 |
 |
 |
The Celtic Links Newsletter comes to you from Galway on the west coast of Ireland. Keep up to date with all things Irish and of new product additions to Moytura's Irish Shop - the GENUINE Irish shop on the web where we bring Ireland to YOU!
|
and check out the Weather here in the West of Ireland. |
 |
|
Irish Ancestry Irish Art Irish Books Irish Collectibles Irish Crafts Irish Crystal Irish Dancing Irish Fashion Irish Foodhall Irish Fragrances Irish Gifts Irish Heraldry Irish Houseware Irish Jewellery Irish Maps Irish Music Irish Names Irish Sports Irish Travel Irish Videos Monthly Promotions Check out our new Amazon Shops below
Free Downloads Here
|
Volume 1; Issue 2 - February 2002 THIS MONTH'S NEWSLETTER CONTENTS: * Editor's Comments
EDITOR'S COMMENTS Hi to everyone and a big cead míle failte from Galway on the west coast of Ireland. As usual we having a four seasons in one day type of weather so anyone travelling these days be sure to bring plenty of warm clothes and the waterproofs! This is the first real issue of the newsletter and is going out to a mixed and varied readership. Some of you signed up from the Journeys pages of the website, some from the Irish Shop, some from the Reflections pages, some from the Genealogy website and some from signing the guestbook. We have included snippets from each but the bulk of the newsletter will be within the What's Happening in Ireland section. I am conscious that some of you have Celtic roots other than from Ireland, but as I don't have my ear to the ground in any of the other Celtic areas, forgive me if the slant is Irish. Within the main Irish Shop site is a scrolling news ticker with news headlines from Ireland. I searched for one from Scotland and Wales but with no luck so those pages have a link to great sites that will keep you up to date on news from your own area of interest. So now ..... on to the business at hand. Moytura's
Journeys
The main topics of discussion these days are mostly political. It's an election year for us so the politicians will be taking to the hustings shortly and we will be promised the sun, moon and stars! This is the year when the new European Super Money - Euro - came into force and we are all still trying to get used to the phunnie munnie!. Still doing the mental conversions to see if we are being 'diddled' as happened in 1972 when we changed from the old Pounds, Shillings & Pence to a decimalised currency. Despite calls from the government to do a direct conversion some unscrupulous business are rounding up and making a nice wee profit. What makes it all the more interesting for us is that our big trading partner next door, the UK, opted out of European Monetary Union and it remains to be seen how this will affect our markets and trading. This is a year when we will see two referenda. Our legislation is based on Constitutional law and we have the opportunity to say yea or nea to laws which alter our Constitution. Ireland is only one of 2 EU member states that puts EU changes to its people by referendum and last year we as a people blocked EU enlargement by voting NO to the Nice Treaty - a real embarassment for our government. I don't think enlargement was the real issue, rather the idea of us gradually losing our sovereignty to a Parliament and Commission in Europe, all with different agendas. Ireland is a very young ancient nation! We have existed on this island for many thousands of years but for over 700 of those we were under the sovereignty of our nearest neighbour. So, in effect we are really only 80 years old! After a bloody struggle and a civil war to gain our freedom, many don't like the idea of handing it all over to Europe to make decisions for us and enforce European laws down our throats. The Social Charter on Human Rights has within it many hidden agendas which don't sit too comfortably with many of us. As a neutral nation we fear the idea of the Rapid Reaction Force becoming a European Army, which seems inevitable. Our Fiscal Policy is dictated now by Europe so that inflation can no longer be rectified by using taxation policies to suit the given situations. Most of us feel OK about that one coz' interest rates and inflation are kept low. But, as a small open economy we are totally dependant on our exports and the external market and recession often needs to be controlled with a national fiscal policy rather than a European one. Since the 60's we have attracted foreign investment to improve our trading and did so by offering tax incentives to foreign multi nationals. This doesn't sit too well with the European bureaucrats. It's a situation that will soon come to an end and as an island nation on the very periphery of Europe, who knows how we will be affected. The big issue of the day is our upcoming referendum next week to change the wording in the Constitution in order to copper-fasten the protection of the unborn. Two high-profile cases left the current wording open to serious challenge in the court system, hence back to the drawing board. This has to be the most confusing
issue we as a nation have ever had to decide upon. Camps are deeply divided
within camps. Pro-choice want Induced Abortion whatever the social and
emotional cost. Pro-life worry about the new wording which offers protectionfrom
the time of Implantation but not Conception.
Ireland is one of the very few nations left on earth that offers protection to its future unborn generations. Many of us fear that the floodgates are near to be being burst open. Ah well - watch this space folks and we'll keep you posted on that one. Meanwhile this year holds out another challenge to us. Will our National Soccer Squad make it all the way to the World Cup Finals in Japan and will our Green Army of supporters heading out that direction be able to afford it all? We hear the price of a pint is four times more expensive than here at home. Oh ... DISASTER!!! The 6 Nations Rugby Tournament got off to a great start with a fine win over Wales but, OH BOY, did we ever come home with our tails between our legs when England trounced us. The only consolation is we won't be getting the Wooden Spoon and we still have to meet Scotland, France and Italy. Did ye hear - we nearly got a medal
in the Winter Olympics. Some Irish born member of the British Aristocracy
proudly wore the Green White and Gold in the Skeleton Run and missed Bronze
Speaking of parties the Paddy's Day Bash is just around the corner and if any of you want to cook a really truly Traditional Irish Dinner check out our Foodhall in the Irish Shop where you will find the recipe for Pig & Smuggage - our traditional dish from centuries back! Well - 'nuff guff from here. Onto
the more mundane things in life!
We have stocked up the foodhall shelves with all things Irishand any ex-pats reading this will recognise with nostalgiasome of their own favourites. Doing the Irish Breakfasts page I could almost taste the rashers and hear the sausages sizzlin' in the pan. We have included an Irish Recipes section and this will be added to on a regular basis. For now all we have to offer is a Paddy's Day Feast. Another new addition to the shop is
a page listing irish Festivals for 2002, so anyone travelling to these
shores can see at a glance what can keep them occupied when they get bored
with our ancient monuments!
We have added new databases to the Ancestry & Genealogywebsite - 6 Canadian, 2 English, 6 US - South Dakota, Utahand Virginia. The site now has a New Additions page linked throughout, for those who are regular visitors. Each month we will be adding new information and this newsletter will keep you posted on them all.
Moytura's Stable is growing but more
on the Spiritual side of things. On Ash Wednesday 2000 I started a few
reflections for Lent which proved very popular last year. This year we
have added a new set
Working on the Internet has brought
an awareness of how powerful a tool this can be to promote both good and
evil. For this reason I am in the process of developing a section of the
website devoted to Prayer. My idea is to try and get a Circle of Prayer
going round the world. Our world is in a
I'd really appreciate your comments on this one, but have already received confirmation from various sources that this might be a good idea. Anyway, the new site will be up by the weekend, hopefully. Once up the site will be linked from both the Reflections for Lent and the Prayerful Thoughts & Thoughtful Prayers sites. Well folks, that's all for this time. Thanks for your patience in staying this far. God Bless, hope to 'see you all' next month. Mary Mullins
Bon Voyage, Please Drop a Comment into our Guestbook - and Don't Forget.......!  CIRCLE
OF PRAYER |
Moytura Graphic Design. Mary
Mullins, Cregmore, Claregalway, Co. Galway, Ireland. Ph: +353
91 798407 Fax: +353 91 799280
Email:
In association with the following:
©
2001 Moytura Graphic Design
