Wednesday, February 15, 2006

Selling off Ireland’s History: Amhran Na Bhfiann for Sale.

The original hand written copy of what would become Ireland’s national anthem, the Soldier’s Song (Amhran na Bhfiann). Ireland’s two leading auction houses, James Adam & Sons and Mealy`s Auctioneers, have joined forces to for an April auction. That auction, which will be nearly on the 90th anniversary of the event will include several Easter Rising related items. Those include Thomas Clarke’s last letter to his wife before his execution and a tricolor that was thought to have flown over the GPO. The last letter written by Young Irelander Thomas Francis Meagher before he was deported to Tasmania, from which he later escaped to America where he later led the famous Irish Brigade in the Civil War. As might be expected, many Irish people are hoping that these documents will remain in the country.

Read the full story of the auction HERE.
Hear the music to the Soldiers Song and see the lyrics in both English and Irish HERE.

Saints preserve us!! Low alcohol Guinness? Apparently Guinness is about to release a low-alcohol brew, down to 2.8% from their usual 4.8%. It seems a sacrilege but it may happen if the test run goes well in Limerick next month. So all you Limerick boys out there, start drinking Murphy’s or Beamish for a while and safe the world from low-alcohol Guinness.

Read the full story HERE.

Nun’s, not enough: The famous Kylemore Abbey School in Connemara, Co Galway has been forced to close it’s doors due to a shortage of nuns. Not that it will be closing up tomorrow. The Benedictine Order has run the school for 84 years, but they are not down to 14 nuns to run the school. It’s not going to happened until August 2010.

Read the full story HERE.

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