Chinese version of most popular books in Irish libraries, books such as W.B. Yeats. Other languages are catered for as well, Polish, Spanish, Romanian, Czech, Japanese etc.
Most of the books are selected from bestseller lists in the immigrants' countries, but the libraries also have copies of popular Irish works in translation.
Most of the foreign-language books are kept in the Central Library in Dublin's Ilac Centre, close to the city-centre homes of many immigrants.
Libraries in Counties Waterford, Donegal and Meath have expressed an interest in joining the book rental scheme to cater for their immigrant populations.
Ok, bad pic, and I was in a hurry.. here is the site though for more info : ssg.ie/
(Discuss at IBC forum)
Any ideas on what this one means?
(Discuss at IBC forum)
Update from Derek via Flickr (Thx, Derek!)
欢迎中国朋友光临，
本店有中国员工为您提
供专业的医药客询。
本店拉于D1东方
行西走10米。过了
SPAR既是
Translation (I slightly edited.):
Welcome Chinese friends.
Our shop has Chinese staff who can deal with
specialist enquiries about medicine
Our shop is a 10 metre walk west of the "Asia Market" in D1. Next to Spar.
Speaks for itself, plus check out the website, http://www.clubtravel.ie .
(Discuss at IBC forum)
旅游俱乐部 Club Travel
网上订票统 Online Ticket-booking system
操作简单 便于使用 Simple to use convenient to use
最优惠价格 Best Price!
都柏林-北京 €450 Dublin - Beijing €450
都柏林-上海 €470 Dublin - Shanghai €470
都柏林-香港 €535 Dublin - Hong Kong €535
都柏林-广州 €590 Dublin - Guangzhou €590
机票价格随季节变动，请及时来电咨询
中文服务电话01-500 5540
地址：30 Lr. Abbey Street, Dublin 1
Translation:
Ticket prices may change at different times of the year, please phone us in time for enquiries.
For Chinese language service, phone 01 500 5540
Address:：30 Lr. Abbey Street, Dublin 1
And the small print:
"以上价格均不含", "prices do not include tax" !!
My last entry was about high density living in HK and I came across another article. This one is a bit more sad, it's about all the people (mainly the elderly and disabled) who are left behind and lives in small cramped rooms, or cages. Read it : HK's shame: cages that are home for thousands
The news never highlight these things, I thought they were the elements of the past, but it is very apparent indeed. The poor, the elderly are so hidden away from HK society. When I pictured HK, I did not even think about these issues. I feel so ashamed.
Nowadays being a young person in Ireland with things looking bright, good job, great city (I like Dublin), great people... ok, there are downsides like day-to-day expenses of food shopping, bills, house prices (reason why I am still renting). Yes, house prices in Ireland, Dublin in particular are getting out of control. News about young people, especially single females getting 100% mortgages, which they will have to try and pay off for the next 35 years. And interest rates has gone up 3 times already this year, and there are more to come by the end of this year. No matter how I grumble on how small the appartment I am renting, which is in an ideal location and very good security, it does not beat Hong Kong (Tokyo aside, of course). BBC online actually have pictures of flats that were built in the 60s to alleviate "squatters and tenement dwellers". Just thinking about how expensive it is here, does not compare to HK. Ok, maybe the town where my parents are from might be more affordable than here, but I would rather spend that money on a house, not an appartment, here or HK.
Check it out, the pictures speak louder than words.
Comments welcome at IBC forum.
Saw this at the chemist at the Jervis LUAS stop. Anyone know what it means? Welcome, I am guessing? And something else. It's in Simplified Chinese as well.
UPDATE from Derek via Flickr:
You probably already know the meaning of
"欢迎光临
欢迎所有
中国？？" (can't see the last 2 chars clearly).
"welcome.
welcome all
China (Chinese) ??)"
And...
the second last one is 顾 but I don't know what the last one is! There is a word 顾客, which means customer, but the last character in the photo is not 客! It has a 日 on the bottom. I'll have to ask a chinese person!
Final update... (Thanks, Derek and friends)
As I thought, the last one is 客, confirmed by 2 Chinese people.
So, it is:
欢迎光临 huanying guanlin
欢迎所有 huanying suoyou
中国顾客 zhongguo guke
Which means:
Welcome!! (sort of like welcme to our shop)
Welcme all
Chinese customers!
Maybe it's the weather, maybe it's the effects after a long journey from Limerick to Dublin. What I did not want to hear is some scanger shouting out the car as it went past as we are heading back to the appartment was "Go back to China". Now normally I would ignore this, but I really wanted to shout "Up Munster!", or "Go back to the crap hole whenst you came!" (that one is pretty hard of the eejit was in a car), or "I can't I am not a Chinese citizen, I'm Irish!". Well, as I said I am not sure why that gobshite got on my nerves . One thing for sure... if that person knew his foreign affairs, and economics of the world today, everyone is scrambling to China. See link to article in one of my previous blog entry. I would be lucky to head to Hong Kong to get a job, it was one of my dreams to end up in the highest office of a highrise office building. Since HK is part of China now, it's sort of correct to say, heading back to China. I feel sorry for the poor sod. Generalising anyone who is Asian looking. I could be a American or Canadian or Austrailian or British or any of the major places HK immigrants would go to nowadays. Well, now that is off my chest, I feel happier now.
(Want to discuss this? Check out the IBC forum).
(From Western People) Multi-cultural leaflet to assist pregnant women in the West
A UNIQUE intercultural leaflet for pregnant women has been launched at the Maternity Department of Mayo General Hospital. The first ever multilingual project of its kind, the leaflet focuses on what women need to bring to the hospital and meets the needs of women using the maternity services whose first language is not English. The literature, which is available in six different languages is the first of its kind in the country and uses large illustrations thoughout to show the such informations as items needed after delivery, contact details for relevant professionals and translation services.
It's also available in Polish, Spanish, Russian, French and Portugese.
I just wish that Traditional Chinese is available as well as Simplified in all the public information that is proliferated.
Comments welcome at the IBC board.
