Posts filed under 'Wexford'
St Patrick’s Day is celebrated all around the world. However, for many it is simply a party, rather than a chance to celebrate Ireland’s patron saint. This is strange, because Saint Patrick had a dramatic life.
As a young lad of sixteen years he was captured by a band of raiders near Bologne in Gaul and taken with many others to slavery in Ireland. He was first brought to Mayo, but later sold to an Antrim farmer and he spent six years in captivity as a shepherd on Slemish Mountain.
One cold winter’s night, while Patrick slept, he heard a voice telling him “it is well that you fast, soon you will go to your own country” and a short time later the voice said to him “Look, your ship is ready”.
The spirit guided Patrick to the south of Ireland near Wicklow where he boarded a ship with a cargo of dogs bound for Gaul.
At this time an invasion of Gaul had left much of it desolate. Patrick and the crew of the boat wandered for 28 days until all food had run out. Patrick said to the crew “turn to God and he will provide” and suddenly a herd of pigs appeared and they had food once more. Patrick had performed his first miracle.
For a number of years Patrick wandered through Gaul. Conscious of his lack of formal training in theology and law he spent his time talking to and learning from the wise deacons and Bishops and soon he was made a Bishop in Rome.
He was lonely in Gaul so he went to visit his relations in Britain. While he was there he had another vision in which a man arrived from Ireland with many letters, including one for himself. The letter said “We ask you boy to come and walk once more among us”. Patrick was delighted and went to Ireland immediately.
The people of Ireland at this time were pagans under the influence of the Druids. Patrick had first to rid the country of these “magicians”. This is symbolised by the banishing of the snakes forever from Ireland.
He now set about converting the people to Christianity. His deep faith and belief in the Blessed Trinity made this doctrine a centre piece of his instruction. To help explain the mystery he used the simple 3 leaf shamrock to illustrate 3 persons in one God.
St Patrick died in 461. By this time he had created an established structured church throughout the country. His converts were across the entire social classes from Princes to slaves and many of his priests and deacons were from the youth of Ireland. He is still to this day the most famous figure in Irish history and is one of the best known figures throughout the Christian world.
February 27th, 2008
Leinster are preparing for their Heineken Cup clash at Leicester on Saturday 19th of January.
While the Leicester side is strong, Leinster coach Michael Cheika is confident they will be able to get a result.
He said: “What we’ve got to do is go up there and make sure we keep sowing a bit of doubt in
their minds in their home base, where they don’t lose very often.
“We’ve got to make sure we continue to play well…and try to sneak a win up there.”
Leinster’s preparations were given a boost with the news that both injury worries Shane Horgan and Ollie le Roux have recovered enough to be included in the squad. They will face fitness tests oon Thursday, but are expected to be at near 100%.
The full squad to face Leicester is:
Forwards (15): Cian Healy, Ollie le Roux, Ronan McCormack, Brian Blaney, Bernard Jackman, Stephen Knoop, Stan Wright, Leo Cullen, Trevor Hogan, Cameron Jowitt, Malcolm O’Kelly, Stephen Keogh, Keith Gleeson, Shane Jennings, Jamie Heaslip
Backs (12): Guy Easterby, Chris Keane, Felipe Contepomi, Jonathan Sexton, Luke Fitzgerald, Rob Kearney, Gordon D’Arcy, Christian Warner, Brian O’Driscoll, Gary Brown, Shane Horgan,
Girvan Dempsey
Ireland duo Gordon D’Arcy and Malcolm O’Kelly, need only three more appearances for Leinster to equal who both joined Reggie Corrigan’s record for the province.
Over 1,000 Leinster supporters are expected to travel to Leicester for the Heineken Cup match, which kicks off at 3.30PM at Welford Road.
January 16th, 2008
There’s a lot going on at Donnybrook, as Leinster prepare for the new season.
First, a new Rugby Development Officer has been named. Everyone at Leinster Rugby is delighted at the appointment of David McAllister.
The former Leinster and Ireland Under-21 out-half will be responsible for the North Midlands area. Hopes are high that his experience will help him unearth some exciting new talent.
But that’s not all. You can now sport the colours of your favourite team, as the new home jersey for the 2007/08 season is now available at the Leinster Rugby Store. Short sleeved jerseys are only €77, with long sleeved shirts costing €80.
The 2007/08 season looks to be a very exciting one for Leinster. Season ticket applications have almost doubled since last year. Priced at just €199, a new batch of Bronze season tickets has been released after the initial tickets were snapped up within weeks. Make sure you get yours quickly to avoid disappointment.
For devoted Leinster fans who can’t make it to all the home games, Leinster Supporters Memberships are available for next season.
Exile packages (€50) are designed for those Leinster fans all across the globe. The kids can join the Leinster Cubs for just €30.
Look out for more rugby news as the 2007/08 season approaches.
July 24th, 2007
MacMurrough Farm Hostel in County Wexford is a nice place to enjoy affordable accommodations. The surroundings of the hostel are very peaceful and quiet and there is greenery all around the hostel. It is the perfect place to get away from it all and enjoy a calm and tranquil vacation away from the drudgery and drabness of daily life. This hostel is approved by the Irish Tourism Board and is a member of the Independent Holiday Hostels of Ireland. This ensures that the quality of the accommodations is consistent with the standards defined by these organizations. This hostel can accommodate a total of eighteen people. Private rooms and dorms are available. Two of the private rooms are en-suite. Fully equipped self catering kitchens allow the guests to cook any food they want. The owners of the hostel are a very friendly couple who will make sure that your stay is as comfortable as possible.
February 14th, 2007
Le Colosseo is a nice Italian and Mediterranean Restaurant in County Wexford. The home made pizzas available here are really good. Fish is available grilled or baked. The seafood, meats and pastas prepared here are all wholly delicious and definitely worth trying. The food is complemented by a fine selection of quality wines and beers. Freshly ground Italian coffee is a real treat here. Drop in here anytime for lunch or dinner or even just some light snacks. You won’t be disappointed.
January 23rd, 2007
Cafe Paradis is another great place for some fine Italian food if you happen to be in County Wexford. The taste you get here is claimed to be the authentic taste of Italy. The pizzas prepared here have thin crusts and fresh toppings. The pizzas are cooked to order so you can have them anyway you want. You can either eat the pizzas at the café or take them away to home. Hot and cold tapas are also served here. The wine selection is very extensive and includes one hundred and fifty of the best variety available from around the world. You can enjoy these fine wines with your food for a very reasonable price. International quality beers are also stocked here.
January 17th, 2007
The walk in Raven Wood begins from the car park. This car park is located east from Curracloe Village. There is plenty of wildlife for your viewing pleasure here and the sand dunes on the left and Wexford Slob on the right side of the track are a beautiful sight to behold. Keep walking and enjoying the view for about three kilometres. You will eventually reach a grassy track where you can enjoy breathtaking views of Rosslare, the Wexford Harbour and the majestic Mount Leinster. From here, take the path to your left and be sure to look for grey seals in the water. A word of warning though: stay away from the sand banks. It’s possible to get trapped there because they are quick sands and the tide could make matters even worse. After a while, you will arrive at the end of Raven Point. If you still feel like strolling, you can take a walk on the golden sands of Curracloe Beach from here. This walk is pretty long at 15 kilometres. The walk will eventually end back at the car park.
December 27th, 2006
The Rafters Restaurant is a gem of a restaurant in County Wexford. This restaurant is recommended by many reputable food and tourist guides. The restaurant’s staff is very friendly and dutiful. They go out of their way to ensure that the customers enjoy dining at this restaurant in a peaceful, calm and serene atmosphere. The cooking can almost be described as impeccable. The menu of the restaurant proudly shows off some rather creative dishes that are created solely to induce maximum gastronomic pleasure in the customers. Among the many delectable dishes available here, you will surely have a hard time forgetting the tender and delicious taste of noisettes of hare with juniper berry and gin sauce. Your palate will also thank you for checking out confit of salmon with lobster butter, thyme and tarragon sauce. The sea foods here are fresh and cooked with the utmost care to give you the true taste of their goodness. The steaks here are juicy and tender and well worth sinking your teeth into. Delightful dishes from the French cuisine are also prepared here.
December 20th, 2006
