New Rules for Marriage in Ireland

A proposed new legislation will enable couples wishing to marry in unusual locations to exchange their vows at the venue of their choice. At present the only options available are a church or a registry office but once the law is changed any public place will be acceptable, provided it is "seemly and dignified" and that no food or alcohol is served during the ceremony. Some changes in residency requirements are also proposed, which should make it easier for those who have a romantic dream of marrying in Ireland but who have never lived here. General Registry



Galway's Royal Tara China will close it's door

Royal Tara China has announced that it is closing its operation after 50 years in business. 80 people at the Galway city plant will lose their jobs by December; Managing Director Michael Kilroy blamed the company's failure on increased competition and the global economic downturn. Royal Tara is based in Mervue, in the house that was formerly the family seat of the Joyce family.




Bord Fáilte and CERT join forces

A new national tourism body, Fáilte Ireland, was announced. The new organization, is an amalgamation of Bord Fáilte and the State hospitality training authority CERT.



Author James Plunkett dies

James Plunkett died in a Dublin nursing home on May, 28,2003 at the age of 83. He was probably best known for his 1969 novel "Strumpet City", which depicts Dublin life in the years before the First World War, highlighting the contrasts between the various social classes; the seven-part television adaptation of the novel was widely acclaimed and aired in dozens of countries around the world. The author, whose real name was James Plunkett Murphy, worked as a clerk in the Dublin Gas Company after leaving school, later becoming a union official. Most of his career was, however, spent in RTE.



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