Dubai Irish Golf Society (DIGS),

anoff shoot of Dubai Irish Society, wasfounded in 2003. The first Captainwas Colm McLoughlin followed byPaul Thornberry, Tom Barry, JohnMerrigan, Richard Ingram, and thepresent Captain is George Horan.The objective of Dubai Irish Golf Society is to provide theopportunity for golfers within thecommunity to play at pre-arrangedevents on different coursesthroughout the year. Prior to DIGS,most golfing events for thecommunity were arranged by PaulThornberry. From a small beginning,there are now in excess of 200playing in these DIGS events.This year we have had three events.1. Emirates Golf Club sponsored bySharaf Industries, Dubai (thanks toJohn Merrigan, Chief OperatingOfficer)2. Dubai Creek Golf Club sponsoredby Areva T & D, Dubai (thanks toJohn McDonagh, Regional SalesDirector Oil & Gas)3. Arabian Ranches sponsored byCondor Scaffolding Contracting LLC,Dubai (thanks to John White,Managing Director)The next event, sponsored by JohnJameson LLC will take place on the22

of Jan 2009 at the Jebel Ali Golf Resort & Spa. There are also twofurther events scheduled:1.

The Mark Fahey Memorial Day

atFour Seasons Golf Club - sponsoredby Dubai Duty Free (thanks to ColmMcLoughlin)2.

Captain’s Day

at Dubai Creek Golf Club

–

sponsor (TBC)Membership of DIGS cost Dhs100/-which entitles the member to aGreg Norman T-Shirt, very kindlysponsored by Richard Ingram of Ingram Group, Dubai.RegardsGeorge Horan

Captain/DIGS

Presidents’ Messages

Dubai Irish Society Newsletter

January 2009

Welcome Message

As President of the

Dubai Celts

, Iam delighted to welcome you allhere to Dubai for the Gulf GaelicGames. For those of you who arevisiting Dubai for the first time, Ihope that you enjoy the weekend.For those of you returning, I amsure that there are still many newattractions in Dubai that you canstill enjoy.The Dubai Celts have worked hardto ensure that this tournament is asuccess. Their dedication and com-mitment to promoting Irish sportoverseas is admirable and I amaware of the amount of time givenby the Celts to ensure that thisweekend goes according to plan. As a result of this weekend, theDubai Celts are also putting aspotlight on Dubai as a first classsports destination and the newEmirates Sevens facility is an ex-cellent example of what can beachieved in Dubai in a relativelyshort space of time. I am delightedto see so many young people inthe Gulf dedicated to Irish sportand I wish you all a successfultournament.Colm McLoughlin,

President, Dubai Celts Managing Director Dubai Duty Free

Dia Daoibh Athbhliain faoi mhaise daoibh agus céad míle fáilteromhaibh chuig an gcéad eagrán denuacht-litir Chumann Gaelach Dubai.Erin Ní Néill is ainm dom agus is as Corcaigh dom.Táim i mo thriú bliain anseo i Dubai, ag obair san ionad Starwood, i Mina-Seyahi.Beidh sé de chuspóir agam eolas a thabhairt daoibh faoi na heachtraí éagsúla a bheidh ar siúl i rith na bliana, chomh maith le scéalta éagsúla, nuacht srl. Bain taithneamh as.Ní neart go cur le chéile! Slán go fóill, Erin Happy New Year to you and welcome to the first edition of the Dubai Irish Society's Quarterly newsletter. In case our paths havenot crossed allow me steal a moment to

introduce myself…. My name is Erin O'Neill

and I come from Cork. This is my third year in Dubai, working at the Mina Seyahi Complex, a Starwood Resort. It is my aim to bring news & updates to you about thedifferent events that will be happening during the year in the Irish Community herein Dubai. Also some interesting stories, news items and more. I hope that you enjoy.

Remember ‘There is no strength without unity.’

Bye for now,Erin

For those who would like to be on theDIGS circulation list, please email MsNida Ponce,Nida.Ponce@ddf.ae.

D.I.S. January Quote:

“People are always blaming their circumstances for where they are. Idon’t believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this worldare the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want,and if they can’t find them… they make them.”

George Bernard Shaw

Chair, DIS

Winners of the last DIGS event atthe Arabian Ranches

Iris Gaelach Dubai

Dubai Irish Society Newsletter

DIS Irish Profile of the Quarter:

Brenda Cooke, Retirement Home & Rehabilitation Centre

Page 2

Brenda loves horses. A passion passed from her father andone she seems to share equally with His Highness SheikhMohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. This, coupled withgrowing up in an Irish family of 7 children has developed her perfectly for her current role as the Al Ruwayyah Stable

Manager at Sheikh Mohammed’s Retirement Home &

Rehabilitation Centre. Undoubtedly, a life devotion among astaff of 49 men and 147 horses at the stables on the border of Oman. This centre developed by the Sheikh Mohammed for retired and injured horses was in need of a soulful touch suchas Brenda's to ensure these magnificent creatures were beingwell cared for. Having worked for over 20 years, starting withKildangan Stud in the Emerald Isle, it was a pleasure for Brenda to come tothe sunny, warmweather andcontinue her services here. Whenasked what shemisses most fromhome, it was freshfrom the oven, big

crusted ’loaf’bread….and

Cadburys chocolate!No matter what they say it is just not the same here!Brenda remembers starting with only 11 horses, growing to 97beauties within two years and now at an astounding 147beauties. Quite an achievement, I think you will agree!On any given morning, Brenda awakes to greet the sun andeach and every horse to ensure their continued health,happiness and well-being. From feeding, examining andexercising them, the care Brenda takes in these creatures isdefinitely more than just a morning greeting. It is a full time joband life devotion. Nothing but the absolute best for thesehorses, from practically luxury accommodation to the best feedand medicine money can buy. These horses get the star treatment as though they are still race winners!

A special thank you to Brenda who invited Erin & Donal intoher home to share her story with the Irish Community in Dubai

Would you like to practiceyour Irish? Even if you'veonly got the 'cúpla focal'we'll have some fun any-way! There are plenty of usIrish living here in Dubaiand this is a great opportu-nity to meet up and practice

your ‘Gaeilge' in a social

setting. We're a small, infor-mal group and this is achance for you to make astart on spoken Irish with nopressure and no stress.Ar mhaith leat comhrá asGaeilge? Mura bhfuil achcúpla focal agat beidh spórtagainn ar aon chor! Tá cónaíar go leor Éireannaigh anseoin Dubai agusis deis iontach íseo don phobal an Ghaeilge achleachtadh ag ócáidshóisialta. Grúpa beagneamhfhoirmiúil muide agusseo seans dhuit tús a dhé-anamh ar an nGaeilge labhar-tha gan strus, gan bhrú.

The Dubai Celts GAA Club,sponsored by Dubai Duty Free,will play host for the third

year running to the world‟s

largest International Sevens Gaelic Football and Hurling SevensTournament at the new Emirates 7s Sports Complex on Friday 23

and Saturday 24

January.

This year‟s tournament has attracted a truly international spread of

clubs: 6 clubs from Ireland, 1 from Brussels and 9 from Asia andthe Middle East. Up to 600 players will participate in the two day

tournament which is proudly sponsored by Dubai Duty Free. “The

Gulf Gaelic Games 2007 and 2008 were a huge success and we

expect this year‟s tournament to be bigger and better again. Not

only is it a great opportunity for the Irish in Dubai to cometogether and get a feel for home, but it is also an opportunity to

showcase their unique games to the people of Dubai,” comments

Colm McLoughlin, President of the Dubai Celts and Managing

Director of Dubai Duty Free.. “It helps to bring together cultures

as well as encouraging Irish teams to visit and experience the

warm Arabian hospitality and heritage,” he added.

The tournament this year will see intense rivalry betweenestablished clubs from Ireland and Europe against the growingstrength of the Middle East clubs including Dubai Celts. Neutralexperienced referees flown especially from Ireland will guaranteefair play for all. Ladies and gents are catered for in equal measureas both actively participate in the Gaelic football and hurlingcompetitions (called camogie for ladies).Hurling is the oldest and fastest team field sport in the world andthis years tournament will feature an exhibition game between the5

and 6

form students from Jumeirah College and WellingtonInternational School, none of whom are Irish and some of whomonly took up the game in the last 8 weeks due to theencouragement and enthusiasm of their teacher and coach DannyCotterell from Co. Kilkenny. According to Danny his students

have taken to hurling „like ducks to water‟.

Dubai Celts hostsinternationalGaelic Sevens

Ciorcal Comhrá

Beimid ag bualadh le chéile

gach tráthnóna Luain

ó 8.i.n. - 9.i.n. We will meet

every Monday evening

8-9 pm.Is féidir tuilleadheolais a fháil ó Louise:louisesmith50@gmail.com Please contact Louise for more information:louisesmith50@gmail.com

A sweet taste of Ireland

Irish business looks to theGulf for further growth

Dubai Irish Society NewsletterPage 3

Caption describing pic-ture or graphic.

December saw Jim Mongey and hisEnterprise Ireland team settling into their new expanded Middle East/NorthAfrica HQ, with a wonderfulstreet address: Number One,Sheikh Zayed Road. The Enter-prise Ireland office (and the IrishVisa Facilitation Office) hasmoved from the Crowne Plazato Level 4 of the office tower of the Monarch Hotel at WorldTrade Centre Interchange.The EI team focuses tightly onhelping Irish companies

–

mostly on a confidential one toone basis - to win export dealsand business partners in 23countries, primarily in the Mid-dle East and North Africa. How-ever it works most intensively inthe Gulf States.The Dubai offices were formally opened by Tanaiste(Deputy Prime Minister) and Minister for Enterprise Tradeand Employment Mary Coughlan, T.D., at the conclusionof the huge (125 executives from 88 companies travelledfrom Ireland) Enterprise Ireland Trade Mission to AbuDhabi and Dubai. During her visit the Tanaiste held busi-ness development discussions with the UAE Ministers forIndustry and Foreign Trade, the Secretary General of Du-

bai’s Executive Council, the Chairman of Etisalat andmany others to advance Ireland’s overseas business

agenda. During the Mission Enterprise Ireland Clientsannounced contracts in excess of 40 million Euro.The EI team is hard at work now in planning a 2009 pro-gramme, the more public manifestations of which will be:Trade Missions to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and UAE; seminarsin Ireland on construction Opportunities in the Gulf; in-ward visits to Ireland by major corporate buyers etc It will

also be continuing its work to develop “Irish BusinessNetworks” in other Gulf business capitals, building on its

experience in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain and many othercentres across Europe, North America and AsiaAccording to Jim Mongey of Enterprise Ireland:

“Our year has never gotten off to a faster and more de-

manding start than it has this January. Conditions in virtu-ally all traditional markets in Europe and North Americaare extremely difficult. Our clients in Ireland need thebusiness more than ever

–

and it is widely recognised thattheir capabilities and experience match neatly with needsof Gulf Governments and businesses as they drive aheadwith their ambitious development plans.We are very lucky to have so many friends in our IrishBusiness Networks and Irish Societies who help us tospread the word about the excellence in service and prod-uct solutions that Ireland can bring to the accelerated

development of the Gulf”

Bread and Butter Pudding

12 slices white bread crusts removed 2ozs/55g butter,preferably unsalted 1/2 teasp.nutmeg or cinnamon or mixed spice7 oz./200g plump raisins or sultanas 4 large eggs beaten lightly 8 fl ozs/225ml milk 16 fl ozs/475ml cream1 teasp pure vanilla essence 6 oz/170g castor sugar pinch of salt 1 tablesp.granulated sugar for sprinkling on top

—

Garnish: Softly whipped creamPottery or china dish,8 inches /20.5cm square

—

Butter the bread and arrange 4 slices,butter side down,in a single layer in the dish.Sprinkle the bread with half the nutmeg and half the raisins,and arrange another layer of bread,buttered side down over the raisins and sprinkle the remaining nutmeg and raisins on top. Cover with the remaining bread,buttered side down. In a bowl whisk together the eggs,milk,cream,vanilla essence,sugar and salt.Pour mixture through a fine sieve over the bread. Sprinkle the granulated sugar over the top and let the mixture stand,covered loosely, at room temp.for at least 1 hour or chill overnight. Bake in a bain-marie -the water should be half way up the sides of the baking dish.Bake the pudding in the middle of the preheated oven,180 degreesC/350 degreesFarn/regulo4,for 1 hour approx.or until the top is crisp and golden.Serve warm with some softly whipped cream. Serves 6-8 Note: This pudding reheats perfectly.!!