Editor's Welcome

Hello and welcome
to this week’s Ireland’s Own

I hope that you enjoyed your Saint Patrick’s Day weekend, and that the weather wasn’t too bad where you were. The pictures from the parades that took place around the country once again showed what a wonderful celebration March 17th continues to be in Ireland, when young and old come together to honour our heritage – long may it continue.

In this week’s cover story we are delighted to take you for a trip down Memory Lane, to the times of the Travelling Shops in Ireland. Author Marie O’Connor recalls the days, before cars and supermarkets were ubiquitous, when travelling shops provided such a vital service to the families of rural Ireland. And George Kidd remembers growing up as part of a family who owned a Travelling Shop in Moyne, County Wicklow.

Austin Clarke was the author of poems such as The Lost Heifer and The Planter’s Daughter, and he passed away 50 years ago, writes Hannah Huxley. In her Irish Myths and Legends series, Gemma Clarke recalls The Battle of Kesh Corran Caves. In his ‘Role of the Irish in WW2’ series, Con McGrath tells the story of Nursing Sister Mary Cooper of Carrickmacross, Co. Monaghan, who died in a Japanese Prisoner of War Camp in Sumatra.

In ‘The Summer Time Act’, Eugene Doyle explains why we put the clocks forward one hour in March and backwards in October. Widely known for her isolation and study of the anti-malarial
substance qinghaosu, one of the world’s most effective malaria fighting drugs, Tu Youyou received the 2015 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine, writes Liam Nolan.

Paddy Ryan pays a visit to Belfast City Hall, while in her occasional feature ‘Max-Trax’, Maxi asks Jim Lockhart, member of legendary Celtic rock band Horslips to choose the six songs he would consider the soundtrack of his life.

In ‘The Liberties and John’s Lane Church’, Harry Warren recalls the history of one of the iconic churches in the heart of ‘auld Dublin’. Our original short story is ‘The Not So Young Ones’ by Wynn Cave.
The GAA Year of 1975 is reviewed by Aidan Grennan.

Eamonn Duggan charts the history of the new immigration centre which opened on Ellis Island in 1892 and the fate of those who followed Annie Moore through its doors in his piece, ‘The Establishment of the Irish-American Relationship Ellis Island – Gateway to the ‘Land of Hopes and Dreams’.’

We have all this for you to enjoy alongside regular favourites Cassidy Says, Dan Conway’s Corner, Pete’s Pets, Just A Memory, Catch the Criminal, Stranger Than Fiction, What’s In Your Name?, Marjorie’s Kitchen, Owen’s Club, classic TV and films, our puzzle page, jokes, songs, Pen Friends and much more. 

I hope that you enjoy this week’s issue and I will look forward to chatting to you all again next week, please God.

 

Best wishes, Seán Nolan, Editor, Ireland’s Own

 
Inside this week's issue