From: Sun Herald in MS
http://www.sunherald.com/mld/thesunherald/living/11105777.htm

"St. Patrick won over Ireland with faith

St. Patrick is the stuff of truth and legend. Sometimes it's difficult to tell the difference between the two.

Anyone who knows of St. Patrick knows that he chased the snakes out of Ireland. It doesn't matter that ancient records and archaeological digs show no evidence that snakes ever lived there.

Every good Irishman or every good Irish-American will tell you that in trying to explain the Holy Trinity, he plucked a three-leafed shamrock stem to make his point.

From: http://www.outdoornewswire.com

Morely to Kayak around South Georgia
Previously circumnavigated the UK and Ireland by sea kayak
by Natasha Nowakowski
March 4th, 2005

After successfully circumnavigating the UK and Ireland by sea kayak, Cornwall policeman Sgt Sean Morley plans to lead a group of paddlers on the first circumnavigation of South Georgia in the South Atlantic this December.

Last September, Morley completed a 4,500 mile paddle around the UK and Ireland. The expedition took six months.

The trip raised more than £8,000, which will be donated to the RNLI and the Marine Conservation Society.

From http://www.timeout.com/film/news/225.html :

December 20 2004
The programme for the 3rd Annual Jameson Dublin International Film Festival has been announced, and some of the most critically acclaimed American movies of the year will be screening at the event.

Titles already confirmed include Woody Allen's comedy/drama 'Melinda and Melinda' Wes Anderson's bittersweet 'The Life Aquatic', Nicole Kassel's controversial 'The Woodsman' and the Liam Neeson-starring 'Kinsey', which has already been nominated for several Golden Globes and could also be a favourite come Oscar time.

Joshua Marston's award-winning drug-smuggling drama 'Maria Full of Grace' is also screening, as is Jacob Aaron Estes' acclaimed thriller 'Mean Creek', which tells the tale of a group of young Oregon students who set out to exact revenge on their school bully.

From TownOnline.com:

A distinctive Celtic flavor enlivens Boston's holiday season this year as Irish singers, dancers and entertainers perform in town, complementing a variety of social gatherings, art exhibits and children's activities in the local community, according to a schedule released by the Boston Irish Tourism Association.

More...
http://www2.townonline.com/roslindale/artsLifestyle/view.bg?articleid=140514

1921 - Britain signs peace treaty with Ireland establishing Irish Free State, and Ireland accepts Dominion status.

From NPR:

As late as the 1980s, many of Ireland's high school graduates emigrated to survive.

Today, the Emerald Isle ranks among the 10 richest countries in the world, and towns like Kinvara are booming.

As Frank Browning reports for the "Worlds of Difference" documentary series, prosperity has brought change. But even as it grows vital again, Kinvara has returned to an ancient tradition: music, rendered by fiddles, banjos and songs.

check the site for the full audio: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4202116

From article:
"Halloween's roots can be traced to Samhain (pronounced sow-in), the Celtic New Year's Eve, which was celebrated as a harvest festival, going back to around 800 B.C., says Michelle Campbell, president of the Caledonian Society of Arizona - a Scottish group, though Campbell is half Irish and has spent hundreds of hours researching Celtic history."

Read More>>

From the site:
http://www.irelandseye.com/IRELAND/irish/ghosts/leprechauns/

"Irish ghosts and tales from haunted Ireland
ghosts and spirits of IrelandIrish ghosts and supernatural beings come in all shapes and sizes, from near-invisible bog sprites to the awful Crom Cruach, or the Dullahan, headless astride his terrible black steed. We still hear of vengeful spirits, mischievous ghosts and disembodied voices - places with spooky reputations and stories of terrible ends, but are all these events the fault of ghostly activity?"

From Gwinnett Daily Post:

7/27/2004

The Associated Press

SAVANNAH — After exhuming at least four bodies in an attempt to prove a link to an inheritance, the O’Regan family of County Cork, Ireland, is planning to dig up seven more on the Emerald Isle.
Mary Sheehan of Savannah died in 1983 with a sizable estate. There wasn’t much money, but 17 properties included in her holdings are estimated to be worth $160 million. The O’Regans have dug up four bodies — one in Bonaventure Cemetery in Savannah — in an attempt to prove they are related to Sheehan.

From the site: "The online guide to the Counties of Ireland with details on Accommodations, Lodgings, Bed and Breakfasts, Hotels, Guesthouses, Vacation rentals and Self Catering Irish Farmhouse Cottages. Visitor Attractions, Business Directory, Entertainment, Genealogy, Golf and Fishing"