Cool irish facts

Lucy8080 · 31-10-2016 04:08AM

We invented National Hunt Racing and the Beaufort Scale.

The Beaufort Scale helped us in knowing if we should go ahead with the race meeting or not.

Either way we got pissed (indoors, instead of outdoors,thanks to Beaufort).

The weather didn't affect the gambling opportunities.

Never bet against Mary from Mullingar (a fine mare) , she'll drink you under the table,and it's been rumoured she'll give you a good ride round the track if the weather is favourable.

Pro Hoc Vice · 31-10-2016 04:21AM

Heroditas wrote: »

Longest running chat show in the world, not sure if it's the longest running TV show!

I don't believe it's either, the Tonight show is 1954 if I remember. But I think Gay may have been the longest host of a chat show.

DEFTLEFTHAND · 31-10-2016 04:24AM

The first culture to introduce a proper run system of organised crime to the USA were the Irish. The first crime boss to settle on the west side of Manhattan was Owney 'The Killer' Madden.

In an area which later became known as Hell's Kitchen. Later boss's of HK were names such as Mickey Spillane and James 'Jimmy' Coonan of the the infamous Westies.

Mysterypunter · 31-10-2016 04:39AM

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

The first culture to introduce a proper run system of organised crime to the USA were the Irish. The first crime boss to settle on the west side of Manhattan was Owney 'The Killer' Madden.

In an area which later became known as Hell's Kitchen. Later boss's of HK were names such as Mickey Spillane and James 'Jimmy' Coonan of the the infamous Westies.

Ownie Madden was a real charachter. He had a real interest in the noble art of boxing. Some people have even suggested that he influenced the results,hard to believe that though, he was honest as the day is long.

DEFTLEFTHAND · 31-10-2016 04:52AM

Mysterypunter wrote: »

Ownie Madden was a real charachter. He had a real interest in the noble art of boxing. Some people have even suggested that he influenced the results,hard to believe that though, he was honest as the day is long.

Yes he was involved in the promotion of boxing. He ran a joint in Hell's Kitchen called the Cotten Club where all the Irish Mob and Italian wiseguys would hang out.

Owney was a childhood friend of Salvatore Lucania (Charles Lucky Luciano) the founder of The mob's Commission in New York.

conorhal · 31-10-2016 09:01AM

In 1866 the Irish invaded Canada with a goal of capturing Quebec, and making it the seat of the Irish Republic-in-exile.

The Fenians (and there were 175,000 Irish in Canada at the time) had military training and weaponry and thousands of Irish Civil War veterans who supported the cause of Irish nationalism, plus Canada’s borders were virtually unsecured, guarded by citizen volunteers.
The hope was that the invasion would spark a conflict in Canada that would occupy the British and set the stage for rebellion in Ireland. Even if it failed, the invasion could draw worldwide attention to the English occupation of Ireland; just as the Irish Fenians had no business claiming Canada, England had no legitimate ownership claim over Ireland.

And we would have pulled it off too, if it wasn't for those pesky Yanks interfering in our planned invasions!

http://irishamerica.com/2012/03/the-day-the-irish-invaded-canada/

AndyBoBandy · 31-10-2016 09:07AM

For every day that the United Nations has been in existence, Irish peacekeepers have been abroad keeping the peace, no other country I believe can claim this.

suicide_circus · 31-10-2016 09:09AM

The Irish have one of the lowest average IQ in Europe.

suicide_circus · 31-10-2016 09:11AM

spurious wrote: »

While we have (in Europe) the best climate for growing trees.

Blame the Brits

AndyBoBandy · 31-10-2016 09:12AM

suicide_circus wrote: »

The Irish have one of the lowest average IQ in Europe.

no coincidence then that we are the only country in Europe to fluoridate our drinking water supply

clairewithani · 31-10-2016 09:15AM

suicide_circus wrote: »

The Irish have one of the lowest average IQ in Europe.

I know two people who could be responsible for lowering it for the whole country. ☺

Advbrd · 31-10-2016 09:23AM

clairewithani wrote: »

I know two people who could be responsible for lowering it for the whole country. ☺

There are more than two Healy-Raes.

md23040 · 31-10-2016 09:24AM

Junkyard Tom wrote: »

There's inland beauty too, Gougane Barra for example.

Thank god that we are one of the most least densely populated countries in Europe and hopefully always remain that way. By comparison based on the UK's density the Republic would have 19.3 million population and based on France have 8.5 million.

Albeit Dublin has infrastructural problems it has low density compared to other European capital cities - Paris (4.5 times less) and London (2 times less).

31-10-2016 09:25AM

suicide_circus wrote: »

The Irish have one of the lowest average IQ in Europe.

Ironically for Richard Lynn's hilarious British "study" on the thick Paddys (which is where you're getting this comedy), at least it's higher than the Brits according to the first google result.

NIMAN · 31-10-2016 09:27AM

How exactly do they know the average IQ of 4.5million people?

You or anyone you know ever had their IQ officially tested?

Advbrd · 31-10-2016 09:29AM

NIMAN wrote: »

How exactly do they know the average IQ of 4.5million people?

You or anyone you know ever had their IQ officially tested?

Yes, I'm a genius.

suicide_circus · 31-10-2016 09:40AM

NIMAN wrote: »

How exactly do they know the average IQ of 4.5million people?

You or anyone you know ever had their IQ officially tested?

Listen I don't make these stats, i just regurgitate them mindlessly without checking their veracity.

clairewithani · 31-10-2016 09:41AM

suicide_circus wrote: »

Listen I don't make these stats, i just regurgitate them mindlessly without checking their veracity.

ðŸ˜€ðŸ˜€

31-10-2016 09:46AM

AndyBoBandy wrote: »

no coincidence then that we are the only country in Europe to fluoridate our drinking water supply

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qr2bSL5VQgM

Mandrake: Yes, Jack?
Ripper: Have you ever seen a Commie drink a glass of water?
Mandrake: Well, I can't say I have.
Ripper: Vodka, that's what they drink, isn't it? Never water?
Mandrake: Well, I-I believe that's what they drink, Jack, yes.
Ripper: On no account will a Commie ever drink water, and not without good reason.
Mandrake: Oh, eh, yes. I, uhm, can't quite see what you're getting at, Jack.
Ripper: Water, that's what I'm getting at, water. Mandrake, water is the source of all life. Seven-tenths of this earth's surface is water. Why, do you realize that seventy percent of you is water?
Mandrake: Uh, uh, Good Lord!
Ripper: And as human beings, you and I need fresh, pure water to replenish our precious bodily fluids.
Mandrake: Yes.
Ripper: Are you beginning to understand?
Mandrake: Yes.
Ripper: Mandrake. Mandrake, have you never wondered why I drink only distilled water, or rain water, and only pure-grain alcohol?
Mandrake: Well, it did occur to me, Jack, yes.
Ripper: Have you ever heard of a thing called fluoridation. Fluoridation of water?
Mandrake: Uh? Yes, I-I have heard of that, Jack, yes. Yes.
Ripper: Well, do you know what it is?
Mandrake: No, no I don't know what it is, no.
Ripper: Do you realize that fluoridation is the most monstrously conceived and dangerous Communist plot we have ever had to face?

Chuchote · 31-10-2016 09:46AM

Donald Trump wrote: »

And the bastard Sasanachs cutting them down to build their ships

(Feck off with your facts now. The teacher told us that in baby infants)

The teacher was right; the Elizabethan Plantation was basically handing over land to asset-strippers who sold the oak woodlands en masse.

Vikings brought the first hens, and cats, to Ireland. The cats they brought were white, and former Viking strongholds still have a higher proportion of white cats.

fryup · 31-10-2016 10:09AM

BabyE wrote: »

Before the famine Irish peasents were taller and healthier than other Europeans, 1 inch taller than the Brits for instance

really? i'm going on a potato diet

Sam Kade · 31-10-2016 10:12AM

Dr Crayfish wrote: »

It looks like a big patchwork duvet from the sky. It's a shame about the trees though, I wish we even had a small wilderness.

Didn't Bear Gryll's almost get lost in the west of Ireland in the vast wilderness

HensVassal · 31-10-2016 10:14AM

BabyE wrote: »

We inhabit a beautiful country if you stick to the coasts

Yeah but forests are cool. It would be nice to have more of them.

clairewithani · 31-10-2016 10:15AM

Sam Kade wrote: »

Didn't Bear Gryll's almost get lost in the west of Ireland in the vast wilderness

Yeah but that was because he followed the signposts.

MRnotlob606 · 31-10-2016 10:17AM

45% of the World's tic-tacs are manufactured in Cork.

tomwaterford · 31-10-2016 10:17AM

NIMAN wrote: »

How exactly do they know the average IQ of 4.5million people?

You or anyone you know ever had their IQ officially tested?

Had mine and everyone else else in my year was tested in transition year

Joeseph Balls · 31-10-2016 10:17AM

fryup wrote: »

really? i'm going on a potato diet

Seemily so. And on average 2 inches taller than the Belgians I think. Read that in a book. Books don't lie

Sam Kade · 31-10-2016 10:21AM

tomwaterford wrote: »

Had mine and everyone else else in my year was tested in transition year

Did they all come back with a low result like the survey says?

tomwaterford · 31-10-2016 10:24AM

Sam Kade wrote: »

Did they all come back with a low result like the survey says?

Emm....they didn't give the results

Presumably because it was a class of teenagers and the abuse that would follow???

We done a rake of other aptitude tests to see what kind of work would suit you etc

Dunno was this just in my school or a national programme....was during the boom

Collie D · 31-10-2016 10:24AM

Sam Kade wrote: »

Didn't Bear Gryll's almost get lost in the west of Ireland in the vast wilderness

Got locked out of his b&b after leaving his key in the pub. Was there twenty whole minutes before being rescued by a German backpacker

Cool irish facts

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