http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/index.html

 

Greetings & Blessings to all

 

Welcome to our April newsletter.

Well, thanks to coronavirus I am sequestered in the house. Fortunately I can do the newsletter from my desk at home. I don’t go out so I’m used to not going shopping (or anything else out of doors). This keeps me from ‘cabin fever’. Of course, this is the month of Easter. Normally, I would be going to friends for Easter dinner but not this year so I cooked Easter dinner for myself. Yes, it was quiet unless I talked to myself. So far so good. I don’t have the virus and I wash everything or swab it down with Clorox wipes. I sympathize with you all going through this disruption to your lives. We’ll get through all of it and when we come out the other side we can pickup where we left off and cope with all the things we had pile up while we were semi-dormant. Ireland has done a very good job of handling it and the EU complimented Ireland on their efforts. I suppose it’s a good thing Ireland has a small population and a tradition of looking out for each other. We could all learn from that but I’m not holding my breath. Keep in touch with each other and help where you can. Love and God bless.

Enough of my nattering. 

Again my thanks for the contributions. Please keep them coming. I would like appropriate , jokes or other links more than anything.

We’re all in this together let’s make it as good as we can. Stay with me everybody.

 

Enough of the blather...

Is this your first edition?  Many thanks for joining us and if you like our musings and meanderings please feel free to share them with your family and friends. And do encourage them to sign up. The more of us, the merrier! And for all of our readers, we hope this issue finds you in good health, good spirits and good company. 

 

On with the update...

IN THIS ISSUE:

Up the minute forecasts provided by Ireland's official source for all weather-related news. Please click Met Eireann.
http://www.met.ie/forecasts/

 

Basic Irish

Links

Quips, Quotes, Proverbs & Toasts

A Bit of the Wit

Joke of The Month

Did You Know

The week That Is

Leave 'em Laughing

Last Words

Basic Irish

Lent & Easter
Word: Easter
Irish: An Cháisc
Pronunciation: On Khaw-ishk
Phrase: Easter Sunday
Irish: Domhnach Cásca

Links

I’m sorry but I think the links in this newsletter are rather boring and all too similar. I’ve tried to find a variety of subjects but, of course, it’s all about the covid-19 virus. Nevertheless, here we go:

1.Face masks a potential hazard in spreading Covid-19, virologist warns

As the number of people wearing protective face masks in Ireland soars one of the State’s leading virologists has warned that the equipment may actually be doing more harm than good .

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/face-masks-a-potential-hazard-in-spreading-covid-19-virologist-warns-1.4227323

Sigh—Russ

2.31 more Irish deaths from Covid-19 bringing toll to 365

527 more cases of coronavirus have been diagnosed in the Republic. In addition, there are a further 465 confirmed cases of Covid-19 from the backlog of tests at the laboratory in Germany.

https://www.rte.ie/news/2020/0413/1130268-irish-covid-figures/

Doesn’t seem to be all that bad—Russ

Oh lord, give it a rest—Russ

4. Coronavirus: Cross-border workers 'left in limbo' over benefits

Both the UK and Irish governments have introduced special measures to help the many thousands of people who cannot work because of the coronavirus pandemic.

But the financial support available to cross-border workers is dependent onwhich side of the border you live.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/us/ireland-and-britain-added-to-united-states-travel-ban-1.4203468

Newsman exaggeration, it looks like—Russ

5. Experts divided over comparison of UK and Ireland's coronavirus records

Hmmm?—Russ

6. Virus of Covid-19 conspiracy theories spreads to Ireland

The Communications Regulator has urged people to ignore misinformation linking coronavirus to 5G mobile networks following a large increase in the spread of the conspiracy theory in Ireland.

https://www.irishcentral.com/news/irish-cheltenham-racegoers-self-isolate-coronavirus

God help us; can anything be more stupid?—Russ

7. Coronavirus will result in profound changes to society, virologist warns

She signed up to return home as part of the “On Call for Ireland” initiative. Her journey home was assisted by the Department of Foreign Affairs, which had found seats on flights back to Dublin for those who wanted to come home and could afford to pay for the ticket.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/coronavirus-will-result-in-profound-changes-to-society-virologist-warns-1.4227379

It already has luv, just look around—Russ

QUOTES, TOASTS , CURSES AND BLESSINGS

A BIT OF THE WIT

The rain drove us into the church - our refuge, our strength, our only dry place...Limerick gained a reputation for piety, but we knew it was only the rain. 
From Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt

Oddly, all the times I spent there, it never rained—Russ

JOKE OF THE MONTH

Mrs. O'Leary went to the doctor's office where she was seen by one of the new physicians. After about 4 minutes in the examination room, she burst out the door and ran screaming down the hall. An older doctor stopped her and asked what the problem was, and she told him her story. After listening, he had her sit down and relax in another room. The older doctor marched down the hallway to the back where the first doctor was and demanded, "What's the matter with you? Mrs. O'Leary is 72 years old, she has seven grown children and ten grandchildren, and you told her she was pregnant?" The new doctor continued to write on his clipboard and without looking up said, "Does she still have the hiccups?"

DID YOU KNOW

I’m my own Sponsor again this month.

Announcing the Irish Culture and Customs Book of Jokes

 

This is the collection of our Jokes. It was built up over many years and, now, is gathered here for your enjoyment. With this in your hand, whenever the day is dull or dreary you can open it up and have a good laugh, you'll feel better.

Available on Amazon. Use this Link:

https://www.amazon.com/Irish-Culture-Customs-Book-Jokes/dp/1986506800/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1524578623&sr=8-1&keywords=irish+culture+and+customs+book+of+jokes&dpID=31oLHT0zknL&preST=_SY291_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_&dpSrc=srch

 

 

 

 

 

THE WEEK THAT IS

http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/ACalend/EasterMon.html

2. Article: Easter Sunday: The dance of the Sun at dawn and a cake dance in the afternoon

http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/ACalend/Easter.html

3. Article: Good Friday Haircuts and Seaweed for Dinner

http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/ACalend/GoodFriday.html

4. Article: Easter Saturday and a Funeral for a Fish

http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/ACalend/EasterSat.html

5. Article: Palm Sunday in old Ireland

http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/ACalend/PalmSunday.html

6. The Irish Kitchen: An Irish Easter

http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/2Kitch/rEaster.html

8. Basic Irish: Lent & Easter

http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/3Focloir/Lessons8.html#Gael33

9. Kids’ Ireland: How the Harp Came to Be

http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/1Kids/Harp.html

 

So there you have it until we write again - sometime in May.

If you are planning on getting married between now and then or tied the knot in the month of April, here is your special verse:

Marry in April when you can,

Joy for maiden and for man.

And, if you are celebrating a birthday, anniversary or other special event between now and our next edition, we hope it's an occasion filled with joy and happiness. 

 

We’ll take our leave with this blessing:
God made a wonderful mother,
A mother who never grows old;
He made her smile of the sunshine,
And He moulded her heart of pure gold;
In her eyes He placed bright shining stars,
In her cheeks fair roses you see;
God made a wonderful mother,
And He gave that dear mother to me.
Please god, He will bless her and keep her
though far from me now she is gone
And God willing I’ll once again feel her
loving arms around me once more. 
Edited and adpated from the poem
Wonderful Mother by Pat O'Reilly

 

All the best & God Bless,

Bridget & Russ

Get down on your knees and thank God you’re still on your feet. 

Téigh ar do ghlúine is bí buíoch le Dia go bhfuil tú fós ar do chosa.

 

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LEAVE 'EM LAUGHING