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Greetings & Blessings to all

 

Welcome to our April newsletter.

Well, thanks to coronavirus I am still 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:

The Weather

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

3.Coronavirus: Sinn Féin hits out after minister seeks British Army help in North

Sinn Féin has criticised Stormont’s health minister Robin Swann for “unilaterally” requesting assistance from the British army to help deal with the Covid-19 pandemic.

Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill said her party would “not rule out any measure necessary to save lives, protect the public and tackle the spread of coronavirus” but that the plan had not been approved by the Executive.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/coronavirus-sinn-féin-hits-out-after-minister-seeks-british-army-help-in-north-1.4227105

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

Analysis showing lower death rates in Ireland provokes debate on differences between two countries

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/13/experts-divided-comparison-uk-ireland-coronavirus-record

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

After the Rising
"You must not grieve for all this. We have preserved Ireland’s honour and our own. Our deeds of last week are the most splendid in Ireland’s history. People will say hard things of us now, but we shall be remembered by posterity and blessed by unborn generations. You too will be blessed because you were my mother." 
Patrick Pearse - from a letter to his mother following his surrender and imprisonment after the Easter Rising, 1916.

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

1. George Bernard Shaw bequeathed one third of his estate to the National Gallery in Dublin, claiming that he received his education there?

I believe it. I learned more from museums than anywhere else—Russ

2. The sinister sounding Bloody Foreland in County Donegal owes its name to its magnificent sunsets?

3. According to Irish custom, cold and wet weather was welcomed on Good Friday? It was interpreted as a sign of nature in mourning for the death of Christ.

Appropo—Russ

Sponsor

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

1. Article: Good Friday Haircuts and Seaweed for Dinner

http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/ACalend/GoodFriday.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: Easter Saturday and a Funeral for a Fish

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

4. Article: Easter Monday Mirth & Merriment at the Market

http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/ACalend/EasterMon.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: The Selfish Giant

http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/1Kids/SelfishGiant.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 adapted from the poem
Wonderful Mother by Pat O'Reilly

I’m leaving this because Mother’s Day is in May in the U.S.—Russ

 

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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The Book

Potion, pope and perfidy

The second and final version is complete and available on Amazon.

Don’t order through ‘Marketplace’ or you’ll get the first version which is incomplete. Use this link: https://www.amazon.com/Book-Potion-Pope-Perfidy-ebook/dp/B07BBVST69/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1531576170&sr=1-2&keywords=russell+haggerty&dpID=61BzUIHyd2L&preST=_SY445_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

If any of you bought and read the first version, I don’t want you to pay the higher price for the second. So, send me an E-Mail at the address below and I’ll buy one for you at my author’s price and mail it to you (and, yes, I’ll sign it). Even with the postage it will save you a bit of money.

Bless you all,

Russ Haggerty

 

LEAVE 'EM LAUGHING

A Catholic priest, a Protestant minister, and a Jewish rabbi were discussing when life begins. "Life begins," said the priest, "at the moment of fertilization. That is when God instills the spark of life into the fetus." "We believe," said the minister, "that life begins at birth, because that is when the baby becomes an individual and is capable of making its own decisions and must learn about sin." "You're both wrong," said the rabbi. "Life begins when the children have graduated and moved out of the house."

Last Words

If you or anyone you know can benefit from advertising in my newsletter or the Irish Culture and Customs web site please contact me. My E-Mail address is: rhaggerty@irishcultureandcustoms.com

Thank you in advance

For all of you who have supported Irish Culture and Customs all these years – thank you.

When you start to buy anything on the internet don’t forget to go through the web Site. If you use Amazon, click on ‘Shopping’ at the top of the Irish Culture and Customs Homepage and the next page you see will have Amazon at the top. Anything you buy from Amazon through our site pays a (very small) commission. It beats a blank and it doesn’t effect your price. Thank you again.

—Russ