St. Patrick

Saint Patrick (Latin: Sanctus Patricius, Irish: Naomh Pádraig; Welsh: Sant Patrig) (possibly c. 387 – 17 March, 493; was a Romano-Briton and Christian missionary, who is the most generally recognized patron saint of Ireland (although Brigid of Kildare and Colmcille are also formally patron saints).

Two authentic letters from him survive, from which come the only universally accepted details of his life. When he was about 16 he was captured from Britain by Irish raiders and taken as a slave to Ireland, where he lived for six years before escaping and returning to his family. After entering the Church, he returned to Ireland as an ordained bishop in the north and west of the island, but little is known about the places where he worked.

By the eighth century he had come to be revered as the patron saint of Ireland. The Irish monastery system evolved after the time of Patrick and the Irish church did not develop the diocesan model that Patrick and the other early missionaries had tried to establish.

Most available details of his life are from later hagiographies from the seventh century onwards, and these are now not accepted without detailed criticism. Uncritical acceptance of the Annals of Ulster would imply that he lived from 340 to 440, and ministered in what is modern day Northern Ireland from 428 onwards. The dates of Patrick’s life cannot be fixed with certainty, but on a widespread interpretation he was active as a missionary in Ireland during the second half of the fifth century. Saint Patrick’s Day (17 March) is celebrated both in and outside of Ireland, as both a liturgical and non-liturgical holiday. In the dioceses of Ireland it is a both a solemnity and a holy day of obligation and outside of Ireland, it can be a celebration of Ireland itself.

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U2 / Bono

Bono and U2

Paul David Hewson, KBE (born 10 May 1960), most commonly known by his stage name Bono, is an Irish singer and musician, best known for being the main vocalist of the Dublin-based rock band U2. Bono was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, and attended Mount Temple Comprehensive School where he met his future wife, Ali Hewson, and the future members of U2. Bono writes almost all U2 lyrics, often using political, social, and religious themes.[4][5] During their early years, Bono’s lyrics contributed to U2′s rebellious and spiritual tone. As the band matured, his lyrics became inspired more by personal experiences shared with members of U2.

Outside the band, he has collaborated and recorded with numerous artists, sits on the board of Elevation Partners, and has refurbished and owns The Clarence Hotel in Dublin with The Edge. Bono is also widely known for his activism concerning Africa, for which he co-founded DATA, EDUN, the ONE Campaign and Product Red. He has organized and played in several benefit concerts and has met with influential politicians. Bono has been praised and criticized for his activism and involvement with U2. He has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, was granted an honorary knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, and was named as a Person of the Year by Time, among other awards and nominations.

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Samuel Beckett

Samuel Barclay Beckett (13 April 1906 – 22 December 1989) was an Irish avant-garde writer, dramatist and poet, writing in English and French. Beckett’s work offers a bleak outlook on human culture and both formally and philosophically became increasingly minimalist in his later career.

As a student, assistant, and friend of James Joyce, Beckett is considered one of the last modernists; as an inspiration to many later writers, he is sometimes considered one of the first postmodernists. He is also considered one of the key writers in what Martin Esslin called “Theatre of the Absurd.” As such, he is widely regarded as one of the most influential writers of the 20th century.

Beckett was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1969 for his “writing, which—in new forms for the novel and drama—in the destitution of modern man acquires its elevation”. Beckett was elected Saoi of Aosdána in 1984. He died in Paris of respiratory problems.

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Date set for the Cork City Marathon 2010

In 2010 The Cork City Marathon will be four years old, relatively new for this type of race, and is set to be a major event in the calendar of sports enthusiasts throughout the Europe.

For anybody with so much as a passing interest in Marathons then the Cork City Marathon is the place to begin, unique because alongside the normal 26.2 mile marathon, people can opt to run the race in a relay team whereby up to five individuals can share stages in the race, each person running from anywhere between 3.5 and 7.5 miles. That means even the most novice of runners will be able to participate in the event! Excellent news for those of you who have always wanted to run a marathon, but have not quite developed the stamina to do so yet. With the people of Cork pouring onto the street for the event, any participant can expect to be met with much enthusiasm.

If you decide to take part in this year’s marathon then you certainly won’t be disappointed by the views as Cork is nestled in a collection of valleys and hills that offer spectacular views of the Irish countryside. Clearly, this means that the race will be gruelling, with many hills to navigate and relatively few flat stretches, but of course, the event organisers will have stewards in place every step of the way to make the run as comfortable as possible.

Potential participants will need to register their entry to the race on either the fifth or the sixth of June at Cork City Hall where you will receive your complimentary race pack. Applicants must be aged at least 18 years old on the day of the marathon, and there is no upper age limit.

Once the race is over, take advantage of car hire in Cork, and explore the city, and surrounding areas, in more depth and certainly more comfort!

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Associates

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Irish sayings and blessings on Irish-Sayings.com.

GlobalIrish.ie – Irish emigration and diaspora

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Wexford

County Wexford

County Wexford is located in the province of Leinster with a population of approximately 132,000 people. Wexford town was founded by the Vikings in about 800 AD who named it Veisafjörðr. In 1169 Wexford was besieged by the King of Leinster and his Norman ally. By the middle ages Wexford was and Old English settlement. By 1798 County Wexford was the centre of a rebellion against the English. Wexford town hosts the internationally recognised Opera Festival every autumn. Wexford’s famous sons include novelist John Banville, the father of outlaw Ned Kelly and the father of the American Navy Commodore John Barry.

Counties

Antrim
Armagh
Carlow
Cavan
Clare
Cork
Derry
Donegal
Down
Dublin
Fermanagh
Galway
Kerry
Kildare
Kilkenny
Laois
Leitrim
Limerick
Longford
Louth
Mayo
Meath
Monaghan
Offaly
Roscommon
Sligo
Tipperary
Tyrone
Waterford
Westmeath
Wexford
Wicklow

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Monaghan

County Monaghan

County Monaghan is located in the province of Ulster with a population of approximately 56,000 people. Monaghan borders Tyrone (Northern Ireland) to the north, Armagh (Northern Ireland) to the east, Louth (Republic of Ireland) to the southeast, Meath (Republic of Ireland) to the south, Cavan (Republic of Ireland) to the southwest and Fermanagh (Northern Ireland) to the west. In the 15th century King Henry VIII’s son met with the Irish chiefs of Monaghan. The county was divided into five sections that still exist today including Farney, Cremorne, Dartrey, Monaghan and Truagh. This county was not colonised like other counties and was instead left to the native chieftains. The writer Patrick Kavanagh was born in County Monaghan.

Counties

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Louth

County Louth

County Louth is located in the province of Leinster with a population of approximately 111,000 people. The majority of people live in either Dundalk or Drogheda town. Louth is affectionately called the “Wee County” as it is the smallest of Ireland’s 32 counties. Louth village and county Louth were named after the Celtic pagon god Lugh. The county is steeped in myth, legend and history from the pre-historic days of the Cooley Cattle Raid to the influence of the Vikings. Oliver Cromwell attacked Drogheda in 1649 slaughtering the Royalist garrison (Siege of Drogheda). The priest and scientist Nicholas Callan (born 1799) was from County Louth.

Counties

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Longford

County Longford

County Longford is located in the province of Leinster. The county has a population of approximately 34,000 people. The Longford territory was originally known as Annaly and Tethbae which was controlled by the Farrell clan. After the 12^th century Norman invasion, Annaly was given to Hugh de Lacy as a part of the Liberty of Meath. By the 14^th century English control over Ireland was on the wane. Longford was later the centre of the 1798 rebellion between the French led by Humbert and the English led by Cornwallis.
Most of Longford lies in the basin of the River Shannon. Mel Gibson’s mum was born in County Longford.

Counties

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Leitrim

County Leitrim

County Leitrim is located in the province of Connacht in the Republic of Ireland. In ancient times Leitrim formed the western half of the Kingdom of Breifne. The O’Rourke clan had a long influence on the county and their heraldic lion still occupies the official county crest to this day. In the 13^th century the Normans invaded Leitrim. Much of Leitrim was confiscated from its owners and given to Villiers and Hamilton who unsuccessfully tried to colonise the county with English settlers.
Leitrim has the fastest growing population of any county in Connacht (the population is currently approximately 30,000 people). Places of interest include Carrick-on-Shannon and Lough Key Forest and Activity Park. Famous people from Leitrim include the harpist Turlough O’Carolan (born 1670) and the ‘Father of Irish Bee Keeping’ – Rev. J.G. Digges (born 1858).

Counties

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