Ireland

Miami / Carol City rap artist Rick Ross, born William Leonard Roberts II on January 28th, 1976 took on his name from the "Freeway" Ricky Ross who was a drug trafficker on the other side of the country. Rick Ross started in the music industry as a ghost-writer for many famous Hip-Hop artist. For 12 years under Ted Lucas of Slip-n-Slide Records, Rick Ross received little if any spotlight. Rick Ross dropped several independently produced mixtapes, but it wasn't until he dropped the major hit record "Hustlin" produced by J.R. Rotem that got him the recognition he so desperately deserved. E-Class of Poe Boy records got DJ Khaled of WEDR 99 Jamz to play the "Hustlin" record on the radio and soon everyone...

like snakes? If you do not, then Ireland is a good place for you to visit. There are no snakes in Ireland. Why is it so? Read on. Croagh Patrick, Ireland's holy mountain, is one of the best known landmarks in Mayo, Ireland. The mountain is named after the national saint, St Patrick. Looking at a distance from the bottom, the mountain looks very much like the shape of a cone. However, in actual fact, the summit is a flat plain. The mountain has its holy origin due to pagan worship from 3000 BC. St Patrick is said to have spent 40 days on the mountain fasting and praying for the Irish in AD 441. According to a legend, all of Ireland's snakes leapt off the cliff to their deaths when he rang his...

Whether you're a big spender or just casual shopper, a days roaming the stores of Dublin city is bound to do some damage to your credit card. Dublin really is the 'Mecca' for Irish shoppers. Here, you can immerse yourself in a shopping frenzy, due in no small part to the wealth of shopping centres, boutiques and stores located in the city centre. Of course, there's lots of accommodation all over Dublin city, so you can really make the most of your shopping spree! You'll get an excellent choice of hotel, guesthouse, B&B and self catering options wherever you want to stay, so why not put a few days aside to enjoy yourself? A good starting point for your shopping trip is Henry Street. Lined with...

The world-renowned Galway Racing Festival takes place from the 28th of July to the 3rd of August 2008. The venue is Ballybrit Racecourse, just outside Galway city centre, and whether you're a veteran race goer or a novice and fancy a flutter you'll love the unique atmosphere of this fun filled racing event. The highlights of the Galway Races summer 7-day meeting would have to be Wednesday's "Galway Plate" and Thursday's "Galway Hurdle". Last year in excess of 210,00 people attended the week long event. Bets of over EUR31 million were placed, and you're never too far from the action with big screen closed circuit TVs at various points throughout the grounds. Proving that this is a festival for...

Ireland is a great family vacation spot. With many areas from which to choose for staying in while you are visiting, some people opt to rent one of the area's farmhouses. Many choose Dublin though since this is the capital. This is often a destination for honeymoons. The cities of Cork, Belfast and Emerald Isle are also popular spots. There are many self-catering rentals available which are sometimes preferred over the typical hotel stay. Belfast is another city that many choose. Should you decide this is one of the places you want to see while in Ireland, Donegall Square should be a stop. The Ulster Museum is also located here and has many interesting things to view. What remains of the shipwreck...

   When planning a trip to Berlin, always consider short travels to beautiful destinations around. A visit in Potsdam is the traditional choice, but here is another great offer: Leipzig. Actually, why not both?    In many ways, Berlin and Leipzig complement each other. When speaking about Leipzig, it is, first of all, its unique architecture, music, and shopping that make it attractive.   Like Berlin, Leipzig (pronounced ly'pe-tsig) is a city in East Germany, but in a different federal state, Saxony.   Most important tour sites are in the Leipzig's center, and may be visited in one day. That means it's possible to go there from Berlin and return to Berlin the same day. Going one way by train...

Galway airport was officially opened in 1987 and this year (2008), it celebrates its 21st Birthday. In the last 21 years it has serviced the West of Ireland very well and has doubled its number of passengers. On the 8th of October last year Galway Airport welcomed customer number '2 million' to its terminal. At the moment Aer Arann is Galway Airport's only airline. Unfortunately there's very little public transport available to and from Galway Airport with just a bus service operating once a day from the city centre. There is however an excellent taxi available at the airport. A very large number of Irish, British and European destinations are serviced by Galway Airport. New destinations were...

The Aqua Dome... The Aqua Dome is one of Ireland's largest indoor water worlds and will certainly get your adrenaline pumping with the many slides, fountains, lazy river and whirlpool baths. The Aqua Dome captures the imagination of children and adults alike. Dingle Ocean World Aquarium... No trip to Dingle town would be complete without exploring the beauty of the sea and its wildlife beneath at Dingle Ocean World Aquarium. From star fish to fearsome sharks, turtles to seahorses, and not to forget dolphins too, you name it the aquarium has it. Set in an amazing building overlooking Dingle Harbour with an under water tunnel and pathway to lead you on the tour, you'll be amazed with the colourful sea...

The folklore and stories from Ireland have long been saturated with romance, from the age old tales of Celtic mythology to the heart rending tales from the emigration era, the Emerald Isle has continued to flood the world with beautiful and poignant love stories. The quaint village of Glenbeigh on the Ring of Kerry is one such location where the scenes of an ancient Celtic love story were said to be played out. Oisin and Niamh, age old Celtic lovers, were said to have left Ireland from beautiful Rossbeigh beach and rode across the waves to The Land of Eternal Youth (Tir na nOg). Oisin got homesick and decided to return to his native land, but learns that one hundred years have passed in Ireland in a...

Let's face it, if we are serious about our third level education there will come a time when we will be required to make presentations to either peers, tutors or faculty members during our time in university or Open Learning institutes. We may be required to make presentations during module workshops or deliver our findings from a group discussion, or maybe to show the findings of research we have carried out. Whatever way we look at it, presentation skills are a requirement throughout our third level studies. When referring to the planning and preparation of presentations we generally refer to the three M's; Method, Media, Materials as a guide in the planning process, so that all bases are covered...

ollowing day more callers arrive, many bringing small gifts of money to help defray funeral expenses. A family member receives such offerings and keeps a list of contributions so that reciprocal offerings may be made during future funerals. The body is removed to the temple on the day of the funeral. Within a few days of death an orchestra plays almost continuously from dawn. Every effort is made to dispel sorrow, grief and loneliness by music and fellowship. After the monks have been ceremoniously fed, mourners circle the funeral pyre. Following further religious rites, the pyre is communally set alight, first by monks, then by family, finally by friends. The corpse is thus consumed by flames...

There are other Standing Stones and Henge Monuments besides Stonehenge you know. They are dotted all over the south of England. You can even find them north into Scotland and Northern Ireland. Were they burial grounds, or astronomical instruments, or sacred areas to the Neolithic cultures that built them? We\'ve heard all kinds of theories about their origin, but we don\'t think you need to get too caught up in the theories to enjoy visiting them. Stonehenge is the most famous of the stone circles. One interesting little fact is that it is not, however, a henge. Let\'s get the boring technical stuff over with... Henges are, strictly speaking, circular or oval spaces that are defined by a bank with...

"How to Survive and Thrive in Open Learning". Top Ten Tips Top Tip No 1: # Motivation Keeping motivated and staying on track for the duration of your studies is the single most important hurdle that the independent learner must overcome. My first tip is to find a good motivational quote that creates a fire in your belly and frame it (preferably A4 size) and display it in your office or bedroom where you can see it every day. How's this for starters? "You can do anything if you put your mind on how to do it rather than why you can't". Bob Proctor Top Tip No 2: # Study Skills In their book 'A Guide to Learning Independently' Marshall and Rowland tell us to use all our senses when studying. Most...

Students no longer want to confine themselves within the boundaries of their own country. They are now looking for better scope and prospects outside of the country to consolidate their career further. The globalization of every sector has served their purpose as well. Though you can presently consider so many countries for your study abroad, the United Kingdom is still the favorite destination for thousands of international students every year. Students no longer want to confine themselves within the boundaries of their own country. They are now looking for better scope and prospects outside of the country to consolidate their career further. The globalization of...

As you build your family tree, you will soon become proficient in finding birth, marriage, and death details of your ancestors. But to enrich your family tree, you will need to go past this basic information. Here are some ideas on digging deeper, and finding those interesting details that make your ancestors come alive! Remember that every document or piece of information you find can be mined for more clues to follow. What can you find about the education of your ancestors? You may have little difficulty in finding out the education experiences of your parents, possibly of your grandparents too. You may even have a school photo of your parents in school, or at graduation. But further back could be...

Over the years it has become a given that certain bacteria and infections, specifically those which are viral in nature, can eventually adapt to overcome the antibiotics which are given to individuals suffering from various types of infection. This is why in most Western countries antibiotics are now rarely prescribed except in the direst of circumstances when an infection can prove life threatening. The fear of viruses mutating into super viruses is real enough for the medical community to take these precautions. Indeed certain medical practitioners currently advise that individuals who take extraordinary precautions to avoid contact with germs (to the point of paranoia) are actually harming...

The world famous Ring of Kerry is one of the highlights of any vacation in Ireland. It is a 180km (110 miles) circuit of the Iveragh Peninsula, passing through the intimate towns of Kenmare, Sneem, Waterville, Cahersiveen and Killorglin. The winding, twisting, secondary route is littered with panoramic views, breath-taking scenery and heaps of major attractions. Popular stop-offs include the Gap of Dunloe, Cahersiveen Heritage Centre, Derrynane House, Skellig Experience, Staigue Fort, Moll's Gap, Ladies View, Torc Waterfall, Muckross House and Ross Castle. Strewn around these sights are pristine beaches, rugged promontories, medieval ruins and cosy, little pubs. The route can be easily done in a day...

Griffith's Primary Valuation of Ireland was used to determine the amount of tax each person should pay towards the support of the poor within their poor law union. This involved determining the value of all privately held lands and buildings in rural as well as urban areas to figure the rate at which each unit of property could be rented year after year. The resulting survey was arranged by barony and civil parish with an index to the townlands appearing in each volume. Griffith's Valuation can be used as an excellent census substitute for the years after the Great Famine as censuses prior to 1901 were destroyed in the records office fire in 1922. The document lists every landholder and householder...

Most people are at least 'curious' about where they came from. People differ in varying degrees to how much they really care about their origins. Some people are happy to search high and low to reveal EVERYTHING and become addicted to Genealogy. Others just want to trace one or two of their ancestors for a particular reason. Some folk are interested in tracing their genealogy to assist them in their religious duties. Mormons believe that they can baptize their ancestors after death to allow them into heaven. Although the reasons for tracing your Heritage are widely varied, the rules are still the same. Here's a few helpful tips you should know before attempting to find your dead relatives. 1. Gather...

A mandatory tool to use is the use of a State's public records in the state libraries. In the public records you can find helpful clues to help extend your family tree with records such as birth certificates, land deeds, census records, marriage licenses, death certificates and divorce certificates all needed in order to trace every single member and non member of your extended family. All of these pieces of information gather helpful clues on where you should go next in order to help gather more knowledge. The importance of Genealogy is the curiosity that comes into play when the question is posed that asks "who am I?" and knowing where you came from. It's hard to understand your ancestral...

As you are well aware that today's world no longer functions the way it did a couple of decades ago. There's a lot more economic instability than before and it is very important to insure your business against theft or loss that is incurred on a regular basis. If your business qualifies to be a public house, then you must take public house insurance. This is a special kind of policy, amongst 150 common insurance policies, this type would usually be sold as tradesman insurance. What you can do here, in order to make your life easier is to compare the cost of quotes online and then decide on which one really satisfies your needs as a tradesman. You can even employ a specialist broker who is entitled...

div class="googleright"> Griffith’s Valuation is one of the most important record sources in any modern Irish family search. It’s helped thousands of people all over the world re-discover their Irish roots, and is often one of the first sources someone consults when doing Irish genealogical research. If you have yet to use this gold mine of information on Irish families, it’s recommended that you examine it right away, as it could contain much-needed information that you’ve been missing in your research. Griffith’s Valuation was a survey of Ireland that was completed in 1868, making it a treasure trove of Irish family information from the 19th century. Richard John Griffith...

You may change your birth name many times over in your lifetime, either legally or not--because of marriage, career, or simply because you do not like your birth name. So, what's in a name? Is your name really important? And does it really matter if you change names? Normally, a new name gradually influences the characteristics of your life over time. As you use the new name, its effect on your experiences becomes more and more predominant. Whatever the reason is for a name change, it does in fact have either a positive effect or negative effect on you. Most parents spend much time and thought in sounding out and trying on baby names before finally choosing one, and then it's permanent--that is...

Beginning in 1790, the United States of America became the first country in the world to call for regularly held censuses. However, the Constitution didn't treat everyone as equal. "Free persons" excluded American Indians living on treaty land and who were exempt from paying taxes (or voting). However, any male Indian who had joined the voting and taxpaying (read: white) population became considered a "free person" and had the right to vote. "All other persons" meant slaves, who were counted as 3/5 of a person for determining representation in Congress. The 3/5 rule was to compensate for the large slave populations of southern states such as Virginia and South Carolina, where slaves represented 39...

When you are starting an Irish family tree, tracing your ancestors can be somewhat difficult. Especially if you do not have any idea of the exact place of origin in Ireland. So to start your search it is recommended to begin in the country where you know your family settled. You might think just knowing you are of Irish heritage would be enough of a start. Ireland is full of small towns and parishes. Which is the best source of information? There was a fire in Dublin that destroyed many records in the 18th century. There was another fire in the 1920's the destroyed many public records. If you had Irish relatives that lived in a country with large Irish communities, such as the US, Canada, Great...

Both St Patrick's Day and the shamrock plant are instantly recognised the world over as a kind of shorthand for Ireland. But just how did the feast of a 5th-century missionary and the rather humble looking clover leaf achieve such status? It all dates back to the Celts who lived on the remote far-western fringes of Europe (modern-day Scotland, Wales, Ireland, SW England and NW France) from about 300 BC. These early Celts attached great symbolic importance to certain numbers, and the most sacred and magical of all was number 3. Even their society was organised in threes; they had three classes, subdivided into threes, and their religious beliefs focussed on three main god and many lesser triple...

Iran and its friendship in society What steps can we take to invite and support real friendships for our sons and daughters who live with disabilities?  We sometimes see other children moving along in a sea of friendship, and we see our children struggling with isolation.  The natural ebb and flow of play, enjoyment and affection may seem out of reach, and we worry about the possibility of a life-long pattern of separateness.  What can we do? To begin, I’m not sure that I know anything about ‘making’ friends.  The older I get, the more I think that we discover each other.  Then if we're lucky, pay attention, stay faithful, and don't mess up, we have a friend for life. We hope that our...

Lemesos (the Greek name for Limassol) is a rather nice city - when you don't count the tourist area to the east. There the hotels, bars and restaurants stretch for about 15 kilometers along the coast. The centre of Lemesos consists of a small harbor with a medieval castle, a mosque, two churches, and of course some shops and restaurants. In the background the Troödos-mountains can be seen. Usually you find tunnels like those in the cellar. The Cypriots do things different: this one is built on the roof of the castle. The castle looks just the same as the ones in Larnaka and Pafos. They even have the same photo-exhibition. Amathunda Amathunda was a city-kingdom, which flourished until Richard...

Abyane, a combination of art and traditions The province of Isfahan, in central Iran has a history stretching back thousands of years. There are lots of world-famous historical sites in every corner, attracting numerous Iranian and foreign tourists year-round. Perhaps one of most famous is Abyane, a very beautiful ancient village near the town of Kashan. It's registered with UNESCO as one of the four most historic villages of Iran. (The others are Masule, Kandovan and Meimand.) This article is a brief survey of Abyane's geographical location and the culture and traditions of its people. Getting to the village involves a 50 kilometer drive off the Kashan-Natanz road, through a few villages, then into...

For any visitor that comes to Ireland, Cork should always be on ones travel iterniary as a place to visit. Being Irelands largest county, Cork is located in the South West of Ireland and offers many different attractions for visitors of all ages. If you are keen on Irish history then Cork has many historic sites to visit and to learn of times that have past. Such historic places include the Blarney Castle, where you can kiss the Blarney Stone for Good Luck but other places include the stone circles of Bohonagh, the famous Abbeystrewery and the tombs of Labbacalle. In 2005 Cork was awarded the European captial of Culture which comes as no surprise for those who have experienced the culture of Cork...

As part of the entire personal development formula, setting personal goals is beyond question central in supplying a clear insight of what you would like to achieve. Setting at least one or so personal goals seems to be a simple task. You determine a particular goal, one which is measurable and holds a specific time frame to be finished. You carry out with your plan, appraise your advancement towards accomplishing your personal goal and then measure the effect impartially to tweak your personal goal setting. Apparently, it flows well while seeming simple enough to do. Regrettably, setting personal goals seldom turns out that way for many reasons; chieflt because we often fail to determine down-to...

It may not sound like a very romantic place, but Cork is the city in Ireland where most people go for kisses! They are not kissing people, of course, they are travelling to kiss the famed Blarney Stone, found in the Blarney Castle estate. This is just one of the many fun attractions that Cork has to offer, but it is possibly one of its most famous. Other attractions in Cork offer fun for all ages. If it's historic architecture that interests you, in addition to the Blarney Castle there is also Desmond Castle, which was used as a jail for soldiers captured during the American Revolution. Also of interest is Charles Fort Kinsale, a star-shaped fort built late in the 17th century, and for those of you...

Banshee is an Anglicisation of the Gaelic word bean si (meaning woman of the side or woman of the fairy mounds), it is a female ancestral spirit who forewarns members of certain families about impending death. According to legend, the banshee will wail around the house the night before somebody inside is about to die. There are only certain families that are believed to have a banshee attached to them - O’Grady, O’Brien, O’Connor, O’Donnell, O’Neill and Kavanagh, although intermarriage has extended this select list. She generally appears in two different guises, either as a beautiful young woman with long, fair hair or as a hideous hag. They dress in a white or grey cloak and brush their...

Five of the most unusual romantic places in Ireland. 1. Castle Leslie, Co. Monaghan Castle Leslie offers regal sanctuary in the most unusual, enchanting and luxurious accommodation set in 1,000 acres of ancient woodland and glittering lakes. The Leslie family have lived in the Castle since the 1660’s entertaining politicians, ambassadors and the worlds stars. Spoil yourself and spend a remarkable week-end living like a King and Queen - morning horseback riding through the ancient woodland, pampering yourself in the Victorian spa or dancing at the Gala Ball. 2. Kinsale, Co. Cork Kinsale is one of the most picturesque villages in Ireland with beautiful buildings, fantastic restaurants and intimate...

Halloween originated in Ireland as an ancient Celtic festival known as Samhain, which was celebration of the end of the harvest season, it is still sometimes referred to as Celtic New Year. The Celts believed that on October 31 the boundary between the living and the dead was dissolved, the dead walked the earth causing sickness and damaging crops. They Celts would light bonfires to ward off evil spirits, they would also don masks and costumes to mimic the spirits in an attempt to placate them. To this day, people in Ireland dress up as creatures from the underworld. There are also other traditions which have developed and evolved over the years, including: Colcannon - This is the dish that is...

The Spanish Armada was a fleet numbering one hundred and thirty ships that set sail from Lisbon in August 1588, with the mission of invading England. The fleet sailed up the English Channel in a crescent formation, with the troop transports in the centre. At Calais they were met by an English fleet, under the cover of darkness the English set fireships alight, using the tide to carry them into the massed Spanish fleet, causing massive confusion. On 29 July, the two fleets met in battle of Gravelines, the English proving victorious. The Spanish fleet headed for home but the English blocked the Channel, so the only route available was north around the tip of Scotland and down the west coast of Ireland...

The Dubliners formed in 1962 in O'Donoghues pub, the founding members were Ronnie Drew, Luke Kelly, Ciaran Bourke and Barney McKenna. They received their major breakthrough in 1967 when their song Seven Drunken Nights received huge airplay and entered the charts. They began to achieve fame and success as singers of street ballads, bawdy songs and great instrumental Irish traditional music. Their infamous drinking, long hair, beards, gruff accents and magnificent humour endeared them to audiences across the globe. Between 1967 and 1969 they released five albums and a number of singles, one The Black Velvet Band charted very well in Britain. In 1968 they appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show and toured...

Killorglin, Co. Kerry is the venue for one of the oldest and definitely most unusual festivals in Ireland. The festival is held every year in early August for three days, when King Puck is honoured over three raucous, wild and amusing days and nights. Before the festival begins, a group of people go up into the mountains and catch a wild billy-goat, the goat is then brought back to the town and the Queen of Puck Fair, who is a sixth class student form Scoil Mhuire, Killorglin crowns him 'King Puck'. The goat is then placed in a cage and hauled up high over the town and the festival commences. The most common story relating to the origins of King Puck, relates that while Cromwell's roundheads were...

U2 was formed in 1977 when fourteen year old Larry Mullen Jr. posted a notice on his school notice board seeking musicians for a new band. They were called Feedback and The Hype before settling on the name, U2. On St. Patrick's Day 1978, they won a battle of the bands competition, using the prize money to record a demo which impressed Paul McGuinness enough to become their manager and they were subsequently signed to CBS Records. Island Records signed the band in early 1980, their UK debut, 11 O'Clock Tick Tock was well received by the critics but failed to chart. Their debut album, Boy, was released to critical acclaim and included their first hit single, I Will Follow. Their subsequent tour of...

The origins of surfing is at best vague, it was first observed by Europeans in 1767 when Cook's expedition sailed into Tahiti. It was a key part of Polynesian culture with the chiefs being the most skilled surfers in the community and the best beaches being reserved for use by the more privileged classes. However, the German and Scottish missionaries of the early eighteenth century forbade the practice and surfing all but disappeared. It was kept alive by a small number of Hawaiians during the rest of the century and it was in Hawaii that the sport was revived around the beginning of the twentieth century. It was the century where surfing would thrive, centred primarily in Hawaii, California and...

John Keats, I am not sure why but he has always struck me as being somewhat old, but of course he was never old, he died at the tender age of twenty-five. I don't know why I think that way, whether it be his worldly views or his whole of the moon visions or perhaps the way the legion of Romantics exalt him so. He was a Londoner, born in 1795 to a tavern owner, remarkably the tavern still stands, nowadays trading as Keats at the Globe. Life wasn't easy for the young Keats, both his parents died before he was ten, he was removed from his education and apprenticed to a surgeon. However, he continued an absorption in literature that had developed during his early schooling, spending huge amounts of time...

The first half of the nineteenth century witnessed the growth of Europe's economic and military superiority over the rest of the world. Although, since the late fifteenth century parts of the world had been controlled by the various European powers. But from 1870 there commenced a race for colonies on an unprecedented scale. There were a number of reasons for this which included economic forces, nationalist prestige, missionary and humanitarian impulses, Social Darwinism, military advantages, population pressure and exploration. Africa was completely swallowed up by Britain, France, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Spain and Portugal. The British government took direct control of India which had been...

The Space Age began in earnest in the late 1950s, with America and the Soviet Union locked in the Cold War. A space race began between the two, it was a way of measuring each nation's scientific and technological advances in the fast paced twentieth century. The Soviets struck first, when the Luna 1 completed the first lunar flyby in January 1959, they quickly followed this in September of that year with the first impact on the moon with the Luna 2. President John F. Kennedy threw down the gauntlet in 1961, declaring that America would place a man on the moon by the end of the decade - the race was on! From 1961 to 1965 the US Ranger program sent nine missions to the moon with the purpose of...

Of course the Mods and Rockers clashed, the antagonism reached its peak in the summer of 1964, when hundreds of youths fought running battles with themselves and the police in the seaside resorts of Clacton, Margate, Bournemouth and Brighton. However, the media reports of the time greatly over-exaggerated the severity of these incidents causing some moral panic and vindication by the older generations that these youth movements were decadent rabble. As psychedelic rock music and the hippie subculture began to become popular in the UK, the Mod lifestyle began to peter out. Some of the great Mod bands such as The Who and The Small Faces had changes their styles and really no longer considered...

At the end of World War One, the Dada movement wished to attack and offend society because of the monstrosity that the world had become. Dadaists believed that a world which had done it's utmost to eat itself did not deserve fine art so they decided to give it hideousness. Bizarrely, society embraced this anti-art, they saw it as not attacking them as such but attacking the old, staid institutions such as feudalism and the Church. So to the dismay of the Dadaists, their desire to destruct by art failed, their art was embraced and therefore became the art of the day, the statues quo; to their horror they achieved greatness and produced art that was judged to be great. Surrealism inherited its anti...

Princess Mary Stuart was born at Linlithgow Place, Linlithgow, Scotland in December 1542 to King James V of Scotland and his French wife Mary of Guise. The week old Mary became Queen of Scotland when her father died at the age of 30. Things were moving rather swiftly for Mary, when just six months old, the Treaties of Greenwich promised Mary to be married to Edward , son of King Henry VIII in 1552 and for their heirs to inherit the Kingdoms of Scotland and England. However, the Treaties of Greenwich fell apart, the agreement did not sit well with the Scots, Henry embarked on what has become known as the 'rough wooing' designed to ensure the agreement was met. He began raiding Scottish territories...

Tajikistan is located in Central Asia and borders Afghanistan in the south, Uzbekistan in the west, Kyrgyzstan to the north and the people's republic of China to the north. It is a mountainous country. People of Tajikistan speak the Tajik language and have culture and history of the Persian people. It became a constituent Republic of the Soviet Union in the 20th century. Tajikistan is a very remote area located on the southern tip of the former Soviet Central Asia. It is no doubt a good place for the tourists. Alpine mountaineering, rock climbing, camel riding, horse riding, hiking, trekking, cultural experiences and historical explorations are all possible here. Peaks of Pamir, Peak Somoni, Peak...

Banshee is an Anglicisation of the Gaelic word bean si (meaning woman of the side or woman of the fairy mounds), it is a female ancestral spirit who forewarns members of certain families about impending death. According to legend, the banshee will wail around the house the night before somebody inside is about to die. There are only certain families that are believed to have a banshee attached to them - O'Grady, O'Brien, O'Connor, O'Donnell, O'Neill and Kavanagh, although intermarriage has extended this select list. She generally appears in two different guises, either as a beautiful young woman with long, fair hair or as a hideous hag. They dress in a white or grey cloak and brush their long hair...

Christmas is a major deal in Ireland, everyone shuts up shop and relaxes from Christmas Eve until New Years Day. Students eventually find their way home, families patch up all differences, friends re-find one another and the pubs fling open their doors and everybody pours in! The country gets itself into a frenzy, lights are hocked up all over the place, shops are ransacked of all goods, airports are squeezed tight with the Irish returning from the four corners of the world and the winding roads and lanes of Ireland are crammed with everyone rushing home for the Christmas Eve pint with old friends in the local cosy tavern. On Christmas Eve, children hang their stockings over the fireplace in nervous...