Irish Lace

This is an image of the emerald isle as seen from space. NASA's Aqua satellite captured this image on December 17, 2007, utilizing its Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS).

On this day, clouds formed complex patterns around the islands, fringing the western tips of Ireland and southern tip of Great Britain.

Southwest of Ireland, the clouds exhibiting interesting-looking striations appear to be wave clouds formed by cool, dry air meeting warm, moist air. Pushed up by cool air, warm air rises, cools, and then falls, riding up on the next wave.

Special Rugby Day

I had a very enjoyable day on Sunday when I attended a rugby match between Nenagh Ormond and Limerick Leprechauns which was one of the events at Nenagh Ormond Rugby Football Club. to raise funds for Rape Crisis Midwest.

Collecting for the Crisis Centre

Limerick Leprechauns is a Limerick based veterans' rugby club that (uniquely) raises funding for charities and deserving causes and on Sunday they came to Nenagh to join forces with Nenagh Ormond as part of a collaboration between the Nenagh Ormond Rugby Club, Limerick Leprechauns and Rape Crisis Midwest in an effort to raise funds to help alleviate an €80,000 shortfall that the centre needs just to survive.

Some of the Limerick Leprechauns team

Nenagh players

The day provided many fund raising events such as a raffle draw for a signed Munster and Leinster players jerseys signed by local players Trevor Hogan and Donnacha Ryan in addition to many other prizes sponsored by Limerick and local firms.

The game itself provided a fun atmosphere and anyone male, female, young or old got the opportunity to play for five minute stints alongside some of the regions past and present most famous rugby players.

The highlight of the day for me was getting my picture taken with one of the legends of Irish rugby, Ex Irish International, Gerry 'Ginger' McLoughlin

My friend Pat Whelan and Gerry McLoughlin

Collage of pictures from the event

The children were also well provided for

Ancient Shoe

Evidence of the existence of an ancient castle outside Nenagh and a leather shoe dating back one thousand years have been unearthed in the development of a new dual carriageway between the town and Limerick city.

As Ireland is now in the process of upgrading and constructing new roads, a wealth of archaeology is being unearthed by archaeologists who precede the construction work along the routes of the new roadways.

On the Nenagh Limerick project, evidence of the possible site of a “lost castle” outside Nenagh has been discovered. The castle is documented in the 1654-56 Civil Survey which refers to “the walls of a Castle out of repayre”. The evidence found to date indicates that excavations may have discovered remains and artefacts associated with this castle.

Tenth century old shoe recovered in Annaholty Bog

Archaeologists say that the shoe found in bog land during excavation works on the new route dates from the 10th to the 12th Centuries. The shoe is known as a turn-shoe because it was made inside-out and then turned around for wearing. The style is of a fashion introduced to Ireland during the early medieval period.

Archaeologists believe that the owner was either a native wearing the latest in fashion crossing the bog and losing his/her shoe or a newly arrived settler, possibly an Anglo-Norman.

Source:

Nenagh Guardian