Send Kiely a Real Postcard! .....Local Ireland
St. Patrick's day message from Pat Kiely
JUST
AWARDED FOUR SHAMROCKS BY THE 
IRISH DIRECTORY.
At least 100,000 Welcomes to you all.
MARCH 12th. 2001
Hi and welcome once again to all of you from in and around the County of Waterford, whether by birth, ancestry or adoption, who regularly tune in here, to read your interactive Waterford and County newsletter with a few of Kiely's comments thrown in just for good measure.
Don't the years fly as you get 'younger?' Kiely notched up
another birthday last Saturday, 10th March, the third since I
started writing this County Waterford 
newsletter for
Local Ireland...and I'm here again this week still burning the
midnight oil, Thank God!
It's only March and what an awful year its been already in County Waterford, with awful weather, and tragic road accidents, which have claimed so many lives, both young and old.
At the moment panic abounds in Ireland, as we all try to prevent the risk of a rapid spreading cattle disease called foot and mouth, reaching our shores or crossing the border from the North where it has spread from Britain.
Mats soaked in disinfectant have suddenly appeared outside the entrance to public buildings and almost all shops and supermarkets.
(So now 'Come into the parlour,there's a welcome on the mat,' as the old song used to say, except that now there's more than just a welcome on most Irish mats!)
Tourists are being encouraged to stay away, and umpteen meetings, festivals and gatherings have been cancelled or re-scheduled including most of the St.Patrick's Day Parades around the country.
Perhaps St.Pat who came here to convert the Celts and banish paganism and snakes 15 centuries ago, is getting his own back this year, after several years of parades held in the capital, which have had very little to do with Christianity and lots to do with snakes, fire eaters, demons and God knows what!
Our Minister, Deputy, Martin Cullen is sailing or should I say
jetting off to China this 
week on a
'working visit,' according to a report on last Friday's popular
Billy McCarthy morning show on
http://www.WLRFM.com
it seems Martin's off to the Red Republic to sell Ireland to the Chinese after a brief stop over in Singapore.
(There should be no problem finding a few dragons and snakes over there in China even if none of them (snakes not Chinese) will be marching down Dublin's O'Connell Street, this year.
Does anyone now if you can get a decent pint of the black stuff over in the 'Red Republic...?'
But first...
Talking of the black stuff.......
An American visitor walks into a pub in a small Irish village clears his voice and to the crowd of drinkers says, County Waterford men are great drinkers.'
'I'll give $500 American dollars to anybody in here who can drink 10 pints of Guinness back-to-back."
The room is quiet, and no one takes up the visitor's offer.
after a couple of minutes, one man even leaves rather hurriedly and returns thirty minutes later and taps the American on the shoulder.
"Is your bet still good Sir?" he asks.
'Yes!' says the stranger and asks the bartender to line up 10 pints of Guinness. Immediately the local tears into the 10 pints, drinking them all without a pause.
The assembled crowd of regulars cheer and clap, as the American is forced to hand over $500,dollars
'But tell me, If ya don't mind me asking,' says the American, where did you go for that 30 minutes you were gone?"
"Oh...I had to go to the pub down the street to see if I could do it first, replies the winner with a grin."
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Garlic Dip. 
A few weeks ago in this column, Kiely mentioned a delicious garlic dip he had sampled in St. Carthage's, Retirement Home, Lismore, after a cheque presentation by Lismore Fire Brigade to the Home.
At the time, Kiely believed the dip had been prepared by the retirement home catering staff but now the secret is out.
It seems the person responsible was none other than Michael O' Farrell otherwise known as Busty, of Busty's Take Away, Main Street, Lismore, who was recently caught on Kiely's camera, showing off his prize speciality, although his curry and chips also take some beating.
So next time your in town don't forget to mention to Busty, you read about him on the Internet. (You might even get a few extra chips or a larger portion!)
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SHARK BITES LISMORE RESIDENT!
Lismore resident Mark Butler (40) had a lucky escape recently when he was attacked by a shark while surfing alone in Lismore.
Mark managed to break free from the sharks vicious grip and swim ashore where he raised the alarm.
The surgeons say he had a lucky escape and after surgery should be able to walk again.
Local residents who enjoy the odd summer dip in the River Blackwater or the Abh na Shead
will be pleased to note that this Lismore is several thousand miles away, in Lismore, New South Wales, Australia, and not here in County Waterford, all though we do get the occasional whale washed up on our coast down Stradbally way..
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Twin Peaks. 
In this photo taken recently from South Mall, the beauty of the famous spire of the ancient St.Carthage's, Church of Ireland Cathedral, Lismore is complimented by one of the snow capped peaks of the distant Knockmealdown mountains.
Luckily , so far this year, despite freezing temperatures, the towns and villages of County Waterford have escaped the heavy snowfalls .which have caused so much chaos along the East coast of the country.
Bereavement.
I was sorry to here recently that Dr.Kevin McCann featured in
this column last year who died on March 3rd. in his 83rd year. 
Dr.McCann was the local GP for many years around the Mondeligo, Tooraneena, and Dungarvan area before moving to Canada in the 1960s. Sympathy to his son Declan who kindly sent me the story last year and to his daughters who were all at his bedside when he died.
May he rest in peace, amen. -----------------------------------------------------
Hi, to Stacy McCormick and her lively son Blake over in Panama, and thanks also to all who subscribed, signed the guestbook, sent real postcards, emailed or left voice messages..
So finally,finally, finally.....
As they say down this way...Thanks a million! or even 'Phone a friend!'
Remember if you receive this newsletter by email, you must go on-line to see the photos....
See 'ya all next week. God bless, Pat. '
If you send your feedback to patkiely@eircom.net my mobile phone will remind me when it arrives.. I always find your feedback most encouraging....
Archives.......
COMMENTS ISSUE 64......COMMENTS ISSUE 65.....COMMENTS ISSUE 66. COMMENTS ISSUE 67 COMMENTS ISSUE 68....ISSUE 69 ...Issue 70 ...issue 71 issue 72
Sound version of issue 66 on Real Player
See 'ya all next week. God bless, Pat.
.All material and images (copyright) Pat Kiely Lismore, Ireland 1999-2000
