Galway

Galway ( ; , ) is a city in the West of Ireland, in the province of Connacht. It is the county town of County Galway, which is named after it. It lies on the River Corrib between Lough Corrib and Galway Bay, and is the sixth most populous city in Ireland, with a population at the 2016 Census of 79,934.
Located near an earlier settlement, Galway grew around a fortification built by the King of Connacht in 1124. A municipal charter, received in 1484, allowed for the citizens of the then walled city to form a council and mayoralty for the city. Controlled largely by a group of merchant families, the Tribes of Galway, the city grew into a trading port. Following a period of decline, as of the 21st century, the city is a tourist destination and is known for hosting numerous festivals, celebrations and events, including the Galway Arts Festival.
In 2018, Galway was named the European Region of Gastronomy. The city was the European Capital of Culture for 2020, alongside Rijeka, Croatia.
Name.
The city's name comes from the Irish name "Gaillimh", which formed the western boundary of the earliest settlement, "Dún Gaillimhe" "Fort Gaillimh". (Mythical and alternative derivations of the name are given in History of Galway). Historically, the name was Anglicised as "Galliv" or "Gallive", closer to the Irish pronunciation. The city's name in Latin is "Galvia". Residents of the city are referred to as Galwegians.
The city also bears the nickname "City of the Tribes" () because of the fourteen merchant families called the "tribes of Galway" who led the city in its Hiberno-Norman period.
History.
Built on the site of an earlier settlement, Dún Gaillimhe ("Fort at the Mouth (bottom) of the Gaillimh") was completed in 1124, by the King of Connacht and High King of Ireland Tairrdelbach Ua Conchobair (1088–1156). The castle served as a naval base from which his fleet operated.A new settlement grew around it. During the Norman invasion of Connacht in the 1230s, Dún Gaillimhe was captured by Richard Mor de Burgh, who had led the invasion. As the de Burghs eventually became Gaelicised, the merchants of the town, the Tribes of Galway, pushed for greater control over the walled city.
This led to their gaining complete control over the city and to the granting of mayoral status by the English crown in December 1484. Galway endured difficult relations with its Irish neighbours. A notice over the west gate of the city, completed in 1562 by Mayor Thomas Óge Martyn, stated "From the Ferocious O'Flahertys may God protect us". A by-law forbade the native Irish (as opposed to Galway's Hiberno-Norman citizens) unrestricted access into Galway, saying "neither O' nor Mac shall strutte nor swagger through the streets of Galway" without permission.
During the Middle Ages, Galway was ruled by an oligarchy of fourteen merchant families (twelve who claimed to be of Norman origin and two of Irish origin). These were the "Tribes of Galway". The city thrived on international trade, and in the Middle Ages, it was the principal Irish port for trade with Spain and France. The most famous reminder of those days is "ceann an bhalla" ("the end of the wall"), now known as the Spanish Arch, constructed during the mayoralty of Wylliam Martin (1519–20). In 1477 Christopher Columbus visited Galway, possibly stopping off on a voyage to Iceland or the Faroe Islands. Seven or eight years later, he noted in the margin of his copy of "Imago Mundi":
Men of Cathay have come from the west. [Of this] we have seen many signs. And especially in Galway in Ireland, a man and a woman, of extraordinary appearance, have come to land on two tree trunks [or timbers? or a boat made of such?]
The most likely explanation for these bodies is that they were Inuit swept eastward by the North Atlantic Current.
During the 16th and 17th centuries Galway remained loyal to the English crown for the most part, even during the Gaelic resurgence, perhaps for reasons of survival. However, by 1642 the city had allied itself with the Catholic Confederation of Kilkenny during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. During the resulting Cromwellian conquest of Ireland, Cromwellian forces captured the city after a nine-month siege. At the end of the 17th century the city supported the Jacobites in the Williamite war in Ireland and was captured by the Williamites after a very short siege not long after the Battle of Aughrim in 1691. The great families of Galway were ruined. The city suffered further under the Great Famine of 1845–1852, and it did not fully recover until the period of strong economic growth (the Celtic Tiger) of the late 20th century.
Geography.
Climate.
Like most of Ireland, Galway has an oceanic climate ("Cfb") according to the Köppen climate classification, being one of the world's mildest cities for latitude, partly because it is on an island. Galway has a year-round mild, moist, temperate and changeable climate, due to the prevailing winds of the North Atlantic Current together with the Gulf Stream (on the other side of the Atlantic temperatures can be 20 °C cooler or more.). The city does not experience temperature extremes, with temperatures below and above being rare. The city receives an average of of precipitation annually, which is evenly distributed throughout the year. The average January temperature in the city is and the average July temperature is . The highest temperature ever recorded in Galway was in July 1921, whilst the lowest temperature recorded was in January 1945.
While extreme weather is rare, the city and county can experience severe windstorms that are the result of vigorous Atlantic depressions that occasionally pass along the north west coast of Ireland. Most of these storms occur between late autumn and early spring. Due to the city's northerly location, Galway has long summer days. Sunrise on summer solstice occurs at 05:07 WEST and sunset at 22:07. By contrast, on winter solstice, the sun rises at 08:49 WET, and sets at 16:19.
Places of interest.
The Claddagh.
On the west bank of the River Corrib as it enters the sea is the ancient neighbourhood of The Claddagh. For centuries it was an Irish-speaking enclave outside the city walls. Claddagh residents were mainly fisher folk and were governed by an elected 'King'. The King of the Claddagh settled or arbitrated disputes among the locals and had the privilege of a white sail on his fishing boat. The last true king, Martin Oliver, died in 1972. The title is still used but in a purely honorary and ceremonial context. The current King is Michael Lynskey. The area is also known for its association with the Claddagh Ring.
Museums.
The Galway City Museum has two main sections: one about the heritage of Galway and one about Irish artists from the second half of the 20th century. This museum also houses the statue of the poet, Pádraic Ó Conaire which was originally located in the Kennedy Park section of Eyre Square, prior to the Square's renovation. A replica of the statue was erected in Eyre Square in 2017. The museum is near the Spanish Arch, the historical remnants of the 16th century wall.
The city's university, NUI Galway, has several museums, including the James Mitchell Geology Museum and the Computing and Communications Museum of Ireland.
The Nora Barnacle House Museum in Bowling Green is the smallest museum in Ireland. Nora was the lover, companion and, later, wife of writer James Joyce.
Cemeteries.
Fort Hill Cemetery, on Lough Atalia Road, is the oldest cemetery still in use in Galway City. Inside the main gate is a memorial to sailors of the Spanish Armada who were buried here in the 1580s.
Rahoon Cemetery (officially known as Mount St. Joseph Cemetery), Rahoon Road, on the western edge of the city affords splendid panoramic views of the city. Among the people buried here are Michael Bodkin (an admirer of Nora Barnacle who was the inspiration for James Joyce's character, "Michael Furey" in the "The Dead"), Michael Feeney (the "lover" in Joyce's poem "She Weeps Over Rahoon"), and actress Siobhán McKenna.
Bohermore Cemetery (or the New Cemetery, as it is more popularly known), Cemetery Cross, Bohermore, was opened in 1880. It contains two mortuary chapels and is the burial place of several important Galwegians, including Pádraic Ó Conaire the Gaelic author, William Joyce, more widely known as Lord Haw-Haw the Nazi propagandist, Augusta, Lady Gregory, co-founder of the Abbey Theatre in Dublin and Michael Morris, 3rd Baron Killanin, a senior member of one of the Tribes of Galway and former world president of the International Olympic Committee. A memorial to the 91 people who died on 14 August 1959 when Dutch aeroplane KLM Flight 607-E crashed into the sea west of Galway can be seen just inside the main gates. Several bodies of the passengers are buried around the memorial.
There are several smaller cemeteries within the city boundaries. Some are no longer in use or are used primarily by families with ancient burial rights. These are St James's Cemetery (Teampall) in Glenina Heights, Menlo Cemetery near Menlo Castle, Ballybrit Graveyard near the entrance to Galway Racecourse, and a very ancient early Christian graveyard at Roscam near Merlin Park. Several city churches have graveyards attached which were formerly used for the interment of clergy and parishioners – Castlegar Church, Claddagh Church', St Patrick's Church on Forster Street and St. Nicholas' Collegiate Church. Several bishops are buried in the crypt below the RC Cathedral but this not usually open to the public.
Demographics.
Information from the 2016 census shows Galway City has a population of 79,934, an increase of almost 4,000 over the 2011 census figures.
If the current growth rate continues, the population of the city will hit 100,000 by 2020. Galway City is the fourth largest in the Republic of Ireland, and sixth on the island of Ireland.
As of 2009, approximately 80% of the population of Galway were Irish. Following an influx of immigrants to Galway during the 2000s, approximately 20% of the population is non-Irish. Slightly more than half of this group (11.3%) are white Europeans, coming from Poland and other Central European and Baltic States, such as Latvia and Lithuania. Smaller numbers of Asian and African immigrants come from East Africa, Nigeria, Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka. In the 2006 Census, 15.4% of the population were aged 0–14, 76.1% were aged 15–64, and 8.5% were aged over 65. 51.9% of the population were female and 48.1% were male.
Politics.
Local government.
With a population of 79,934, Galway is the fourth most populous urban area in the State and the 23rd most populous area of local government. Services such as waste collection, recycling, traffic control, parks and housing are controlled by a fifteen-member city council elected to five-year terms by proportional representation through means of the single transferable vote. The City Council is chaired by a mayor who is elected to a one-year term by fellow councillors. The role of mayor is mainly ceremonial, although they do have the casting vote. The first mayor was Peirce Lynch Fitzjohn, elected in 1485. The current mayor, Cllr. Mike Cubbard, was elected in June 2019.
The symbols of the office of the Mayor and the emblems of the dignity of the City Council are the Civic Sword (1620s) and the Great Mace (1710) which are carried in procession before the Mayor and Council on solemn civic occasions. When not in ceremonial use they can be seen at the Galway City Museum. In 1579, Queen Elizabeth I confirmed the city's charter and appointed the Mayor as 'Admiral of the Bay and of the Aran islands'. The title, though extant, is rarely used except for purely ceremonial purposes.
Galway City is part of the Galway West constituency of Dáil Éireann. Its TDs are:
President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins was TD for the Galway West parliamentary constituency, of which Galway City is a part, from 1981 to 1982 and from 1987 to 2011. He was also Mayor of Galway for two terms, 1981–82 and 1990–91.
The highest honour the city can bestow is the Freedom of the city. Among the names on the Roll of Honour are: Douglas Hyde, President of Ireland, 1939; Éamon de Valera, Taoiseach, 1946; Sean T O'Kelly, President of Ireland, 1950; Robert F. Wagner, Mayor of New York, 1961; John F. Kennedy, President of the US, 1963; Pope John Paul II, 1979; Ronald Reagan, President of the US, 1984; Hillary Clinton, 1999; Richard M. Daley, Mayor of Chicago, 2003; Nelson Mandela, 2003; Aung San Suu Kyi, Burmese activist/leader, 2005; Garry Hynes, Druid Theatre Founder, 2006; and Michael D. Higgins, President of Ireland, 2012.
Courts.
Galway's District Court is the main court of summary jurisdiction and hears minor cases without a jury. It is responsible for hearing small civil claims, certain family law cases, administers the liquor licensing laws and is responsible for indicting the accused and sending them forward for trial at the Circuit Court and the Central Criminal Court.
The Circuit Court in Galway tries all indictable offences (those cases triable by a judge and jury), except murder, rape, treason, piracy and genocide, which are reserved to the Central Criminal Court. It can also hear appeals from the District Court. Its decisions can be appealed to the Court of Appeal. Civilly, the court is limited to compensation claims of not more than €75,000. Both parties may waive this amount and grant the court unlimited jurisdiction. Divorce, Judicial Separation and probate cases can be heard provided they are within the financial parameters of the courts jurisdiction. Decisions in civil cases can be appealed to the High Court.
The High Court sits four times a year in Galway to hear original actions (actions that are not appeals from lower courts). It also sits twice a year in Galway to hear appeals from the Circuit Court in civil and family law cases. Its decisions can be appealed to the Court of Appeal, or in some instances, to the Supreme Court, which sit in Dublin.
Culture.
Galway is known as "Ireland's Cultural Heart" ("Croí Cultúrtha na hÉireann") and is known for its vibrant lifestyle and numerous festivals, celebrations and events. Every November, Galway hosts the Tulca Festival of Visual Arts as well as numerous festivals.
On 1 December 2014, the Director General of UNESCO announced the official designation of Galway as a UNESCO City of Film.
In 2004, there were three dance organisations, ten festival companies, two film organisations, two Irish language organisations, 23 musical organisations, twelve theatre companies, two visual arts groups, and four writers' groups based in the city.
Furthermore, there were 51 venues for events, most of which were specialised for a certain field (e.g. concert venues or visual arts galleries), though ten were described as being 'multiple event' venues. The main squares in the city are Eyre Square (containing John F. Kennedy Park) in the centre of the city, and "Spanish Parade" next to the Spanish Arch.
In 2007, Galway was named as one of the eight "sexiest cities" in the world. A 2008 poll ranked Galway as the 42nd best tourist destination in the world, or 14th in Europe and 2nd in Ireland (behind Dingle). It was ranked ahead of all European capitals except Edinburgh, and many traditional tourist destinations (such as Venice).
The New Zealand Herald listed Galway as one of 'five great cities to visit in 2014'.
The arts.
Literature.
Among the poets currently writing in Galway are Fred Johnston, Patrick Deeley, Rita Ann Higgins, Mary O'Malley, Moya Cannon, Eva Bourke, Kevin Higgins, Ndrek Gjini, and Elaine Feeney. Walter Macken, Eilís Dillon, Máirtín Ó Direáin, Máirtín Ó Cadhain, Liam O'Flaherty, Pádraic Ó Conaire and Ken Bruen are well-known writers in both English and Irish with a connection to Galway. The writer and publisher Frank Harris was born in Galway.
The James Hardiman Library at NUI Galway houses around 350 archived and/or digitised collections including the Thomas Kilroy Collection, the Brendan Duddy Papers on the Northern Ireland conflict, the John McGahern archive and the manuscript Minutes of Galway City Council from the 15th to mid-19th centuries.
Among the literary magazines published in Galway are "The Galway Review", which is Galway's leading literary magazine, "Crannóg Magazine", which describes itself as 'Ireland's premier independent fiction and poetry magazine since 2002' and "ROPES", an annual literary journal published by students of the MA in Literature and Publishing at NUI Galway. Galway also has Charlie Byrne's Bookshop.
Gretta Conroy, in James Joyce's short story "The Dead", remembers her lover Michael Furey throwing stones against the window of her grandmother's house on Nun's Island, in the city. The poem, "She Weeps Over Rahoon" by James Joyce, tells of the grief of Joyce's wife, Nora Barnacle, over the death of her onetime boyfriend Michael Bodkin. Both Bodkin and Nora were from Galway and Bodkin is buried in Rahoon Cemetery in the western suburbs of the city.
Walter Macken's novel "Rain on the Wind" is set in the city, as are the "Jack Taylor" crime novels of Ken Bruen.
Early 16th-century Galway features in several of the "Burren mysteries" of Cora Harrison.
Film.
Galway has four cinema complexes within or near the city centre: the 11 screen IMC cinema, the 9 screen EYE cinema, the 5 screen Omniplex in Salthill and the 3 screen arthouse cinema Pálás.
On 1 December 2014, Galway was granted designation as a Unesco "City of Film".
Galway is home to the Galway Film Fleadh, Ireland's foremost film festival, which takes place over six days each July. The Galway Film Fleadh is a platform for international cinema in Ireland and an advocate for Irish national cinema, for which the festival's identity has become synonymous. The Galway Film Fleadh is an industry festival, with many industry events taking place under the name of the Galway Film Fair.
In 2014, a MovieMaker magazine panel of U.S. filmmakers, critics and industry executives included the Galway Film Fleadh on its list of the "25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World".
Theatre.
Galway has a permanent Irish language theatre located in the city centre, Taibhdhearc na Gaillimhe, which was established in 1928 and has produced some of Ireland's most celebrated actors. The Druid Theatre Company has won international acclaim for its cutting-edge production and direction.
There are many theatres in the city, including Nun's Island Theatre, The Bank of Ireland Theatre, The Druid Lane Theatre, The Black Box Theatre, and The Town Hall Theatre (a modern art theatre established in 1995 with two performance spaces and a 52-week program covering all aspects of the performing arts including ballets, musicals and operas). It has been the venue for many Irish film premieres, during the Galway Film Fleadh.
Two of the most celebrated Irish actors of the 20th century, Siobhán McKenna and Peter O'Toole, have strong family connections with Galway. Other well-known actors include Mick Lally, Seán McGinley and Marie Mullen, all three of whom were founders of the Druid Theatre Company. Other actors with strong Galway connections are Pauline McLynn, ("Shameless" and "Father Ted"), Nora Jane Noone, and Aoife Mulholland.
Garry Hynes, first artistic director of Druid Theatre, was the first woman ever to win a Tony Award for direction.
Music.
Galway has a vibrant and varied musical scene. As in most Irish cities traditional music is played in pubs and by street performers. Galway Early Music Festival presents European music from the 12th to the 18th century. It encourages not only music, but also dance and costumes. The festival involves both professional and amateur musicians.
Galway Cathedral Recitals is an international series of concerts of classical music which has taken place in Galway Cathedral each July and August since 1994.
A number of notable choirs are based in the city. They include Tribal Chamber Choir (founded in 2009) directed by Mark Keane; the Galway Baroque Singers (founded in 1983) directed by Audrey Corbett; Cois Cladaigh Chamber Choir (founded in 1982) directed by Brendan O'Connor, which sang at the inauguration of President Michael D. Higgins in St Patrick's Hall, Dublin Castle, on 11 November 2011; Galway Gospel Choir (founded in 2001) directed By Michel Durham Brandt; and Galway Choral Association (founded in 1998) directed by Norman Duffy. Galway Cathedral is home to Galway Cathedral Choir (founded in 1965), which sings every Sunday and at all the major ceremonies in the cathedral. In addition to its parish choir the Collegiate Church of St Nicholas is home to two other choral groups, the Choral Scholars (adult) and the Schola Cantorum (juvenile).
The Galway Arts Festival ("Féile Ealaíon na Gaillimhe") takes place in July. It was first held in 1978 and since then has grown into one of the biggest arts festivals in Ireland. It attracts international artists as well as providing a platform for local and national performers. The festival features parades, street performances and plays, musical concerts and comedy acts. Highlights of the festival tend to be performances by Macnas and Druid Theatre Company, two local performance groups.
The Galway Youth Orchestra was formed in 1982.
The folk and traditional singer Dolores Keane lives in Galway.
Traditional Irish music.
Galway city is a major centre for traditional Irish music. The traditional group De Dannan were based in Galway. Musicians such as Mickey Finn, Frankie Gavin, Johnny (Ringo) McDonagh, Alec Finn, Máirtín O'Connor and Gerry Hanley were born or came to prominence in Galway. Carl Hession, an Irish composer, arranger and traditional musician, also hails from Galway city.
Comhaltas branches operate in several parts of the city, teaching Irish traditional music to children. Dusty Banjos runs classes and sessions in the city for adults switching from other musical traditions to Irish traditional music, and for adult beginners and improvers who are not at a level where they could participate in general sessions.
Popular and live music.
Traditional and contemporary music can be heard at numerous locations around the city. Among the more notable are The Crane Bar on Sea Road, Tigh Neachtáin Quay Street and Róisín Dubh on Lr Dominic Street.
Galway and its people are mentioned in several songs, including "Galway Girl (2000)" (by Steve Earle) and "Galway Girl (2017)" (by Ed Sheeran).
Irish language.
Galway City has a reputation among Irish cities for being associated with the Irish language, music, song and dancing traditions. It is sometimes referred to as the 'Bilingual Capital of Ireland', although like elsewhere in the Republic of Ireland, inhabitants converse mostly in English. The city is well known for its "Irishness", mainly because it has on its doorstep the Galway Gaeltacht. Irish theatre, television and radio production and Irish music form a component of Galway city life, with both An Taibhdhearc, the National Irish Language Theatre, in Galway city itself, while TG4 and RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta headquarters are in the Connemara Gaeltacht elsewhere in County Galway. Four electoral divisions, or neighbourhoods (out of twenty-two), are designated as Gaeltachtaí. NUI Galway also holds the archive of spoken material for the Celtic languages.
Events and festivals.
Many sporting, music, arts and other events take place in the city. The largest of these annual events begins with the Galway Film Fleadh and the Galway Arts Festival in July, the Galway Races in August, and the Galway International Oyster Festival in September. Other events include the Fleadh Imboilg, the Baboró International Children's Festival, the Cúirt International Festival of Literature, the Galway Early Music Festival, Seachtain na Gaeilge (March), Salthill Air Show (June), the Colours Fringe Festival, Little Havana Festival, the Galway Sessions, Galway Garden Festival, Galway Comedy Festival, Baffle Poetry Festival, Galway Aboo Halloween Festival, Tulca Festival of Visual Arts, Irish Fly Fair and Angling Show, Galway Science and Technology Festival, Spirit of Voice Festival, Galway Christmas Market, Galway African Film Festival and Galway Pride Festival.
In June 2010, the Super8 Shots film festival was launched in Galway, the first Super film festival to occur in Ireland.
In 2019, Galway hosted a session of European Youth Parliament.
Religion.
The patron saint of the city since the 14th century has been St Nicholas of Myra. The Roman Catholic diocese of Galway was created in 1831 following the abolition by the Holy See of the Wardenship of Galway. It was united with the diocese of Kilmacduagh (est. 1152) and given the administratorship of the diocese of Kilfenora (est. 1152) in 1883. Its full name is the Diocese of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Apostolic Administratorship of Kilfenora (in Irish – Deoise na Gaillimhe, Chill Mac Duach agus Riarachán Aspalda Cill Fhionnúrach, in Latin – Diocesis Galviensis, Duacensis ac Administratio Apostolica Finaborensis). The diocese is under the patronage Our Lady Assumed into Heaven and St Nicholas (Galway), Saint Fachanan (Kilmacduagh) and St Colman (Kilfenora). As the diocese of Kilfenora is in the Ecclesiastical Metropolitan Province of Cashel the Bishop of Galway is its Apostolic Administrator rather than its bishop. The dioceses of Galway and Kilmacduagh are in the Ecclesiastical Metropolitan Province of Tuam. The current bishop is Most Rev. Martin Drennan, installed 3 July 2005. Of the 38 parishes in the RC diocese 14 are situated in the city and are divided into two deaneries – the deanery of Galway City West and that of Galway City East. In each deanery a Vicar Forane exercises limited jurisdiction on behalf of the bishop.
In the Church of Ireland, Galway is a parish of the United Diocese of Tuam, Killala and Achonry. The principal church of the parish is the St. Nicholas' Collegiate Church (founded 1320). Russian, Romanian, Coptic, and Mar Thoma Syrian Orthodox Churches use the facilities of St Nicholas Collegiate Church for their services. The Ahmadiyya-run Galway Mosque, opened in 2014, is the only purpose-built mosque in Galway.
Sport.
Galway has a diverse sporting heritage, with a history in sports ranging from horse racing, Gaelic games, soccer and rugby to rowing, basketball, motorsport, greyhound racing and others. The Galway Races are known worldwide and are the highlight of the Irish horse racing calendar. Over the years it has grown into an annual festival lasting seven days.
Gaelic games.
Both hurling and football are strong in Galway city. Pearse Stadium in Salthill is the home to Galway GAA, the county's Gaelic games body. The Galway hurlers compete annually in the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship for the Liam MacCarthy Cup. Despite having won the cup only five times in their history, Galway is considered as one of the top teams in the Championship. Galway reached the 2012 All-Ireland final only to draw with Kilkenny to force a replay, the first since 1959, which they eventually lost. In 2017 Galway lifted the Liam MacCarthy Cup for the first time in 29 years beating Waterford by 0-26 to 2-17. The footballers compete annually in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship for the Sam Maguire Cup. The Gaelic footballers have won the cup nine times with the most recent being in 2001.
Association football.
Galway United FC is based in the city and plays in the League of Ireland Premier Division. The team plays its home games at Eamonn Deacy Park. The club was formed in 2013 and first competed in the 2014 season.
The previous tenants of Eamonn Deacy Park, also called Galway United, first competed in the League of Ireland since 1977, then known as "Galway Rovers". Michael D. Higgins, later elected President of Ireland in 2011, served as a president of the club in a ceremonial capacity. Following struggles with debts, the club became defunct at the end of the 2011 season. The Galway United Supporters Trust (GUST) had been servicing many debts of the company and were able to keep the club afloat for the 2011 season, with it having been effectively abandoned by its directors. GUST withdrew their support for the team and applied to join the 2012 League of Ireland as a community enterprise, rather than as a private company, which the old club had been. This application was not successful, however.
Galway F.C. was formed the following year from a merger of GUST with Mervue United and Salthill Devon, two other clubs in the city, who had competed in the First Division since 2009 and 2010 respectively.
Rugby.
Professional.
The professional team for the province, Connacht Rugby, is based in the city. The team play their home matches at the Galway Sportsgrounds which is the current provincial Rugby Stadium.
The team participate in the Pro14 League competition, and in season 2015–2016 won their first ever Championship by defeating reigning Champions Glasgow Warriors in the Semi-final and then beating four times champions Leinster Rugby in the Grand Final on 28 May 2016 played at Murrayfield Stadium.
The team participated in European Rugby Champions Cup 2016/2017.
Club (amateur).
There are two senior amateur rugby union teams in Galway, Galwegians RFC and Galway Corinthians RFC, who play in the All-Ireland League. There are also two junior clubs, OLBC RFC & NUIG RFC who both participate in the Connacht Junior League.
"Barna Knocknacarra Rugby Club" (or Na Bairneachaí), established in 2007, offers "mini rugby" for children at levels U8 to U12.
Swimming.
Nearby Salthill has a 25m competitive swimming pool in the Leisureland complex and three competitive swimming clubs (i) Shark Swimming Club, (ii) Laser Swimming Club and (iii) Galway Swimming Club train there. There is also a handball and racketball club while there are several martial arts clubs throughout the city. There is a 25m pool at NUI, Galway as well as one at Renmore's KingFisher Club.
Sailing and rowing.
Sailing is common and rowing on the River Corrib is undertaken by seven rowing clubs. These provide related facilities and organise rowing competitions. These clubs include: Gráinne Mhaol Rowing Club, Tribesmen Rowing Club, Galway Rowing Club, Coláiste Iognáid ('The Jes') Rowing Club, St. Joseph's Patrician College ('The Bish') Rowing Club, NUIG Boat Club and Cumann Rámhaiochta Choláiste na Coiribe.
In 2009 Galway hosted a stopover on the Volvo Ocean Race and the city was finishing point of the round-the-world competition in July 2012.
Greyhound racing.
Near the city centre, on College Road, the Sportsground has greyhound races every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night. It was refurbished by the Irish Greyhound Board, Bord na gCon, and the facility is shared with the Connacht rugby team.
Economy and infrastructure.
Galway City is the capital of Connacht. The city has experienced very rapid growth in recent years. Galway has a strong local economy with complementary business sectors, including manufacturing industry, tourism, retail and distribution, education, healthcare and services that include financial, construction, cultural, and professional.
Most (47%) of the people employed in Galway work in either the commerce or professional sector, with a large number (17%) also employed in manufacturing. Most industry and manufacturing in Galway, like the rest of Ireland, is hi-tech (e.g. ICT, medical equipment, electronics, chemicals, etc.), due to the Celtic Tiger economic boom. Companies such as Boston Scientific, Medtronic, EA Games, Cisco and SAP AG have their regional offices or other offices in Galway City and environs. Tourism is also of major importance to the city, which had over 2.1 million visitors in 2000, and produced revenue of over €400 million.
The head office of Smyths, a toy shop company, is in Galway.
Media.
Radio.
There are two radio stations based in the city – Galway Bay FM ("95.8 FM") broadcasts from the city to the whole county; Flirt FM ("101.3 FM") is the student radio station for NUI Galway.
Print.
One of the main regional newspapers for the county is The "Connacht Tribune" which prints two titles every week, the "Connacht Tribune" on Thursday, and the "Galway City Tribune" on Friday. As of January 2007, The Tribune has a weekly readership of over 150,000. Another Galway-based newspaper is the "Galway Advertiser", a free paper printed every Thursday with an average of 160 pages and a circulation of 70,000 copies. It is the main paper of the "Advertiser Newspaper Group" which distributes 200,000 newspapers per and more week to a variety of other Irish cities and towns.
Online.
Being a city of culture, Galway has a dedicated hub for all cultural events and organisations. Galway Hub is a free resource for both practitioners and the general public in which to engage with the arts and cultural events across the city and county.
Transport.
Air.
Galway Airport, located east of the city at Carnmore, ceased to have scheduled passenger flights on 1 November 2011. Because the runway is too short to take modern passenger jet aircraft, it is only capable of limited operations. "Aerfort na Minna" ( west of the city) operates regular flights to each of the Aran Islands "(Oileáin Árann)". Shannon Airport (90 km) and Ireland West Airport Knock (86 km) are the nearest international airports, both of which have flights around Ireland and to Britain, Continental Europe and North America (from Shannon).
Bus.
Buses are the main form of public transport in the city and county. Routes operated by Bus Éireann include routes 401 (Salthill/Parkmore), 402 (Seacrest/Merlin Park), 404 (Newcastle/Oranmore), 405 (Rahoon/Ballybane), 407 (Bóthar an Chóiste) and 409 (Parkmore Industrial). Routes operated by City Direct include routes 410 (Salthill), 411 (Knocknacarra - Cappagh Rd), 412 (Knocknacarra Express), and 414 (Barna).
Various bus companies also provide links throughout County Galway and nationwide. These operate from a number of locations:
Rail.
Galway's main railway station is Ceannt Station ("Stáisiún Cheannt"), which opened in 1851, and was renamed in honour of Éamonn Ceannt in 1966. A major redevelopment, including a completely new urban district, Ceannt Station Quarter, has been proposed for the station and adjoining land.
The Midland Great Western Railway reached Galway in 1851, giving the city a direct main line to its Broadstone Station terminus in Dublin. As the 19th century progressed the rail network in Connacht was expanded, making Galway an important railhead. The nearby town of Athenry became a railway junction, giving Galway links to Ennis, Limerick and the south in 1869 and Sligo and the north in 1894. In 1895 the MGW opened a branch line between Galway and Clifden.
The 20th century brought increasing road competition, and this led the Great Southern Railways to close the Clifden branch in 1935. In the 1970s the state railway authority Córas Iompair Éireann closed the Sligo-Athenry-Ennis line to passenger services. It later closed to freight as well.
Iarnród Éireann, Ireland's national rail operator, currently runs six return passenger services each day between Galway and Dublin Heuston, also serving intermediate stations. Travel time is just under 3 hours. Services on the Galway–Limerick line have now resumed, with around 5–6 trains each way per day.
From Galway railway services along the Western Rail Corridor link the city with Ennis, and Limerick where trains run to Cork via Limerick Junction (for Tipperary, Clonmel and Waterford) and Mallow (for Killarney and Tralee).
Road.
Four national primary roads serve the city: the M6 motorway running east–west (Athlone, Dublin), the M17 motorway running north from the M6 to Tuam, the N63, formerly the N17, connecting Galway with the Northwest (Tuam, Sligo, Donegal Town, Letterkenny and Derry), and the M18 motorway linking Galway to southern towns and cities Gort, Ennis, Shannon Town, Limerick and Cork joining up with The Wild Atlantic Way. In addition, there are plans for a semi-ring road of the city, the Galway City Outer Bypass. There is also an "Inner City Ring" ("Cuar Inmheánach") route that encircles the city centre, most of which is pedestrianised.
Galway is considered the gateway to Connemara and the Gaeltacht, including Mám, An Teach Dóite, Cor na Móna, Ros Muc, Bearna and An Cheathrú Rua. The N59 along the western shore of Lough Corrib and the R337 along the northern shore of Galway Bay both lead to this largely rural and highly scenic region.
Waterways.
The River Corrib is by far the most important waterway in Galway and a number of canals and channels were built above and through the city. The purposes of these to divert and control the water from the river, to harness its power and to provide a navigable route to the sea. Of these, there were two major schemes – one between 1848 and 1858 and the other during the 1950s. The canals provided a power source for Galway and were the location of the first industries in the mid-19th century. The Eglinton Canal provided a navigation from the sea (at the Claddagh Basin) to the navigable part of the river (above the Salmon Weir Bridge). Most of the mills are still used today for various purposes; for instance, NUI Galway still uses a water turbine for electricity generation for their building on Nun's Island.
Currently, there are four bridges across the Corrib. Following the southward flow of the river these are, from the north: the Quincentennial Bridge, the Salmon Weir Bridge, the William O'Brien Bridge and the Wolfe Tone Bridge. There are plans for a fifth bridge as part of the Galway City Outer Bypass project. The Clare River flows from the North of the County Galway, through Tuam, Claregalway into Lough Corrib.
Harbour.
Galway is the most central port on the West Coast of Ireland in the sheltered eastern corner of Galway Bay. The harbour can be used by vessels up to and the inner dock can accommodate up to 9 vessels at any one time. Pending approval, Galway Harbour may see major changes, should the €1.5 billion development plan go ahead.
Regular passenger ferry and freight services operate between Galway and the tourist destination of the Aran Islands which is home to World Heritage Site Dún Aonghasa. The islands also have regular links with the towns of Rossaveal and Doolin, which are physically closer but far smaller.
Commuter ferry services have been proposed to the tourism town of Kinvara, on the opposite side of Galway Bay.
Major work in the harbour area was carried out in 2009 to accommodate the stopover of the Volvo Ocean Race. This was one of the biggest events ever to visit Galway. The event returned with the finale of the race in June 2012. This was unprecedented in Volvo Ocean Race history.
Walking.
The city is planned as the start of the E2 European long-distance path, running for to Nice, though (as of 2012) the Irish section was incomplete.
Industry.
Galway Textile Printers, located on Sandy Road, was the first major industry to come to Galway and quickly became one of the biggest employers in the west of Ireland. Some of those who worked there were specialists who were brought in to help set the factory up, but most employees were local. The Mills eventually went out of business in the early 1980s and its former site now hosts various small business establishments.
Education.
As of 2002, there were 27 primary schools and 11 secondary schools in Galway.
University.
NUI Galway was founded in 1845 as Queen's College, Galway, and was more recently known as University College, Galway (U.C.G.). It is divided into several colleges including the College of Arts, Social Science and Celtic Studies, the College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, the College of Business, Public Policy and Law, the College of Science and the College of Engineering and Informatics. The university had an enrollment of 16000 in 2010.
The Biomedical Research Building was opened in 2014. It houses the Regenerative Medicine Institute (REMEDI). Also opened in 2014 were the Hardiman Building and a School of Psychology. The Hardiman Building is home to the university's collection of more than 350 literary, theatrical, political and historical archives. The building houses also the Moore Institute for Research in the Humanities and Social Sciences and the Whitaker Institute for Innovation and Societal Change. The National Institute for Prevention and Cardiovascular Health (NIPC) is an affiliate of NUI Galway.
The offices of the Central Applications Office (C.A.O.) are also located in the city, this being the clearing house for undergraduate college and university applications in the Republic of Ireland; a related organisation, the Postgraduate Applications Centre, processes some taught postgraduate courses.
Galway Mayo Institute of Technology.
Galway Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT), in addition to having two campuses in Galway City, also has campuses in Castlebar, Letterfrack and Mountbellew. GMIT's Galway campus is based on the Dublin Road in Galway city, overlooking Galway Bay. It is the administrative headquarters for the Institute and has four Schools of study; the School of Business, the School of Engineering, the School of Science & Computing, and the College of Tourism & Arts.
Health.
Publicly funded health care and social services are provided in Galway by the HSE (West) division of the Health Services Executive.
The main city hospital, University Hospital Galway, is located on two campuses — Galway University Hospital and Merlin Park University Hospital.
Two private hospitals – The Galway Clinic and the Bon Secours Hospital, Galway – also operate in the city.
Galway Hospice provides palliative care for the people of Galway City and County on a homecare, inpatient and daycare basis.


County Cork

County Cork () is a county in Ireland. It is the largest and the southernmost county of Ireland, situated in the province of Munster and named after the city of Cork, Ireland's second-largest city. The Cork County Council is the local authority for the county. Its largest market towns are Mallow, Macroom, Midleton, and Skibbereen. the county had a population of 542,868, making it the third-most populous county in Ireland. Notable Corkonians include Michael Collins, Jack Lynch, and Sonia O'Sullivan.
Cork borders four other counties: Kerry to the west, Limerick to the north, Tipperary to the north-east and Waterford to the east. The county contains a section of the Golden Vale pastureland that stretches from Kanturk in the north to Allihies in the south. The south-west region, including West Cork, is one of Ireland's main tourist destinations, known for its rugged coast and megalithic monuments and as the starting point for the Wild Atlantic Way. The largest third-level institution is University College Cork, founded in 1845, with an undergraduate population of around 15,000. Local industry and employers include technology company Dell EMC, the European headquarters of Apple, and Dairygold (which owns milk-processing factories in Mitchelstown and Mallow).
The county is known as the "rebel county", a name given to it by King Henry VII of England for its support, in a futile attempt at a rebellion in 1491, of Perkin Warbeck, who claimed to be Richard of Shrewsbury, Duke of York.
Political subdivisions.
Two local authorities have remits which collectively encompass the geographic area of the county and city of Cork. The county, excluding Cork city, is administered by Cork County Council, while the city is administered separately by Cork City Council. Both city and county are part of the South-West Region. For standardized European statistical purposes, both Cork County Council and Cork City Council rank equally as first-level local administrative units of the NUTS 3 South-West Region. The Republic of Ireland contains thirty-four such LAU 1 entities.
For elections to Dáil Éireann, the county is divided into five constituencies—Cork East, Cork North-Central, Cork North-West, Cork South-Central and Cork South-West. Together they return 18 deputies (TDs) to the Dáil. The county is part of the South constituency for the purposes of European elections.
For purposes other than local government, such as the formation of sporting teams, the term "County Cork" is often taken to include both city and county.
Geography.
County Cork is located in the province of Munster, bordering Kerry to the west, Limerick to the north, Tipperary to the north-east and Waterford to the east. It is the largest county in Ireland by land area, and the largest of Munster's six counties by population and area. At the last census in 2016, Cork city stood at 125,657. The population of the entire county is 542,868 making it the state's second-most populous county and the third-most populous county on the island of Ireland. The remit of Cork County Council includes some suburbs of the city not within the area of Cork City Council.
Baronies.
Twenty-four historic baronies are in the county—the most of any county in Ireland. While baronies continue to be officially defined units, they are no longer used for many administrative purposes. Their official status is illustrated by Placenames Orders made since 2003, where official Irish names of baronies are listed.
Civil parishes and townlands.
The county has 253 civil parishes. Townlands are the smallest officially defined geographical divisions in Ireland, with about 5447 townlands in the county.
Mountains and upland habitats.
The county's mountain rose during a period mountain formation some 374-360 million years ago and include the Slieve Miskish and Caha Mountains on the Beara Peninsula, the Ballyhoura Mountains on the border with Limerick and the Shehy Mountains which contain Knockboy (706 m), the highest point in Cork. The Shehy Mountains are on the border with Kerry and may be accessed from the area known as Priests Leap, near the village of Coomhola. The upland areas of the Ballyhoura, Boggeragh, Derrynasaggart, and Mullaghareirk Mountain ranges add to the range of habitats found in the county. Important habitats in the uplands include blanket bog, heath, glacial lakes, and upland grasslands. Cork has the 13th-highest county peak in Ireland.
Rivers and lakes.
Three rivers, the Bandon, Blackwater, and Lee, and their valleys dominate central Cork. Habitats of the valleys and floodplains include woodlands, marshes, fens, and species-rich limestone grasslands. The River Bandon flows through several towns, including Dunmanway to the west of the town of Bandon before draining into Kinsale Harbour on the south coast. Cork's sea loughs include Lough Hyne and Lough Mahon, and the county also has many small lakes. An area has formed where the River Lee breaks into a network of channels weaving through a series of wooded islands. About 85 hectares of swamp are around Cork's wooded area. The Environmental Protection Agency carried out a survey of surface waters in County Cork between 1995 and 1997, which identified 125 rivers and 32 lakes covered by the regulations.
Coastline.
Cork has a mountainous and flat landscape with many beaches and sea cliffs along its coast. The southwest of Ireland is known for its peninsulas and some in Cork include the Beara Peninsula, Sheep's Head, Mizen Head, and Brow Head. Brow Head is the most southerly point of mainland Ireland. There are many islands off the coast of the county, in particular, off West Cork. Carbery's Hundred Isles are the islands around Long Island Bay and Roaringwater Bay.
Fastnet Rock lies in the Atlantic Ocean 11.3 km south of mainland Ireland, making it the most southerly point of Ireland. Many notable islands lie off Cork, including Bere, Great, Sherkin, and Cape Clear. Cork has 1,094 km of coastline, the second-longest coastline of any county after Mayo, which has 1,168 km.
Land and forestry.
Like many parts of Munster, Cork has fertile agricultural land and many bog and peatlands. Cork has around 74,000 hectares of peatlands, which amount to 9.8% of the county's total land area. And the county contains around of forest and woodland area, or 10.5% of Cork's land area, higher than the national average of 9%. It is home to one of the last remaining pieces of native woodland in Ireland and Europe.
Wildlife.
The hooded crow, "Corvus cornix" is a common bird, particularly in areas nearer the coast. Due to this bird's ability to (rarely) prey upon small lambs, the gun clubs of Cork County have killed many of these birds in modern times. A collection of the marine algae was housed in the herbarium of the botany department of the University College Cork. Parts of the South West coastline are hotspots for sightings of rare birds, with Cape Clear being a prime location for bird watching. The island is also home to one of only a few gannet colonies around Ireland and the UK. The coastline of Cork is sometimes associated with whale watching, with some sightings of fin whales, basking sharks, pilot whales, minke whales, and other species.
History.
The county is colloquially referred to as "The Rebel County", although uniquely Cork does not have an official motto. This name has 15th-century origins, but from the 20th century the name has been more commonly attributed to the prominent role Cork played in the Irish War of Independence (1919–1921) when it was the scene of considerable fighting. In addition, it was an anti-treaty stronghold during the Irish Civil War (1922–23). Much of what is now county Cork was once part of the Kingdom of "Deas Mumhan" (South Munster), anglicised as "Desmond", ruled by the MacCarthy Mór dynasty. After the Norman invasion in the 12th century, the McCarthy clan were pushed westward into what is now West Cork and County Kerry. Dunlough Castle, standing just north of Mizen Head, is one of the oldest castles in Ireland (A.D. 1207). The north and east of Cork were taken by the Hiberno-Norman FitzGerald dynasty, who became the Earls of Desmond. Cork City was given an English Royal Charter in 1318 and for many centuries was an outpost for Old English culture. The Fitzgerald Desmond dynasty was destroyed in the Desmond Rebellions of 1569–1573 and 1579–1583. Much of county Cork was devastated in the fighting, particularly in the Second Desmond Rebellion. In the aftermath, much of Cork was colonised by English settlers in the Plantation of Munster.
In 1491 Cork played a part in the English Wars of the Roses when Perkin Warbeck, a pretender to the English throne who spread the story that he was really Richard of Shrewsbury (one of the Princes in the Tower), landed in the city and tried to recruit support for a plot to overthrow King Henry VII of England. The Cork people supported Warbeck because he was Flemish and not English; Cork was the only county in Ireland to join the fight. The mayor of Cork and several important citizens went with Warbeck to England, but when the rebellion collapsed they were all captured and executed. Cork's nickname of the 'rebel county' (and Cork city's of the 'rebel city') originates in these events.
In 1601 the decisive Battle of Kinsale took place in County Cork, which was to lead to English domination of Ireland for centuries. Kinsale had been the scene of a landing of Spanish troops to help Irish rebels in the Nine Years' War (1594–1603). When this force was defeated, the rebel hopes for victory in the war were all but ended. County Cork was officially created by a division of the older County Desmond in 1606.
In the 19th century, Cork was a centre for the Fenians and for the constitutional nationalism of the Irish Parliamentary Party, from 1910 that of the All-for-Ireland Party. The county was a hotbed of guerrilla activity during the Irish War of Independence (1919–1921). Three Cork Brigades of the Irish Republican Army operated in the county and another in the city. Prominent actions included the Kilmichael Ambush in November 1920 and the Crossbarry Ambush in March 1921. The activity of IRA flying columns, such as the one under Tom Barry in west Cork, was popularised in the Ken Loach film "The Wind That Shakes The Barley". On 11 December 1920, Cork City centre was gutted by fires started by the Black and Tans in reprisal for IRA attacks. Over 300 buildings were destroyed; many other towns and villages around the county, including Fermoy, suffered a similar fate.
During the Irish Civil War (1922–23), most of the IRA units in Cork sided against the Anglo-Irish Treaty. From July to August 1922 they held the city and county as part of the so-called Munster Republic. However, Cork was taken by troops of the Irish Free State in August 1922 in the Irish Free State offensive, that included both overland and seaborne attacks. For the remainder of the war, the county saw sporadic guerrilla fighting until the Anti-Treaty side called a ceasefire and dumped their arms in May 1923. Michael Collins, a key figure in the War of Independence, was born near Clonakilty and assassinated during the civil war in Béal na Bláth, both in west Cork.
Irish language.
County Cork has two Gaeltacht areas where the Irish language is the primary medium of everyday speech. These are (Muskerry) in the north of the county, especially the villages of (Kilnamartyra), (Ballyvourney), (Coolea), (Ballingeary), and (Cape Clear Island).
There are 14,829 Irish language speakers in County Cork, with 3,660 native speakers in the Cork Gaeltacht. In addition, in 2011 there were 6,273 pupils attending the 21 Gaelscoileanna and six Gaelcholáistí all across the county. According to the Irish Census 2006, there are 4,896 people in the county who identify themselves as being daily Irish speakers outside of the education system. Ballingeary is a centre for Irish language tuition, with a summer school, Coláiste na Mumhan, or the College of Munster.
Anthem.
The song "The Banks of My Own Lovely Lee" is traditionally associated with the county. It is sometimes heard at GAA and other sports fixtures involving the county.
Media.
Several media publications are printed and distributed in County Cork. These include the "Irish Examiner" (formerly the "Cork Examiner") and its sister publication "The Echo" (formerly the "Evening Echo"). Local and regional newspapers include the "Carrigdhoun", the "Cork Independent", "The Corkman", the "Mallow Star", the "Douglas Post", the "East Cork Journal" and "The Southern Star".
Local radio stations include Cork's 96FM and dual-franchise C103, Red FM, and a number of community radio stations, such as CRY 104.0FM.
Places of interest.
Tourist sites include the Blarney Stone at Blarney Castle, Blarney. County Cork includes the world's oldest yacht club, the Royal Cork Yacht Club in Crosshaven, and also the port of Cobh, whence many Irish emigrants boarded for their voyage to Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa or the United States. Cobh (at the time named 'Queenstown') was the last stop of the RMS "Titanic" before it departed on its fated journey.
Fota Island is the only wildlife park in Ireland, Fota House and Gardens, and the Fota Golf Club and Resort; a European Tour standard golf course which has also hosted the Irish Open in 2001, 2002 and 2014.
West Cork is known for its rugged natural environment, beaches and social atmosphere, and is a destination for British, German, French and Dutch tourists.
Economy.
The South-West region, comprising counties Cork and Kerry, contributes € 24,877 million (US$39.3 billion) (2005 values; 2008 exchange rate) towards the Irish GDP. The harbour area to the immediate east of the city is home to many pharmaceutical and medical companies. Mahon Point Shopping Centre is Cork's largest, and Munster's second-largest, shopping centre; it contains over 75 stores including a retail park.
The Golden Vale is among the most productive farmland for dairy in Ireland. The chief milk processor is Dairygold, a farmer-owned co-operative based in Mitchelstown, which processes 1.4 billion liters a year, converting the milk into cheeses and powder dairy nutritionals for infant formula.
Demographics.
Cork city, the only city in the county, is the second-most populous city in the Republic of Ireland, with a population of 125,657 according to the 2016 census. Cork city is the third-most populous city on the island of Ireland. According to the 2006 census statistics, the county has 11 towns with a population of over 4,000. The county has a population density of 72 persons/km2. A large percentage of the population lives in urban areas.
As of the 2011 census, ethnically the population included 85% white Irish people, 9% other white people, 1% black, 1% Asian, 1% other races, and 1% not stated. Catholicism is the main religion at 87%, with other religions at 7%, 5% of people stating that they had no religion, and 1% not stated.
Transport.
Cork's main transport is serviced from:
People.
Common surnames in the county include Barry, Buckley, Callaghan, Connell, Connor, Crowley, Lynch, McCarthy, Murphy, O'Leary, O'Sullivan, Sheehan, Walsh, and Fitzgerald (the latter with a Norman derivation).


North Western Pirkanmaa

North Western Pirkanmaa is a subdivision of Pirkanmaa and one of the Sub-regions of Finland since 2009.
Politics.
Results of the 2018 Finnish presidential election:


Normandy (administrative region)

Normandy (; ; ; from Old French , plural of "Normant", originally from the word for "northman" in several Scandinavian languages) is the northwesternmost of the eighteen regions of France, roughly coextensive with the historical Duchy of Normandy.
Normandy is divided into five administrative departments: Calvados, Eure, Manche, Orne and Seine-Maritime. It covers , comprising roughly 5% of the territory of metropolitan France. Its population of 3,322,757 accounts for around 5% of the population of France. The inhabitants of Normandy are known as Normans, and the region is the historic homeland of the Norman language. The neighboring regions are Hauts-de-France and Ile-de-France to the east, Centre-Val de Loire to the southeast, Pays de la Loire to the south, and Brittany to the southwest. The capital is Rouen.
Normandy's name comes from the settlement of the territory by mainly Danish and Swedish Vikings ("Northmen") from the 9th century, and confirmed by treaty in the 10th century between King Charles III of France and the Viking "jarl" Rollo. For four hundred years following the Norman conquest of England in 1066, Normandy and England were linked by having the same person reign as both Duke of Normandy and King of England.
History.
Rollo's descendant William became king of England in 1066 after defeating Harold Godwinson, the last of the Anglo-Saxon kings, at the Battle of Hastings, while retaining the fiefdom of Normandy for himself and his descendants.
In 1204, during the reign of John of England, mainland Normandy was taken from England by France under King Philip II. Insular Normandy (the Channel Islands) remained, however, under English control. In 1259, Henry III of England recognized the legality of French possession of mainland Normandy under the Treaty of Paris.
In 1790 the five departments of Normandy replaced the former province.
Between 1956 and 2015 Normandy was divided into two administrative regions: Lower Normandy and Upper Normandy; the regions were merged into one single region on 1 January 2016. Upper Normandy ("Haute-Normandie") consisted of the French "departments" of Seine-Maritime and Eure, and Lower Normandy ("Basse-Normandie") of the "departments" of Orne, Calvados, and Manche.
Politics.
The modern region of Normandy was created by the territorial reform of French Regions in 2014 by the merger of Lower Normandy, and Upper Normandy. The new region took effect on 1 January 2016, after the regional elections in December 2015.
The Regional Council has 102 members who are elected under a system of proportional representation. The executive consists of a president and vice-presidents. Hervé Morin from the Centre party was elected president of the council in January 2016.
Demographics.
As of January 2006 the population of Normandy (including the part of Perche which lies inside the Orne "département") is estimated at 3,260,000 with an average population density of 109 inhabitants per km2, just under the French national average, but rising to 147 for Upper Normandy.
The main cities (population given from the 1999 census) are Rouen (518,316 in the metropolitan area), the capital since 2016 of the province and formerly of Upper Normandy; Caen (420,000 in the metropolitan area) and formerly the capital of Lower Normandy; Le Havre (296,773 in the metropolitan area); and Cherbourg (117,855 in the metropolitan area).


Telford and Wrekin

Telford and Wrekin is a unitary authority in the ceremonial county of Shropshire, England with borough status. The district was created in 1974 as The Wrekin, then a non-metropolitan district of Shropshire. In 1998 the district became a unitary authority and was renamed Telford and Wrekin. It remains part of the Shropshire ceremonial county and shares institutions such as the Fire and Rescue Service and Community Health with the rest of Shropshire.
The borough's major settlement is Telford, a new town designated in the 1960s incorporating the existing towns of Dawley, Ironbridge, Ketley, Madeley, Oakengates and Wellington. After the Telford conurbation, which includes the aforementioned towns, the next-largest settlement is Newport, a market town separate to the Telford built-up area, located in the northeast of the borough.
The borough borders Staffordshire, but is mostly surrounded by the non-metropolitan county of Shropshire, whose unitary authority is Shropshire Council. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region (code UKG21) and is one of four authority areas that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region.
History.
Before the creation of The Wrekin district, Telford was a new town run by the Telford Development Corporation (TDC) from the 1960s to the changes in 1974. The district was formed on 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, and covered Dawley, Newport, Oakengates and Wellington urban districts, Wellington Rural District and part of Shifnal parish in the Shifnal Rural District.
On 1 April 1998, as a result of the Local Government Commission for England's review, the district became a unitary authority, independent from Shropshire County Council.
All of the council houses previously owned by Wrekin District Council and the subsequent Telford and Wrekin Council were transferred to a newly created housing association, the Wrekin Housing Trust, in 1999 which now owns the majority of social housing in Telford.
Telford and Wrekin applied unsuccessfully for city status in 2000. The district was granted borough status in 2002.
Towns, villages and other settlements.
Settlements in Telford and Wrekin -
Divisions.
Parishes.
The borough is divided into 29 civil parishes.
Wards.
For the borough council itself there is a system of 30 wards to elect councillors.
Election history.
Borough elections are held every 4 years.
Governance.
Telford and Wrekin operates a cabinet-style council. It has 54 elected councillors who appoint the seven cabinet members, including the leader, each year. The cabinet members make decisions as a whole and meet every two weeks.
Telford and Wrekin is currently a Labour controlled council.
Policing.
Telford and Wrekin is part of the West Mercia Police police area. The force is based in Worcester (outside Shropshire) and the borough's area is a Territorial Policing Unit in the force's organisation.
Economy.
This is a chart of trend of regional gross value added of Telford and Wrekin at current basic prices published (pp. 240–253) by "Office for National Statistics" with figures in millions of British pounds sterling.


Vaasa sub-region

Vaasa sub-region is a subdivision of Ostrobothnia and one of the Sub-regions of Finland since 2009.


Holstebro Municipality

Holstebro Municipality is a municipality (Danish, "kommune") in Region Midtjylland on the Jutland peninsula in west Denmark. The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 57,411 (1 April 2014). Its mayor is H. C. Østerby, a member of the Social Democratic party.
The main town and the site of its municipal council is the town of Holstebro.
On 1 January 2007 Holstebro municipality was, due to "Kommunalreformen" ("The Municipal Reform" of 2007), merged with existing Ulfborg-Vemb and Vinderup municipalities to form the new Holstebro municipality.
Locations.
The town of Holstebro.
The town of Holstebro, has a population of 34,241 (2011). It is situated on both sides of "Storåen" ("The Large Creek"). Holstebro is a member of the Douzelage twinning ring of towns.
Politics.
Municipal council.
Holstebro's municipal council consists of 27 members, elected every four years.
Below are the municipal councils elected since the Municipal Reform of 2007.
Twin towns – sister cities.
Holstebro is a member of the Douzelage, a town twinning association of towns across the European Union.
Holstebro also has one other twin town:
External links.
[[Category:Holstebro Municipality| ]]
[[Category:Municipalities of the Central Denmark Region]]
[[Category:Municipalities of Denmark]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 2007]]


Vest (development region)

Vest (English: "West") is a development region in Romania created in 1998. As with the other development regions, it does not have any administrative powers. Its primary functions are coordinating regional development projects and managing funds from the European Union.
Counties.
The Vest region is made up of the following counties:


Province of Foggia

The Province of Foggia ( ; Foggiano: ) is a province in the Apulia (Puglia) region of southern Italy.
This province is also known as Daunia (after Daunians, an Iapygian pre-Roman tribe living in the territory) or else Capitanata, originally "Catapanata", because during the Middle Ages it was governed by a catepan, as part of the Catepanate of Italy. Its capital is the city of Foggia.
Geography.
The province of Foggia can be divided in three parts: one centered in its capital Foggia called "Tavoliere", another sided along the Apennines named "Daunian Mountains" and the third one representing the spur of the boot-shaped Italian peninsula called "Gargano".
The "Tavoliere" is an important agricultural area: grapefruit, olives, durum wheat and tomato are the chief products. It is also called "the granary of Italy" because of its important production of wheat.
"Daunian Mountains" lie along the border with Molise and Campania. Scattered with small villages only, the mountains are mostly covered by forests and pastures, with the main produce being hams and caciocavallo cheese. Faetar, a francoproveçal dialect, is spoken in two villages: Faeto and Celle di San Vito.
The "Gargano" is a peninsula partly mountainous and partly covered by a forest, "Foresta Umbra" with vegetation typical of Central Europe, the only lasting part in Italy of the ancient Black Forest. Allegedly its name comes from the word "ombra" (shadow) because of its thickness that prevents the light to enter in contrast with the typical "flora". The coast of "Gargano" is rich in beaches and touristic facilities. In the north are two major salt lakes Lesina and Varano. It is also important for the production of olives, olive oil and both mountain and sea typical food products.
Population.
It has an area of and a total population of 627,102 (2012). There are currently 61 "comuni" (singular: "comune") in the province, see Comuni of the Province of Foggia.
Population centers.
Main centers in the province are:
Other centers of interest are:
Economy.
Although less important than once before, the agricultural sector remains the mainstay of Foggia's economy, so much that its area is nicknamed the "granary of Italy". The few industries present are mostly devoted to food processing.
Almost every peeled tomato in Europe comes from the province of Foggia in southern Italy. Every year, two million tons of tomatoes are produced but the farmers get only eight cents per kilo. In order to survive in the free market economy most tomatoes-farmers recruit illegal immigrants.
Tourism.
Foggia receives many Catholic pilgrims each year to locations such as the Sanctuary of Saint Michael the Archangel in Monte Sant'Angelo which was visited by Pope John Paul II in 1987 and to nearby San Giovanni Rotondo the home of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina from 1916 until his death in 1968.
External links.
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East Flanders

East Flanders (Dutch: "Oost-Vlaanderen" , , ) is a province of Belgium. It borders (clockwise from the North) the Dutch province of Zeeland and the Flemish province of Antwerp, Flemish Brabant, Hainaut and West Flanders. It has an area of , divided into six administrative districts containing 60 municipalities, and a population of 1,515,064 as of January 2019. The capital is Ghent, home to the Ghent University and the Port of Ghent.
History.
During the short-lived Napoleonic Empire, most of the area of the modern province was part of the Department of Escaut, named after the River Scheldt. Following the defeat of Napoleon, the entity was renamed after its geographical location in the eastern part of the historic County of Flanders (now in the western portion of the current Flemish Region).
The provincial flag has a black lion with red tongue and claws, on a background of horizontal white and green stripes. This is a recent adaptation; formerly, East Flanders used the Flemish flag, a black lion on a yellow background, as in the current coat of arms. The old flag is still publicly used, e.g. for road signs.
Geography.
The province has several geographic or tourist regions:
Important rivers are the Scheldt and the Leie which merge in Ghent. The Dender merges into the Scheldt in the city of Dendermonde.
Subdivisions.
East Flanders is divided into 6 administrative arrondissements (districts), subdivided into a total of 60 municipalities. In addition, there are 3 judicial and 3 electoral arrondissements.
Demographics.
The province has a population of almost 1.5 million. It had 734,000 inhabitants in 1830, when it was the most populated province of Belgium, and about a million in 1900. Population growth halted around the 1980s, but has increased again in the 21st century. Population figures in recent years is as follows:
The capital and biggest city is Ghent, also the second largest city in the Flemish Region. Other smaller cities are Aalst, Sint-Niklaas and Dendermonde in the east of the province. The eastern part of the province, part of the Flemish Diamond, is more densely populated than the western part.
Economy.
The Gross domestic product (GDP) of the province was 56.4 billion € in 2018. GDP per capita adjusted for purchasing power was 33,000 € or 109% of the EU27 average in the same year.
Government.
The provincial council ("provincieraad") consists of 72 members which were last elected in the 2012 elections. Previously it consisted of 84 members. The council currently consists of the following political parties:
Six people chosen by and from the council form the daily government, called the deputation ("deputatie"). The deputation of East Flanders is a coalition of the political parties CD&V, Open Vld and sp.a. The biggest party in the council, N-VA, is not included.
The daily government is led by the governor, who is appointed by the Flemish Government. André Denys (VLD) has been the governor of East Flanders from 26 November 2004 until 21 January 2013. Jan Briers, who is not member of a political party but was nominated by N-VA, succeeded him on 1 February 2013.
The province has a yearly budget of approximately 300 million euro.
Governors.
Timeline:


North Karelia

North Karelia (; ) is a region in eastern Finland. It borders the regions of Kainuu, North Savo, South Savo and South Karelia, as well as Russia (Republic of Karelia). The city of Joensuu is the capital of the region. North Karelia is also known as the home of the world-famous Koli National Park.
North Karelia is renowned among public health officials. In the 1960s Finland led industrialized nations in heart disease mortality rates; North Karelia had Finland's highest incidence. In 1972 a long-term project was undertaken which targeted this risk in North Karelia. The resulting improvement in public health is still considered remarkable, a model for the rest of the nation.
Municipalities.
The region of North Karelia is made up of 13 municipalities, of which five have city status (marked in bold).
Joensuu sub-region:
Central Karelia sub-region:
Pielinen Karelia sub-region:
Heraldry.
The coat of arms of North Karelia is composed of the arms of Karelia.
Education.
Institutions of higher education in North Karelia include:
Politics.
Results of the 2019 Finnish parliamentary election in North Karelia:


Britney/Brittany

"Britney/Brittany" is the second episode of the second season of the American television series "Glee", and the twenty-fourth episode overall. Written and directed by series creator Ryan Murphy, it premiered on the Fox network on September 28, 2010, and pays tribute to Britney Spears. Glee club member Brittany S. Pierce (Heather Morris) experiences an anesthesia-induced hallucination in which she recreates iconic Spears moments, and comes to self-realization, and several club members follow suit. Co-captains Rachel (Lea Michele) and Finn (Cory Monteith) experience difficulties in their relationship, and club director Will Schuester (Matthew Morrison) becomes jealous of guidance counselor Emma Pillsbury's (Jayma Mays) new boyfriend, Dr. Carl Howell (John Stamos).
Following the first season episode "The Power of Madonna", which served as an homage to Madonna, Murphy planned two tribute episodes for "Glee" second season, of which "Britney/Brittany" is the first. He was approached by Spears about using her songs, and deemed her one of the most important female musicians of the decade, having inspired many of the show's young cast to pursue musical careers. Spears makes several cameos in the episode, appearing in the students' dream sequences. "Britney/Brittany" was also intended as a showcase for Morris, whose character was originally a background character on the show, but was promoted to a series regular after her character proved to be a fan favorite.
The episode features seven musical performances, six of which were released as singles. It was watched by 13.51 million American viewers, "Glee" third largest audience ever, and attracted mixed reviews from critics. Emily VanDerWerff of "The A.V. Club" criticized its slightness of plot and incongruous musical numbers. However, James Poniewozik of "Time" praised the episode for embracing its fantasy nature; Bobby Hankinson of the "Houston Chronicle" brought up similar thoughts, therefore calling the episode brilliant. "Entertainment Weekly" Tim Stack was dismayed by the close recreations of Spears videos, preferring "Glee" more original interpretations of its cover versions, yet MTV's Aly Semigran felt that the performance of "I'm a Slave 4 U" was one of the best sequences in the show's history. Michele's rendition of "...Baby One More Time" attracted negative reviews, though her performance of Paramore's "The Only Exception" was generally well received. Spears' cameo received mixed reviews, with even those critics who received it favorably saying that it was better that she did not appear for longer. Morris' performance attracted critical praise, particularly for her dancing skills.
Plot.
Glee club director Will Schuester (Matthew Morrison) attempts to set New Directions an easy listening adult contemporary assignment, but Kurt (Chris Colfer) informs them there is a Facebook group petitioning the club to perform a Britney Spears number at the McKinley High homecoming assembly. Will refuses, stating that Spears is a bad role model. He is supported by club member Brittany (Heather Morris), who reveals that her full name is Brittany Susan Pierce (calling herself Brittany Spierce) and as such she has always been dismayed that she will never be as successful as the similarly named pop star.
Will then discusses Spears with school guidance counselor Emma Pillsbury (Jayma Mays). While in her office, he meets her new boyfriend, dentist Carl Howell (John Stamos), who offers to talk to the glee club about dental hygiene. A plaque test reveals that Brittany, Rachel (Lea Michele) and Artie (Kevin McHale) all require dental work. When Brittany is put under general anesthesia so Carl can fill her cavities, she experiences a hallucination in which she performs Spears' "I'm a Slave 4 U". She later returns to Carl's practice with her friend Santana (Naya Rivera) and they share a hallucination in which they duet on "Me Against the Music". Brittany feels empowered by the encounter, and begins to act more assertively in glee club.
Rachel feels threatened by her boyfriend Finn's (Cory Monteith) desire to re-join the school football team, fearing that their relationship will not work if he becomes popular again. After visiting the dentist and experiencing her own hallucination, in which she performs "...Baby One More Time", Rachel begins dressing more provocatively. Her new look is received positively and cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch) finds school blogger Jacob Ben Israel (Josh Sussman) masturbating to a video of Rachel in the library. Rachel relents and encourages Finn to re-join the team. Artie's dental visit results in a hallucination of "Stronger" in which he is also a member of the football team. Football coach Shannon Beiste (Dot-Marie Jones) accepts both Finn and Artie, despite the fact Artie is in a wheelchair. Rachel becomes jealous of the attention Finn is receiving now that he is back on the team and to test Finn's fidelity, she has his ex-girlfriend Quinn (Dianna Agron) attempt to seduce him. She is relieved when Finn turns Quinn down, and sings Paramore's "The Only Exception" to him in apology.
Advised by Emma to relax, Will learns that Carl recently purchased a new Chevrolet Corvette and buys one for himself. He is confronted by his ex-wife Terri (Jessalyn Gilsig), who insists that he return it and cease wasting their savings. Seeing the positive effect Spears has had on the glee club members, Will relents and allows them to perform a Bob Fosse-inspired rendition of "Toxic" at the homecoming assembly, joining them on stage in an effort to impress Emma. When multiple students, including Jacob and Lauren Zizes (Ashley Fink), become sexually aroused by the performance, Sue sets off the fire alarm and has the student body evacuate the auditorium. She later threatens to sue Will after being injured in the stampede. Emma tells Will to stop trying to be someone he is not, and he returns his new car. He also tells the club they will not be performing any more Spears numbers.
Production.
During the first season of "Glee", the show paid tribute to Madonna with the episode "The Power of Madonna". Murphy planned two tribute episodes for the second season: "Britney/Brittany", and a second, originally planned to air after Super Bowl XLV in February 2011. Many of the show's young cast members were inspired to pursue musical careers by Spears. Murphy stated that it was Spears' idea for "Glee" to use her songs, explaining: "I think she loves what the show's about, paying tribute to pop culture in a very loving, respectful, kind way. She responded to that." He described Spears as "arguably the most important female [musician] other than Lady Gaga in the last 10 years," commenting that the episode is not only concerned with her music, but also her public image.
In May 2010, Morrison told "US Weekly" that he hoped no Spears songs would be performed on "Glee". Based on his comments, Murphy had Morrison's character Will spend the episode resisting his students' desire to perform her songs. Will's storyline featuring a Chevrolet Corvette involved product placement for the Chevrolet division of General Motors, who became an advertiser and event sponsor for "Glee" prior to its 2009 launch.
The cast received their scripts for the episode on July 26, 2010, and Murphy began directing it on August 2, 2010. Spears filmed her guest starring scenes on August 18 and 19, 2010. Murphy commented that: "At the heart of it, it's a show designed to show off the skills of Heather Morris". Prior to appearing in "Glee", Morris was a back-up dancer for Beyoncé Knowles. She was originally hired as a choreographer to teach cast members Colfer and Jenna Ushkowitz the "Single Ladies" dance. A week later, she was cast as cheerleader Brittany. Morris had a recurring role throughout the first season, and was promoted to a series regular for season two. At the 2010 Television Critics Association Summer Press Tour, Murphy stated that Brittany would have "big storylines" in the new season, as viewers want to know more about her.
Stamos makes his first "Glee" appearance in "Britney/Brittany" playing Carl Howell, a dentist and Emma's love-interest. Other recurring characters who appear in the episode are glee club member Mike Chang (Harry Shum, Jr.), Principal Figgins (Iqbal Theba), Coach Shannon Beiste (Jones), school reporter Jacob Ben Israel (Sussman), cheerleader Becky Jackson (Lauren Potter), school bullies Dave Karofsky (Max Adler) and Azimio (James Earl) and student Lauren Zizes (Fink). "So You Think You Can Dance" contestant Mark Kanemura appears as a backing dancer.
Music.
The episode featured cover versions of five Spears songs, two of which were performed by Morris. "Stronger", "...Baby One More Time", "Toxic", "I'm a Slave 4 U", and "Me Against the Music" (featuring Madonna) were covered. "The Only Exception" by Paramore and "Sailing" by Christopher Cross were also performed. All songs except "Sailing" were released as singles, available for download, and all songs except "I'm a Slave 4 U", "...Baby One More Time", and "The Only Exception" are included on the album "". Both Spears and Paramore's Hayley Williams praised the episode via the social networking website Twitter, approving of the use of their songs. All singles managed to chart on the "Billboard" Hot 100, selling 406,000 downloads collectively. The cast's cover of "Toxic" charted as the highest of the six, at number sixteen with 109,000 downloads.
Tim Stack of "Entertainment Weekly" felt that the performances of "I'm a Slave 4 U" and "Me Against the Music" fell flat, opining that "Glee" best musical numbers are the ones which twist, rather than imitate the original versions. Though he praised Morris' dancing, he felt the episode revealed her to be "not a standout vocalist." Conversely, Erica Futterman of "Rolling Stone" enjoyed the direct recreations of iconic Spears moments in "I'm a Slave 4 U", and MTV's Aly Semigran called it one of the best sequences in the show's history. Futterman was also impressed by the "Me Against the Music" recreation, highlighting the way it played on the ambiguous Brittany/Santana relationship, complimenting Morris' dancing and Rivera's vocals.
Raymund Flandez of "The Wall Street Journal" criticized Michele's rendition of "...Baby One More Time", writing, "Her earnestness, her adoring look and her intelligent voice bumps up against the breathless sound of breathy pop. It's like a YouTube spoof, an opera singer trying to make a barmaid's ditty on Oktoberfest more appealing—by shedding her clothes." Futterman was left wanting by the number, feeling that "the tune lost all of its scandalous sexuality with Rachel's octaves-higher singing."
Stack deemed "Stronger" his favorite performance of the episode, as well as the best incorporation of Spears' music, as the song served Artie's storyline. He praised the increased use of McHale as a vocalist in the second season, enjoying his soulful voice. Flandez also enjoyed "Stronger", appreciating the twist of having males sing a feminist empowerment song. Semigran wrote that it was "Toxic" which provided the best Spears cover of the episode, commenting that it "took on its own fresh sound all while honoring the original". She disapproved of "The Only Exception" as the closing song, feeling that the use of another Spears song such as "Everytime" would have been more appropriate. However, Flandez called Michele's Paramore rendition "suitably earnest", Futterman described it as "gorgeous and tender", and Stack felt it served as a "nice, emotional capper" to the episode.
Ratings.
During its original broadcast, "Britney/Brittany" was watched by 13.51 million American viewers. It drew "Glee" second largest audience to date behind "Hell-O", which was watched by 13.66 million viewers in April 2010, following a four-month hiatus. Viewership was up 1.06 million over the previous episode, "Audition", 0.5 million over the Madonna tribute episode "The Power of Madonna", and 2.1 million over the Lady Gaga-themed episode "Theatricality". The episode attained "Glee" series high rating to date in the 18–49 demographic, with a 5.9/17 Nielsen rating/share—it was subsequently beaten by "The Sue Sylvester Shuffle", which aired on February 6, 2011, immediately following the Super Bowl, and was watched by 26.8 million viewers and garnered an 11.1/29 rating/share—also making it the highest-rated show on the night of broadcast. "Britney/Brittany" was Fox's highest-rated live-action comedy episode of the fall in eight years among adults 18–49, and nine years among total viewers. It was the first time in seventeen years that the highest-rated entertainment show of premiere week grew in its second week among adults 18–49 and total viewers. In Canada, the episode was the most-watched show of the night, attaining 2.4 million viewers. In the 18–49 demographic, it was up 18% on "Audition", and outperformed "No Ordinary Family", its closest competitor in the 8:00 p.m. timeslot, by 73%. In Australia, the episode was watched by 1.171 million viewers, making "Glee" the seventh most-watched show of the night. In the UK, the episode was watched by 3.068 million viewers (2.634 million on E4, and 451,000 on E4+1), becoming the most-watched show on E4 and E4 +1 for the week, and the most-watched show on cable for the week, as well as the most-watched episode of the series at the time, and the first episode of the entire series to draw over 3 million viewers.
Critical response.
"Britney/Brittany" received mixed reviews from critics. Emily VanDerWerff of "The A.V. Club" graded the episode "D+", commenting that it was "what people who say "Glee" is awful are talking about when they say "Glee" is awful." She criticized the lack of plot and coherence in the musical numbers, feeling that storyline and character arcs were ignored in favor of showcasing Spears covers. Stack described the episode as a "monumental television event,"; however, he also expressed his lingering sense of "slight disappointment." While he enjoyed the episode overall, Stack wrote that Spears' songs felt forced into the storyline, and that the episode was neither as iconic nor as exhilarating as "Glee" Madonna tribute. The Parents Television Council slammed the episode, accusing the presentation of Spears as a "symbol of empowerment and self-esteem" problematic, observing that the young audience "basically witnessed an endorsement of narcotics abuse, public masturbation, and school-sanctioned burlesque."
James Poniewozik of "Time", who disliked the Madonna episode, was "pleasantly surprised" by "Britney/Brittany." He deemed it one of the funniest and most entertaining episodes of the series, crediting Morris' performance and the "fortunately limited" Spears cameos. Responding to criticism of the episode, Poniewozik conceded that the storylines were slender and Spears remakes dominated the episode, however felt that unlike "The Power of Madonna," it worked because "it owned its slightness: it kept the videos (and Britney's appearances) where they belonged as fantasy." Bobby Hankinson of the "Houston Chronicle" described the episode as brilliant, and felt that presenting the Spears performances as a series of unrelated hallucinations was "an inspired choice." IGN's Robert Canning rated "Britney/Brittany" 8/10, signifying an "Impressive" episode. He described it as fun, but close to being "too much of a gimmick," with incongruous song choices.
VanDerWerff deemed Spears' cameo "totally useless," criticizing the singer's "flat, listless dialogue." Lisa de Moraes of "The Washington Post" graded her cameo a "C," commenting "at least she didn't have to try to be funny" as in her "How I Met Your Mother" guest-spot. Flandez was disappointed that Spears did not appear for longer, yet he concluded that given the acting demonstrated in her 2002 film "Crossroads," it was better that the pop star did not. Conversely, Jenna Mullins of "E! Online" appreciated the fact that Spears did not appear as a background character, writing that she is "best when she is playing herself", Stack felt her appearances were well-handled, "with a nice level of restraint," and Canning felt they were kept to a "perfect minimum."
Morris' performance attracted critical praise, with de Moraes calling "Britney/Brittany" a "great showcase" for the actress, praising her "spectacular dance moves" and "deadpan flare". In her otherwise negative review, VanDerWerff deemed Morris "hysterical throughout" and the cast's best dancer. She stated, "Murphy seems intent on running this character into the ground, but Morris isn't going to have her stop being funny without a fight." Mullins observed, "When Ryan Murphy said this episode was a celebration of Heather, he wasn't kidding", commending her musical performances. Canning was initially concerned that the episode would diminish Morris' appeal by elevating her from a background role, but was ultimately pleased that it managed to retain her "fan favorite" secondary character status.


List of settlements in Tyne and Wear by population

This is a list of settlements in Tyne and Wear by population based on the results of the 2011 census. The next United Kingdom census will take place in 2021. In 2011, there were 22 built-up area subdivisions with 5,000 or more inhabitants in Tyne and Wear, shown in the table below.
Administrative boundaries.
Table taken from the Tyne and Wear - Settlements section:


Province of Chieti

The province of Chieti (; Abruzzese: "") is a province in the Abruzzo region of Italy. Its provincial capital is the city Chieti, which has a population of 50,770 inhabitants. The province has a total population of 387,649 inhabitants and spans an area of . It is divided into 104 "comuni" ("comune") and the provincial president is Mario Pupillo.
Chieti's cathedral was first constructed during the 9th century but was reconstructed during the 13th century. The province contains the National Archaeology Museum of Abruzzo, in Italian the "Museo Archeologico Nazionale d'Abruzzo", which contains items from the area prior to Roman rule.
History.
It was first settled by the Osci people near the Pescara River. In around 1000 BCE it was conquered by Marsi and Marrucini people. The city was also lived in by the Greeks, who named it Teate. It was conquered by the Romans in 305 BCE but after the fall of Rome in 476 CE, Theoderic the Great gained ownership of the city and it was subsequently used as a Lombard fortress. The city was then owned by the Franks, the Normans, the Hohenstaufen, the Angevins and Aragonese rulers until strong control over the city was gained by Charles V of France. Chieti was made the capital of Abruzzo Citra under its period of rule by the House of Bourbon.
The province of Chieti contains Ortona, a town founded by Fretani people for trading with the Greeks, which was the scene of a World War II battle between German and predominantly British and Canadian forces; over 2,000 civilians died and the town was largely destroyed.
Geography.
The province of Chieti is one of four provinces in the region of Abruzzo on the eastern coast of Italy. It is the most easternmost province in the region and is bounded to the northeast by the Adriatic Sea. The Province of Pescara lies to the north and the Province of L'Aquila to the northwest. To the south lies the Province of Isernia and the Province of Campobasso lies to the south east, both these provinces being part of the region of Molise. The provincial capital is Chieti, situated on a ridge a few miles inland and just south of the Aterno-Pescara River which flows into the sea at nearby Pescara.
There has been a movement by farmers away from the land and the area. The outflow has been greatest from the hilly and mountainous areas, where the holdings are small and worked by the families who own them. In the period 1951 to 1971, the number of people employed in agriculture in Chieti fell from over 80% to around 45%, the number employed in industry tripled to around 20% and the number employed in the service sector, tripled to around 30%.
Main sights.
Chieti.
Under the church of " SS. Pietro e Paolo" and the adjoining houses are extensive substructures (in "opus reticulatum" and brickwork) of the 1st century CE, belonging to a building erected by M. Vectius Marcellus and Helvidia Priscilla. There are also remains of large reservoirs and of an ancient theatre. In the early 21st century, new archeological excavations are under way on the site of the former Campo Sportivo.
Vasto.
The old part of the town ("centro storico") features a number of interesting buildings and churches dating from the 12th to the 18th century, including:
Below the hill on which the town is located, the beach resort town of Marina di Vasto offers a large sandy beach and several hotels and other facilities.
Further north the coast becomes rocky and features interesting pebble and stone beaches and coves, as well as the typical "trabocchi", that are typical wooden fishing machines of the Southern Abruzzo coast.
Amongst the most interesting natural areas, also featuring a number of sandy and rocky beaches, is the protected natural area of the Riserva Naturale di Punta Aderci, whose beaches were voted in 2014 3rd of the top 20 beaches in Italy.
Ortona.
The origins of Ortona are uncertain. Presumably, it was first inhabited by the Frentani, an Italic population. In 2005, during works near the Castle, a Bronze Age settlement was discovered, and the Roman town largely coincided with this first settlement. Some sections of paved roads and urban walls, as well as some archaeological findings are the only remains of this period. Ortona remained a part of the Roman Empire i.e., the Byzantine Empire for several centuries, before it was annexed by the Kingdom of the Lombards. In 803 the Franks incorporated Ortona into the county of Chieti. From that date on, the town remained tied to Chieti and its territory.
In 1258 the relics of the Apostle Thomas were brought to Ortona by the sailor Leone Acciaiuoli. In the first half of the 15th century its walls were built, and during this period Ortona fought with the nearby town of Lanciano in a fierce war that ended in 1427. On June 30, 1447, ships from Venice destroyed the port of Ortona; consequently the King of Sicily at that time commissioned the construction of a Castle to dominate the renovated port. In 1582 the town was acquired by Margaret of Parma, daughter of Emperor Charles V and Duchess of Parma. In 1584 Margaret decided to build a great mansion, known as Palazzo Farnese, which was never completed due to her death.
After the establishment of the Kingdom of Italy in 1860, Ortona became one of the first sea resorts on the Adriatic Sea. On 9 September 1943, the royal family of the House of Savoy left German-occupied Italy from the port of Ortona. The defensive Gustav Line was established by the Germans at Ortona, extending towards Cassino on the opposite side of Italy. Ortona offered the Allies a supply port on the Adriatic and was fiercely defended by the Germans attracted the attention of that the international press in the struggle between the German paratroopers and the 2nd Canadian Infantry Brigade. This led to this battle being known as "Little Stalingrad."
Guardiagrele.
The biggest church in Guardiagrele is Santa Maria Maggiore of which it has been written:
In addition to Santa Maria Maggiore, there are several other churches and palazzi or mansions of various ages which are of architectural interest, including S. Nicola di Bari (founded in the 4th century), the convent of the Chapuchins (1599), Palazzo De Lucia (16th century), Palazzo Elisii (15th-18th century), the cloister of the Palazzo Comunale Piazza San Francesco (17th century) and Palazzo Marini (1391).
Museums include:
International relations.
The Province of Chieti is twinned with:
External links.
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