Latest news with #GeorgeBernardShaw
Irish Independent
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Donal Fallon: George Bernard Shaw would surely have been puzzled by bank's tribute to its favourite socialist
The Central Bank of Ireland has launched a new collectable coin, with a €15 silver proof tribute to George Bernard Shaw. Issued to mark the centenary of his 1925 Nobel Prize triumph (though the announcement came in 1926), it was designed by Antonella Napolione and features a profile portrait of Shaw.
Irish Times
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Bookish breaks: Get inspired with these literary destinations, from Castletownshend to the French Riviera
James Joyce famously featured the Ormond Hotel, now derelict on Dublin's quays, in the Sirens episode in Ulysses, but can a view conjure a thousand words? Are some bedsteads more conducive to creativity than others? The world is rich with hotels with literary associations. Perhaps that's not surprising: after all, writers need to live somewhere, and while some travel to find inspiration in company, others have sought wilder escapes. In Ireland, Elizabeth Bowen was famously fond of The Shelbourne , JRR Tolkien loved Gregans Castle in the Burren , while George Bernard Shaw found Glengarriff's Eccles Hotel beautifully conducive. You don't have to be planning your own masterpiece to make the most of a literary hotel, but where better to curl up with a good book than in the very place it was put down on paper? Drishane House, Co Cork Edith Somerville Home of Edith Somerville , of Somerville and Ross and the Irish RM books fame, Drishane is packed full of the famous writer's paintings and memorabilia. Set on a headland in Castletownshend, the house, which was built in 1780, has been in the Somerville family for nine generations. A small museum in the adjoining stableyard includes a trove of notebooks, sketchbooks and photographs. Drishane is open during Heritage Week each August, but you can rent the entire house on a weekly basis; it sleeps six. There are also three charming rental cottages on the grounds, from €750 per week. READ MORE Renvyle House Hotel, Co Galway Oliver St John Gogarty, WB Yeats Renvyle House Hotel, Connemara Somerville and Ross (see Drishane House) mention Renvyle House in one of their books, and in 1917, Oliver St John Gogarty, poet, surgeon and politician, took it on. His pal WB Yeats honeymooned at Renvyle and debuted his first Noh play in its lounge. The original house was burned in the Civil War, but Gogarty rebuilt it and the literary visits continued. Today they are far too tactful to spill the beans on their writerly guests, but Renvyle, described by author Mario Rossi as a 'hotel at the edge of a sunset', continues to inspire. B&B from €140 per room. Also on the Yeats trail, check out Castle Leslie in Co Monaghan, where the poet was fond of the Mauve Room when he came to visit Eamhain Mhacha (Navan Fort). Jonathan Swift was also a fan, and went so far as to write a satire about the Leslie family. From €390. Strand Hotel Bray, Co Wicklow Speranza and Oscar Wilde Strand Hotel, Bray, Co Wicklow On Bray's Promenade, The Strand was built in 1870 by Sir William and Lady Jane Wilde. Sir William was a surgeon, while Lady Jane published revolutionary poetry under the pen name Speranza. Nowadays the pair are more famous for being Oscar Wilde 's mum and dad. Inheriting the Strand in 1876, Oscar sold it two years later. Still, the connection gives you the chance to sleep in rooms named for his works, and who could resist the temptation of waking up in An Ideal Husband or even The Devoted Friend? What happens after an overnight in The Picture of Dorian Gray is unclear. Rooms from approximately €180. Ballynahinch Castle, Co Galway Margaret Atwood, Seamus Heaney, Edna O'Brien, Peter Fallon, Michael Longley The list of writers who stayed at or have been inspired by Ballynahinch would almost fill a book by itself. Seamus Heaney's evocative Ballynahinch Lake, written in the 1990s, was a gift for guests at one time. Edna O'Brien had someone bring her into the estate woods and fire a shotgun (legally of course) while researching her 2002 true-crime novel In the Forest; and Peter Fallon kicked off a series of collaborations when his poetry collection Ballynahinch Postcards was published in 2007. They're not short of lovely contemporary art either. B&B from €395 per room. Plaza Hotel New York, plus Long Island, Rhode Island and Boston F Scott Fitzgerald The Plaza Hotel, New York It certainly helps the hospitality sector that F Scott Fitzgerald got around, and there's no shortage of hotels boasting his and his wife Zelda's names in their visitor books. As 2025 marks the centenary of the publication of The Great Gatsby, Bon Voyage's Gotham, Gatsby and the Gold Coast trip looks like a literary winner. Kicking off at New York's fabulous Plaza, where a key scene from Gatsby is set, you then tour the Hamptons and Newport Rhode Island, soaking up Gilded Age habitations before winding up in Boston. Tailor-made night fly-drive itineraries with departures from Dublin, from €4,695 pps, . Love the Plaza so much you don't want to move? Maybe you grew up on Kay Thompson's Eloise books about the little girl who lives at the hotel. The Plaza has both Gatsby- and Eloise-themed rooms – think ultra lavish on both counts, with a night in either from approx $2,000 per night. That's fandom for you. The Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald Museum in Montgomery, Alabama Still on the Fitzgerald trail, he wrote part of Tender is the Night in Montgomery Alabama, while Zelda worked on Save Me the Waltz. Their house is a museum, but upstairs has been converted into two apartments, which you can rent on Airbnb, from approx €105 per night off season. Hotel Belles Rives, Juan-les-Pins, France Or head to the south of France, where the couple also put up at what is now the Hotel Belles Rives , a breathtakingly lovely spot in Juan-les-Pins, from €157 per night off season, rising to €680 and up in high summer. Hotel Chelsea, New York Thomas Wolfe, Mark Twain, Dylan Thomas, Arthur Miller, Brendan Behan, Arthur C Clarke, Sam Shepard, Jack Kerouac, William S Burroughs Hotel Chelsea, New York Unfortunately, or fortunately – depending on your view of luxurious comfort vs original grit, New York's infamous Chelsea Hotel has been given the full glittering makeover. The famous writers who lived there are legion; so too are the artists and musicians. Marrying the two, Leonard Cohen wrote his famous Chelsea Hotel No 2 about his fling with Janis Joplin there. Today, photographs echo the glory days, and wealthy wannabes crowd the cocktail bar. That said, it's actually still kinda fun. From $504 per room. 5 Cwmdonkin Drive, Swansea, Wales Dylan Thomas Dylan Thomas House, Swansea Dylan Thomas may have ended his days at the Chelsea Hotel, via New York's White Horse Tavern, but the poet was born in this Swansea suburb, and it was here that he lived for 23 years and wrote the greater part of his published work. Restored to its original glory, you have the run of the entire house, including Thomas's bedroom. House tour included in your stay, and you are following on the heels of previous visitors who have included, eclectically, Johnny Depp and King Charles. Sleeps up to seven, from £312 for two nights. Burgh Island, Devon Agatha Christie, Noel Coward Burgh Island Hotel, Devon An Art Deco hotel, inaccessible by car, and cut off from the mainland at high tide: surely the ideal setting for a murder mystery? And so it was with Burgh Island. Agatha Christie used it as a writer's retreat in the 1930s. You can book her beach house, although it has been upgraded since her day. She set two novels there: Evil Under the Sun and And Then There Were None (originally published under a different title). So enchanting is the spot that Noel Coward, who came for three days, extended his stay for three weeks, and it's still the kind of classy joint that would have appealed to him. They insist on black tie in the Grand Ballroom at dinner, but imagine it with jazz and you get the picture. From £400 B&B for two, rising to £645 in high summer. Henry's Townhouse, London Jane Austen Henry's Townhouse London The London former home of Jane Austen's favourite brother Henry, with whom Jane would have stayed, gathering insights for her novels, and undoubtedly writing the odd word or two as well, is now a boutique hotel. There are just six rooms, and each is named after an Austen family member. You will find a book of letters from Jane to her sister Cassandra while you're there. As 2025 is the 250th anniversary of Austen's birth, a series of events and talks are planned, including sessions with guest authors and tours of Austen's London. Two nights for author events, including tour, welcome fizz and supper from £975 pps, or B&B from £545, Given the year that's in it, also check out Chawton House in Hampshire, owned by another of Jane's brothers, Edward. Jane lived in a cottage on his estate, and you can stay in a three-bed apartment in the North Wing of the main house. Minimum stay three nights, from £275 per night on Airbnb. Chateau du Gué aux Biches, Normandy Alexandre Dumas Chateau du Gué aux Biche, Normandy Unbelievably charming, this former hunting lodge was a home away from home for the Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers author, and fellow swashbuckling French writer Paul Féval. With just five rooms, plus one gîte, you're right on the doorstep of the spa town of Bagnoles. Book the Alexandre Dumas Suite from €225 per night B&B, minimum stay two nights in high season. GoldenEye Villa, Jamaica Ian Fleming GoldenEye, Ian Fleming's Jamaican getaway Former intelligence officer Ian Fleming designed his lush Jamaica getaway and named it after a sabotage operation he had created during the second World War. The sabotage turned out to be unnecessary but Fleming went on to write 14 James Bond novels at the desk which is still to be found at the villa. Now expanded to a resort, you can rent beach houses and cottages (from $578 per night), but the real draw for well-heeled Bond fans is the villa itself. Sleeping up to 10 with a three-night minimum, rates start from $7,730 per night, but you do get a private butler. Don't order martinis – Fleming himself drank gin and bitters. 'Would these books have been born if I had not been living in the gorgeous vacuum of a Jamaican holiday?' Fleming asked. 'I doubt it,' he concluded. Farringford, Isle of Wight Alfred, Lord Tennyson Farringford House on the Isle of Wight Okay, so you don't get to stay in Tennyson's actual gaff; instead the self-catering cottages in the grounds of The Lady of Shalott author give you access to the house – now a museum – and the gardens that the Victorian poet laureate created. Back in the day the likes of Lewis Carroll, Edward Lear, William Allingham and even Italian military leader Giuseppe Garibaldi came to visit, and drink in the air 'worth sixpence a pint', as writer Anne Thackeray once said. Dogs are welcome, and the cottages start at £393, rising to £1,040 in high season per week. Eilean Shona, Scotland JM Barrie Eilean Shona in the west of Scotland You can't get much more off-grid than the Scottish isles but Eilean Shona could be worth the trek. Peter Pan author JM Barrie stayed, and was inspired to come up with Neverland. Find a collection of self-catering cottages, or rent the main house. There will be nothing but the awesome sea air and rugged views to distract you. Writers Retreats are held annually in spring. Cottages from £143 per night,
News18
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
International Day Of Play 2025: Quotes, Why And How To Celebrate The Day?
Last Updated: International Day of Play 2025: Celebrated on June 11, the day highlights play's role in child development. International Day Of Play 2025: Celebrated on June 11, the International Day of Play marks a powerful step forward in recognising the vital role of play in every child's life. It serves as a global reminder to protect, promote, and prioritise play—not just for fun, but as an essential part of a child's growth and development. This day celebrates the transformative power of play while also calling on communities, educators, and leaders to ensure that every child, everywhere, can enjoy their right to play and reach their full potential. International Day Of Play 2025: Theme In 2025, the International Day of Play will be observed with the theme 'Choose Play – Every Day." The theme serves as a reminder to all of us—governments, corporations, educational institutions, and families—to make choices that value and encourage children's play. International Day of Play 2025: History The first International Day of Play was celebrated on June 11, 2024, signifying a global commitment to acknowledge and celebrate the value of play in children's development. According to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations General Assembly set this date in March 2024 following a resolution that was co-proposed by several countries, including Vietnam. Since then, the International Day of Play has been observed officially. The first commemoration in 2024 focused on the themes of 'Time to Play," 'Space to Play," 'Quality of Play," and 'Play Never Ends." It also featured participatory activities and conversations. The event was co-organised by member governments and organisations such as the LEGO Foundation, the LEGO Group, UNESCO, and UNICEF. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child's description of children's fundamental right to play served as the impetus for the founding of this day. The purpose of the day is to boost public awareness on the advantages of play for children's growth, education, and general well-being. It is a day to emphasise the value of play as a child's fundamental right and to promote regulations and processes that encourage play in every aspect of children's lives. It also helps people become more resilient, creative, and innovative. Play helps children in particular develop relationships and enhances their ability to govern, overcome trauma, and solve problems. Article 31 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child recognises play as a fundamental right of all children. The international play day elevates the value of play by fostering a time of unity on a local, national, and worldwide level. It serves as a signal for global demand for financing, training, and policies to integrate play into community and educational contexts. International Day of Play 2025: Quotes 'We don't stop playing because we get old; we get old because we stop playing," – George Bernard Shaw. 'Play is not a break from learning. It is endless, delightful, deep, engaging, practical learning," – Vince Gowmon. 'Play builds bridges, sparks creativity, and creates unforgettable memories," – Sozler Sepeti. 'It's the things we play with and the people who help us play that make a great difference in our lives," – Fred Rogers. 'Learning, self-expression, creativity, and constructive problem-solving all stem from play. It's how children wrestle with life to make it meaningful," – American psychiatrist Susan Linn. International Day of Play 2025: How to celebrate? UNICEF invites people and organisations to participate in the event by exchanging ideas, encouraging play-based activities, and spreading knowledge on the advantages of play for children. This handful of entertaining and simple ideas for schools to celebrate the day are meant to be both enjoyable and meaningful. Creative Storytelling Sessions: Arrange storytelling workshops where children and their parents collaborate to create stories. Encourage collaborative creation by using ideas to spark their imagination and help students create new characters, settings, and storylines. Workshops on Movement and Mindfulness: Organise classes that blend mindfulness exercises with enjoyable movement exercises like yoga or dance. These sessions can improve emotional sensitivity and group joy. Outdoor Scavenger Hunts: Organise a nature scavenger hunt in a nearby park or on school property, and invite families to participate. This strengthens bonds with the environment and encourages physical exercise, observational abilities, and a love of the natural world. About the Author Bhaswati Sengupta Bhaswati Sengupta is a Sub-Editor at News18, where she works closely with the Web Stories and Photo Gallery team to create visually engaging and impactful digital content. She also contributes to Lifestyle More The News18 Lifestyle section brings you the latest on health, fashion, travel, food, and culture — with wellness tips, celebrity style, travel inspiration, and recipes. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published:
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
National Library of Wales missing 2,200 items
About 2,200 items are missing at the National Library of Wales - an increase of 84% in two years. Among the archives and manuscripts missing are deeds of 13th Century Powis Castle, and "rolls" and "pedigree" documents from Gwrych Castle in Abergele, Conwy county, which twice hosted ITV's I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! Among missing books are the history of the national library building itself in Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, by Daniel Huws, and books by George Bernard Shaw and Virginia Woolf. The library is creating a new "collection care" department and is currently recruiting a head of the department, as well as a head of unique collections. The number unaccounted for is significantly higher than the 1,200 items that were missing when BBC Wales gained figures through a Freedom of Information request in September 2023. A spokesperson said the increase is due to "new stock checking processes". The library is a legal deposit library, which means it is entitled to a copy of every print publication in Britain and Ireland, and no items are allowed to be taken from the building. Of the 2,206 missing items, the request under the latest Freedom of Information Act by BBC Wales showed that: 1,708 books and magazines are missing, some since 1999 393 maps, some since 1939 82 in the "archives and manuscripts" category, some since 1978 21 "screen and sound" items, some since 2019 two items in the "pictures and photographs" category, one since 2009 and the other since 2023 Missing archives include papers of J Glyn Davies whose songs for children include Cerddi Huw Puw (1923), which are based on sailors' songs he had heard during his youth. These have been described as bearing "the marks of a genius". Also missing are papers relating to Chirk Castle near Wrexham, the construction of which began around 1295 during the reign of Edward I. Missing sound recordings include the satirical song "Carlo" by Dafydd Iwan which was written for the investiture of Charles as Prince of Wales in 1969, and a recording by Treorchy Male Choir. Missing journals include issues of the library's own journal, Welsh History Review, Flintshire Historical Society, Gwent Local History and The Carmarthen Historian. Missing books cover topics from Owain Glyndŵr, the last native-born Welshman to claim the title Prince of Wales, to a biography of Keir Hardie, the first parliamentary leader of the Labour party. An 1818 edition of 'The Pleasures of Imagination' by Mark Akenside is missing, as is Lady Charlotte Schreiber's journals (1911), the "confidences" of a collector of ceramics and antiques. A book by Phil Thompson and Tommy Smith called "Do That Again Son, and I'll Break Your Legs: Football's Hardmen" is also not accounted for. Missing maps include a malt whisky map of Scotland, and several maps relating to Gogerddan, the principal estate of the old county of Cardiganshire in the 17th century. The library's head of communications, Rhodri ap Dyfrig, said that staff had "introduced new stock checking processes for published collections and therefore we fully expected that there would be an increase in the items recorded as not being in their correct location". He added: "The thorough process of monitoring of misplaced items takes place continuously and these checks are a normal and integral part of maintaining standards and good practice in the library sector. "Due to this constant monitoring and work, the data we provide is a snapshot of a specific period in time, and this figure fluctuates regularly as items are found and relocated." The library carries out an annual audit of items worth more than £10,000 and no missing items that cross that threshold were found over the last year. The library's collections include seven million books and newspapers, 1.5 million maps and 950,000 photographs located across 160 miles of shelves. The Welsh government said: "The care and management of its collections is a matter for the National Library. "In doing so, it meets the Archive Service Accreditation – the UK-wide standard for archive services." Wales' national library can't find 1,200 items Peace petition from 1923 returns to Wales from US 'Devil's shawl' painting to remain in Wales
BBC News
05-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
National Library of Wales is missing 2,200 items
About 2,200 items are missing at the National Library of Wales - an increase of 84% in two the archives and manuscripts missing are deeds of 13th Century Powis Castle, and "rolls" and "pedigree" documents from Gwrych Castle in Abergele, Conwy county, which twice hosted ITV's I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!Among missing books are the history of the national library building itself in Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, by Daniel Huws, and books by George Bernard Shaw and Virginia library is creating a new "collection care" department and is currently recruiting a head of the department, as well as a head of unique collections. The number unaccounted for is significantly higher than the 1,200 items that were missing when BBC Wales gained figures through a Freedom of Information request in September 2023. A spokesperson said the increase is due to "new stock checking processes".The library is a legal deposit library, which means it is entitled to a copy of every print publication in Britain and Ireland, and no items are allowed to be taken from the the 2,206 missing items, the request under the latest Freedom of Information Act by BBC Wales showed that:1,708 books and magazines are missing, some since 1999 393 maps, some since 193982 in the "archives and manuscripts" category, some since 1978 21 "screen and sound" items, some since 2019two items in the "pictures and photographs" category, one since 2009 and the other since 2023Missing archives include papers of J Glyn Davies whose songs for children include Cerddi Huw Puw (1923), which are based on sailors' songs he had heard during his have been described as bearing "the marks of a genius".Also missing are papers relating to Chirk Castle near Wrexham, the construction of which began around 1295 during the reign of Edward sound recordings include the satirical song "Carlo" by Dafydd Iwan which was written for the investiture of Charles as Prince of Wales in 1969, and a recording by Treorchy Male journals include issues of the library's own journal, Welsh History Review, Flintshire Historical Society, Gwent Local History and The Carmarthen books cover topics from Owain Glyndŵr, the last native-born Welshman to claim the title Prince of Wales, to a biography of Keir Hardie, the first parliamentary leader of the Labour 1818 edition of 'The Pleasures of Imagination' by Mark Akenside is missing, as is Lady Charlotte Schreiber's journals (1911), the "confidences" of a collector of ceramics and antiques.A book by Phil Thompson and Tommy Smith called "Do That Again Son, and I'll Break Your Legs: Football's Hardmen" is also not accounted maps include a malt whisky map of Scotland, and several maps relating to Gogerddan, the principal estate of the old county of Cardiganshire in the 17th century. The library's head of communications, Rhodri ap Dyfrig, said that staff had "introduced new stock checking processes for published collections and therefore we fully expected that there would be an increase in the items recorded as not being in their correct location".He added: "The thorough process of monitoring of misplaced items takes place continuously and these checks are a normal and integral part of maintaining standards and good practice in the library sector."Due to this constant monitoring and work, the data we provide is a snapshot of a specific period in time, and this figure fluctuates regularly as items are found and relocated."The library carries out an annual audit of items worth more than £10,000 and no missing items that cross that threshold were found over the last library's collections include seven million books and newspapers, 1.5 million maps and 950,000 photographs located across 160 miles of Welsh government said: "The care and management of its collections is a matter for the National Library. "In doing so, it meets the Archive Service Accreditation – the UK-wide standard for archive services."
