http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/index.html
 
Greetings & Blessings to all
 
Welcome to our May newsletter.
First, I apologize for how late this is. Actually, I wasn’t sure I would be able to do it at all. Those of you who have visited the Irish Culture and Customs website have almost certainly noticed it hasn’t changed since the middle of April. The reason is simple. The website was on Bridget’s computer and her computer broke. I have been trying to get everything going again for the last month. I need to update the website before doing the Newsletter and the website is still not running so I can’t do the May articles. I hope to be able to do this by the end of the week. Then I can do the Newsletter. If you’re getting this, I succeeded. Of course, this means even the website is very late and I’m sorry for that.
Now is the time to tell you all that I could be shut down anytime by more computer failure. I hope not but there’s no way to know. To pour salt in the wound this all happened in May. Why? Because it’s Mother’s day and has articles much loved by Bridget. I need all of you to pray for everything to continue to work; I am.
One more point: my thanks go to Victor, Jason and Tom at Computer DNA for getting me back running again. I don’t think they’ll see this because they don’t get my Newsletter but you never know.
 
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
Phrase: Mother's Day (written)
Irish: Lá Fhéile an Mháthair
Pronunciation: law ay-leh on waw-hirr

Phrase: Mother's Day (spoken)
Irish: Lá an Mháthair
Pronunciation: law on waw-hirr
\
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.Brexit: Gove confirms plans for checks on goods crossing Irish Sea
The government has confirmed for the first time that there will be Brexit checks on animals and food goods entering Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK from next January.
The announcement, detailed in a 23-page document released by the government on Wednesday, comes months after Boris Johnson pledged there would be no checks on trade crossing the Irish Sea – telling businesses that if anyone asked them to fill in new paperwork, they could “throw it in the bin”.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/may/20/brexit-gove-confirms-plans-for-checks-on-goods-crossing-irish-sea
Sigh—Russ

2.Explained: The Irish are repaying a 173-yr-old ‘debt’ to Native Americans during Covid-19; here’s why

According to a study conducted by various US government agencies in 2009 following the H1N1 flu outbreak, reports suggested that death rates were higher among Native Americans in the country. This was in part due to high rates of poverty and high-risk health conditions like diabetes, heart diseases and asthma that were prevalent among Native American communities.

https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/the-irish-are-repaying-a-173-year-old-debt-to-native-americans-during-covid-19-6418555/

Bless the Irish—Russ

3.Irish pol gives thanks for Ireland Famine medics

Madigan hailed the medical workers of the Famine who served Ireland during a time of national crisis, drawing a comparison with the frontline workers of today. 

"As we confront a pandemic today, let us recall that the Great Famine was a public health emergency in its own right. We think of the many heroes of the Famine years,” she said.

https://www.irishcentral.com/news/thanks-ireland-famine-medics

Yes, Indeed—Russ

4. From The Top Draw: The Irish Animation Industry is Booming…

The Irish Animation industry is booming as studios fill the gap left by live-action films and television production in the lockdown, discovers Pavel Barter…

https://animationireland.com/from-the-top-draw-the-irish-animation-industry-is-booming/

Sure, animations can’t get sick—Russ

5. Irish researchers study effectiveness of blood thinners on coronavirus

Irish researchers are taking part in a large international study to determine if blood thinners could help change the progression of coronavirus and prevent patients from requiring intensive care, a leading professor in clinical medicine has said.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/science/irish-researchers-study-effectiveness-of-blood-thinners-on-coronavirus-1.4244070

Hmmm—Russ

6. Paying back Great Hunger kindness, Irish support Native Americans struck by COVID-19

The donations are directly related to the Famine in 1847 when the Choctaw Nation heard about Ireland's plight and generously donated $170 (around $5,000 today) to the cause. 

https://www.irishcentral.com/news/irish-payback-great-hunger-kindness-native-americans

There are a lot of nice people out there—Russ

7. Trump vows to bring pharmaceuticals back to the USA, targeting Ireland

Speaking with Fox News on Sunday evening President Donald Trump reiterated his promise to bring pharmaceutical production back to America, targetting Ireland alongside China, when questioned about his country's dependency on drug manufacturing abroad.
https://www.irishcentral.com/news/politics/trump-pharmaceuticals-usa-ireland
Don’t hold your breath—Russ
QUOTES, TOASTS , CURSES AND BLESSINGS

A Mother's Love Is A Blessing
An Irish boy was leaving
Leaving his native home
Crossing the broad Atlantic
Once more he wished to roam
And as he was leaving his mother
Who was standing on the quay
She threw her arms around his waist
And this to him did say
A mother's love's a blessing
No matter where you roam
Keep her while she's living
You'll miss her when she's gone
Love her as in childhood
Though feeble, old and grey
For you'll never miss a mother's love
Till she's buried beneath the clay.
From the song of the same name by Thomas P Keenan 

A BIT OF THE WIT
"Give an Irishman lager for a month, and he's a dead man. An Irishman is lined with copper, and the beer corrodes it. But whiskey polishes the copper and is the saving of him."
Mark Twain, Life on the Mississippi
I wonder if Mark Twain drank Irish whiskey or bourbon—Russ
JOKE OF THE MONTH
Miss O'Leary, our lovely little old spinster from Leitrim makes a return visit. After Mass one Sunday, she went up to the priest and said, "I have to tell you Father, your sermons are a wonder to behold. Sure we didn't know what sin was till you came to the parish!"
 
DID YOU KNOW

1.  In 1931 Ernest Walton, who was born in Dungraven, Co. Waterford, split the atom for the first time? This scientific landmark was achieved with an accelerator built to his own design. Walton and his partner John Cockcroft received the 1951 Nobel Prize for Physics for their efforts.

2.  You can only call yourself a true Dubliner if you were born between the North and C Roads?

3. Kevin Street Garda Station was once the Palace of the Archbishop of Dublin?

It must be pretty grim—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.Text Box:
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: Beltane Bonfires and Nettle Soup

http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/ACalend/Beltane.html
2. Article: The May Day Dew - Should you roll naked in it?
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/ACalend/MayDew.html
3. Article: May - the month of mirth and merriment!
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/ACalend/MayMonth.html
4. Article: How to prevent Mayhem...
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/ACalend/Mayhem.html
5. Article: The Bright Flames of May
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/ACalend/MayFlames.html
6. The Irish Kitchen: Simnel Cake
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/2Kitch/rMothersDay.html
8. Basic Irish: Mothering Sunday
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/3Focloir/Lessons8.html#Gael32
9. Kids’ Ireland: The Nightingale and the Rose
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/1Kids/NightingaleandRose.html
 
So there you have it until we write again - sometime in June.
If you are planning on getting married between now and then or tied the knot in the month of May, here is your special verse:
Marry in the month of May,
You will surely rue the day.
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
 
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.
 
DID SOMEONE FORWARD THIS ISSUE TO YOU
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http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/Newsletter.html

 

 

 

 

 

The BookText Box:

Potion, pope and perfidy

The second and final version is complete and available on Amazon.Text Box:

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

Charlie was a regular visitor at the Galway Races. One afternoon he noticed an unusual sight. Right before the first race, a Catholic priest visited one of the horses in the stable area and gave it a blessing. Charlie watched the race very carefully, and sure enough the blessed horse came in first! Charlie followed the priest before the next race, and again he went to the stables and performed a similar procedure. Thinking there might be something to it, Charlie put a couple of euros on the blessed horse. Sure enough it came in by two lengths and Charlie won close to fifty euros! The priest continued the same procedure through the next few races and Charlie won each time. He was now ahead a thousand, so between races Charlie left the track, went to the bank and withdrew his life's savings. The biggest race of the day was the last one. Charlie followed the priest and watched which horse he blessed. He then went to the betting window and put every euro he owned on that horse to win. The race began. Down the stretch they came, and as they crossed the finish line, Charlie's pick was last! Devastated, he found the priest and told him that he had been watching him bless the horses all day, and they all became winners except the last horse on which he had bet his life savings. Charlie then asked, "What happened to the last horse which you blessed? Why didn't it win like the others?" "Ye must be a Protestant," sighed the priest. "The trouble is you can't tell the difference between a blessing and the last rites."

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