2009 November - The Irish Diaspora

Fields of Athenry

For everyone who loves this great Irish ballad…

By the lonely prison wall I heard a young girl calling
Michael they have taken you away
For you stole Trevelyan’s corn
So the young might see the morn
Now a prison ship lies waiting in the bay.

CHORUS:
Low lie the fields of Athenry
Where once we watched the small free birds fly
Our love was on the wing
We had dreams and songs to sing
It’s so lonely round the fields of Athenry.

By a lonely prison wall I heard a young man calling
Nothing matters Mary when you’re free
Against the famine and the crown
I rebelled they cut me down
Now you must raise our child with dignity.

REPEAT CHORUS

By a lonely harbour wall
She watched the last star falling
As that prison ship sailed out against the sky
Sure she’ll wait and hope and pray
For her love in Botany Bay
It’s so lonely round the fields of Athenry.

REPEAT CHORUS

History
Written by Pete St. John in the 1970s and set during the Great Irish Famine of 1845-1850, the Fields of Athenry is about a fictional man named Michael from Athenry, County Galway, who was sentenced to transportation to Botany Bay in Australia for stealing food for his starving family.

It’s a great song, popular with Irish rugby and football fans, and well known around the world.

Dictionary of Irish Biography

The Dictionary of Irish Biography is the culmination of 12 years work and has been described by Seamus Heaney, Nobel Prize for Literature (1995), as ‘an epoch-making event in the history of Irish scholarship’.

DICTIONARY of IRISH BIOGRAPHY The nine-volume Dictionary catalogues the lives of the country’s most remarkable men and women, and the noteworthy Irish careers of those born outside of Ireland. It is the most authoritative biographical reference work ever to be produced in Ireland, and contains over 9,000 entries documenting the lives of 9,700 Irish individuals ranging from the earliest times to 2002.

Compiled under the auspices of the Royal Irish Academy and edited by James McGuire and James Quinn, the entries vary from short summaries to detailed assessments, depending on the significance of a particular subject.

J.J. Lee, Director, Glucksman Ireland House and Glucksman Professor of Irish Studies, New York University:

“Imaginatively conceived, and meticulously edited, the Dictionary of Irish Biography fills, and fills handsomely, perhaps the most glaring of all gaps in Irish historiography, propelling Ireland into the very front rank internationally for reference works on this scale.”

The Dictionary will be in every major library globally, and on the shelves of countless individuals, and will be especially important in helping to sustain Irish studies courses in universities throughout the world. The set costs £775 sterling with a special introductory offer of £650 for those who purchase before February 2010. There will also be an online version, and new entries will be added to it twice a year starting from May 2010.

This is a fabulous and unique achievement, and congratulations to the editors and the 700 advisors and contributers who worked to bring this gem into the light of day. It will forever be a fantastic resource for everyone interested in Irish humanities, literature, and history.

DICTIONARY of IRISH BIOGRAPHY
- Publisher: Cambridge University Press; 1 edition (December 31, 2009)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0521633311
- ISBN-13: 978-0521633314

MyCork

“An unshakeable confidence and innate sense of pride”

Cork has recently been nominated by Lonely Planet as one of the top places to visit in 2010. Under its ‘Best In Travel 2010′ guide it ranks Cork with cities like Singapore, Abu Dhabi and Vancouver as a place not to be missed.

‘Cork is at the top of its game right now: sophisticated, vibrant and diverse, while still retaining its friendliness, relaxed charm and quick-fire wit’ – a city with ‘an unshakeable confidence and innate sense of pride’.

The guide recognises Cork for its defining experiences and places special attention on its restaurants, festivals and events, shopping and places to stay. It also pays tribute to the fact that Cork ‘crackles with youthful energy’ whilst at the same time preserving its sense of history and tradition.

It’s great to see the city acknowledged like this, and all in all fantastic news for Cork.

And why the title ‘MyCork’…?

Very simple, it’s in recognition of the Polish people who have also made Cork their home, and who are now an integral and active part of the community. Whilst it’s true that many have left more recently there remains a strong and positive presence, and the Polish are part of the dynamic that makes up the modern character of the city.

So much so that they have their own city website – mycork.org

Now the site is in Polish so unless you are Polish, or just want to brush up on the language, there’s probably not much point going over. I did spend a bit of time on it though, and what i picked up on was similarities between the modern Polish diaspora in Cork and the Irish in London I grew up with in the 60s and 70s.

What comes across is the sense of identity, family values, an eagerness to make the best of where you are, and an enthusiasm to get out there and enjoy what’s around you. There’s obviously challenges but the Polish are a welcome part of that diversity, and it made me think ‘when you see a Polish man walking along the streets of Cork today, you’re also in many ways seeing an Irish man walking through London yesterday’.

Well done Cork, and to everyone who lives there and makes it what it is.

And here’s a bunch of happy Corkonians havin a bit of fun…!

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Irish Accent

The Irish lilt has topped a poll of the ‘World’s Sexiest Accent’!

5,000 women worldwide voted Italian second, Scottish third, and the French were demoted to fourth place!

Actor Colin Farrell seems to have done it for the ladies, and French president Nicolas Sarkozy is credited with blowing it for the French. He is reported as single-handedly changing the perception of how the world sees French men.

Here’s the top ten:

1. Irish
2. Italian
3. Scottish
4. French
5. Australian
6. English
7. Swedish
8. Spanish
9. Welsh
10. American

The Poll was carried out by onepoll.com

Bit of fun methinks, but worth a mention!

Oh, and also worth a peek… English man wakes up with an Irish accent after brain operation!

and this… Cork accent!

No guarantees!!

Capital of Ireland

Capital of Ireland For the many who ask Google each month, the answer is… DUBLIN!

Some headlines

The official Irish name for Dublin is Baile Átha Cliath or Áth Cliath, and the English name comes from the Irish words Dubh Linn meaning ‘black pool’. The city is near the midpoint of Ireland’s east coast at the mouth of the River Liffey, and is at the centre of the Dublin Region. Originally a Viking settlement, it evolved into the Kingdom of Dublin and subsequently became the island’s primary city after the Norman invasion.

Situated in the province of Leinster, the city covers 44 square miles and the wider urban area 356 square miles. The population is approximately 1.66 million, however it’s predicted this might reduce for the first time since 1861 over the next few years. The CSO (Central Statistics Office) also predicts however that it will move upwards to 2.1 million by 2021.

European Capital of Sport in 2010
Approximately 50% of the capital’s inhabitants are under 25, and it was voted the friendlist European city in 2007 and again in 2009 (someone obviously forgot to include Cork in the vote!). It has been selected as the European Capital of Sport in 2010, and is host to the 4th largest stadium in the continent, Croke Park, which has a capacity of 82,500. Croke Park (Páirc an Chrócaigh) has been selected as the venue for the UEFA Cup Final in 2011.

European Capital of Science in 2012.
The University of Dublin is the oldest in Ireland (16th century) and its sole college, Trinity, was established by Royal Charter in 1592 and has 15,000 students. The National University of Ireland is also in Dublin, as is University College Dublin, the largest in Ireland with over 22,000 students.

Dublin City University (10,000 students) specialises in business, engineering, and science. Dublin Institute of Technology focusses on technical subjects as well as arts and humanities. The National College of Art and Design, and Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art Design and Technology, provide training and research in the art, design and media technology fields. The capital is also home to Dublin Business School, the National College of Ireland, and the Institute of European Affairs.

The city has been selected as the European Capital of Science in 2012.

Dublin Castle
On the site of a Danish Viking fortress in the 930′s, Dublin Castle was built between 1204 and 1230. Viking power was broken at the Battle of Clontarf in 1014 when the Vikings and their allies were decisively defeated by an Irish army under the command of King Brian Boru (Brian Boru also died in the battle), and the castle was later constructed under the order of King John of England. Here’s the Dublin Castle website.

History
Dublin is also one of Europe’s oldest cities and has a fascinating history. You can find out much more at: Wikipedia, Chapters of Dublin and Dublin Uncovered.

Fly in
Dublin Airport is 10km north of the city. If you’re thinking of visiting you can get details about airlines and flight schedules at Dublin Airport.

Sail in
Dublin Ferry Port is 2 miles from the city centre, and Dun Laoghaire Ferry Port is six miles south of the city – 30 minutes by train to the centre. Five ferry companies operate up to sixteen sailings daily, connecting Dublin with Holyhead (Wales), Liverpool (UK) and Douglas (Isle of Man).
Dublin Ferry Port Tourist Information and Stena Line.

Places to stay
There’s plenty of Dublin hotels, B&Bs, guest houses and hostels to choose from so it’s well worth shopping around and comparing:

Places to see / things to do
Dublin is rich with tourist attractions and there are many websites to help you on your way. Here’s a few to point you in the right direction:

Dublin.ie Visitdublin.com Dublintourist.com Dublinevents.com

And here’s some photos recently taken by Bernadette on an early morning walk in the city…