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Around Ireland: Europe under water, a Sept. 11th prediction from 1999 and creepy crop circles in Carlow

February 16, 2011

By Staff Reporter

PRAGUE: WETTER

THAN FERMANAGH

Three students from County Fermanagh fled their hotel in Prague last week as the worst floods in over 100 years devastated large parts of Europe.

David Young, Brian Wilson and Adam Cairns, all from Enniskillen, are on a four-week interrailing trip around Europe, and arrived in the Czech Republic after traveling through Paris, Amsterdam and Berlin.

On Tuesday morning, Aug. 13, they were awoken by hotel staff, and helped fortify flood barriers with local police. Coming from Fermanagh, being surrounded by water is probably nothing new for the three young men.

“It’s just madness,” Young said. “We were woken up on Tuesday morning with the hostel owner going mental to get us out, but we thought it was just because it was checkout time.”

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The intrepid three have since left Prague and made it safely by train to Budapest, according to the Impartial Reporter.

GALLAGHER: BETTER

THAN THE FBI?

Achill Island-based mystic Christina Gallagher is at the center of a controversial claim that she predicted the terror attacks of Sept. 11 two years before they happened.

Irish American Dan Lynch, who is linked to the Our Lady of Guadelupe organization, claims on his website that on Sept. 11, 1999, he visited the World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan with Gallagher, who has gained a worldwide following for her alleged channeling of messages from the Virgin Mary.

“I remarked on the enormity of the Twin Towers as a symbol of America’s economic might and our reliance on the priority of power over prayer,” wrote Lynch. “As I said this, Christina waved her arm towards the Twin Towers and prophesied: ‘Dan, if Americans don’t turn back to God, all of this will be destroyed.”

Lynch said that he will mark the first anniversary of the tragedy by bringing a group of Americans to the House of Prayer on Achill Island.

SMOKING BAN BLASTED

The Vintners Federation of Ireland met in Limerick last week and blasted the Irish government’s plans to ban smoking in bars and pubs.

The VFI claims that a blanket ban on smoking would be impossible to police and says that the livelihood of 65,000 people employed in the trade would be at risk if such a proposal became law.

Newly elected VFI president Joe Browne predicted a bleak future for Irish pubs if the ban was enforced.

“If the government is so adamant in its approach to improving the nation’s health through reducing the incidence of smoking, why doesn’t it channel the massive taxes it makes on cigarettes into health educational programs?” Browne said. “For every pack of 20 cigarettes sold in Ireland, the government receives 79 percent of the price in tax receipts. Banning smoking in pubs is a soft option for them rather than tackling the core issue of assisting people give up cigarettes through funding health awareness campaigns.”

CARLOW’S CREEPY CIRCLES

Clonegal, Co. Carlow, has a real-life version of Mel Gibson’s aliens and crop circles problem in the star’s new movie, “Signs.”

A large number of circles, with smaller circles within, have appeared on a local sports field.

The circles, numbering about six in all, were first noticed on the pitches a few weeks ago.

Within an hour of the grass being cut on the pitches, the mysterious circles reappeared.

Local historian and writer Willie White says he has no explanation for the phenomenon, which, predictably, has become the talk of the village and surrounding area.

White says some suggestions are that the circles are caused by some sort of fungus or perhaps by fertilizer.

One theory from White is that the playing pitches where the circles are located runs close to the area where, according to local folklore, a fairy carriage went along the river.

FLAGGING ENTHUSIASM

The Northern Irish phenomenon of loyalist housing estates flying Isr’li flags and nationalist estates flying Palestinian flags is no laughing matter, reports the Newry Democrat.

“Personally I would like to see all flags taken down,” said Sinn Fein councilor Charlie Casey. “If areas want one Irish tricolor or Union flag up for their area, fine, but flags can be so intimidating. I think it’s so shabby when rows of tricolors are rotting away.

“Republicans may identify with Palestinians as they perceive them as having had their land stolen and fighting tooth and nail for it back.”

Said Ulster Unionist councilor Danny Kennedy MLA: “The increasing popularity of these flags indicates community tension, but I would prefer that flags are used correctly and treated with more respect.

“I think loyalists identify with Isr’l possibly because of the methods Isr’l uses against terrorism: They don’t appease it, as is done here.”

TEN POUNDER

In Boatstrand, Co. Waterford, Albert Power landed a 10-pound pollock, the largest catch of the season so far. Power was fishing from the rocks when he landed the big one.

It was also reported in the Waterford News that mackerel is very scarce this year, and fishermen have had to turn away scores of people looking for the oily fish.

STRAY DOGS, NOT

MAD DOGS

A new crisis has struck Northern Ireland, this time it’s not about the peace process or “Mad Dog” Adair, but it is about dogs. The huge number of stray dogs in the Six Counties is cause for concern, according to the National Canine Defense League.

There is one stray for every 151 people in the province, compared to one for every 1,400 in London.

Sandra McKibben, who is a dog warden for Banbridge District Council in County Down, said dogs that have not been neutered are more inclined to stray and cause problems.

“They tend to run about and breed and then the puppies come and nobody wants them,” she said.

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