A group of over 400 current and former G.A.A. players held a solidarity sleep-out in December to draw attention to Ireland’s homelessness crisis, raising more than $150,000 in the process. The sleep-out took place in 13 towns and cities throughout Ireland and abroad, including Dublin, Boston, New York, Quebec City, Wexford, Galway, and Cork. According to Focus Ireland, Ireland … [Read more...] about Over 400 G.A.A. Stars Unite to Fight Ireland’s Homeless Crisis
Hibernia
Band Aid Donates Archives to Ireland’s National Library
Bob Geldof and the Band Aid Trust donated their archives to the National Library of Ireland in December, opening them to public viewing for the first time. The charity effort raised £8 million for famine relief in Africa with the release of the 1984 single “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” The following year, the organization hosted the first ever Live Aid concert, featuring the … [Read more...] about Band Aid Donates Archives to Ireland’s National Library
Mapping Irish DNA
In a study published late December in the journal Scientific Reports, researchers have found 10 genetic groupings that mirror the ancient and medieval boundaries of Irish kingdoms: Ulster, Leinster, Munster, and Connacht. The study was explored by a team of Irish, American, and British scientists that analyzed data from 194 Irish people with four generations of ancestry tied to … [Read more...] about Mapping Irish DNA
Ireland to Recognize Preferred Gender Pronouns in Registry of Foreign Births
In December, Ireland took further steps to grant equality to transgender citizens by introducing policy designed to formally recognize naturalized citizens of the Republic’s preferred names and gender identity through the establishment of a register of gender recognition of foreign births. In a statement, Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Simon Coveney said, … [Read more...] about Ireland to Recognize Preferred Gender Pronouns in Registry of Foreign Births
Uilleann Pipes Acknowledged by UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) approved recognition of uilleann piping as an element of the “intangible cultural heritage of humanity” in early December. After initiating the application process in March 2016, the Department of Culture, Heritage, and the Gaeltacht worked tirelessly for over a year to ensure the acceptance of … [Read more...] about Uilleann Pipes Acknowledged by UNESCO