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I never really got the Rose of Tralee thing but only recently found out that it is all based on a song of the same title and that the winner must be “lovely and fair”.

Here are the lyrics for your pleasure:

“The pale moon was rising above the green mountains,

The sun was declining beneath the blue sea;

When I strayed with my love to the pure crystal fountain,

That stands in the beautiful Vale of Tralee.

She was lovely and fair as the rose of the summer,

Yet ’twas not her beauty alone that won me;

Oh no, ’twas the truth in her eyes ever dawning,

that made me love Mary, the Rose of Tralee.

The cool shades of evening their mantle were spreading,

And Mary all smiling was listening to me;

The moon through the valley her pale rays was shedding,

When I won the heart of the Rose of Tralee.

Though lovely and fair as the Rose of the summer,

Yet ’twas not her beauty alone that won me;

Oh no, ’twas the truth in her eyes ever dawning,

that made me love Mary, the Rose of Tralee.

In the far fields of India, ‘mid wars dreadful thunders,

Her voice was a solace and comfort to me,

But the chill hand of death has now rent us asunder,

I’m lonely tonight for the Rose of Tralee.

She was lovely and fair as the rose of the summer,

Yet ’twas not her beauty alone that won me;

Oh no, ’twas the truth in her eyes ever dawning,

that made me love Mary, the Rose of Tralee.”

..and the 2009 Rose of Tralee winner, all lovely and fair:

It’s all mad stuff really…

Humour, ireland 2009, 2010, father ted, kerry, rose of tralee

As the Unions position their members for some cold nights outside it’s sure to be a tough time for businesses, workers and the government over the next few months.

Looking at the figures for the first half of this year however and compared to the previous years it seems that things are might not be as tough as the were in the 80’s and 90’s. It seems also that there are many people willing to strike but not for long. It is working out as just over an hour for each person in the first half of 2009. Compare that to 2008 where the average per worker was nearly 12 hours.

The second half of 2009, particularly the last few months, may help to level these figures out. Time will tell.

Jobs, ireland 2009, government, industrial action, siptu, strike, Unions