For over three centuries a controversy has raged as to the exact origins of 'fidhchell' - in modern Irish 'ficheall' - or Irish chess, a game played in Ireland from biblical times. This book argues that that game of fidhchell, or brannaimh, was recognisably our modern chess. It also raises disturbing questions about the real history surrounding the Lewis Chess find.

The first history of sport in Ireland, locating the history of sport within Irish political, social, and cultural history, and within the global history of sport. It studies the relationship between sport and national identity, how sport influences policy-making in modern states, and the ways in which sport has been colonized by the media.

The Registry of Deeds in Dublin contains a vast repository of summaries of Irish land transactions for the 18th century. This collection is particularly important, to genealogists among others, because of the destruction of other historical records in Ireland for the same period, especially since the Four Courts fire of 1922. In this guide you will find a description of the records held there, an explanation of the different Irish land and currency units used, and a wide ranging discussion of Irish land transactions and registries of the period and somewhat later. This includes the influence of the Penal Laws, the nature of Irish marriage settlements and the economic climate and prices prevailing in Ireland in that century. Chapter 8 consists of a detailed case study that traces the history of an Irish family, the Nugent branch of Ballina Co. Meath, in order to illustrate the value of the information in the Registry of Deeds.

A compact and comprehensive chronicle of the worldwide origins and history of the game of chess—from 500 A.D. to its modern gameplay today Have you ever wondered what the pieces in the chessboard mean or why each piece has a unique move? In A Short History of Chess, Henry A. Davidson explores the ancient roots of chess and the developments around the world that led to the modern version of the popular game. For people new to the game and experienced players alike, Davidson includes a polyglot—a lexicon of chess terms in the forty major languages of the world. And for the skeptical reader or those interested in learning more, there is also a working bibliography of English language references.

This short but explosive text was first leaked by Serge Monast in Canada in 1995. It is reported to be the plan of an elite group who are manipulating the general public and governments across the world to bring about their long term goal of a world government. They cover in this document a wide variety of areas, including world food supplies and pollution, the question of parental rights as opposed to state rights over children, earthquake weapons, the overall media and economic climate which was planned to be favourable in order to lure into complacency the general public, etc etc. Could it be for real? You decide!