articles

Frehch Rugby Player Urgently Required

2010-01-01T12:46:00.002Z

Comment: Dear Sir/Madam,

I am working on tv project for the Six Nations Rugby, in it there are a French man (in his late 30s/40s, a Scottish man, an English man and a Welsh man. Would you happen to know of any French men living in Ireland who would be interested in coming in to a studio to be put on camera i.e. cast, whomever ends up in campaign will be paid a generous fee, the casting would be on the 11th or 12th of Jan and the actual filming of tv campaign would be on the 18th or 19th.

My name is Carmel O'Connor and I am the casting director working on this project, my email is above and my mobile is 087 9880328 and my landline is 01-6682450 .

The characters we are trying to represent are your typical Six Nation rugby supporters, there will be line so we are trying to have authentic accents for each nation. If you do know of any French men in their late 30s to mid 40s perhaps you'd pass my details along or indeed you can pass theirs to me and I'll contact directly.

Regards, Carmel O'Connor

RED BERET WINE TOUR

2009-09-11T19:27:00.002+01:00

GRAPE PICKING WINE TOUR

This year, The French Tour co will be combining a mornings grape picking on a boutique vineyard followed by lunch on the vineyard ( with appropriate wines), and vineyard visits and tastings in the afternoon.
The vineyard owner speaks perfect English and will explain the whole wine making process during the day. It is a fantastic day out, a great learning experience and a wonderful insight into "how wine is made"

BEAT THE WINTER BLUES AND CATCH SOME WINTER SUN

Irish sisters Karen and Suzanne O’Reilly who run The French tour Co in the South of France are organising a fantastic 3 day trip to the Pyrenees Orientales around the atmospheric wine festival which takes place on the 17th October in the Catalan capital of Perpignan.

From Thursday 15th October to Sunday 18th October.BORED WITH BEAUJOLAIS? Catch some late summer sun, Pamper yourself in a luxurious spa hotel, relax and unwind at the Perpignan wine festival and enjoy an unforgettable gourmet wine tour. The French Tour Co and Frogbus.com have teamed up to put together a weekend package filled with fun, sun, wine, cuisine and culture.

WINE TOUR

We will be running these tours from the 20 Aug to 20 Sept.

Price : €80 per person

All year round, you can partake in our RED BERET WINE TOUR which is an excellent day out. We visit 3 – 4 vineyards and have lunch in a vineyard estate with the appropriate wines : We partake in a "how wine is made tour" in English with the vineyard owner. The atmosphere is relaxed yet informative as we visit a variety of vineyards.

Price : €80 per person including lunch

Check out our other tour and transfer options on www.thefrenchtourco.com

Trevor Owen, can help with your French website.

2009-09-11T19:09:00.003+01:00

How to Set-Up a Website for Your French Holiday Home" on your website?

If interested please follow the link to this website www.simplicitywebsites.co.uk in acknowledgement.

Trevor Owen, Simplicity Websites

2009-06-11T20:05:00.002+01:00

Rendez vous en France

This year, summer travel in France doesn't just mean fun. It means value, too! Read on to find out how you can lower the bill on all aspects of your next French vacation, from rail travel, to restaurant bills, to leisure activities.

Plus, learn about upcoming outdoor summer festivals, take advantage of France's ample waterfront spaces, and enter to win a trip for 2 to Bordeaux or an Ipod touch!

French Government Tourist Officehttp://us.franceguide.com

Niall O'Reilly invites you to cook with him in Brittany.

2009-06-02T20:10:00.002+01:00

Dear Brendan, we are running short cooking courses in the middle of Brittany.

The cuisine is a broad range of European cuisine but local French/Bretagne influence is paramount.

We have visitors from all over Ireland as well as France and further afield. All classes are in English and we also run guided tours to the food markets as well as specialist farms and places of culinary interest.

You don't have to be an food expert to attend - just enjoy learning new skills and meeting new friends. Further information is available on our website http://www.frenchdiningschool.com

Best wishes

Niall

Brittany - the Irish part of France!

2009-05-21T20:30:00.001+01:00

Bringing Irish and French people together in Brittany

Niall O'Reilly wrote on the 21-05-2009 :

Hello, we run a cooking school in Brittany - the Irish part of France!

We specialise in bringing Irish and French people together over a table of good cuisine and fine wines!

All are welcome!

You can check us out on http://www.frenchdiningschool.com/.

We always have Paris

2008-12-07T19:37:00.001Z

Here is quite a nice piece from today's Sunday Independent you might like to read ??

Independent.ie

Staying Seine

By Madeleine Keane Sunday December 07 2008

I EMERGE from the Metro Luxembourg, and there, out of the crisp Paris evening, she materialises. My baby, not only all grown up, but a Parisienne to boot in her ballet pumps, a crimson beret perched on her head. My elder daughter Natasha has come to Paris for her Erasmus year, to study law at the University of Nanterre (where Sarkozy studied, as she patiently explains each time someone enquires why not the Sorbonne?). And so here I am on a winter weekend to my favourite place in the world to see one of my favourite people in the world.
She's staying at the Centre Culturel Irlandais -- known colloquially as the Irish College -- and so by serendipitous accident am I. And what a wonderful place to stay. Located in the justifiably celebrated 5th arrondissement, this beautiful and historic building acts as hall of residence -- home to lots of Irish students and artists -- and serves as an artistic and cultural flagship of Irishness for le tout Paris. Natasha shows me to my room, which immediately manifests its monkish origins (it was the priests' college for centuries). It is austere, but beautifully so -- a thoroughly modern room with the old fabric of the building evident in the beams poking through the ceiling. All is white -- walls, linen, towels -- and the furnishings are utterly simple and totally functional. Very French, in fact.
We dine that evening at a typical bistro -- Comptoir de Soufflot -- on half a dozen escargots, chicken cooked in its own juices and confit de canard, and take a digestif afterwards in the lively rue Mouffetard. "Turn around, Mum," my daughter orders; I do and there's the Eiffel Tower shimmering with light. Ah, bliss! I really am back in Paris.
A 10-minute stroll through bright November sunshine takes us the next morning past the Pantheon to Gregorian mass at Notre Dame . Then we walk along the Left Bank of the Seine for a cafe creme before taking communion at the beautiful church, the Madeleine. Fauchon, that epicurean heaven, is closed, so we console ourselves with a wide slice of Moulleaux, a gorgeously moist chocolate cake.
We stroll through the elegant expanse of the Jardins de Tuileries. It's the first Sunday of the month, so entry to art galleries and museums is free: hence, the Louvre is very busy. La Gioconda is there in all her glory still smiling enigmatically at the hundreds of tourists snapping her visage. In the Sully wing, we gaze in wonder on the masterpieces of Watteau, Fragonard, Delacaroix before winding home past the famous Shakespeare and Company bookshop where we pick up vintage Ian McEwan.
If you stay at the Irish college, you can breakfast with the students. It's simple but sufficient: juice, tea or coffee, a choice of cereals, bread and jam. There's a lovely atmosphere and a real sense of Ireland in this rue des Irlandais. According to Natasha and her cohorts, the authorities are strict but fair. A Halloween party was allowed on the grounds that the students stayed "sage et calme". And that they cleared up afterwards.
Sheila Pratschke is the practical, affable Irish directrice of the Centre, who felt she wanted "to do one last job before I retired". As director of the Irish Film Institute, and more recently, Annaghmakerrig, she describes herself not as a specialist but "self-propelled and interested in all the arts". With her "very moribund degree French", she found this great place at first a great challenge but could not resist the beauty of the city on the river.
"I was lonely in the beginning, though the longer I'm here the more I find out how many Irish people have a pied a terre here," she laughs. While she acknowledges the challenges of running the centre in a city where there are 42 different cultural centres vying for attention, she praises her "terrific team of work colleagues and the Irish embassy, who give great support". Her head lifts with pride when she lauds the unique nature of the centre. "It's wonderful for Ireland to have something so historic in such a location. We are rightly proud of it and it has been invested in properly."
This small corner of this extraordinary city has a rich history. For centuries, it trained priests and students. In 1807, its superior, Jean-Baptiste Walsh, persuaded Napoleon to change the name of its street by prefectorial decree from rue du Cheval Vert to rue des Irlandais. As the Irish had previously sought refuge in the College des Irlandais and their other establishments in Paris from the 16th century, they too made the college available as a safe haven to others in need. It was converted into a hospital to accommodate French soldiers during the Franco-Prussian war and in 1945 the premises served the United States army as a shelter for displaced persons claiming American citizenship.
In the immaculately restored old library, Sheila shows me (from a collection of about 8,000 printed books and manuscripts) the ancient exquisite illuminated texts. Downstairs, the mediatheque offers a multi-media library.
To celebrate the French presidency of the EU, the college is paying homage to Irish culture with a series of cultural events which runs from September to the end of the year. Supported by Culture Ireland, the season has offered the very best of literature, art, theatre, music and film with a distinguished roll call of our premier artists, among them, Roddy Doyle, Olwen Fouere, Conor Lovett, Sean McSweeney and Dermot Bolger. While I'm there for a screening of The Last September -- Elizabeth Bowen's novel adapted for the screen by John Banville, directed by Deborah Warner and starring Maggie Smith, Michael Gambon and Fiona Shaw -- the venue is packed with French and Irish, and there's something special about watching this slice of history in the Irish college.
Our autumn weekend is packed with such cultural delights. There's an exhibition of war photographer Lee Miller's work at Jeu de Paume -- including the self-portrait in Hitler's bath -- and later at the sublime Musee D'Orsay there are endless wonders. Of course, being in Paris with my daughter means shopping tops her agenda, and we find the perfect pair of winter boots in Au Printemps.
In a sometimes sad and uncertain world, as Rick reminds Ilsa in Casablanca, "we'll always have Paris".
- Madeleine Keane

P.O. Networking

2008-11-19T19:35:00.001Z

P.O. Networking

We are a group of over 100 business owners , living in the PO , who meet once a month to network, organise events etc

http://www.fab-po.com/

We are having a Christmas Fair on the 23 November in Ceret with a large selection of different stalls

Best Regards
Karen.

Learning Irish in Provence

2008-11-19T19:15:00.003Z

I received the following e-mail from Jean Marie Desbois, Provence. Very interesting to learn of someone in France making such an effort to learn Irish. Please visit the websites below.

Dear Brendan,

My blog deals with genealogy and local history in Provence (a region in Southern France). I will write an article next month about a young man (20 years old) who was the son of an Irish soldier and a woman from Embrun (a town in the Alps). He was raised in a hospital and died at age 20. I wanted to use this picture to illustrate this page. I have found a bigger version of it on another website and I think this image is free of rights. So I will probably use it.I like Ireland too. That is why I started a blog recently about Irish language :

http://gaeilge-irlandais.blogspot.com

http://www.geneprovence.com/2008/07/mort-dun-enfant-de-soldat-embrun-17.html

Buying or selling French property? - How to choose the right professional

2008-10-01T14:58:00.000+01:00

Buying or selling French property? - How to choose the right professional
adviser
Buying a property or establishing a business in any country requires the specialist legal assistance of
highly-trained, qualified professionals suitably experienced in such matters. Investors require clear,
impartial advice prior to, and during, the purchase process, to avoid costly mistakes. In most commonlaw
countries, both vendor and acquirer instruct their own legal professional to act in their interests, yet
many French property purchasers fail to insist on having their own adviser. Why is this? Often, because
they have been purposely misled (being told that it is the norm in France) or they allow themselves to be
carried away on a wave of false promises. It is not just permitted to have your own legal advisor, it is
highly recommended.
Notaires (notaries) are Public Officers whose main role is to draft and execute Deeds. They are civilservants
who have a monopoly on documents that must be authenticated by Deed, i. e. wills, marriage,
contracts, document dealing with transfer of real property, and conveyancing. Notaries often act for both
buyer and seller, which can potentially give rise to conflicts of interest. Their fees, based on a fixed scale,
depend on the property's value. Notaires only get paid if a given transaction proceeds to completion.
Avocats (solicitors) are equally highly-trained professionals and similarly authorised to accomplish the
same as a notaire, plus further to the notaire, if things go wrong, they can represent a client in Court.
French notaires are generally very courteous and competent, but there are situations where customers,
especially non-French speakers, are experiencing difficulties: they are either being overcharged for a
service, or simply left in the dark with no answer whatsoever to their queries, delays occur etc... In most
cases, that situation leaves foreign customers with very little recourse against the notaire concerned.
There are distinct advantages of using the services of a bilingual, qualified French solicitor:
- You are assured that a qualified and experienced legal professional is really looking after your
interests;
- Not only an independent solicitor is obliged to comply with strict professional standards, but he will get
paid regardless of where and from whom the buyer buys;
- Where a difficulty arises, your solicitor can liaise with the notaire on your behalf and, if the matter does
not get resolved, write to the notaires' local Law Society and lodge a formal complaint on your behalf. As
a last resort, your solicitor can cancel the sale, reclaim your deposit and/or damages, and even sue the
notaire in question for negligence where applicable;
- A qualified French lawyer established in France officially acts for you when corresponding with French
Notaries, local authorities, banks, etc. whereas correspondence originating from law firms based outside
France do not have the same efficiency and credibility...
As always, it is advisable to prevent this from happening if possible: involving your own French solicitor
from the outset can, in the end, save a lot of money. If problems do happen, do not wait until matters
have gone worse before consulting an independent French lawyer.
Fabien Cordiez is a dual-qualified Franco-British solicitor
http://www.solicitor.fr

French Law

2008-10-01T14:55:00.000+01:00

French Law - New time-limitations in French civil matters

The standard legal time-limit, which until now was 30 years, has been reduced to 5 years pursuant to the French Time Limitations Act of 17 June 2008.

Accordingly, personal civil actions or legal actions relating to movables are now becoming barred after five years.

Liability claims directed against individuals who represented or assisted the parties in court (advocates) are time-barred within five too (Article 2255 of the Civil Code). In business matters, article L 110-4 remains unchanged and the time-limit is reduced to 5 years instead of 10. Legal Actions regarding real estate are barred after 30 years from the day the holder of a right knew, or should have known, the event(s) allowing him to exercise his or her right. The limitation period required to acquire property through simple possession remains 30 years, but whoever acquires in good faith and holds a valid Title acquires property after 10 years only new Article 2272 of the Civil Code). Liability arising from an event which led to an injury, e.g. RTA, shall be time-barred 10 years after the date the victim’s injuries are stabilised. Where the victim’s injuries are worsening, such time-limit does not start until the day the victim’s worsening has fully stabilised.

Author: Fabien Cordiez, French lawyer and UK solicitorhttp://www.solicitor.fr

French solicitor specialising in French property law

2008-05-04T20:35:00.002+01:00

Fabien Cordiez wrote on the 30-04-2008 :

Dear Brendan,

I am a French solicitor specialising in French property law. Most of my work is dedicated to helping clients with the legal side of purchasing French Property. I am based in Aix en Provence, in the South of France, and serve customers nationwide.

I came across .irishfrenchconnection.com looking for French property websites, as part of my routine browsing of the "niche" French Property market. Perhaps I could be of assistance to some of your members looking for a bilingual French property solicitor? I should be very grateful if you would include my Firm's website ( http://www.frenchsolicitor.ie) to the "links" section of your website. Naturally, I am happy to reciprocate if you wish. Thank you in advance and I look forward to hearing from you.

Regards, Fabien Cordiez – Cordiez Law Offices Avocat à la Cour, Solicitor
19 rue de Montigny, 13100 Aix-en-Provence, France IRL: 1-800-930-132 FR: + 33(0)486-420-102 Email: cordiez@frenchsolicitor.ie Web: www.frenchsolicitor.iePractising law as Avocat ,member of the French Bar Association

GRAPE PICKING WINE TOUR

2008-04-17T20:06:00.000+01:00

Hi Brendan,

This year, The French Tour co will be combining a mornings grape picking on a boutique vineyard followed by lunch on the vineyard ( with appropriate wines), and vineyard visits and tastings in the afternoon.
The vineyard owner speaks perfect English and will explain the whole wine making process during the day. It is a fantastic day out, a great learning experience and a wonderful insight into "how wine is made"

We will be running these tours from the 20 Aug to 20 Sept.

Price : €80 per person

All year round, you can partake in our RED BERET WINE TOUR which is an excellent day out. We visit 3 – 4 vineyards and have lunch in a vineyard estate with the appropriate wines : We partake in a "how wine is made tour" in English with the vineyard owner. The atmosphere is relaxed yet informative as we visit a variety of vineyards.

Price : €80 per person including lunch

Check out our other tour and transfer options on www.thefrenchtourco.com

We look forward to seeing you,

Best Regards, Karen.

Red Beret Wine Tours

2008-04-17T19:56:00.000+01:00

Dear Brendan,

Bidsinfrance have diversified , In addition to our property consultancy service, we are now offering tours and transfers in the beautiful Roussillon region.
For you and your family using your property here in region, we now have a 9 seater air conditioned mini bus at your disposal. We are offering specialised tours of the area : wine tours, discovery tours, golf tours, shopping tours, art tours, etc. Relax and let us do the driving for you and your friends.
Our Red Beret Wine Tours are proving to be the most popular and a great opportunity for you to meet the locals. We tour around and visit 4 to 5 wineries in a day ..together, we discover the vineyards, chateaux and partake in guided wine tastings. Lunch is on the vineyards accompanied by some carefully chosen wines. You can relax and enjoy the tastings without having to worry about driving. All visits are in English or translated by ourselves.
We also organise transfers from nearby airports to your accommodation.
Check out our website on www.thefrenchtourco.com
Make your visit an unforgettable one with www.thefrenchtourco.com
Please feel free to contact us for further details or if you have any queries or ideas you might like to share with us. As a regular visitor to the area, we would love to hear your valuable opinion.

Regards, Karen.

Plaque unvailed

2008-01-02T20:30:00.000Z

Irish French Embassy join Clare Co. Council to honour heroic rescue of French crew 100 years ago.

Riches of Clare: Brave Quilty Fishermen
Clare Champion, Friday, May 9, 2003
The Riches of Clare exhibition at the local authority-run Clare Museum charts the county’s history. In this article, museum curator John Rattigan writes about the Quilty fishermen who went to rescue the crew of the stricken Leon in 1907.
The turbulent coastline of County Clare has for centuries been a graveyard for many ships that attempted to navigate it. Famously, in 1588, the mighty fleet of the Spanish Armada lost four of its vessels to this unrelenting coastline.
On 26 September, 1907, a French Ship, the 3,000 ton Leon XIII, arrived in Cork Harbour from Portland, Oregon. The ship, owned by the Socíeté des Armatuers Nantais, soon set off for Limerick with the intention of delivering wheat to Bannatyne mills.
On October 1, the crew of twenty-two under the leadership of Captain Lucas were making their way past the coast of Quilty, when disaster struck. A ferocious storm had hit the area on the previous night and was so powerful that even the seasoned Quilty fishermen thought it more prudent to stay ashore. However, the French sailors, not realising the ferocity of the storm sailed straight into the high winds and lashing waves. Suddenly, the ship struck a reef just a few hundred feet from the shore. The deadly force of the wind and waves combined to split the ship in two, leaving the stern submerged and the crew at the mercy of the Atlantic Ocean. Before long, a huge crowd had assembled along the shoreline. Almost immediately the local fishermen set out in their currachs in an attempt to rescue the trapped sailors.
What followed has been immortalised in Quilty folklore, and was described in the Clare Journal of 7 October 1907, as “a display of reckless daring such as has rarely been witnessed in Ireland.” At the heart of the furious storm the brave Quilty fishermen drove their currachs as near to the stricken Leon as possible. Approach could only be attempted in a circuitous way through a mile of “raging, boiling water”, and yet the men continued relentlessly.
At the same time the fishermen were battling against the waves, a lifeboat from Seafield station had been sent for. After an abortive attempt by the coastguard to reach the ship, a wire was sent to Admiral King Hall at Cobh requesting a rocket apparatus in order to make contact with the vessel, but due to the weather, this equipment was not available.
With time running out for the crew of the Leon, the fishermen persisted in their endeavour to save the sailors. After many “soul-stirring scenes”, records the Clare Journal, the West Clare fishermen “thrust themselves into the waves”, until they finally reached the vessel. In a bitter struggle between life and death, the Quilty Fishermen eventually won, rescuing thirteen of the twenty-two-man crew to the jubilation of the worried onlookers. The remaining crew members brought safely ashore by the naval vessel HMS Arrogant.
These last sailors to be rescued had remained behind with Captain Lucas, who had broken his leg after been hurled across the deck. Ironically, the fact that his leg was wedged between “two bits” helped save his life for he would have been thrown into the sea if it were not for this accident. After the incident, Captain Lucas spoke of his amazement at the bravery of the Clare fishermen. “They seemed to court death, and to throw away their lives in the endeavour to rescue us”, he said. Louis Boutin, the first mate, articulated the sentiment amongst the crew by saying, “I have been all over the world, but never, never in my life have I seen any action more heroic than the conduct of those Clare fishermen”.
After the incident which lasted almost three days, the crew of the ‘Leon’ were taken to Pat Talty’s hotel (which would later be renamed “The Leon”) and were shown tremendous hospitality. The French Government later honoured the gallant fishermen by presenting them with bronze medals in the former Atlantic Hotel at Spanish Point. The Limerick Chronicle initiated a fund in appreciation of the fishermen involved in the epic rescue.
A memorial church was erected in Quilty to their memory with each of their names (as Gaeilge) over the main entrance. The Church named “Stella Maris” (Star of the Sea) was officially opened on October 11, 1911. Forty-two years later, the bell of the Leon was recovered from the wreckage by Mr. Stephen F Ebrill and was presented to the church on 11 November, 1949, where it can still be seen today.
A lifering bearing the name “Leon XIII” and “Nantes”, previously on display at Beatrice O’Dwyers’ shop in Quilty is now on loan to Clare Museum, where it is on exhibition.
As we approach the one hundredth anniversary of this historic occasion we can still appreciate the importance of what was an amazing act of true heroism.
Ní fheicimid leithéidi na n-iascairi sin o Choillte riamh arís.

Cork French Connection

2007-12-14T12:19:00.000Z

RYANAIR ANNOUNCES 7th NEW ROUTE FROM CORK TO CARCASSONNE

Ryanair, Europe’s largest low fares airline today (13th Dec) announced a 7th new route from its Cork base to Carcassonne which will operate three times weekly from the end of May until the first week in September. Today also sees inaugural Ryanair flights from Cork to East Midlands and Glasgow.
Announcing this summer route, Ryanair’s Head of Communications, Peter Sherrard said;
“We are delighted to announce a 7th route from our Cork base to Carcassonne.

“To celebrate Ryanair’s new Carcassonne route which goes on sale today on www.ryanair.com, we are offering 50,000 €10 seats on our routes from Cork to Dublin, East Midlands, Glasgow, Liverpool and London. We advise passengers to book today as bargains like this will be snapped up in record time”.
Kevin Cullinane, Marketing Manager, Cork Airport said:
“Cork Airport welcomes this latest addition to our ever expanding route network and Ryanair’s confidence in our ability to deliver sustained profitable routes. This early Christmas present builds on our desire to offer increased connectivity to and from Cork Airport in the year ahead. I am confident the people of Munster will show their appreciation of this expansion by supporting the new route in large numbers.”

The Irish Legionnaire

2007-10-30T14:44:00.000Z

The Irish Legionnaire
Padraig O'Keeffe never took the easy option as a child so there was a certain inevitability about his decision to join the French Foreign Legion. But its brutal regime now helps him cope with the horrors of Iraq. On the eve of his return to face more mayhem in the Middle East, he talks to Ciara Dwyer
Sunday October 28 2007
When Padraig O'Keeffe was a young boy at boarding school, his class was scheduled to have swimming lessons. He didn't know how to swim, but the idea of hanging around with the beginners in the shallow end didn't appeal to him.
"I climbed up to the diving board and plunged straight into the deep end. I went back up again and did it five times. Then I was swimming," he says.
This is indicative of O'Keeffe's life story; forever impatient with basic lessons, when he could be doing the difficult thing straight away. Cobh-born Padraig O'Keeffe has always been an extremist.
At the age of 20, he read a book about the French Foreign Legion and that was it. His destiny was written.Dissatisfied with working split shifts as a chef in the Slieve Russell Hotel in Cavan, he handed in his notice (immediately after he'd read the book), got a lift to Dublin and bought a one-way ticket to Marseille. He was joining the French Foreign Legion and nothing was going to stop him.
The French Foreign Legion is an integral part of the French army. It serves France yet its volunteers are made up of any nationality, race or creed. Some men join because they are running away from something and they want to disappear. When they sign up, they are allowed to change their identity. But it is a rather drastic way of escaping, for it is one of the toughest army units in the world, renowned for its elite fighting force. It demands huge mental and physical strength.
Padraig O'Keeffe felt that he was made of such mettle.
"The second I picked up that book, I knew where I was going," he says. "It was in me already and I needed to get it out. I brought a Cork football jersey, a shaving kit and 20 quid and that was it. The way I felt on the plane, I could have been going on holidays. I didn't have any jitters."
O'Keeffe didn't tell anyone where he was heading -- he didn't want to be talked out of it. Although he had trained as a chef, living the army life was something he had dreamt about for years.
Padraig had already tried to get into other armies. When he did an interview for the Irish army, he was told that the only way he would get in was as a cook.
"I was told that I didn't have what it takes to be a soldier. I walked out of the barracks and thought -- 'that f**ker has just ruined my life.'"
Later on, Padraig tried different armies -- he needed a sponsor to join the US Marine Corps and the Spanish Foreign Legion only took Spaniards. He wasn't keen on joining the British Army as back in the Eighties relations between Britain and Ireland weren't good.
"The only place that could give me what I wanted out of life was the French Foreign Legion and that's where I ended up."
Padraig tells his tale in the book Hidden Soldier, with journalist Ralph Riegel. In riveting detail, it explains how an ordinary lad from Cork -- the son of a Garda and a nurse -- headed off to join the Legion. When he finished his training, he came fifth in his class; then he went on to become a corporal. The book is a terrific read and gives great insight into Legion life.
Starting out, O'Keeffe was a little clueless. He thought that the battles he'd read about in the Legionnaire book were still going on. "I was thinking, Algeria, here we come." When he got off the train in Aubagne -- where the main Legion recruiting base is -- he spotted two French Foreign Legion soldiers wearing the famous white hats, Kepi Blanc, and vowed that it wouldn't be long before he was wearing one, too.
He took a taxi from the station, simply saying "Foreign Legion." The kindly taxi driver advised him that it wouldn't be a good idea if he arrived at the barracks stepping out of a taxi. He stopped the car 100 metres away and let O'Keeffe walk the final distance.
Once inside, Padraig was grilled rigorously (the interrogation has the nickname "Gestapo"). They want to know about your past and why you want to join. They were astounded that Padraig only had a one-way ticket. He told them that he didn't need a return ticket, as he was determined to stay. (He left out the fact that he couldn't afford a return ticket.)
"If you bullsh*t any part of your life at all, it's not a good way to start. You're going to pay for that somewhere along the line. You don't need that."
Padraig passed the interviews, the medicals, got his hair shaved and within four weeks he was on his way to Castel, the training depot. He chose to keep his identity.
"The minute I got into the Legion, I felt like I was home."
It didn't take long for the training to knock his cocky attitude out of him.
"In civvy street, I would have been a bit of a smart-ass but in the Legion it's just a question of taking it. You keep your mouth shout and you obey orders, no matter what."
He elaborates on it in Hidden Soldier. "Recruits had teeth knocked out, went on marches black and blue from beatings and were usually cold, hungry and exhausted. But slowly we began to adjust to the Legion way of life."
He talks of "suffering beyond the point of endurance" but rather than moaning about it, he is ecstatic. "Despite the danger and the strict training regime, life in the Legion was all that I had dreamed about and more."
Although he still remembers the pain.
"They like to keep you in a half pissed off, half angry state. And they do everything the hard way. If you're walking down the hill, they make you walk slower than normal -- it kills your knees. It's silly sh*t but there's a point to it. Why do things the easy way when we're so used to doing it the hard way? Then when you go into a hostile environment, it's easier than being in the barracks. We were hardened."
PADRAIG says that joining the Legion was about "running towards something, rather than running away from something" but I find it strange that it took him three months before he wrote to his parents. This, he says, is because he wanted to immerse himself in the Legion. His training took four months, during which time he found great camaraderie. He enjoyed some of the Legionnaire traditions -- like when they got paid every month, the money was put in their cap and they'd put it on.
After six months, he got his first posting overseas, in Cambodia.
"In the beginning, there was a huge buzz when you were training on a firing range but it's a different thing when you go to some of the places. The people are suffering and they don't need you to act the ass-hole. With the rifle you're carrying, you have the means to end life, so you don't take it lightly."
In Cambodia, Padraig worked with the engineering section -- defusing and removing landmines. After that he was sent to Bosnia, twice. He came across horrific scenes in Sarajevo -- helpless orphans and people reduced to living like animals. As it says in the book, "Sarajevo seemed to suck the life out of you. It seemed to be a magnet for the very worst in human behaviour."
Padraig spent five years in the French Foreign Legion. He left it because he felt that it had changed and he became disillusioned. But he walked away with a heavy heart.
"I didn't leave the Legion, the Legion left me."
He returned to Cork and for eight years he tried his hand at living a civilian life. He worked as a bricklayer's mate, did some security guard work and he tried to set up a dog-training business. None of these worked out. After his military life, he couldn't adjust to humdrum reality.
Then he got a call to do some security work in Iraq; he was only too happy to be off, using his soldiering expertise. Working as a private security contractor would mean that he wouldn't have the back- up of the Legion or any army. But the minute he got off the plane, he felt alive again.
In this new line of work, Padraig went to Basra and Baghdad, where he nearly lost his life.
"I was sure I was going to be killed in that ambush. There is a fear aspect to it but there's also a willingness to live and a readiness to die. I know it sounds off the wall, but, yeah, I'm good to go ... I'm ready to die. I believe that the only honourable death in ambush is if you're protecting a life. My respect for life is immense."
Padraig has seen some of his friends shot dead and he has killed people himself. It may have been in the line of duty but it takes its toll. As he says in the book, "Yes, I have shot people. And, yes, I have thought about it afterwards. But what has helped me to square it with myself has been the fact that, in every single case, if I hadn't fired those shots the person would have killed me, one of my mates or one of the people I was charged to protect. It's as simple as that. I have never deliberately gone out of my way to harm anyone. If the convoys I protect aren't fired upon, then I keep my weapon lowered. If I can avoid a confrontation, believe me that is the route I choose to take. As a security contractor, I will take boredom over confrontation every day of the week. But I won't ignore the duty of care I have to the people I protect. If you try to kill them, well, you'll have to kill me first."
Last year, he decided to take 12 months off so he could stay at home in Cork and catch up on ordinary living. On the day I meet him -- it is his 37th birthday -- he tells me that his year of going on the lash is almost over. Soon he will be off again on some new mission.
Will he continue to live this way of life forever?
"I'm going to walk away from this sort of life eventually, but right now there's nothing in civvy street which would make me stay. As a young lad, I may have started off all gung-ho, but nowadays most of my work is about protecting people's lives."
But what about his life? Apart from a worried family in Cork and friends, he doesn't seem to have room for a personal life. He concedes that this is true, then tells me that he has chosen to live like this.
"I love doing what I do. I don't see why I should sit here and expect somebody else to do it, when I have all the abilities."
Soon he will be gone, back into the thick of ambush. The hidden soldier from Cobh dives into deep waters once more.
'Hidden Soldier -- An Irish Legionnaire's Wars from Bosnia to Iraq,' by Padraig O' Keeffe with Ralph Riegel is published by O'Brien Press (e14.95)

Living it up in Perpignan

2007-09-24T15:05:00.000+01:00

Living it up in Perpignan

Sunday, September 09, 2007 - By Diarmaid Condon

There are many things for which the South of France is famous but, unfortunately, affordable property is not one of them, with a bolthole on the Cote d’Azur likely to set you back more than a few pretty pennies.Move inland and it’s a different story, but for many people the sea is the prime attraction, so they want to be near it.This is one, but certainly not the only, reason why Irish buyers are becoming increasingly attracted to the LanguedocRoussillon region, which stretches from Nimes south to the Spanish border in the Pyrenees mountains.This is a somewhat peculiar part of France in that as you head for the Spanish border, you will see a growing influence from Catalonia, leading to its description in much of the local Catalan press as ‘Catalunya Nord’.Perpignan, the region’s capital, is a rugby-mad enclave that is becoming quite popular with the Irish.
Accessibility to the area from Ireland has increased exponentially in the past five years with numerous budget airlines flying into what are principally small, regional airports such as Perpignan and Carcassonne, as well as Girona just over the Spanish border. You can also fly to Barcelona if you wish.Just 15 minutes east of Perpignan you will find the sandy beaches of the Mediterranean, while an hour’s drive southwest will bring you to the ski resorts of the Pyrenees.This is quite a picturesque corner of France which is dotted with vineyards, but it has traditionally attracted French, rather than foreign, tourists. It is only recently, with the growth of the budget airlines, that northern Europeans have come in any numbers.As a result, the region is still very unspoilt and is most definitely not a package holiday destination. The nearby beaches of Canet, St Cyprien, Argeles and Barcares have seen a good deal of low-key development in recent years; there are more than 20 kilometres of blue flag beaches, typical French restaurants, chic clubs and lots to entertain the kids.Although property prices are much lower than in the Cote d’Azur, they are currently quite buoyant, particularly around Perpignan. The TGV high-speed train line to Barcelona is due to be completed by early 2010; this should reduce the journey time between the two cities to 40 minutes and is likely to boost the market in Perpignan, where property prices are currently well below those in Barcelona.The government has also earmarked this area as one to which they will decentralise some government offices to reduce the reliance on Paris.
Among the companies offering investment property in the area is Bidsinfrance.com, which is led by two Limerick sisters, Suzanne and Karen O’Reilly, and which focuses on the Languedoc region.Both are bilingual, which helps immeasurably in this part of France - most of the locals have no English, nor any desire to speak it.The O’Reillys source property individually for their clients, rather than following the traditional agent route of selling property in large, purpose-built developments.Suzanne was the first to move to France; having gone with her mother to purchase an apartment in 2000, she ended up staying there.She believes that the that the client profile has changed somewhat since she began in the industry. ‘‘I’ve seen the trend change from holidaymakers to investors over the past few years,” she said. ‘‘Originally the majority of our clients wanted a place on the beach to holiday with their family. Now, over 70 per cent of the mare investors.”Karen O’Reilly, who has a background in accountancy, believes that France is still a good choice for a safe investment.‘‘It is possible to find high-yielding properties, but there is also the attraction of doing business in an area with attractive lifestyle options and excellent food and wine, as well as being somewhere that is culturally diverse,” she said.
According to the O’Reillys, not many of their clients have opted to move to the Languedoc permanently yet. ‘‘Having said that, quite a few have expressed a desire to ultimately move to France,” said Karen O’Reilly. ‘‘With the choice of budget flights in and out of the region, both from Dublin and regional airports, it is now relatively easy to move over and back regularly.”ON THEMARKET Bids in France currently has a two-bedroom apartment with lateral sea views near the promenade in Canet which Karen O’Reilly believes is suitable for an investor, as it is being sold furnished, equipped and ready to rent.Located 30 metres from the beach in the heart of Canet, it is close to shops and restaurants so could also be used as a holiday apartment. The asking price is €143,000.In the heart of Perpignan town, the company has a 50 square metre one-bedroom second floor apartment. This is described as a ‘‘very French’’ property with high ceilings and plenty of character, and the O’Reillys believe an investor could generate returns of up to 5 per cent per year. This apartment costs €110,000.The company also has a two-bedroom apartment situated in the suburbs of Perpignan, close to the university in a highly sought after neighbourhood.The property has been completely refurbished to a high standard with a new kitchen, bathroom and flooring, with annual returns of up to 4.5 per cent achievable. It is priced at €147,000.For further information contact 0033-607-421668 or visit www.bidsinfrance.com.Buying in Languedoc – a case study Dublin couple Audrey and Feargal Duggan visited the Pyrenees-Orientales region of the Languedoc on a number of occasions and fell in love with the area.Having holidayed with their two children in both winter and summer, the couple, who are both in their late 30s, decided to invest in the area.Neither has much French and they didn’t know where to start so the services of Bids in France proved very useful. They heard of the company from a colleague who had also used them.‘‘We wanted a place we could use sporadically and where the figures would stack up if we rented it out during the high season,” said Audrey Duggan.‘‘I e-mailed the O’Reillys [of Bids of France] with our requirements and budget, and they took us to view a total of seven properties. All of them matched the criteria but one or two really stood out for us. In the end we opted for a spacious one-bedroom ground floor apartment in Canet. Within the residence there are pools and facilities for the kids so if we want we can plonk ourselves there for our holidays and the kids are happy.”Feargal Duggan estimates that the apartment has appreciated by about 40 per cent since the couple bought it three years ago, adding that the rent it makes covers all of their costs.The Duggans visit the area a couple of times a year, using some of the many budget flights into the region.It has proven cheap and easy to get to for them, which was a priority when they were looking at buying. They also like having the flexibility of being able to use the unit when they wish to do so, and feel that a leaseback unit would be too restrictive for them.‘‘We feel that France doesn’t ever go out of fashion.‘‘We are two minutes from the beach in Canet, ten minutes drive to Perpignan and an hour’s drive from the snow. ‘‘It suits our needs perfectly,” Audrey said.

Fete de la Musique - why not in Ireland

2007-07-25T14:26:00.000+01:00

On the 21st. of June each year French people celebrate Fete de la Musique. It is also celebrated in other European countries but to my knowledge not in Ireland. Surprising when you consider the strength of music and song in the Irish culture.
I was introduced to Fete de la Music in a beautiful perched village in the Hautes Pyrenees called Castlenou. There, perched on the hillside in the shade of the castle towering overhead, the proprietor Yvan Blavette puts on a most enjoyable evening of food, wine and music.
For more information click on www.restaurant-roussillon.com

If you travel a little farther into the mountains you will come to Villefranch-de-Conflent and if fine food in a beautiful setting appeals to you then visit Auberge St. Paul. There between the walls of the medieval town and the old church you can dine in the shade of the beautiful plane trees.
For more information visit http://perso.wanadoo.fr/auberge.stpaul

If you have any information from your travels in Ireland or France that you would like to pass on please drop a line.

Classic Irish French Cinnection

2007-06-14T19:25:00.000+01:00

On Sunday mornings I like to listen to RTE radio programme "Sunday Miscellany" and last Sunday morning there was a very interesting short story relating to a French Huguenot family from La Rochelle that came and settled in Ireland to escape persecution in France.
http://pc.rte.ie/2007/pc/pod-v-080607-31m31s-sundaymisc.mp3
If you would like to listen to the story log on to the above site. I am sure it is the second story - the full programme is on the recording. Hope you can listen to it.

French Member's home for sale.

2007-05-23T13:09:00.000+01:00

Our French Member Le 66 - Catherine O'Hara is moving house and has put her current home on the market. We visited herself and Alistair in April and this house truly has the "WOW" factor.

Hi again,

Please find hereafter, the details on our house site :

In the heart of a Catalan village of 2500 people, 2.5km from the (A9)Spain-bound motorway and 4km from the lively Catalan town of Ceret, St Jean Pla de Corts has its own nursery & primary schools, a butchers, a bakery, a general store and 2 restaurants one of which is lake-side. The lakes provide year-round entertainment for the family with it's bar & restaurant; adventure park; trout-fishing, pedaloes and trampolines. Our villa has 247m² of living space; this includes a 27m² self-contained studio apartment with kitchen and bathroom which sleeps 4. The main house contains an open-plan living area of over 80m². This wraps around a large terracotta terrace with steps leading down to the mosaic pool & garden. The villa is well appointed, light and airy on a private road with gated access and ample parking. A well planted garden boasts cherry, apricot, nectarine, olive and pine trees and the perimeter walls are covered with rose bushes. Planning permission has been obtained for a further 168m² dwelling. The villa is exceptionally private and makes an fabulous family home and/or lucrative rental property. The accommodation comprises of 4 large double bedrooms, 2 of which are en-suite. The master bedroom is approx 25m² with a walk-in dressing room. The main Bathroom has a double sink and a large sunken corner-bath. The large windows, open space and magnificent 180° mountain views from every window give this villa an unrivalled “Wow” factor

Catherine O'Hara
Maison Med
00 33 (0)4 68 21 18 08
00 33 (0)6 50 74 46 65
www.maisonmed.com

McMahon Architects in the Charente-Maritime

2007-05-10T19:51:00.000+01:00

McMahon Architects - in the Charente-Maritime

Founded in 2003 in the Charente-Maritime, we are registered with the 'Ordre des Architectes' and carry all relevant insurances for design and project management. We have a particular expertise in Residential Work and pride ourselves on being able to combine quality of service and imaginative design with practical management and financial skills on both new-build and renovation projects.

Bienvenue

PMA est une agence d’architectes fondée en 2003 en Charente-Maritime. Nous sommes inscrits à l’ordre des architectes de Poitou-charente, nous assurons à la fois la conception et le suivie du chantier. Nous sommes spécialisés en particulier dans l’habitat, et l’agence est fière de combiner qualité de service et design créatif avec une pratique de management et une adresse financière aussi bien sur les projets modernes que la rénovation.

Please log on to our web-site McMahon Architects in the Charente-Maritime

www.mcmahon-architectes.com

Marc Jonas wrote on the 27-03-2007 :

2007-04-30T20:41:00.000+01:00

To be found on www.chemins-vignerons.com/english a forum in which you can write your tasting notes, about french mediterranean vineyards only : Languedoc Roussillon Provence.

Hospitality service en Provence, in a very underrated wine region with the best value for money in Europe.
Best Wishes - Marc

Marc, Thanks for your contact. However I could not make contact on your Link. Perhaps you would like to re send it.

Brendan

Dave McCarthy - Membership ?

2007-04-30T20:33:00.000+01:00

Dave McGrath wrote on the 02-04-2007 :
Subject: membership Comment:
Hi I'm Dave (living in London but from cork boy !)My family and I are moving to France in a month and would love to be part of some kind of "Irish connection" grateful if you could call me on 00 44 7958 249 475 to discuss becoming a member etc.

Hi Dave, thanks for your contact. If you could let me have a picture, a thumb nail description of about 60 words and a contact web address. I can add your membership.

Brendan

Stephanie Lynch - Insurance Company ?

2007-04-30T20:27:00.000+01:00

Stephanie Lynch wrote on the 27-04-2007 :
Subject: general infoComment:
Just a query, wondering if any of your members could recommend an Insurance company in Narbonne for us. We are first time buyers in France and have been allocated just one company which is England based, so we dont really think this is suitable.

Hi Stephnie, Sorry for the delay in replying. You could check our the website of -http://www.sixtysix.fr/ - they publish news letters / advertisers for Aude, Herault etc.You could also contact Tony at www.nizas.comHope that this will be of help - Brendan