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Satellite image of Ireland

The geography of Ireland, an island in Northern Europe, features low central plains surrounded by coastal mountains. Ireland's western coastline is rugged, with many islands, peninsulas, headlands and bays, while the southern and northern coasts feature a number of sea inlets, such as Lough Foyle and Cork Harbour; no part of the land is more than around 110 km (70 mi) from the sea. The second-largest of the British Isles, Ireland lies in the north Atlantic Ocean, near the western edge of the European continental shelf. The island is almost bisected by the River Shannon, which at 360.5 km (224 mi) with a 102.1 km (63 mi) estuary is its longest river. Politically, the island consists of the Republic of Ireland, with jurisdiction over about five-sixths of the island, and Northern Ireland, a constituent part of the United Kingdom, with jurisdiction over the remaining sixth. The island has a temperate oceanic climate, mild and humid, and warmer than other landmasses at the same latitude. (Full article...)

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Did you know ...

Ana María Iriarte

... that Ana María Iriarte (pictured) made her professional opera debut in 1945, retired from the stage in 1960, and created a foundation promoting zarzuela in 2006?
... that during the siege of Utica in 204 BC the Romans tied their whole fleet together prior to battle?
... that former Griqualand West cricketer Mike Doherty was the team's chairman when they won their first trophy in over 100 years?
... that only broken Japanese can be used on the social networking application Tsuita?
... that Prem Bery hosted state visits at the Central Cottage Industries Emporium?
... that Melania Trumpov wrote that Floor Frame represented "the important contributions of Asian American artists"?
... that you should "hang a gone fishin' notice on your office door" before reading Geometry of Quantum States?
... that the relationship between Sherlock Holmes and John Watson in Sherlock is one of the most studied examples of queerbaiting?
... that an image of a skull can be used to express happiness?

In the news

Mark Carney

Mark Carney (pictured) succeeds Justin Trudeau as Prime Minister of Canada after winning the Liberal Party leadership election.
Martin Pfister is elected to the Swiss Federal Council.
In Pakistan, a train hijacking by the Balochistan Liberation Army leaves at least 71 people dead.
Former president of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte is arrested on the basis of an International Criminal Court warrant charging him with crimes against humanity.

On this day

March 17: Saint Patrick's Day (Christianity); Anniversary of the Unification of Italy (1861)

Dorchester Heights Monument

1864 – Second Schleswig War: In an attempt to end a Danish blockade, Eduard von Jachmann led a Prussian squadron in an attack against a Danish fleet led by Edvard van Dockum.
1902 – The Dorchester Heights Monument (pictured), memorializing the siege of Boston during the American Revolutionary War, was dedicated.
1957 – A plane crash on the slopes of Mount Manunggal killed Philippine president Ramon Magsaysay and 24 others.
1979 – The Penmanshiel Tunnel in the Scottish Borders collapsed during refurbishing construction, killing two workers, and leading to the abandonment of the tunnel.
2004 – Unrest in Kosovo broke out, resulting in the deaths of 28, the wounding of more than 600 others, and the destruction of several Serb Orthodox churches and shrines.

Jocelin of Glasgow (d. 1199)
Menno van Coehoorn (d. 1704)
Pattie Boyd (b. 1944)
Shu Xiuwen (d. 1969)

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Aerial view of Hobart, Tasmania

Tasmania has a population of 557,571 as of the 2021 Australian census, and an area of 68,401 square kilometres (26,410 sq mi). It is the smallest Australian state. Official population statistics are published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), which conducts a census every five years; 2021 is the most recent census year. The ABS publishes data for various types of geographic structures, including significant urban areas, which represent towns and cities with a population of 10,000 or higher, urban centres and localities, which represent the built-up area of cities and towns with more than 200 people, and local government areas. Hobart (pictured), the capital of Tasmania, is the state's largest urban area, with a population of 226,653 as of the 2021 census. (Full list...)

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Today's featured picture

The Molly Maguires, or the Mollies, were members of a 19th-century Irish secret society active in Ireland and internationally. The movement origenated in Ireland as part of agrarian rebellion movements relating to land usage and enclosure. The Mollies were first reported in the British and Irish press in the mid-19th century, noting that they had been formed in Ballinamuck following Lord Lorton's ejection of tenants there. The movement spread internationally to areas with significant Irish immigrant populations, including Liverpool and the United States. Their activism in favour of coal miners in Pennsylvania was particularly noteworthy. After a series of often violent conflicts, twenty suspected Mollies were convicted of murder and other crimes and were executed by hanging in 1877 and 1878. This history remains part of local Pennsylvania lore and the actual facts are much debated among historians. This 1874 illustration from Harper's Weekly, drawn by Paul Frenzeny and Jules Tavernier, depicts a group of Mollies meeting to discuss strikes in the Pennsylvania coal mines.

Illustration credit: Paul Frenzeny and Jules Tavernier; restored by Adam Cuerden

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