A chairde,
Think I had me best class ever today, it was wild, uncontrolled, rocking, educating and most of all it was hilariously funny! It was an English lesson for our 5th graders (11 years old!), it started after lunch and went on for 90 mins (should have been 45 mins, but things happened ye know;-).
It actually started yesterday during a Geography class when a boy came up to me and asked:
- Leif, Who owns this island or whatever it is? He showed me a picture he found in a book of a rock with miles and miles of water around it.
Oh oh I thought, nice and calm now Leif, don't go overboard with this. One moment later I made up me mind, ship ahoy off we go, feck the rules and me plans! :
- Oh I'm so glad ye asked me that question young man! If ye show up at me English class tomorrow after lunch I'll tell ye!
- Why can't ye tell me now? He asked intrigued and a wee bit puzzled.
- Ye have to show up tomorrow after lunch to find out my friend, I said as a matter of fact.
It'll be worth the wait, I can say that much.
He went away with his book a wee bit disappointed, started to whisper with some of his classmates. The rest of the day everyone in the class came up to me and asked about the rock.
- Ye have to wait till tomorrow to find out, I said.
Ye see that young man 11 years of age just reminded me of an extremely pleasant memory from some 22 years ago. The memory came from a barn north of Galway in a wee place called "Carna". I was there with friends from Mullingar listening to The Wolfetones, a republican irish band. We had a fantastic night and the last song they played was "Rock on Rockall". Afterwards I asked me Mullingar-friends about Rockall, together with quite a few pints of the black stuff I got the story. To make it even better, halfway into the story 4 gentlemen joined yes, the Wolfetones themselves!
The reason I didn't answer the poor young man was that I needed to do some research as me memory is as foggy as the Armagh and The free state border in the early 80's! *lol* Off course me pictures from back then wasn't suitable for 11 year olds, I did however find quite a lot among me old Irish stuff.
Off we go:
Geography:
The rock he showed me on the picture is called Rockall, it is 425 km's north-west of Donegal, Ireland. It is between Ireland and Iceland in the middle of the north Atlantic ocean.
The nautical position is 57°35′48″N, 13°41′19″W
The rock is about 25 metres (83 ft) wide at its base and rises sheer to a height of approximately 22 metres (72 ft). It is regularly washed over by large storm waves, particularly in winter. There is a small ledge of 3.5 by 1.3 metres (11 by 4 ft), known as Hall's Ledge, 4 metres (13 ft) from the summit.
Rockall is made of a type of granite that is relatively rich in sodium and potassium.
History:
The origin of the name is debatable but it has been suggested that it derives from the Scottish Gaelic Sgeir Rocail which is often translated as "Roaring Rock" although rocail can also be translated as "tearing" or "ripping". There may also be an etymological link with the old Norse hrukka.The first literary reference to the isle, where it is called Rockol, is found in Martin Martin's A Description of the Western isles of Scotland published in 1716 where he gives an account of a voyage to St Kilda where the locals knew the isle as Rockabarra (Rocabarraigh).
The name Rocabarraigh is also used in Gaelic folklore for a mythical rock which is supposed to appear three times, the last being at the end of the world.
"Nuair a thig Rocabarra ris, is dual gun tèid an Saoghal a sgrios".(When Rocabarra returns, the world will likely come to be destroyed/ruined)The rock was formed 55 million ago! It is also the last remaining part of the north American-plate, therefor it is the only part of the north American plate that actually lies in Europe!It was first mentioned in a sea man-diary in the mid 15th century. The first scientific expedition to Rockall was led by Miller Christie in 1896.
Next time Rockall ends up in the news was 1955:
The UK claims the rock!
On 18 September 1955 at precisely 10.16 am, in what would be the final territorial expansion of the British Empire, the island was officially annexed by the UK when Lieutenant-Commander Desmond Scott RN, Sergeant Brian Peel RM, Corporal AA Fraser RM, and James Fisher (a civilian naturalist and former Royal Marine), were deposited on the island by a Royal Navy helicopter from HMS Vidal (coincidentally named after the man who first charted the island). The team cemented in a brass plaque on Hall's Ledge and hoisted the Union Flag to stake the UK's claim.
The inscription on the plaque reads:
"By authority of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of her other realms and territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith, and in accordance with Her Majesty's instructions dated the 14th day of September, 1955, a landing was effected this day upon this island of Rockall from HMS Vidal. The Union flag was hoisted and possession of the island was taken in the name of Her Majesty. [Signed] R H Connell, Captain, HMS Vidal, 18 September 1955."Politics:
At present there are quite a few countries and others that claim the rock "belongs" to them:
The UK
Republic of Ireland
Iceland
Farao island
Denmark
A mad clan in Scotland, J Abrach Mackay of the Mackay clan!!
Greenpeace, they call the rock "Waveland" Waveland
It is believed that there might be natural gas in the area, maybe that has something to do with the increasing "claimers".
Amazing facts:
It is said that there are more humans landing on the Moon (12) than there are people who has set foot on Rockall.
It is said that Rockall is top of the "Atlantis" plate, and may be the port to the mythical country of Atlantis (the island that disappeared).
On the internet there's "The Rockall Times" a newspaper (unfortunatly not updated since 2003) The Rockall times!!
At this stage I have the class "over the moon", then I pull out another card from me sleeve.
I brought an old vinyl with the famous Wolfetones, and that last song from Carna,,,,,he he
The student looked at the vinyl and asked: - What is that?? 'LOL'
So then we translated(The lyrics to "Rock on Rockall" ) the lyrics and played the record 5 times, they were up on the desks dancing when I called it quits!
Most of the stuff above I'd forgotten all about, the students searched the net and found loads of stuff.
I went home a happy man today
Ye take care now a chairde
(I've created a picture gallery named Rockall,,,enjoy!)
(Ye can listen to "Rock on Rockall" in the blast/quote-box)
More: http://www.hsengine.com/s_80%27s+song+lyrics.html
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