Snowfalls stop Dublin - Benedetta

Dublin under the snow

The snow has finally arrived and as it was thought, it has stopped Ireland's capital as well as the rest of country.

It is causing lots of problems to travellers because Aer Lingus is cancelling almost a half of its flights, that means 200 flights per day!

Also commuters who usually travel by public transport are finding problems because buses are not running due to the inaccessible streets.

But the problem that interests the families the most is absolutely the closing or not-closing of schools. Lots of schools have already closed but the majority of them do not know yet what to do. The problem is that there are too many students that are taking exams at the moment. Blogs are collecting different opinions about this: there are students who want schools to be closed and others who, after studying hard, absolutely want them to keep open.

The situation is not improving, tonight we expect further snowfall.

Keep your fingers crossed!

Benedetta

Transport systems are blocked- Marta

We are having a long period of snowfall that began on the 1st February. Schools have been closed, public transport is not running, railways are covered by snow so trains cannot leave. Everything is blocked!

Dublin under the snowflakes

On the 5th February Dublin Airport was closed to allow snow to be cleared from the runways, delaying flights. Later flights were cancelled.

People are still waiting to leave, but no flights can take off yet.

In the city there is enough salt so buses cannot run. This causes unease for people who use always them to go to work or to school. Moreover because there are no buses people have to walk so a lot of pedestrians have to walk on the streets and they could break their bones.

Besides the rail system cannot run because of the snow on the rails.

Marta

Now we are looking for good news from weather forecast hoping that it will not snow again.

SNOWSTORMS ARE FINALLY OVER-Pinato Carlo

After a long period of terrible snowstorms, the situation in Ireland seems to be improving.

Pinato Carlo

On the 2^nd of February Ireland was in a situation of complete chaos, but also in other parts of Europe the situation was not much better. In France and in other northerly countries snow blanketed cities and surrounding countryside and brought major air, rail and road systems to stop.London business leaders said the estimated cost to the British capital alone could be as much as 48 million pounds ($69 million) in lost productivity. All flights in and out of Heathrow were cancelled. London's three other commercial airports reported severe delays and flight cancellations. Motorway authorities warned of hazardous driving conditions in southern and central Ireland.

Dublin airport stopped by snow

Dublin, Cork and Belfast airports were also forced to cancel some flights and Gatwick, Stansted , Luton, and London City Airport were badly hit.

During the following days the situtions got worse, airports were closed, and people were requested to stay at home.

Luckily yesterday on the 5^th of Febraury the Dublin Airport Authority says the airport has reopened and flights have resumed, but the situation is still really difficult, and passengers who booked to travel with Aer Lingus flights are advised not to come to the airport because only domestic flights from Dublin to Galway and Donegal were resumed.

The disastrous snowstorms that have striken Europe are finally over - but we will need a few weeks to return to normal.

The cruel warrior from Munster

Many many years ago when the Celts ruled over Ireland, there was a strongful warrior called Conor. He was one of the most powerful boys in Munster and he wanted to become the most famous and wealthy warrior in the whole of Ireland. However, he was too greedy for fame. When he played hurling with his friends, he always wanted to win and be the first in any way. So, the others started to hate him.

Conor left the village, and went wandering all across Ireland with his sword, killing and sacking everywhere. The years passed, and the fame of the terrible boy from Munster spread.

One day he arrived in a village in Ulster. He wanted to steal all the cattle and show his fierce strength. He entered a hut and he saw an old woman asking for pity. Conor put his sword in her chest. Before dying, she said: “You think you are the best warrior of the world, but you are wrong. I tell you when you get more wealth and power, you will be more alone day by day up to your death.” After she said that to him she died. He did not mind those words and he continued to kill and sack.

When Conor became old, he was the most powerful person in Ireland. All the Irish kings had to submit to him. He ordered them to build a great castle on a hill where he lived among huge amounts of gold. However, he was sad and alone. Nobody loved him, everyone was afraid of him.

 One night, while he was sleeping, he felt a hard pain at the heart. He saw a soul in front of him: it was the old woman's spirit, who said that Conor was dying because of his greediness. Conor understood he had to give up his cruel life. He did, and he died happy.

The Vain Princess

Once upon a time a pretty princess lived in a castle with her parents. She was so beautiful that her parents didn't want people to see her, so she wasn't allowed to go out from the castle.

Because of her beauty she was really vain.

One day, an old servant died, so the king and the queen found a new governess.

The new one was as vain as the princess, but uglier, so she was jealous of her. One night the servant told the princess of a lake that was near her castle, its' water was magic and made people more beautiful than they are.

The following evening the vain princess escaped from the castle and found the lake. She drank the magic water and fell asleep. When she got up and looked at herself in the water - she had magically become a deer: the servant had lied to her.

Unluckily that morning her parents were hunting in the garden and when his father saw her he killed her with his bow.

 The moral of the story is not to be vain.

The Poor yet Lucky

Once upon a time, in a country far far away, lived a poor young man called McZamps. He was so poor that he wore an old sack of potatoes as trousers.

One day he was starving, wandering around the market and staring at the food, but he had no money, so he could not buy anything.

Then, he looked at the greengrocer's, and he saw that the peddler was talking with a woman. McZamps decided to steal a big red apple. He tried to run away, but the sheriff who was walking around the market square saw the poor man and caught him.

At that time, because there was a famine, food thieves were punished severely. So McZamps was sent into exile on an island far far away.

After two weeks scouting the island he discovered a mysterious underground cave. It was a forgotten base of pirates, containing their secret treasure.

After few weeks a boat arrived at the island searching for food. McZamps prayed the capitain to take him back to the mainland, in exchange for gold.

The captain was very happy with the dial, so McZamps went back to the continent, and lived a wonderful life with the gold he had found, thanking the sheriff who had caught him that day.

Activity 5: Report Making.

Take a look at the map of Ireland.

Yellow counties are considered Gaelic Football counties.

Blue counties are considered Hurling counties. 

Green counties are considered Hurling & Gaelic Football counties.

On a separate page answer the following questions.

1. Which sport is the most popular sport in Ulster?

2. Which province is most associated with hurling?

3. How many counties play hurling?

4. How many counties play hurling & gaelic football?