Day 82: Ireland

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ei.html

Discuss.

[Platypus]

Happy Easter everyone

[Undisguised Sockpuppet]

Good beer But some major horrible people have come from there to the US(I don't like readheads or people with freckles. Or the kennedys.). Oh and the cuisine sucks. Like british isles cuisine in general.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I like it, but the bus drivers are all nutters.

[Q]

I like it, but the bus drivers are all nutters.

Amen to that.  A "carriage" (Irish for "bus") nearly plowed my family's car off a cliff on the Ring of Kerrey.  Luckily there was a guard rail at that particular spot.

[phk]

Relatively fast GDP growth.

Though this can be largely attributed to having a slow-start early on.

[minionofmidas]

I like it, but the bus drivers are all nutters.

A bit like Jamaica, then?

I've been to Ireland - many years ago - and I can't remember any nuttyness about the buses, except for the fact that they were the only public transport in Dublin. Of course, since then I've been outside Europe and have come to recognize this state of affairs as the worldwide norm.

[Bono]

Freedom fighters.

[Јas]

I like it, but the bus drivers are all nutters.

Arghhhh, buses [/prevents autorant]

Amen to that.  A "carriage" (Irish for "bus") nearly plowed my family's car off a cliff on the Ring of Kerrey.  Luckily there was a guard rail at that particular spot.

Though I will say that I've never heard people call buses 'carriages', which isn't in fact the Irish for bus.

I've been to Ireland - many years ago - and I can't remember any nuttyness about the buses, except for the fact that they were the only public transport in Dublin. Of course, since then I've been outside Europe and have come to recognize this state of affairs as the worldwide norm.

The situation of public transport in Dublin has improved with a new light rail system called the 'luas' which began operations a year or two ago.

The national train network is pitiful though, based on my own anecdotal evidence which is limited to a few trips on English trains.

[Platypus]

I have a question about Croke Park. I know it's run by the GAA or whatever it's called-Gaelic Amatuer Atletics? Anyway, is it true they only allow Gaelic sports on it, giving it sort of a hallowed turf kinda status? Hurling, Gaelic football, etc. I know Rugby plays at Lansdowne Road; but I'm not sure about soccer and international rules.

[Јas]

I have a question about Croke Park. I know it's run by the GAA or whatever it's called-Gaelic Amatuer Atletics? Anyway, is it true they only allow Gaelic sports on it, giving it sort of a hallowed turf kinda status? Hurling, Gaelic football, etc. I know Rugby plays at Lansdowne Road; but I'm not sure about soccer and international rules.

GAA = Gaelic Athletic Association, they run a number of sports principally Gaelic Football and Hurling.
Croke Park is the GAA HQ and is the fifth largest stadium by capacity in Europe (82,500).

Up until recently Rule 42 of the GAA effectively prevented the playing of non-GAA sports in Croke Park (and indeed all GAA grounds). Though the rule was structured in fairly neutral wording, it's intent was to prevent the playing (and thus promotion) of 'foreign games' (for foreign read: English).

However, the rule was altered last year because Lansdowne Road (HQ for Irish Rugby and de facto home for Irish Soccer) is about to undergo substantial redevelopment, and so shall not be available for some time. While this re-development is underway, the Central Council (the leading body) of the GAA will be able to allow non-GAA events in Croke Park.

The GAA was under severe pressure to allow the playing of the big rugby and soccer internationals there. (No other venue in the country could really handle anything close to the demand.) Previous attempts at changing the rule had failed (largely because it required a 2/3 majority), but this time it passed successfully.

The fixtures for early next year I believe have now been agreed.
Rugby (6 Nations)
11 February - Ireland v France
24 February - Ireland v England

Soccer (Euro 2008 Qualification)
24 March: Republic of Ireland v Wales
28 March: Republic of Ireland v Slovakia
13 October: Republic of Ireland v Germany
17 October: Republic of Ireland v Cyprus

FTR, the international rules series is not (and never has been) considered a foreign game for the purposes of Rule 42, and no suggestion has ever been made that it shouldn't be allowed in Croke Park at least for that reason, but following last time and the uproar here over the Aussie approach to the last test, serious questions were raised.)

[Platypus]

What ended up happenning to that dog, by the way? That was easily the most amusing thing I have ever seen in sports.

[Јas]

What ended up happenning to that dog, by the way? That was easily the most amusing thing I have ever seen in sports.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3960261.stm

[afleitch]

I love Ireland. Half od my family are from Monaghan and we used to holiday in Northern Ireland when the troubles were still serious. The amount of times my dads friend got stopped in the car after crossing the ferry because of his Irish name....

[??????????]

I love Ireland. Half od my family are from Monaghan and we used to holiday in Northern Ireland when the troubles were still serious. The amount of times my dads friend got stopped in the car after crossing the ferry because of his Irish name....

Oh noes, we might be related. hahaha

[Q]

Though I will say that I've never heard people call buses 'carriages'

Really?  The last time I was there, I heard those tour buses (as opposed to city buses or the like) referred to as that all the time.  Even my Irish relatives called them that...

[Јas]

Though I will say that I've never heard people call buses 'carriages'

Really?  The last time I was there, I heard those tour buses (as opposed to city buses or the like) referred to as that all the time.  Even my Irish relatives called them that...

Okay, I've really got no explanation for that, but I'll look into it...

I love Ireland. Half od my family are from Monaghan and we used to holiday in Northern Ireland when the troubles were still serious. The amount of times my dads friend got stopped in the car after crossing the ferry because of his Irish name....

Any idea where abouts in Monaghan?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Let me just sum up my views by saying this:

I would rather live in Northern Ireland than here in the 70s, and that's saying a lot.

[Undisguised Sockpuppet]

I would rather live in the netherlands than in either of those places.

[Јas]

Freedom fighters.

Oh, BUMP.

Bono is a strong supporter of the PD's, IIRC, and the low corporation tax rates we have.