Friday, March 4, 2016

Irish STEM and Other Surprises for St. Patrick's Day

 'When most people think of Ireland’s cultural heritage
 they think of things like ‘The Island of Saints and Scholars’, 
The Book of Kells, our great writers,
Irish music, and so on. Ireland has little by way of a scientific 
heritage – right? Wrong.' So begins a great article by William 
Reville, University College, Cork. 

 IRELAND’S SCIENTIFIC HERITAGE

http://understandingscience.ucc.ie/pages/irishscientists.htm 

Robert Boyle

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Boyle 

Lots happening in Ireland to inspire the use of good Irish minds in 

STEM, not just poetry, 

ballades and folklore.

 

Science & Technology

http://www.rds.ie/science 

Irish teens win Google science fair with bacteria-enhanced 
plant growth

Irish 16-year-olds Ciara Judge, Sophie Healy-Thow 

and Emer Hickey

Dublin Science Festival - 'The Festival of Curiosity'

http://www.rds.ie/cat_project_detail.jsp?itemID=1100297 

 What attracts big tech companies to Ireland? Hint: 

It’s not just low taxes

http://thenextweb.com/insider/2011/11/26/what-attracts-big-tech-companies-

to-ireland-hint-its-

not-just-low-taxes/ 

I am not at all surprised by discovering brilliant Irish women and men both in 

STEM areas. 

I had years of Catholic school and they were the best math teachers I ever had, Sister Gertrude, 

Sisters of Mercy, in particular.



William Rowan Hamilton

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Rowan_Hamilton 

 

 

Lucy Everest Boole (1862-1905)

http://www.askaboutireland.ie/reading-room/life-society/science-

technology/irish-scientists/lucy-everest-boole-%281862-/ 

 

Irish politics is no surprise. I don't condone violence, Jesus said He 

'came to save mens' lives not 

destroy them.' Luke 9:46.

That being said, here is a St. Patrick's Day surprise I had this week 

while researching.

I remember the news report of Bobby Sands back in the 80s. But I hadn't watched the biographical

 movie 'Hunger' 2008 directed by Steve McQueen 

(12 Years A Slave, Oscar winner) which I did.  It is not for the feint hearted. Actor Michael 

Fassbender lost 40 pounds to portray the hunger strike in 

Maze Prison. It is critically acclaimed. Earns the R rating.

Hunger (2008 film)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hunger_%282008_film%29 

What I didn't know was that Bobby Sands was also a poet and author, and elected to Parliament 

while on the hunger strike. Nelson Mandela references

 him as an inspiration.

Bobby Sands

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Sands

Bobby Sands--Writings from Prison

 http://www.sinnfeinbookshop.com/bobby-sands-writings-from-prison/

Poems of Bobbly Sands

 http://www.poemhunter.com/bobby-sands/

 Prison Diary

http://www.bobbysandstrust.com/writings/prison-diary 


Peace Activists Betty Williams and Mairead Corrigan in 1976
In 1976, two Irish mums won the Nobel Peace Prize 
for organizing a peace movement in the middle of 
 'TheTroubles' in Northern Ireland.

 Nobel Laureate Betty Williams reflects on a 

lifetime of work for 

peace and children’s rights


Another St. Paddy's Day surprise for some of you--Rock N Roll's darlings, U2 and their mighty

 hit about 'The Troubles.' 

 

U2 - Sunday Bloody Sunday 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yv5U0A10hrI

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