. Shannon

12. Maine

13. Walter Raleigh

14. Slave

15. 1,000,000

16. 1,000,000

17. About 4%

18. River Liffey in Dublin

The shamrock is one of the most popular symbols associated with Saint Patrick's Day. According to legend, St. Patrick used the shamrock (3 leaves) in Ireland to explain the Trinity (father, son and Holy Spirit), a basic principle of the Catholic faith.



The word shamrock comes from the Gaelic word seamrog, which means "trefoil" or "little clover". Rather vague, considering that there are many kinds of clovers --and even more plants that can pass as clovers to the layman. Consequently, in St. Patrick's Day celebrations a number of plants serve as Irish shamrocks. But there is no "real McCoy" that can claim to be the authoritative shamrock.
The shamrock is the national flower of Ireland.

Finding a 4-leaf Clover/Shamrock is very rare but considered very lucky. I remember spending ages as a kid looking through the clover covered fields in a bid to find a 4 leaf-and one year I did. I still have it.

Its 4.32am here I’m hungry-next blog will be a short one, going to get some scubby snacks :-)

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...continued.


'Deciding to tackle the English brewers at their own game, Arthur tried his hand at porter. He brewed the deep, rich beverage so well that he eventually ousted all imports from the Irish market, captured a share of the English trade and revolutionised the brewing industry. The word Stout was added in the early 1820's as an adjective, qualifying the noun "porter". An "extra stout porter" was a stronger and fuller bodied variety. "Stout" evolved as a noun in its own right, as did the family name of Guinness.

In 1825 Guinness Stout was available abroad, and by 1838, Guinness' St. James's Gate Brewery was the largest in Ireland. In 1881, the annual production of Guinness brewed had surpassed one million barrels a year and by 1914, St. James's Gate was the world's largest brewery. Today, Arthur Guinness would have been proud of St. James's Gate. No longer the largest (although still the largest Stout brewery) it is certainly one of the most modern breweries. Guinness is now also brewed in 35 countries around the world, but all these overseas brews must contain a flavoured extract brewed here at St. James's Gate.'

So the very special brewing skills of Arthur's brewery, remain at the heart of every one of the 10 million glasses of Guinness enjoyed every day across the world.’
The world's favourite and most handsome pint, it comes with a manual on how to pour. Much like a muslim must go to mecca, many make the pilgrimage to St James' gate (Brewery in Dublin), although they rarely remember too much afterwards. Guinness gives you strength, and apparently fairly bad wind.

--------------------

After the Great Britain Beer Festival, in London, all the brewery presidents decided to go out for a beer.

The guy from Corona sits down and says, "Hey Senor, I would like the world's best beer, a Corona."
The bartender dusts off a bottle from the shelf and gives it to him.

The guy from Budweiser says, "I'd like the best beer in the world, give me 'The King Of Beers', a Budweiser."
The bartender gives him one.

The guy from Coors says, "I'd like the only beer made with Rocky Mountain spring water, give me a Coors."
He gets it.

The guy from Guinness sits down and says, "Give me a Coke."
The bartender is a little taken aback, but gives him what he ordered.

The other brewery presidents look over at him and ask "Why aren't you drinking a Guinness?" and the Guinness president replies, "Well, I figured if you guys aren't drinking beer, neither would I."

Checkout the Guinness official website.

woo hoo its 4.03am I have been blgging since 7.30PM...not to shabby!!!

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Only the Irish could come up with a selling pith like that…Guinness gives you strength!

‘On the last day of December 1759 a determined young man named Arthur Guinness rode through the gate of an old, dilapidated ill-equipped brewery sited on a small strip of land on Dublin's James's Street. He had just signed a lease on the property for 9,000 years at 45 per annum. His friends shook their heads in disbelief. For ten years, Mark Rainsford's Ale Brewery (for such it was) had been on the Market and nobody had shown any interest in it. The Street was already festooned with similar small breweries, all attracted to this spot by a good supply of water.



Throughout the city of Dublin there were about 70 breweries at that time, all, it must be assumed, small. Mr. Guinness's newly acquired brewery was no more than average. But Arthur was about to change all of that. He was 34 years old. He knew that the products of this teeming, almost domestic, industry were highly unsatisfactory.

Trade fell off badly when import regulations which favoured the London Porter breweries, were prolonged. At that time, beer was almost unknown in rural Ireland where whiskey, gin and poteen were the alcoholic drinks most readily available. In spite of this and the poor quality of beer available in larger centres like Dublin, it was recognised, paradoxically, that brewing - although constantly under threat from imports - was probably the most prosperous of the very few industries in Ireland at that time. In addition to ales, Arthur Guinness brewed a beer relatively new to Ireland that contained roasted barley which gave it a characteristically dark colour.

This brew became known as "porter" so named because of its popularity with the porters and stevedores of Covent Garden and Billingsgate in London. "Porter" had been developed in London some years earlier and was imported into Dublin to the detriment of local brews. Arthur Guinness finally had to choose between porter or the traditional Dublin ales.'

Continues in half an hour...

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Misty fables surrounds one of Ireland's unique treasures, "The Claddagh" a symbol of Love, Friendship and loyalty.

Some 400 years ago in a fishing village called Claddagh overlooking Galway Bay, (my home county)



(photo of the Claddagh) close to the city of the Tribes, lived Richard Joyce a Master Goldsmith. It was he who crafted this now famous design that has become part of the IRISH heritage.

Legend has it that the young Irish man, Richard Joyce, bound for the West Indian slave plantations - no doubt the Irish Caribbean island of Montserrat - was kidnapped himself in rough seas by a band of Mediterranean pirates and sold to a Moorish goldsmith who over the many long years of his exile helped him perfect the skills of a master craftsman.

When in 1689 King William III negotiated the return of the slaves, Joyce returned to Galway - despite, it said, the Moor's offer of the daughter's hand in marriage and a princely dowry of half of all his wealth.

Back in Ireland a young women had never stopped faithful waiting for her true love to return. Upon which time when he presented her with the now famous Royal Claddagh gold ring - a symbol of their enduring love. Two hands to represent their friendship, the crown to signify their loyalty and lasting fidelity, and the sign of the heart to symbolise their eternal love for each other.



They soon married, never to be separated again.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh

This is now know as the tradition Irish wedding band.

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It's no secret that the Irish like a wee sip of the good stuff (alcohol). We like nothing better than sitting around a pub drinking pints, swapping tall tales, tapping their feet to the music and raising their glasses in a toast. By
the time everyone has been toasted it is a very merry place indeed!

So if everyone can take just a moment to run to the kitchen or to the fridge or to the jug in the corner for a full glass...We can wait!...Now....That's Better!

Sláinte (to your health)

Here are a few old Irish saying/blessings

May the road rise to meet you, may the wind be always at your back
the sun shine warm upon your face, the rain fall soft upon your fields
and until we meet again may God hold you in the hollow of his hand.

------------------
Heres to you and yours and to mine and ours and if mine and
oursever come across you and yours I hope you and yours
will do as much for mine and ours as mine and ours have
done for you and yours.
------------------
May the roof above us never fall in, and may we friends
gathered below never fall out.
------------------
My work mate is doing his family tree at the moment (Hi Simon) so think this one is appropriate...

May there be a generation of children on the children of your children.
-----------------
Heres a health to your enemies enemies.

Slán go fóill ("Bye for now")

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When the world makes fun of Irish people (Paddy jokes) did you ever wonder who the Irish told jokes about? Well wonder no more! We tell jokes about those Irishmen who come from County Kerry......Kerryman jokes!

Here are a few Kerryman jokes...

A man hired a Kerryman as an assistant to take phone calls. One day the phone rang and when the Kerryman answered he hung up immediately.
"Who was that?" asked his boss.
"Some fool saying it was a long distance from New York. I told him everybody knew that."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
There was a Kerryman on RTE's "WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE". He was at the £1 million question and he had all three lifelines intact.
The question was: Which of these birds doesn't build its own nest?
Is it A: a crow. B: a robin. C: a cuckoo or D: a sparrow.
The Kerryman hadn't a clue so he decided to do a 50/50. Crow and cuckoo were left. He still didn't know so he decided to ask the audience. 50% voted for crow and the other 50% voted for cuckoo. The Kerryman decided that he'd take his last chance for the million pounds and phone his friend Mick.
He asked Mick the question and before he could give him the two choices Mick told him that he was 100% certain that the answer was cuckoo. The Kerryman went with cuckoo and won the million pounds.
When the Kerryman next saw Mick back home he thanked him for helping him win the million pound prize.
"How were you so sure of the answer?" he asked.
Mick replied" twas easy. Every eejit knows that a cuckoo lives in a clock!!!!"
-----------------
A Kerryman went to London and found himself in the Underground late one night. Seeing a notice "DOGS MUST BE CARRIED ON THE ESCALATOR", he moaned to himself, "And where am I going to find a dog at this hour of the night?"
-----------------
Two Kerryman went on a holiday to France and stayed at a country farmhouse. They were disgusted to find that everybody in France, even the kids, spoke French.
One morning they were awoken by a cock crowing.
"Do you know," said one Kerryman to the other, "That's the first word of English we've heard spoken since we arrived!"
---------
A Kerryman rang Aer Lingus and asked how long it took to fly from Dublin to London.
"Just a minute sir," said the girl on the desk.
"Thank you," said the Kerryman and hung up.
---------------

Interestingly enough Kerry is a brill place to go for the craic. (see earlier post on craic). Part of appreciating the craic in Kerry is becoming slightly more familiar with the local version of English. Nowhere else in the Universe is the term "Hoor", (i.e. Whore) considered an affectionate term of endearment. To be called a "cute kerry hoor", therefore, does NOT mean quite what you might think it does! Don't take offence; that gentleman in the flat cloth cap is only praising their intellect, not propositioning them.

Similarly, be prepared for every second sentence to be liberally peppered with the terms "yerrah" or "you know?". These actually qualify as vocal punctuation in Kerry, and after a while you'll start to catch on. Then even a reply like "Yerrah sure yerrah like you know, 'tis a quare aul thing like, he do be doin' it all his own way and 'tis grand for him too sure he's a cute aul hoor. But sure yerrah, the year is long." to a question like "Do you know when the barman will be back from lunch" will begin to make sense, I promise. :-)

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Potatos (or Spuds) are a stable part of the Irish diet and have been for centuries. We love em. Fly them, Bake them, Boil them, Roast em.

The potato is not suprisingly the most wisely used vegetable in Ireland. We eat more potatoes in Ireland than any other part of the world. The Great famine of 1845-50 left over a million dead and forced 2 million to emigrate (mainly to Britain and the United States). The potato famine was not confined to Ireland but, because of a massive population explosion in the previous fifty years, her rural economy had come to rely on the potato too heavily as a cheap and available source of food. The crisis was not helped by poor weather, epidemic disease (‘late blight’) and a slow response from the British government.

In 1997 Tony Blair apologised for Britain’s indifference during the potato famine

Today potato output from the Republic is over €105m. Potatoes of Irish origin account for the bulk of the market (90% volume share) with British potatoes at 5% volume share.

Being from a farming background myself we use to grow our own potatoes when I was growing up.



Check out this Interactive tour of the Irish Potato famine Its fun!

Here is one way of having potatoes we use to love as kids.

Potato Cakes
Servings: 2 cakes
1/4 cup of Butter
6-8 oz White Flour
1/2 lb Plain flour
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
3 Cups freshly mashed potato (with milk)

Cut butter into flour until it forms large granules. Add salt and baking powder, mix well. Mix in potatoes. Knead for a few minutes. Roll out onto lightly floured board with floured rolling pin. Cut into 2 rounds. Cook on a dry griddle or skillet until brown on both sides.

The bodhrán is the heartbeat of Irish music. This ancient framedrum is traditionally made with a wooden body and a goat-skin head, and is played with a double-headed stick called a cipín, tipper, or beater.



The modern Irish word bodhrán is properly pronounced bow-rawn, or bough-rawn. It gets it's name from the Irish for 'deafener', and, in the wrong hands, can be exactly that. It is often dreadfully associated with the type of person who will bang away incessantly on it from 8 p.m. till closing time at your local pub.

In the right hands, however, the bodhrán is an important rhythm accompaniment with a suprising range of pitch and timbre.



Actually when I was young my neighbour played the bodhrán. Its actually pretty impressive.

It only became really popular in Irish Traditional Music in the 1960’s. Previously it may only be heard on St. Stephen’s Day on the Mummers or Wren boys.

Probably two of its greatest players are Tommy Hayes, formerly of Stockton’s Wing, and Johnny McDonagh of De Dannan.


If you like what you read here and would like to help me reach my London Marathon target for ActionAid-you can donate online at http://www.justgiving.com/michellesmarathon it’s secure and money goes direct to ActionAid.

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Father Ted is one of the funniest Irish shows. It was first broadcast on Channel 4 from 21st April 1995 to 1st May 1998. It is about an Irish priest called Father Ted Crilly who lives in a parochial house on possibly the worst place on earth, Craggy Island off the west coast of Ireland.

He lives with two other priests Father Jack Hackett, an old priest who has an alcohol problem and his vocabulary general consists of the words arse, drink, girls and feck. The other priest Father Dougal Mcguire, a relatively young, is a few cards short of a full deck.

Where would a priest be without his housekeeper? Mrs. Doyle is in a class of her own loves nothing better than to make tea and sandwiches and is famous for her catch phrase “Gwan, gwan, gwan, gwan." (go on)

One of my favourite episodes is Episode Six - Kicking Bishop Brennan Up The Arse
When Ted looses a bet with Dick Byrne resulting in him having to kick Bishop Brennan up the arse!

For a good episode guide go to episodes

Click here for Video clips of the show. "Ah gwan. Go wan. Go wan. Ah just a wee peek. Gwan. Go waaaaaan."


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Tir-Na-nOg is a very beautiful land. In Tir-Na-nOg the leaves don't fall from the trees or die. The flowers bloom all year round, and you can smell the scent of them miles away. If you are ever lucky enough to go to Tir-Na-nOg you would see young, happy people there.

If you spent five days in Tir-Na-nOg, it would be about three or more years in Ireland. Tir-Na-nOg has a stream going through it and green hills all over. The people there have beautiful clothes, and you would eat off of gold plates and drink out of crystal glasses.

For entertainment the people would play tin whistles or play gold harps. The scenery is beautiful and the sun shines most of the time. The people tell wonderful exciting stories, and the children play lots of games.

Tir-Na-nOg means "THE LAND OF EVER YOUNG."

There are many pubs through the world called 'Tir-Na-nOg'

I'll post later about The Legend of Niamh and Oisin. (these were all stoies we were told as kids)

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Murphy told Quinn that his wife was driving him to drink. Quinn thinks he's very lucky because his own wife makes him walk !!

There are a few ways that the Irish celebrate St. Paddys day

- Going to church (its a holiday in Ireland) alot of people still go to mass
- Drinking-or drowning the shamrock as they call it
- Going to a Parade

Check out the following links for how it was celebrated this year

Ireland
London
New York

You might be interested (and suprised) to know that by law, pubs in Ireland were closed on St. Patrick's Day, a national religious holiday, as recently as the 1970s.

Today New York's St. Patrick's Day parade is the longest running civilian parade in the world. This year nearly three million spectators watched the spectacle and some 150,000 participants marched.

Dublin's St. Patrick's Day parade is little more than 75 years old. This year festival organizers launched 15,000 pounds (7 metric tons) of fireworks to cap their celebration, which drew 400,000+ spectators.

Many myths surround St. Patrick. One of the best known—and most inaccurate—is that Patrick drove all the snakes from Ireland into the Irish Sea, where the serpents drowned. (Some still say that is why the sea is so rough.)

But snakes have never been native to the Emerald Isle. The serpents were likely a metaphor for druidic religions, which steadily disappeared from Ireland in the centuries after St. Patrick planted the seeds of Christianity on the island.

So whether it with a shammrock, downing a pint or bringing the kids along to a parade, there is something in it for everyone. Good on ya St. Paddy!

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Today my doctor told me I have Laryngitis and put me on a course of Penicillin (4 times a day for the week) which is not the best considering I am running the London marathon in 17 days time. But I brought it on myself. How you may ask? Well it all stems back to 2 weeks ago the 17th March to be exact – Yes Saint Patrick’s day :-)

Ok so there are not too many people out there that do not know what St. Paddy’s day is-but why do so many people all over the world celebrate this day? What’s all the fuss about?

Interestingly enough St. Paddy was not even Irish. Many believe that he was actually born in Wales way back in 385 AD and it’s said his name was actually Maewyn.

Up until he was 16 much like the rest of us he was far from a saint and actually considered himself to be a pagan. But at 16 he was sold into slavery by a group of Irish marauders who raided his village. While up on the mountains of Mayo (minding sheep-well he was welsh :-) side note: for anyone that dos not know there is a running theme about welsh people and sheep) he first learnt to pray.

The story goes that after 6 years he was told in a dream that he should have courage and be ready to head back to his homeland. Needless to say after that he ran away and travelled 200 odd miles to the coast. He studied for 12 years in Gaul (todays France) and he eventually came back to Ireland setting up monasteries across the country. His mission in Ireland lasted 30 years also setting up schools in the bid to convert the Irish country to Christianity.

He retired in Country Down (now Northern Ireland) and died on 17th March 461 AD-hence this day has been commemorated as St. Patrick’s day ever since.

So where does all the drinking etc come into it? Tune in for Part 2 in half an hour…

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The Blarney Stone is a stone set in the wall of the Blarney Castle Tower in a wee Irish village of Blarney, Co. Cork. Kissing the stone is supposed to bring the kisser the gift of persuasive eloquence (blarney) or the gift of the gap. The castle was built in 1446 by Cormac Laidhiv McCarthy (Lord of Muskerry) -- its walls are 18 feet thick (necessary to thwart attacks by Cromwellians and William III's troops). Thousands of tourists a year still visit the castle.

The origins of the Blarney Stone's magical properties aren't clear, but one legend says that an old woman cast a spell on the stone to reward a king who had saved her from drowning. Kissing the stone while under the spell gave the king the ability to speak sweetly and convincingly.

It's tough to reach the stone -- it's between the main castle wall and the parapet. Kissers have to lie on their back and bend backward (and downward), holding iron bars for support. Can you imagine kissing something that has had people's lips all over it for 500 years? Yuck!

Check out Blarney Castle website

Nowdays if someone in Ireland says-'What a load of Blareny' they basically mean 'what a load of bla bla bla' or 'bullshit'

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No I’m not talking about the Irish having a drug problem :-) Probably one of the best way to describe ‘Craic’ when talking about the Irish is with the following photo



Pronounced ‘Crack’. You’ll hear people in Ireland say ‘Come on for the craic’ or ‘It will be great craic’. That was ‘great craic’.

Craic in Ireland = fun

Basically it may involve some or all of the following

- good company
- good music
- drink
- going with the flow-basically just having a good old time

But you might also hear people say ‘What the craic?’ That simple mean ‘what new’ or ‘how’s it going?


If you like what you read here and would like to help me reach my London Marathon target for ActionAid-you can donate online at http://www.justgiving.com/michellesmarathon it’s secure and money goes direct to ActionAid.

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There are many things that Ireland is know for. One such thing are Leprechauns...

A leprechaun is a fairy taking the appearance of a miniature old man. They are known to live in remote places. Leprechauns are solitary creatures and spend their time making shoes and brogues. If you hear the sound of his hammer when he is at work you know you have found him.

All leprechauns possess a hidden crock of gold. If you are fortunate enough to capture a leprechaun, he might reveal the location of his gold to escape. But, keep your eye on the leprechaun. He is a cunning wee lad - If you look away, just for a moment, he will vanish.



The name leprechaun is derived from the old Irish word luchorpan which means "little body."

Found an interesting website where you can actually do a leprechaun watch

If you like what you read here and would like to help me reach my London Marathon target for ActionAid-you can donate online at http://www.justgiving.com/michellesmarathon it’s secure and money goes direct to ActionAid.

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Gosh this is going to be hard going-every half an hour. I have already been awake over 12 hours having done a full days work that involved sitting in front of a computer. Twill be interesting to see how the brain is in 5 hours time….hmmmm. I can do this – I did all nighters for my exams in college be it that that is some (ahem) years ago.

I’ve got a wee quiz for you that will get you thinking…

1. What is the oldest heraldic symbol of Ireland?
2. A traditional Irish greeting is "Dia's Muitre dhuit." What does it mean?
3. What was the shillelagh originally used for?
4. What is the most common surname in Ireland?
5. What weed is often called "the Irish daisy?"
6. Approximately how many Americans are of Irish descent?
7. What is Ireland's greatest energy source?
8. What modern celebration had its origins in the Druid Festival of Samhain?
9. "Black Pool" is another name for which Irish city?
10. What four bodies of water surround Ireland?
11. What is the longest river in Ireland?
12. What state in the United States is the approximate size of Ireland?
13. Who introduced the potato to Ireland?
14. What did St. Patrick first come to Ireland as?
15. How many people fled Ireland during the Famine?
16. Approximately how many people died during the Potato Famine?
17. What percentage of the Irish population have red hair?
18. What river in Ireland is dyed green each year on March 17?

Answers a few posts from now...

If you like what you read here and would like to help me reach my London Marathon target for ActionAid-you can donate online at http://www.justgiving.com/michellesmarathon it’s secure and money goes direct to ActionAid.

You can also check out my London Marathon website-see how my training is going.