Top: Carlingford, Co. Louth, the main town on the Cooley Peninsula, with Slieve Foy in the background.
Bottom: Deirble s Twist, Fallmore, Mullet Peninsula, Co. Mayo. Images: Tourism Ireland.
By Darina Molloy
Mayo on the west coast and Louth on the east, boast some of the most historic sites in Ireland, and now locals living in the area of the Cooley Peninsula and Ballina can expect many the curious traveler on the trail of President Joe Biden’s Irish ancestors.
(All images: Tourism Ireland).
Wee Louth and Mighty Mayo – what do they have in common? Well, certainly not their size nor their location in Ireland, but as it happens, they share one very important son: President Joseph Biden. With his mother’s Blewitt ancestors hailing from Ballina, County Mayo, and her Finnegan family traced back to the Cooley Peninsula, Co. Louth, the 46
Castletown Cox €12.6m
Tulira Castle, outside Ardrahan, Co Galway, and famed for its association with Lady Gregory, WB Yeats, John Betjeman and a host of literary nobles, has been given a new lease of life as the country residence of CarTrawler founder Niall Turley (52) who paid €5.8m for the pile and 265 acre estate some years ago.
Built around 1882 by Edward Martyn, it was later owned by his cousin Mary, wife of Fitzroy Hemphill, a baron, barrister and horse racing enthusiast.
Turley is believed to have netted €40m after selling internet car rental booking system CarTrawler, which he owned with his brother. He continues to run his numerous business interests from his home in Rathgar, Dublin.
And Gracie-Leigh Gajic’s Christmas wish has come true. After the youngster’s proud mum, Bethany, posted on social media about Gracie-Leigh’s plea, the family has been inundated with hundreds of pounds worth of gifts. The appeal caught the attention of a Dorset Council family worker and they are now being distributed to more than 50 families with children with complex needs and disabilities across the county. Bethany said she couldn’t be more proud of her daughter, a pupil at Swanage Primary School. She added: “She wrote her Christmas list in her bedroom and then came down to us, and on it she had asked for poorly children. She said it wasn’t fair that some children wouldn’t get presents.
Sayyida al-Hurra: This famous pirate was a woman to be reckoned with. (Oxygene Tetouan /
)
Sayyida al-Hurra (Iberian, 1485-1561 AD) was a notorious female pirate who lived between the 15th and 16th centuries AD. Her father was a tribal chief, and her mother was a Christian who converted to Islam. As the child of a nobleman, Sayyida al-Hurra was provided with an excellent education, being tutored in such subjects as mathematics, theology, and languages. The title
Sayyida al Hurra means noble lady who is free and independent; the woman sovereign who bows to no superior authority. At some point, she became a pirate. Some have speculated that she never forgot the fall of Granada and vowed to avenge this loss, as well as to retake Andalusia from the Christians. Although she was not able to take the Spanish and Portuguese head on, she instead wreaked havoc on their sea trade via piracy. In time, she formed an alliance with the infamous pirate Oruç Reis (one of Redbeard’s brother
25 things to do in Ireland this Christmas
Updated / Friday, 11 Dec 2020
13:01
It s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. even if 2020 will be a little different.
It s beginning to look a lot like Christmas . even if 2020 will be a little different.
Things may be a little harder to find this year due to the Covid pandemic but there are still plenty of ideas to create some wonderful memories.
Also, not every event has to include the big man in red; sometimes you just want to have fun and spend time with your family in a safe environment.
Well, we ve tried to make it a little bit easier for you by putting together a handy guide to some of our favourites taking place over the festive season, including some popular online events to enjoy from the comfort of your own sitting-room.