Tag Archives: Ireland

Republic of Ireland…84% Catholic

Posted on April 11, 2012 by fitzjameshorse

Although you wont see it mentioned much on anti-Catholic, hibernophobic websites, a statistic from the preliminary results of the 2011 Republic of Ireland Census shows that the population, the biggest in the “26 counties” since before the Famine in the … Continue reading →

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Happy St Patricks Day!

Posted on March 17, 2012 by fitzjameshorse

Lá Fhéile Pádraig Sona Duit! Happy St Patricks Day! This is my sixtieth St Patricks Day. Things change. When I was a schoolchild, it was a day off school. A chance to wear a green sweater that my aunt had … Continue reading →

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Ireland At London Olympics…Selected So Far

Posted on March 5, 2012 by fitzjameshorse

With the Qualification for 2012 Olympics now in full swing, a timely look at who has already booked their place on the plane to London. Cycling….Ireland have a quota of three places in the Road Race. No riders have yet been … Continue reading →

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Olympic Games…The Norn Iron Hopefuls

Posted on March 2, 2012 by fitzjameshorse

With the Olympic Games fast approaching, competitors from Norn Iron are qualifying for two teams. Up to three people have been selected for the British Rowing Squad and there will possibly be two in the British Mens Hockey Squad. Meanwhile … Continue reading →

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Robert Burns …..Jacobite to Jacobin

Posted on January 26, 2012 by fitzjameshorse

It is somewhat ironic that in their search to find a culture……Unionists discovered the Ulster-Scots Culture and decided to honour Robert “Rabbie” Burns……..Burns Night being 25th January……..it seems almost churlish to point out that Robert Burns was born in 1759……..just … Continue reading →

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RTE “Would You Believe?”

Posted on January 4, 2012 by fitzjameshorse

Some weeks ago I blogged about Mick Peelo’s RTE documentary on the problems facing the Catholic Church in Ireland. I recorded the second of the two-part series and have only just had a chance to see it. Essentially Peelo was … Continue reading →

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The Olympic Spirit? London 2012

Posted on December 17, 2011 by fitzjameshorse

I am a big sports fan. In the 1970s I used to travel around Ireland to watch sports events… Football, Hurling, Gaelic Football, Athletics, Boxing, Horse Sport…….it was a break in the routine from life in Belfast. And of course … Continue reading →

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Fionnuala Britton…European Cross Country Champion

Posted on December 12, 2011 by fitzjameshorse

In Ireland, we need all the good news we can possibly get. Congratulations to Fionnuala Britton who won the Gold Medal at the European Cross Country Championships in Slovenia today. Put that in your pipe and smoke it…. Angela Merkel, … Continue reading →

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A Tale Of Three Churches (RTE “Would You Believe?”)

Posted on December 7, 2011 by fitzjameshorse

Mick Peelo is Irelands leading Religion journalist/broadcaster. RTE showed the first of a two parter (in their “Would You Believe?” series) made by Peelo on the condition of the Irish Catholic Church in 2011. The programme featured how three churches/parishes were … Continue reading →

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Football Is A Political…..er Football

Posted on November 19, 2011 by fitzjameshorse

Football (ie Soccer)  is the World Game. Ireland has TWO teams, the “Republic of Ireland” (representing the 26 counties) and “Northern Ireland” (representing the six counties). Now that might mean that people in Norn Iron actually support “Northern Ireland” but … Continue reading →

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