by: John Lynch
The meaning of baby names of irish origin lies hundreds of years back in the Irish gaelic language of the ancient Celts who migrated from Central Europe before the foundation of the Roman Empire.
The Celts Dominant
Those Celts who came to Britain, France and Ireland were dominant for a long period. With the spread of the Roman Empire, the Celts gradually were pushed back into North Western France (modern Brittany with its distinct Breton language), Western Britain (Cornwall and Wales), Northern Britain (Isle of Man and Scotland), and the island of Ireland which was never conquered by the Romans.
As a result of Ireland's separate development from Roman influence, the gaelic language and way of life was much less diluted than in Scotland or Wales. Again the influence of the Anglo-Normans and later the English was less in Ireland because of the difficulty of establishing control in the country other than a few coastal towns such as Dublin.
The English kings' governor sat in Dublin Castle issuing edicts against native Irish habits in dress, custom and language, only to have them ignored in about 80% of the country with the exception of the areas around Dublin called The Pale where the English army held sway.
Gradual English Control
This situation continued for hundreds of years until the English asserted an uneasy control at the end of the 17th century with the defeat of James 11 at the Battle of the Boyne by William of Orange (the Dutch Protestant prince who was offered the English throne by Parliament)in 1690.
So the first name origins of Irish Christian names and surnames lie overwhelmingly in this gaelic Celtic culture which was totally dominant until the end of the 19th century. Only at this point do we see English culture making inroads in language, games and of course in first name origins.
In fact, this was not voluntary as primary schools were established in all the major towns from the 1830's onwards where English was the only language of instruction and Irish gaelic was forbidden.First name origins of Celtic descent gradually declined and English baby names became popular for the first time.
Irish Revival
By the end of the 19th century, Irish was in crisis and English totally dominant in all the commercial, legal and cultural spheres of Irish life. At this time organisations to stem the English tide were established such as the Gaelic Athletic Association(to foster the games of hurling and gaelic football), and the Gaelic League to prevent the decline of the Irish language.
This brings us up to the present where the meaning of baby names of most first names in Ireland are English in origin or anglicisations of native Irish names.This bilingual melange will continue. It remains to be seen whether first name origins of Irish gaelic ancestry will increase as they have been doing, or whether the sea of Anglo-American influence will predominate.
(c) John Lynch
About The Author
John Lynch
For a wide selection of musical instruments, arts, crafts, gifts and jewelry from Ireland go to: http://www.simplyirish.com/default.asp?idaff=3045286
Friday, June 15, 2007
Influencial People
by: Renee Canali
Each of us has been fortunate enough to have had someone in our lives have a positive affect on us. Some of us remember a teacher that made a difference at a critical time. Some had parents, grandparents or other relatives to lean on. For others, it may have been a rabbi or pastor. We had the fortunate experience of someone supporting us in just the right way at just the right time.
As fortunate as we have been to have had at least one person to influence us in our lives, I wonder what influence we have had on other people. Are we conscious of how we relate to others and what affect our interactions have had on the other person? Or is most of our focus on how the other person is affecting us?
You don't have to be a "person of influence" to be influential. In fact, the most influential people in my life are probably not even aware of the things they've taught me." Scott Adams, American Cartoonist
Have you ever wondered why people react to you in a less than favorable way? Your awareness of their behavior towards you is a possible clue about what influence you may have on those other people. Take children, for instance; they are usually a good indicator of how things affect them. Picture children in a grocery store at meal time with a stressed out parent rushing them through the aisles. THEY get cranky and stressed out. They start bothering a brother or sister. Or they may start pulling things off the nearby shelves. The more irritated the parent becomes, the more wound up the child becomes. This ends in the child crying, the parent yelling and possibly other shoppers scurrying for cover. Worse yet, if you are the one behind this frazzled group at the register, you may carry some of their stress home with YOU.
Influence, defined by Webster as “a power indirectly or intangibly affecting a person or course of action…an effect or a change produced by such power”, is either positive or negative. Our actions determine what type of influence we have on other people.
It is my hope that we become more aware of the influence we have on those around us. If we want the Generation Y children to show respect, appreciation and courtesy, we have to influence their behaviors as often as we can by making sure our interactions are as positive and supportive as they can be.
"We all take different paths in life, but no matter where we go, we take a little of each other everywhere.” Gandhi said, “We have to be the change we seek in the world”. This means we need to act in a way that will influence others to behave differently-at least around us. In his book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey talks about the Circles of Concern and of Influence. The Circle of Concern is where negative minded people concentrate their energy: the issues they are concerned about most are those they have no control over. The Circle of Influence is the area in which proactive people expend the most energy; they concentrate on changing things they can do something about.
When we operate from the Circle of Concern, we become consumed by situations and circumstances around us that we have no control over. Our thoughts and actions reflect the negative energy with which we surround ourselves. Think back to the last time someone else was driving in rush hour traffic and allowed their frustrations to leak over into their behavior: cursing, weaving in and out of traffic, following too close to prevent their young child in the back seat from harm should conditions change quickly. If you show mild concern, they are quick to defend, blame and justify their actions. Many times, it only takes one grumbler to start a chorus of grumbles.
In the Circle of Influence, we see problems as involving our own behavior, other’s behavior or problems we can do nothing about. We can choose to change our own behavior or habits, change how we deal with others’ behavior using methods of influence, or simply accept that problems exist that we cannot do anything about (like changing your past). We choose to be proactive and influence our circumstances by adjusting our habits. We accept others for whom they are and adjust our response to them. We accept that there are things that we can never change, and accept that they will exist in spite of us.
Choosing to be proactive is choosing to operate from your value system. If you value understanding, you will proactively seek to understand. You will gain insight by asking questions until you are clear about what was said, what is required, what needs someone has. You will create a comfortable place from which they can ask for help or accept guidance. You will avoid placing blame and showing anger. The focus will be on gaining insight from the interaction, not on proving someone right or wrong.
I consider myself among the fortunate people; the ones that had a positive influence at some point in their lives to guide and support them. I believe everyone should have that experience at least once in their lives.
I am a gardener. I plant seeds of hope, understanding, friendship and possibility. I believe you reap what you sow.
I am a dreamer. I create opportunities for people to find their inner core. I help them grow their dreams.
About The Author
Renee Canali is a personal life coach who helps you move from thought to action by targeting old behavior patterns to release your power. She supports you in the journey from wanting it to getting it! To receive a free subscription to her newsletter, Cultivating the Seeds of Change and a bonus Gardener’s Action Plan, visit her website, www.landofpossibility.com. All rights reserved. This may be reproduced with credits and copyrights attached.
Each of us has been fortunate enough to have had someone in our lives have a positive affect on us. Some of us remember a teacher that made a difference at a critical time. Some had parents, grandparents or other relatives to lean on. For others, it may have been a rabbi or pastor. We had the fortunate experience of someone supporting us in just the right way at just the right time.
As fortunate as we have been to have had at least one person to influence us in our lives, I wonder what influence we have had on other people. Are we conscious of how we relate to others and what affect our interactions have had on the other person? Or is most of our focus on how the other person is affecting us?
You don't have to be a "person of influence" to be influential. In fact, the most influential people in my life are probably not even aware of the things they've taught me." Scott Adams, American Cartoonist
Have you ever wondered why people react to you in a less than favorable way? Your awareness of their behavior towards you is a possible clue about what influence you may have on those other people. Take children, for instance; they are usually a good indicator of how things affect them. Picture children in a grocery store at meal time with a stressed out parent rushing them through the aisles. THEY get cranky and stressed out. They start bothering a brother or sister. Or they may start pulling things off the nearby shelves. The more irritated the parent becomes, the more wound up the child becomes. This ends in the child crying, the parent yelling and possibly other shoppers scurrying for cover. Worse yet, if you are the one behind this frazzled group at the register, you may carry some of their stress home with YOU.
Influence, defined by Webster as “a power indirectly or intangibly affecting a person or course of action…an effect or a change produced by such power”, is either positive or negative. Our actions determine what type of influence we have on other people.
It is my hope that we become more aware of the influence we have on those around us. If we want the Generation Y children to show respect, appreciation and courtesy, we have to influence their behaviors as often as we can by making sure our interactions are as positive and supportive as they can be.
"We all take different paths in life, but no matter where we go, we take a little of each other everywhere.” Gandhi said, “We have to be the change we seek in the world”. This means we need to act in a way that will influence others to behave differently-at least around us. In his book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey talks about the Circles of Concern and of Influence. The Circle of Concern is where negative minded people concentrate their energy: the issues they are concerned about most are those they have no control over. The Circle of Influence is the area in which proactive people expend the most energy; they concentrate on changing things they can do something about.
When we operate from the Circle of Concern, we become consumed by situations and circumstances around us that we have no control over. Our thoughts and actions reflect the negative energy with which we surround ourselves. Think back to the last time someone else was driving in rush hour traffic and allowed their frustrations to leak over into their behavior: cursing, weaving in and out of traffic, following too close to prevent their young child in the back seat from harm should conditions change quickly. If you show mild concern, they are quick to defend, blame and justify their actions. Many times, it only takes one grumbler to start a chorus of grumbles.
In the Circle of Influence, we see problems as involving our own behavior, other’s behavior or problems we can do nothing about. We can choose to change our own behavior or habits, change how we deal with others’ behavior using methods of influence, or simply accept that problems exist that we cannot do anything about (like changing your past). We choose to be proactive and influence our circumstances by adjusting our habits. We accept others for whom they are and adjust our response to them. We accept that there are things that we can never change, and accept that they will exist in spite of us.
Choosing to be proactive is choosing to operate from your value system. If you value understanding, you will proactively seek to understand. You will gain insight by asking questions until you are clear about what was said, what is required, what needs someone has. You will create a comfortable place from which they can ask for help or accept guidance. You will avoid placing blame and showing anger. The focus will be on gaining insight from the interaction, not on proving someone right or wrong.
I consider myself among the fortunate people; the ones that had a positive influence at some point in their lives to guide and support them. I believe everyone should have that experience at least once in their lives.
I am a gardener. I plant seeds of hope, understanding, friendship and possibility. I believe you reap what you sow.
I am a dreamer. I create opportunities for people to find their inner core. I help them grow their dreams.
About The Author
Renee Canali is a personal life coach who helps you move from thought to action by targeting old behavior patterns to release your power. She supports you in the journey from wanting it to getting it! To receive a free subscription to her newsletter, Cultivating the Seeds of Change and a bonus Gardener’s Action Plan, visit her website, www.landofpossibility.com. All rights reserved. This may be reproduced with credits and copyrights attached.
7 Safety Tips For School Kids
by: Janet Booth
Travelling to and from school is often not very safe. However, there are some simple rules that can help to make the school journeys safer, ensuring peace of mind for both children and parents.
1. Waiting for the school bus in the mornings, while traffic is at it busiest, requires a degree of commonsense. Try to have a safe place for children to wait at away from the street and heavy traffic.
2. Don't let children move close to the school bus until it has come to a complete stop and the driver has signalled that it is safe to board.
3. At the end of the school day when children leave the bus, instruct your child to move away from the vehicle at least a dozen large strides to a point where the driver can clearly see them. This helps the driver and keeps the child safe as well.
4. Instruct your child to keep a close eye on all traffic near to the school bus. The law has some special protection measures for school buses, but car drivers are only human, and they can and often do make mistakes.
5. If your child walks to school, make sure he or she wears reflective material. Aim to make them as visible to as possible to all drivers. This will help to avoid accidents.
6. If a child rides a bike to school, instruct them to walk the bike through intersections, observe all traffic light signals, and be wearing reflective material. They should also be with a friend if possible as one can help to look out for the other.
7. If you take your own child to school in your car, always have older children in a seat with a safety belt on, younger children in a booster seat with a safety belt on, and very small children in special safety seats, all seated in the back with only you, the driver, in the front.
About The Author
Janet Booth lives with her family in Ohio. She is a freelance journalist for a local newspaper, and often has articles published in magazines. When she’s not writing she tends to her website at: http://www.gearupforschool.com/.
Travelling to and from school is often not very safe. However, there are some simple rules that can help to make the school journeys safer, ensuring peace of mind for both children and parents.
1. Waiting for the school bus in the mornings, while traffic is at it busiest, requires a degree of commonsense. Try to have a safe place for children to wait at away from the street and heavy traffic.
2. Don't let children move close to the school bus until it has come to a complete stop and the driver has signalled that it is safe to board.
3. At the end of the school day when children leave the bus, instruct your child to move away from the vehicle at least a dozen large strides to a point where the driver can clearly see them. This helps the driver and keeps the child safe as well.
4. Instruct your child to keep a close eye on all traffic near to the school bus. The law has some special protection measures for school buses, but car drivers are only human, and they can and often do make mistakes.
5. If your child walks to school, make sure he or she wears reflective material. Aim to make them as visible to as possible to all drivers. This will help to avoid accidents.
6. If a child rides a bike to school, instruct them to walk the bike through intersections, observe all traffic light signals, and be wearing reflective material. They should also be with a friend if possible as one can help to look out for the other.
7. If you take your own child to school in your car, always have older children in a seat with a safety belt on, younger children in a booster seat with a safety belt on, and very small children in special safety seats, all seated in the back with only you, the driver, in the front.
About The Author
Janet Booth lives with her family in Ohio. She is a freelance journalist for a local newspaper, and often has articles published in magazines. When she’s not writing she tends to her website at: http://www.gearupforschool.com/.
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