No free Guinness but Louth blood donors awarded for awe-inspiring donations
Blood donors may no longer free glass of Guinness but they get the satisfaction of knowing they are helping others and those who donate 50 or 100 times are rewarded for their efforts.
Dundalk painter and decorator Brendan Kelly, who has donated blood a hundred times was among blood donors from counties the North-East Midlands region who were honoured by The Irish Blood Transfusion Service (IBTS) annual Gold Drop and Porcelain Pelican Awards Ceremony in the Ardboyne Hotel Navan. He was presented with a Porcelain Pelican Award.
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RTÉ News
03-06-2025
- RTÉ News
Dublin city museum to reopen after two year refurbishment
The thumb of a statue in O'Connell Street that was a casualty of the Italia 90 homecoming, bottles from Dublin's original craft beer producers and swearing Podge and Rodge toys are among the artefacts that can be seen as the Little Museum of Dublin reopens its doors on St Stephen's Green on Wednesday after a two year makeover. The re-imagined attraction tells the social and cultural hsitory of Dublin through everyday items donated by members of the public. Since it opened its doors in 2011, the museum has accumulated more than 6,000 objects which it has curated to tell an offbeat and often humorous history of the capital. The eclectic collection, which began with a millennium milk bottle, now includes everything from Mary McAleese's communion rosary beads to medicines owned by Marty Whelan's mother. A class picture from Mount Temple Secondary School featuring the future members of U2 are among the new additions to the collection in the now expanded and accessible space, which included a dedicated U2 and Irish music room. The museum's deputy curator, Dr Daryl Hendley Rooney highlighted some of the more curious parts of the collection, including a marble thumb that tells the story of Italia 90. "The heroes of Italy had come back. They were paraded through town on an open top bus and a little boy had climbed up a statue, and he accidentally pulled off the thumb, which hit the ground beside this woman. "She picked it up and had intended on giving it back to the Office of Public Works or the National Monument Service, but like every good Irish procrastinator it has been in our house for the last few decades," Dr Rooney said As part of their most recent appeal the museum also received a donation of a set of three boxing gloves from the Ó Colmáin family who live in a former forge just off Camden Street, where a blacksmith made his mark on Irish sporting history. "Gerry Ó Colmáin was a boxer. He was the first and he's the hitherto last Irish European boxing heavyweight champion. "In 1947, he won in that final and it was actually the unusual thing it was here in Dublin, so he won on home soil," Dr Rooney said. He added: "In the final, he was boxing an English guy, and he hit him so hard that he burst his glove, and that was the glove that he burst. So, he ended up boxing with three gloves in that final." A row of bottles also tells the recent history of Guinness in Dublin and sheds light on the original makers of craft beer in the capital. "Dublin Pale Ale, Mountjoy's Nourishing Stout and Findlaters Invalid Stout. "The idea that they were given to people to basically replenish their stores and it wasn't uncommon for pregnant women to be given a bottle of Guinness or stout to basically replenish their energy levels and make them hardy again," he said. "Most people don't realise that Guinness didn't actually bottle their own brew until the 60s. "This bottle here was bottled by Lawson Wilson and Co in Dublin. Nearys and McDaids, they would have had all their own licensing bottling labels and at one time, in the 1930s Guinness were producing over 1.5 million labels a day." The museum's CEO, Sarah Clancy, said the reimagined space gives people of all generations an opportunity to experience the history of the city. "As a storytelling museum, we managed to create these really magical moments. "We'd have locals coming in on family day out, or whatever it might be, and one of our tour guides might tell a story. "And there's that lovely moment where somewhere, someone interjects and goes, 'oh, actually, I was there. That's not quite what happened'." The expanded museum will have new features that are targeted at educating younger children about the history of Dublin. It will also include a unique doll's house and an animal exhibition that will tell stories about a much-loved elephant in Dublin Zoo and the lion that once escaped onto Fairview Strand. The renovation work at the not-for-profit museum in a former Georgian townhouse cost €4.3m was funded by donations from Dublin City Council, Fáilte Ireland, the Departments of Tourism and a number of other benefactors. But old favourites remain, including one of the most popular exhibits, a leather-bound copy of the 1988 telephone book, which almost every Dubliner who visits will leaf through to see if they can locate their family name and relatives. Donated artefacts like these have been the lifeblood of this museum and the Little Museum of Dublin will continue to welcome more into the future.
Irish Examiner
02-06-2025
- Irish Examiner
Imasha Costa: As a migrant, learning Irish is my favourite way to integrate
One of the first things they teach you in Irish class is 'How are you?' and 'Where do you come from?'; sentences which help you illustrate your identity as you communicate in a new language. Last autumn, after celebrating five years of leaving everything behind and moving to Ireland, I decided it was time that I would learn Irish. This would have been my fifth language, and I knew it would help me integrate into Irish society further. If having a thick Cork accent was not enough, I now wanted to learn Irish, be able to order a pint of Guinness or Beamish at the bar as gaeilge, and finally try to understand a conversation that is being shared in Irish. My alma mater was offering Irish classes for adults at different levels, from beginners to intermediate, and I felt this was the perfect place to dip my toes in and learn. Learning a new language can be daunting at times; there are moments when you may feel lost and confused, but I knew I was enjoying every second of my two-hour-long evening classes, including the scheduled tea break. But I did not expect that these classes would end up with a trip to a Gaeltacht in West Kerry. It was there that I fell deeply in love with the Irish language, and the culture. It was a bleak May weekend, the rolling hills of the Kingdom covered with thick fog as we made our way West, entering the Gaeltacht. Dingle Bay was hidden away under the dense cloud as we drove along winding roads, salty air kissing our cheeks as we drove with the car windows down. We were 13 people from the adult course, staying in the village of Ballyferriter, a single street of four pubs, no shop and battering winds that push you back as you walk against them. During the weekend, a seanchaí told his family story. He told us about the history of West Kerry, how he only knew how to make the sign of the cross in Irish, and called the former minister of education Donogh O'Malley, who made secondary education free, his hero. At the pubs in the village, I ordered rounds of pints, asked how much a Guinness cost (€5.50), in Irish. I also met some of the Irish Rugby sevens team who were travelling around West Kerry. I love Ireland with my whole heart. But, Ballyferriter made me fall deeply in love with the Irish language and the people. File picture: Don MacMonagle I met a man from Cork City who now lives in Ballyferriter, locals who said I had the blas in English and in my beginner's level Irish. I sang Siúil a Rúin to a crowd in pub number two before being asked to give another tune. We sat drinking pints, chatting away and listening to stories before we were told to leave the pub well after closing time. We sheltered under the rain in Tigh Áine, near Dun Chaoin, eating our lunch as we stared out at the Atlantic Ocean. We spent time in the Blasket Island centre – reading and listening in Irish. The words of Muiris Ó Súilleabháin were etched into the wall at the centre. They will forever sit with me: '… 'But if you are not an Irishman', said he again, 'what are you?' 'A Blasket man, my boy, ' says I.' My heart was full of grá as I left West Kerry, knowing fully well that I would come back to see warm hearts and newfound friends who offered me the opportunity to milk their cows. Migrants like me have been taking it upon themselves to learn the Irish language, and according to a recent study from the University of Galway, offering migrants the opportunity to learn the Irish language could help with integration in some rural communities across the country. Imasha Costa: 'I am proud to be one of these migrants learning the language and supporting the current generation and the resurgence of the Gaelic culture.' File picture: Larry Cummins Ireland has been seeing an increasing migrant population, which has led to larger communities and the need for more support to help with integration. I am proud to be one of these migrants learning the language and supporting the current generation and the resurgence of the Gaelic culture. Almost every second person I know is a Gaelgeoir, and they have been so welcoming to a migrant like myself who has just a few phrases or sentences to carry some conversation. We are welcomed with open arms, and there is no problem with correcting our pronunciation. This August, I will be celebrating six years living in this beautiful country, which has welcomed me and made me feel like I am home. I love Ireland with my whole heart. But, Ballyferriter made me fall deeply in love with the Irish language and the people. Read More What Street Feast reveals about our hunger for community
Irish Daily Mirror
28-05-2025
- Irish Daily Mirror
'I've been drinking Guinness for years and just realised what the logo means'
Guinness isn't just any beer - it's Ireland most iconic export and a proud symbol of Irish heritage recognised all over the world. This famous dry stout, brewed in Dublin since 1759, is instantly recognisable by its rich, dark colour and creamy white head. Loved for its unique roasted malt flavour, over 10 million glasses of Guinness are enjoyed every single day across the world. But there's something even the most seasoned Guinness drinkers might not know - the famous logo you see on every bottle, can and pint glass isn't just a decoration. After years of drinking the legendary beverage, many people are only just realising what the Guinness harp really means, and it's deeply Irish story. The harp isn't just any harp. It's inspired by one of Ireland's oldest and most treasured symbols, the Brian Boru harp. This ancient 14th-century Gaelic harp, sometimes called the O'Neill harp, is kept safe at Trinity College Library in Dublin, where visitors from all over come to see it. Guinness explains: "Ireland was well-known overseas at the time for its rich culture and musical heritage. The harp was a significant emblem of this tradition and has been a heraldic symbol of Ireland from the 13th century. The Guinness Harp is based on the 'Brian Boru Harp', considered to be one of the finest surviving examples of the Gaelic harp, or cláirseach. "The mythology of the harp itself is that it once belonged to Brian Boru, High King of Ireland, who died at the Battle of Clontarf in 1014. More recently, the harp has been dated to the 14th century but maintains its nominal association with Ireland's legendary king. The original creator of the harp remains a mystery. The harp was donated to Trinity College Dublin in 1782, where it continues to be on display today." The harp first appeared on a Guinness bottle label back in 1862 and while it has gone through several redesigns over the centuries, it's been synonymous with the brand ever since. In what might come as a twist, the Guinness harp actually faces the opposite way to the official Irish harp used by the government. Guinness said: "The Irish Free State chose the same Brian Boru harp as the official emblem on its founding in 1922 and it remains on the Republic of Ireland's national coat of arms. It appears on the Presidential seal, as well as coins and passports. As Guinness had already trademarked the logo, the Irish State were required to 'flip' the image harp faces in the opposite direction - compare the logo on an Irish coin to your pint glass!" This little detail has clearly surprised fans on social media, especially with the recent 'split the G' trend, where people have been dissecting and celebrating Guinness's logo like never before. One person wrote: "How am I just noticing that Guinness logo is a harp?" Another shared: "Am I the only one that is just realising that the Guinness logo is a harp?? I seriously thought it was just a weirdly bent piece of gold."
