Interesting Maps

Peregrinus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122041164#Comment_122041164

Or, you could just see the map as a series of concentric rings centred on the Francophone countries of France, Switzerland and Belgium. The closer you are to them, the more cachet a Michelin star has, and the more highly-motivated a restaurant is to acquire one.

Realt Dearg Sec

And the more inclined a francophone company is to give one. Even in America it's been shown that places that do French cuisine are more likely to get a star.

retalivity

Columbus's view of the world

PommieBast

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122035883#Comment_122035883

Bit of a nitpick.. But it seems a little loose differentiating dominion and crown colony status from outright independence.

RiderOnTheStorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122038013#Comment_122038013

according to Wiki, Ireland got independence in December 1921, and Egypt was Feb 1922 … and as with our Egyptian brothers, Im a bit proud of being first …. after the Yanks ;-) ….

Furze99

Our new national park - Páirc Náisiúnta na Mara. Bit of a makey uppy of 12 bits - mostly Atlantic Ocean and excludes most of the Blasket Islands even at that. The land parts which will be accessible to the public are scattered. The Conor Pass road was a public road anyway and the American chap there got €6M for his investment which includes a conifer forest of non native species and probably grant aided to establish! Announced as the largest national park in the state, which is quite a spin. Maybe it's just a start.

pjordan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122053358#Comment_122053358

Good to see it mapped out at least. Was trying to find it on line on the NPWS website the day of the announcement and they're still back at dealing with the Meath park announced last autumn. I was wondering did the Haughey family generously bequeath Inisvickallaune to make some reparation for the sins of their father, but I see it's only the seas around the Blaskets that are included.

cdeb

Is that our first Marine National Park?

Given their benefit in terms of sustainability and climate change - and how good they could be for tourism - it's ridiculous we haven't got a huge amount more

I suppose once the fish are gone we can protect the sea...

JupiterKid

Map of Venice, circa 1500

JupiterKid

Average age of young people leaving the parental home in Europe, 2020

Manic Moran

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122041164#Comment_122041164

Doesn’t mean that there aren’t good restaurants, mind. Could be that Michelin hasn’t visited much.

The US is a case in point. The California tourism board paid Michelin $600,000 to publish a guide for California. They got a good deal: Florida, plus the tourism boards for Miami, Orlando and Tampa paid Michelin $1.5mn over three years. Texas hasn’t paid anything. Michelin, oddly, has not published a Texas guide, despite San Antonio being one of two UN-Declared “cities of gastronomy” in the US, whatever that is. You want a quality awarded reatraurant here, look for a James Beard awarded one.

A restaurant with a Michelin star is deserving of one. A quality restraurant without one may just be in the wrong geographic area.

Furze99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122057523#Comment_122057523

Yes, I smiled when I saw Haugheys Island was excluded. But presumably the state would hope that eventually all the islands there will be integrated into this marine park, whether by purchase or bequest.

Will fishing be limited in these areas now I wonder. And what's to stop a much larger area being declared, I think the state claims ownership of all below a certain low tide mark?

plodder

Surely, it's stretching the definition of a "park" to include the sea. What is the point of it, other than bureaucratic paper shuffling? I read an FAQ in the IT and am still none the wiser.

Coillte's forests on the other hand, might not have the scale to be called "national parks" but de-facto that is what they are imo, in terms of amenity value to the public at least.

pjordan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122060909#Comment_122060909

I'd say the amenity value is just one consideration in justifying NP designation. Part of the logic is protection and preservation and an increased ability to enforce same and limit or control commercial development. That can equally apply to a marine as well as a land environment and there are a surprisingly high number of marine national parks worldwide.

plodder

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122061518#Comment_122061518

You wonder what can be limited in a marine national park when it doesn't include the land areas within it? As a poster above points out the seas are owned by the state anyway.

One thing I like about UK national parks is they don't have to be state owned. Spent a couple of days in one in the Yorkshire Dales last year. Stunning scenery and because of the park designation, obviously very well preserved. Huge amenity value as well, with walks/trails.

Dodge

I’m sure most of you are aware of the Map Men series on YouTube. Good one released yesterday on phantom islands. Theres an Irish connection too

https://youtu.be/PVemGumEEgo?si=Jbq0OhGSDmV73A_p

JupiterKid

Countries where the ultra-wealthy reside, 2024

JupiterKid

Global happiness levels by country, 2024

JupiterKid

Languages of the Byzantine Empire, circa 580 AD

Seth Brundle

The world's 26 remaining monarchies…

New Home

I'd have thought the Vatican wouldn't be a monarchy, as the pope isn't a king or an emperor. Otherwise we might as well add all the dictatorships.

Pherekydes

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122067571#Comment_122067571

From the wiki page on monarchies:

Six forms of elective monarchies exist today. The Pope of the Roman Catholic Church (who rules as Sovereign of the Vatican City State) is elected for life by the College of Cardinals.

Realt Dearg Sec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122067606#Comment_122067606

"You don't vote for a king!"

Victor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122067636#Comment_122067636

Actually, lots of places have had votes for a particular king. Not least in Ireland, in the pre-Norman period.

ohnonotgmail

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122067725#Comment_122067725

The Greeks had a vote for a new king back in 1862. They eventually appointed someone who received 6 votes out of a total of 240,000. Yes, 6.

New Home

On the other hand, dictators get ALL the votes. I wonder how they manage it.

Capt'n Midnight

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122067571#Comment_122067571

The Pope is Bishop of Rome, Vicar of Jesus Christ, Successor of the Prince of the Apostles, Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church, Patriarch of the West, Primate of Italy, Metropolitan Archbishop of the Province of Rome, Sovereign of the State of Vatican City…

The co-princes of Andorra are the Bishop of Urgell and the President of France. At least one of them has nuclear weapons.

New Home

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122067876#Comment_122067876

"Sovereign of the State of Vatican City"

That's the relevant bit.

Victor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122067876#Comment_122067876

Are you saying there is a 50:50 chance of the Roman Catholic Church having nuclear weapons?

retalivity

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122068041#Comment_122068041

:D