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Ireland’s first satellite EIRSAT-1 (Educational Irish Research Satellite 1), which has taken just over five years to develop, is now ready for launching, possibly between mid-January and mid-February of this current year.
The satellite was designed, developed, built and tested at University College Dublin (UCD) and will be launched 520km into the sky from the European spaceport in French Guiana, on the northeast coast of South America, before orbiting the Earth for some five years; to return to earth and UCD.
Last year the Irish Government signed of an agreement to facilitate the launch of the developed EIRSAT-1 satellite, having received funding from Science Foundation Ireland (SFI); the Irish Research Council; Enterprise Ireland, UCD, Openet, the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (DETE), and the European Space Education Resource Office (ESE).
The Irish government intend to register the satellite on the UN Register of Objects Launched into Outer Space.
Assistant professor in the School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering at UCD, Dr David McKeown, was the engineering manager on the project, and this being the first Irish designed satellite; Dr McKeown hopes this project will lay the ground work for larger satellites into the future.
Auld Lang Syne – Days of long ago.
Vocals: Pentatonix.
Lyrics: Attributed to Robert Burns (January 1759 – July 1796).
Auld Lang Syne
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne?
Chorus:
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
For auld lang syne!
And here’s a hand, my trusty fiere, (friend)
And gie’s a hand o’ thine,
We’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
For auld lang syne!
Chorus:
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We’ll take a cup of kindness yet,
For auld lang syne!
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne?
Chorus:
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
For auld lang syne!
END
Wishing all our readers at home and worldwide, a Happy New Year From Thurles, Co. Tipperary.
“Bringing In A Brand New Year”
Vocals: Riley B. King (known professionally as B.B. King.)
Lyrics: Charles Brown.
Bringing In A Brand New Year
At the stroke of midnight,
On that great big holiday,
We’re going to have a ball, and that ain’t all.
I’m gonna chase my blues away.
I’ll be bringin’ in a brand new year,
Bringin’ in a brand new year,
So listen dear, won’t you meet me here,
While I’m bringin’ in a brand new year.
Gonna be a great big parade,
I got my resolution made.
Gonna ride above the stars,
We might even take a trip to mars.
I’ll be bringin’ in a brand new year,
Bringin’ in a brand new year.
So listen dear, won’t you meet me here,
While bringin’ in a brand new year.
Oh sailin’ down on a rainbow,
I’ll flirt with lady moon.
If she sighs or winks her eye,
I won’t be back ’til June.
I’ll be bringin’ in a brand new year,
Bringin’ in a brand new year,
So listen dear, won’t you meet me here,
While I’m bringin’ in a brand new year.
END
We Are The World
Lyrics: Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie
Vocalists: [In order of appearance] Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, Kenny Rogers, James Ingram, Tina Turner, Billy Joel, Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Dionne Warwick, Willie Nelson, Al Jarreau, Bruce Springsteen, Kenny Loggins, Steve Perry, Daryl Hall, Huey Lewis, Cyndi Lauper, Kim Carnes, Bob Dylan and Ray Charles.
We Are The World
There comes a time when we heed a certain call.
When the world must come together as one.
There are people dying.
Oh, when it’s time to lend a hand to life.
The greatest gift of all.
We can’t go on pretending day by day,
That someone, somewhere will soon make a change.
We are all a part of God’s great big family,
And the truth, you know,
Love is all we need.
We are the world, we are the children.
We are the ones who make a brighter day,
So let’s start giving.
There’s a choice we’re making,
We’re saving our own lives.
It’s true, we’ll make a better day,
Just you and me.
Well, send them your heart so they’ll know that someone cares,
And their lives will be stronger and free.
As God has shown us by turning stone to bread,
And so we all must lend a helping hand.
We are the world, we are the children.
We are the ones who make a brighter day,
So let’s start giving.
Oh, there’s a choice we’re making,
We’re saving our own lives.
It’s true, we’ll make a better day,
Just you and me.
When you’re down and out, and there seems no hope at all,
But if you just believe, there’s no way we can fall.
Well, well, well,
Let us realize, oh, that a change can only come,
When we stand together as one.
We are the world, we are the children.
We are the ones who make a brighter day,
So let’s start giving.
Oh, there’s a choice we’re making,
We’re saving our own lives.
It’s true, we’ll make a better day,
Just you and me.
END
The word ‘mistletoe’ is believed to stem from the Saxon ‘mistl-tan’, meaning ‘different twig.’
Note: Raw white mistletoe berries are very poisonous and tend to fall off the plant easily. They have been known to cause seizures or death when accidently ingested. Indeed, here in Ireland we are more inclined to have in our homes, hanging over our doors, the ornamental plastic variety, since ingesting real mistletoe berries can be especially lethal to small children and household pets.
Historically, mistletoe [A parasitic plant, that derives some or all of its nutritional requirements from a wide range of host trees], represents romance, fertility, and vitality. Celtic Druids valued mistletoe for its healing properties. Its berries ripen in December, with the plant continuing to remain green, hence its appeal at Christmas.
Warning: Let be it known to all you ladies, young or old, you the fairer sex, cannot ever refuse to grant a kiss, if caught under a bunch of mistletoe. Ladies also please note, such a kiss under mistletoe will greatly increase your chances of marriage within the next 12 months.
According to an ancient custom, ladies not kissed will remain single until next Christmas.
Gentlemen Note: After each kiss, one berry should be removed from the mistletoe bunch. A fresh bunch of course can then be introduced, should you be required to kiss a lot of women.
Yes, it’s not an easy job for the male species, but let’s face it, someone has got to do it.
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