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Icod de los Vinos

Icod de los Vinos is a municipality in the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife on the island of Tenerife, in the Canary Islands (Spain), located in the northwestern part of the island. Inhabitants of Icod are known in Spanish as "icodenses".

Icod has an area of 95.90 km2, is situated at an altitude of 235 m above sea level, and had a population of 23,496 in 2022.

Location
Icod de los Vinos is located on a continuous smooth slope that stretches from the extensive forests of Canary Island Pine down to the sea, and has almost 10 km of shoreline. The city is surrounded by fertile valley, and its streets and corners offer views of the volcanic mountain Teide, as well as dense pine forests which descend from its summit to Icod's higher-altitude districts. Its banana plantations, orchards and vineyards give rise to a lively commerce. The valley is a fertile and agriculturally rich comarca, as shown by the town's full name, Icod de los Vinos (Icod of the Wines).

Icod de los Vinos is located about 47 km west of the capital, Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

History
Founded in 1501, the city is a collection of seigniorial houses, ancient palaces, churches and convents.

The name comes from the former menceyato of Icoden, together with a reference to the local wine (vino in Spanish). The Spanish conquerors were quick to colonize this fertile and well-watered region, and introduced the cultivation of sugarcane and grapevines; the latter came to predominate.

Monuments and places of interest
In the Plaza de Lorenzo Cáceres stands the monument to General José Antonio Páez, founder of Venezuela's independence, whose great-grandfather came from Icod. The town's neighborhoods are sprinkled with innumerable hermitages and other buildings that give Icod great symbolic and artistic value, which can be appreciated at the Museo de Arte Sacro in the church of San Marcos.

Ancient Dragon Tree
In Parque del Drago, close to the Church of San Marcos, stands a famous dragon tree (22 m high, lower trunk diameter 10 m, estimated weight 70 t), which is reputed to be a thousand years old (hence its local name, El Drago Milenario: the Thousand-Year-Old Dragon). While no study seems to have confirmed such longevity for the tree (dracos do not produce annual rings with which to tell their ages; the tree is more likely to have an age in the hundreds of years ), it is the long-time symbol of Icod.

After an abortive attempt by the city council in 2002, another bid to list the Icod Dragon Tree as a UNESCO World Heritage Site was made in 2011.

Church of San Marcos
The  (St. Mark) is located on the Plaza de Lorenzo Cáceres, the spot where, according to tradition, the Guanches already venerated the saint's icon - una pequeña talla gótica-flamenca - before the conquest.

Plaza de La Pila
The Plaza de La Pila, near the Parque del Drago, is bordered by grand old homes, among which the Casa de los Cáceres (house of the Cáceres family), now a museum, is distinctive. The plaza itself has a small botanic garden.

Plaza de Lorenzo Cáceres
The Plaza de Lorenzo Cáceres with its varied vegetation is located in the environment of the Parque del Drago. This is also the location of the parish church of San Marcos, a Canary-Islands-style church built in the first half of the 16th century. The church has five naves, three of them separated by columns, and two of them having side chapels. Worth seeing on the church's exterior are the stone bell tower and facade. In the interior are kept important images, as well as valuable sculptures; among those that stand out are the statues of St. Mark the Evangelist and Our Lady of the Kings, in late Gothic style, and interesting paintings, including one of the Annunciation.

Playa de San Marcos
This sheltered bay on the north coast of Tenerife takes its name from the image of St. Mark the Evangelist venerated in the parish church of Icod which bears his name. This is the same image which appeared in a cave near the seashore during the conquest of the island. Several historians, including Licentiate Juan Nuñez de la Peña, mention its strange and mysterious discovery.

The safety provided by this harbor, protected against almost all winds, sheltered by its high encircling cliffs, having good anchorages and a beach, has led navigators ever since the conquest of Tenerife to choose it as a refuge in stormy weather. These advantageous conditions, and the proximity of the rich pine woods which Icod then had in much greater abundance than today, promoted the timber trade and the fabrication of ships. Many galleons and frigates were built in its shipyards for the service of the King of Spain.

Don Luis de la Cueva y Benavides, Governor-General of the Canary Islands and President of their Royal Audiencia, chose this sheltered harbor for the construction of the frigates he had undertaken for the Royal Armada, and for this reason the people who stayed in this place while the ships were being built, including many naval carpenters and caulkers, came to Icod. Timbers were cut in the forest which then existed in the vicinity of the Ermita del Amparo, a place which still records this fact in the name of Corte de Naos (place where wood was cut for ships) which it retains.

The soldiers of the three companies of militia which were then stationed in Icod assisted with great willingness and care, during the construction of the frigates, in everything they were instructed to do by the persons who directed them, and everyone who lived nearby gave up their beds to give comfortable accommodations to the soldiers and workmen Don Luis de la Cueva had brought with him.

The Governor-General was so pleased with the comportment of the militiamen in Icod that before he left, on November 30, 1601, he issued a letter of praise through his scribe, Juan Nuñez de Cain y Zaraza. The letter granted them privileged exemption from forced lodging, participation in night vigils or contributions to them, and exemption from personal service. Furthermore, he ordered that his lieutenants, militia leaders, captains and all other military officers should not compel their men to go to other towns for military parades, but rather that others should come to Icod to perform them. Only when other garrisons were on alert would they have to travel to attend them.

Those were times of constant alarm and fear for the inhabitants of the Canary Islands, because of the frequent appearance of pirates and corsairs in Canarian waters, and every town lived on a war footing to forestall their surprises and excesses. The inhabitants of Icod, attentive to its defense, kept an arsenal of 500 muskets and a reserve of gunpowder in a strategic and secret location. But since the chief danger was at Puerto de San Marcos, even though the latter had been fortified by nature, a strong wall was constructed on the beach, to make the place more accessible to disembarkation, and a watchtower was built on a prominent place in the town, from which its watchmen, which commanded a wider view of the sea than those on the coast, constantly surveyed the horizon.

Today the Playa de San Marcos, protected by shell-shaped cliffs and covered with the black sand characteristic of northern Tenerife, is a place of recreation.

Cueva del Viento
Thought to be the largest volcanic cave in the world, the Cueva del Viento (Cave of the Wind) has a known length of over 17 kilometers. It consists of a complex lava tube with several entrances, is the largest lava tube in the European Union. It presents great internal complexity, a wide variety of geomorphological structures, and a unique fauna, both living and fossilized. Other caves, also very extensive, are found in other nooks of the town: these include San Marcos, Punto Blanco, El Rey, and Felipe Reventón.

Casa de Los Cáceres
This was formerly the residence of Lorenzo Cáceres, a colonel of engineers. Its three-story neoclassical facade presents traditional quartered windows; a high arched central gate with a stone frame, cornice, and balustrade; this gate between large flowerpots; and a pretty hidden balcony sporting turned balusters in the main window.

Icod Public Library
The Icod Public Library has returned to its original venue. The new installations in which it is housed now can—and should—transform it into one of the best bibliographic and cultural centers of reference on the Islands. Today, the library has three branches.
 * The Central Library is still situated in the San Francisco convent, and already contains close to 13,200 volumes.
 * The Library of the Institute of Lucas Martín Espino (11,000 volumes)
 * The Santa Barbara Library (2,500 volumes, specialized in children's literature)

With an openly creative purpose, the library publishes a literary collection of Canary art and publications. These short notebooks were created in order to offer visitors some of the most exceptional artistic, literary, and written prospects of the Canary Islands specifically, and Spain generally. Titled Trama interior (The Interior Plot), the documents reunite three young Canary painters: Cristina Gámez, Eva Ibarria and Rosa Rodríguez.

Tablas de San Andrés
On 29 November each year, the eve of San Andrés' day and the official festival of new wine, the storehouses open for all to taste the juice of the year's harvest, accompanied by roasted chestnuts. This festival, deeply rooted among Icod's citizens, involves sliding on "tablas" or boards (originally by torchlight [?]) down the steeply sloping neighborhood streets. The greatest spectacle of the party is seen in Plano street, where these slippery boards are seen speeding along, steered by daring and youthful riders.

This tradition was born from the need to transport wood from the highest zones of the municipality down to the workshops where it was used in handicrafts and in naval construction. The wood traveled down El Amparo street (then unpaved) on the back of a large board or plank, while "oars" of heather or fayatree (Myrica faya) branches were used to brake and steer, thus avoiding the endless obstacles that might be in the way. Nowadays other types of "boards" are used—metal, plastic, automotive suspensions [?], etc. -- which leave the practice dull and far-removed from the origin of the San Andrés boards. Every year the municipal authorities call for an end to these different variations in an effort to preserve the tradition of the "tablas". Many visitors come from other parts of the island to see the annual festival, as do tourists.

Los Hachitos
Los Hachitos (literally, "the little torches") is a holiday of pagan origin, a remnant of a summer solstice fire cult that has remained well established, and its celebration never forgotten. Today, this parade takes place in Icod de los Vinos from San Marcos to El Amparo, passing through Las Charnecas and El Lomo de Las Canales. It is possible that the parade route approaches the sea in anticipation of the coming of the sun. To the son rhythm of the tajaraste drums, los hachitos come out during the festival of San Juan Bautista on 23 June. They are made of rags soaked in petroleum and placed in the high areas of the city, forming pictures out of light (stars, hearts, crosses, and so on), or are thrown down the mountain to evoke a lava flow. Others are decorated with branches, flowers and ribbons and carried up the mountain, giving rise to a magical, multicolored spectacle.

El Diablo y La Diabla
This is a tradition that was frequent in the neighborhoods and settlements in the time of Corpus Christi. In this they represented the fight of the forces of hell against the archangel Saint Michael. The male and female devils (el diablo y la diabla) left accompanied by their court of giants and dwarves, which amused the town with the rhythm of the tajaraste. This custom was prohibited, it being said that it only invited disorder and the distraction of religious devotion. But this custom continues to be practiced, evidence of this being that today el diablo y la diabla continue leaving in the middle of September through the neighborhood of Las Angustias (The Anguishes) in honor of the Virgin.

Los Guanches de La Candelaria
In the zone known as La Candelaria, each August 15, the Virgin is put on procession, where townsfolk dressed like Guanches stage the first encounter of the Guanches with the Virgin. After this unique performance, the spectators accompany the procession to an area where they are honored with a shower of artificial fireworks.

The Pilgrimage of the Poleo
In El Amparo, with the holiday of the patron saint, there is a pilgrimage to the rhythm of the "tajaraste," which consists of going to the mountain to collect the branch and the poleo to adorn the neighborhood during the festival days. In these festivals, at the beginning of August, the decoration of the better half of the church has always had a special character. The adornment of the main door, called "bollo" is an enormous sponge cake, coated with small sugar figurines, the "alfeñiques", all adorned with many colored ribbons. The rest of the arch is adorned with palm, poleo, etc... and some baskets of fruit which hang from the roof. Finally, in the corners of the roof, hang the "madamas", large bread figures, adorned with bows and dressed very colorfully.

Baskets and Pastries of Santa Bárbara
In August, in honor of its patron, St. Barbara, the characteristic fair of baskets and pastries is celebrated. This popular rite is typified by its ingenious offering, based on garden produce. The baskets are decorated with fruits and vegetables that are placed in the plaza, in the portico of the church, in order to give a colorful and dynamic aspect to the festivities with these spectacular artisanal works. The pastries are nothing more than figurines made out of sugar in the shape of animals, and adorned with multicolored ribbons by the artisans of the neighborhood. These singular figures are carried on the heads of the single women and matchmakers of the neighborhood to place them among the baskets in the church portico, as an offering and homage to the saint.

Icod Cuisine
The gastronomy of Icod de los Vinos is unique; some dishes can only be made locally, as they require indigenous ingredients that can only be found in the Canary Islands. In fact, Canarian cuisine is eclectic, due to the Islands having been a port of call for centuries. Its most characteristic features include los mojos, or sauces (mojo verde, made from cilantro, and mojo picón, a spicy sauce, are the most common) that serve as the preferred accompaniment to fish of great texture and flavor, such as bogas, samas, salemas, chernes, and the famous vieja ("old woman"). Papas arrugadas ("wrinkled potatoes"), potatoes cooked in salted water and served in their skins: Of all their varieties, the "black" is considered to be best. Icod is also home to a varied assortment of confections; bienmesabe, arroz a la miel (honeyed rice), piononos (stuffed fried plantains), leche asada ("roasted milk"), quesadillas and truchas (fried, filled sweet potato pastries; lit. "trout") are some of Icod's most prized desserts.

Coat of Arms of Icod de los Vinos
To speak of the Drago milenario (declared a National Monument in 1917) is to speak of the essence of the town's fame. It is because of this ancient example of Canary Island flora, a symbol which evokes the lively community of the hospitable northern population, that in the conduct of its festivals in honor of Christ on Calvary, the islands' feelings of patriotism and religion are given tribute. This tribute recalls the numerous glorious dates of the isles' history, so closely linked from the initial conquest that began its recorded history.

The Drago and the Teide (which symbolizes the rise of the island toward all things great and noble) figure prominently in the city's coat of arms, which was bestowed upon the city by Royal Decree on 9 November 1921. As one can see in the accompanying picture, it consists of two divided quarters. In one, the Teide appears over a field of blue; in the other, the Drago is over a field of silver. The blazon is encircled by eight clusters of golden grapes over a field of sinople (2). Four tenantes (3) symbolize the history of the island's conquest upon evoking a change of impressions between the menceyes Belicar de Icod, Rosmeu de Daute, Pelinor de Adeje, and Adjoña de Abona, with the aim of ending their valiant resistance against the Spanish troops which had already triumphed at two crucial points in the present-day areas of La Victoria de Acentejo and Los Realejos. The heraldic elements exalt the traditional courtesy and hospitality of the people of Icod; their laboriousness and extremely fertile countryside; their profound sense of patriotism and their dedication to the memory of the history uniting their two races under the auspices of Santa Cruz. As an official blazon, the coat of arms of Icod affirms and underscores all of the acts of the city. (1) CANARIAS - Magazine which is published in Villa de La Orotava. (2) Sinople - Heraldic color which in painting is represented by green, and in engraving by oblique lines which run from the cantón diestro del jefe al siniestro de la punta. It is also used as a noun. (3) Tenantes - Each one of the figures of men/angels that the shield displays.''

The Flag of Icod de los Vinos
The plenary council of Icod de los Vinos unanimously resolved to adopt the first official flag of the municipality following the proposal of the Department of Culture and Heritage. In accordance with the legal autonomous community's legal requirements in respect of heraldic shields, coats of arms and banners, the flag was commissioned by the DCH to the Garachican heraldist Pascual González Regalado.

The resolution required the proceedings to be kept as public record for one month, and in order to avoid claims arising therefrom, the proceedings were remitted to the Viceconsulry of the Government of the Canary Islands for Territorial Administration so that, following the report of the Institute of Canary Island Studies, the flag could be granted official approval. Aside from technical references to specifications for material, mast, hoist, etc., the author provides the following description of the flag of Icod: three vertical stripes of equal width, those at the sides being maroon and the central stripe being white.

The flag also bears the heraldic shield of the locality, positioned in the centre with a height of two thirds that of the flag. The colours chosen by Pascual González bear a close relationship to two essential symbols of Icod de los Vinos by which they are inspired – the Canarly Islands Dragon Tree and Mount Teide. According to the author, the maroon (or purple) colour is featured on the flag "in memory of and as passionate homage to the sapling of the venerable, magnificent and exemplary millennium of the dragon tree which is found in the town. A sapling which has been the subject of wars and legends and, in ancient times, a substance used in medicine". On the other hand, the inclusion of the white symbolises "the extreme wintry whiteness displayed by Mount Teide so close to Icod, which, when viewed from the town, provides an illustration of singulararly extraordinary beauty."

Around September 2001, the official flag of Icod de los Vinos was blessed and raised amid celebrations organised by the Corporación Municipal (Municipal Corporation) in the town hall square, featuring appearances by the president of the Government of the Canary Islands (Román Rodríguez Rodríguez), the deputy of the Government (Pilar Merino), as well as the author of the flag, Pascual González Regalado.

Description of the flag of Icod de los Vinos
In accordance with the requirements of Order 123/190 of the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands dated 29 June, which governs the approval procedure of heraldic shields, blasons and flags of the islands and municipalities of the archipelago (BOC 95 and 177), the flag of the municipality of Icod de los Vinos conforms to the following description:
 * The flag is to conform to a ratio of 2:3 (height to width).
 * The flag is to feature three equal vertical stripes, the outer stripes being maroon, and the central stripe being white.
 * The heraldic arms of the municipality are to be placed in the centre of the flag, and should stand at two-thirds the height of the flag.

title: Icod de los Vinos


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County Westmeath

County Westmeath (Contae na hIarmhí or simply An Iarmhí) is a county in Ireland. It is in the province of Leinster and is part of the Eastern and Midland Region. It formed part of the historic Kingdom of Meath, which was named Mide because the kingdom was located in the geographical centre of Ireland (the word Mide meaning 'middle'). Westmeath County Council is the administrative body for the county, and the county town is Mullingar. At the 2022 census, the population of the county was 95,840.

History
Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the territory of the Gaelic Kingdom of Meath formed the basis for the Anglo-Norman Lordship of Meath granted by King Henry II of England to Hugh de Lacy in 1172. Following the failure of de Lacy's male heirs in 1241, the Lordship was split between two great-granddaughters. One moiety, a central eastern portion, was awarded to Maud (de Geneville) as the liberty of Trim; the other moiety, comprising north-eastern and western portions, went to Maud's sister Margery (de Verdun) and in 1297 became the royal county of Meath. The liberty and royal county were merged in 1461. While the east of the county was in the English Pale, the west was Gaelicised in the fourteenth century and outside the control of the sheriff of Meath.

As a part of the better administration of the newly established Kingdom of Ireland, the Parliament of Ireland passed the Counties of Meath and Westmeath Act 1543, the eastern portion retaining the name Meath and the western portion called Westmeath.

Geography and subdivisions
Westmeath is the 20th largest of Ireland's 32 counties by area and the 22nd largest in terms of population. It is the sixth largest of Leinster's 12 counties in size and eighth largest in terms of population. The Hill of Uisneach in the barony of Moycashel is sometimes regarded as the notional geographical centre of Ireland although the actual geographic centre of Ireland lies in neighbouring County Roscommon. The summit of Mullaghmeen is the highest point in County Westmeath. At just 258 metres this makes it the lowest county top in Ireland.

Local government and politics
The head office of Westmeath County Council is located in Mullingar. There are currently 20 councillors. The three local electoral areas of Westmeath are Athlone (7 seats), Mullingar–Coole (7 seats) and Mullingar–Kilbeggan (6 seats). The Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898 provided the framework for the establishment of County Councils throughout Ireland. The first meeting of Westmeath County Council was held on 22 April 1899.

Westmeath's population growth has been stronger than the national average. After the Great Famine, the population of Westmeath declined dramatically. It stabilised in the middle of the 20th century, and has continued to grow. Westmeath's proximity to Dublin, with good motorway facilities and frequent rail service, has made commuting popular.

County Westmeath's population fell in the century following the Great Famine, with many leaving for better opportunities in America. The largest town in the county is Athlone, followed by the County town Mullingar. Westmeath is the largest county by population in the Irish Midlands. Important commercial and marketing centres include Moate, Kilbeggan, Kinnegad, Ballinahown, Delvin, Rochfortbridge, Killucan and Castlepollard. According to the 2011 census, 51.9% of Westmeath households have at least one member reporting an ability in Irish.

Westmeath is one of the few counties in Ireland where some census records from 1841 are still available. Some of the records of that census have been digitised and maintained by the National Archives of Ireland.

As of the 2022 census, Westmeath had a population of 95,840, consisting of 47,522  males and 48,318 females. The Central Statistics Office also said that despite the overall increase in population, the rural population had still fallen (2016 census).

Economy

Initially, development occurred around the major market centres of Mullingar, Moate, and Kinnegad. Athlone developed due to its military significance, and its strategic location on the main Dublin–Galway route across the River Shannon. Mullingar gained considerable advantage from the development of the Royal Canal. The canal facilitated cheap transport of produce to Dublin, Britain and Europe. Athlone and Mullingar expanded further with the coming of the Midland Great Western Railway network in the nineteenth century.

Tourism in Westmeath is generally based on its many water amenities. The county lakes include Lough Derravaragh, Lough Ennell, Lough Owel, Lough Lene, Lough Sheelin and Lough Ree. Both the Grand Canal, and the Royal Canal flow through Westmeath, and the River Shannon (Ireland's key tourism waterway) has a modern inland harbour in Athlone.

In 2017 the largest employment sectors within Westmeath were:

Two major "Greenway" projects are intended to improve cycling facilities. The Athone—Mullingar section of the Dublin—Galway Greenway, along the old railway corridor between Athlone and Mullingar, was constructed in 2015. The Royal Canal Greenway takes tourists from the county boundary to Mullingar, and then on towards Longford. Those wishing to use the Dublin-Galway Greenway can transfer from the Royal Canal route to the old rail corridor onwards towards Athlone.

The development of industry in Westmeath has been mainly based on food processing and consumer products. Whiskey is distilled in Kilbeggan and tobacco is processed in Mullingar. The county has an extensive beef and dairy trade. In recent times, the manufacturer Alkermes has located in Athlone. The eastern part of the county is home to commuters, many of whom work at the technology parks on the western side of Dublin.

Mullingar is renowned for the high quality of its beef and veal. Weaned cattle from the west of the Shannon are fattened for market on the lush grasslands of Meath and Westmeath. The cattle are also used to maintain grassland to help sustain wildlife in the areas fringing the Bog of Allen.

Westmeath is home to many stud farms. The plains of Westmeath, covered in calcium-rich marl, contribute significantly to calcification of foal bones during their formative years. Westmeath mares are usually put into foal in spring to facilitate summer growth. Pregnancy lasts for approximately 335–340 days and usually results in one foal. Horses mature when they are around four years old.

Railways
Westmeath also has railway infrastructure with a number of trains passing through towns in the county. The Dublin–Westport/Galway railway line runs through the county, with services from Dublin Heuston to Galway/Westport/Ballina inter-city train service stops at Athlone, while the Dublin-Sligo railway line service stops at Mullingar. The line from Athlone via Moate railway station to Mullingar could be reopened for trains from Galway to Dublin Connolly. Other major infrastructural projects and plans for the county include Transport 21.

Road transport
Roads are of good quality in the county. As part of the Transport 21 infrastructure programme undertaken by the government, both the N4 and N6 roads have been upgraded to motorway or dual carriageway standard. All towns that these roads passed through are now bypassed, such as Mullingar, Athlone, Moate and Kinnegad. Both Dublin and Galway are within commuting distance from Westmeath following the completion of the M6 motorway in December 2009.
 * Midlands (ATM) Gateway
 * National Development Plan
 * Transport 21

Sport

Westmeath is an active sporting county. The Westmeath GAA senior football team won the Leinster Senior Football Championship, the Delaney Cup, in 2004. They also won the National Football League Division 2 in 2001, 2003 and 2008. The Westmeath senior hurling team has enjoyed much recent success winning the Christy Ring Cup in 2005, 2007 and 2010.

Athlone Town F.C. have won the League of Ireland Championship on two occasions, in 1980 and 1982, and the FAI Cup in 1924.

Westmeath Ladies won the 2011 All-Ireland Intermediate Football Championship.

Athlone Institute of Technology boasts a €10 million international athletics arena, which opened in early 2013. The International Arena has a footprint of 6,818m2 and an overall building floor area of 9,715m2. Some 850 tonnes of structural steel and fifty thousand concrete blocks went into the construction of the facility, which can house two thousand spectators.

Westmeath Snooker Ranking Tournaments officially recognised by The Republic of Ireland Billiards & Snooker Association are organised and run by St Mary's Snooker Club Bishopgate Street Mullingar. The Ranking events in Junior, Intermediate and Senior events are:
 * 1) Mullingar Open Snooker Championship
 * 2) Westmeath Open Snooker Championship
 * 3) St.Mary's Open Classic Snooker Championship
 * 4) The Midland Open Snooker Championship

People

Notable Westmeath natives include:

 * The Academic, music group
 * Tony Allen, of music duo Foster & Allen
 * The Blizzards, music group
 * Arthur Booth-Clibborn, pioneering Salvation Army officer in France and Switzerland
 * Cecil Boyd-Rochfort, British thoroughbred racehorse trainer
 * George Boyd-Rochfort, awarded Victoria Cross
 * Emmet Cahill, singer from Irish group Celtic Thunder
 * Michael Joseph Curley, Archbishop of Washington
 * Joe Dolan, singer
 * Domnall Midi, King of Mide
 * Thomas Duffy, awarded Victoria Cross
 * Gormflaith ingen Flann Sinna, Queen of Tara
 * Laurence Ginnell, Irish nationalist political figure, Irish Parliamentary Party MP and later a Sinn Féin TD in the First Dáil
 * Robbie Henshaw, Irish Rugby international
 * Nuala Holloway, artist and former Miss Ireland
 * Niall Horan, singer-songwriter and former member of band One Direction
 * James Lennon, member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
 * Ray Lynam, singer
 * Máel Sechnaill II, King of Mide and King of Ireland
 * John Count McCormack, tenor
 * John Joe Nevin, boxer
 * T. P. O'Connor, journalist, Irish nationalist political figure, British MP
 * Niall mac Aed Ó hUiginn, poet
 * Michael O'Leary, CEO of Ryanair
 * Edward Pakenham, politician and Irish officer in the British army
 * Peg Plunkett, Dublin brothel keeper
 * Walter Raleigh, spent time at Killua Castle
 * Nessa Robins, food writer, blogger and photographer
 * Brendan Shine, singer
 * Túathal Techtmar, High King of Ireland
 * George Wade, British Army Field Marshal

Towns/villages

 * Athlone
 * Ballinahown
 * Ballinalack
 * Ballykeeran
 * Ballymore
 * Ballynacargy
 * Castledaly
 * Castlepollard
 * Castletown-Geoghegan
 * Clonmellon
 * Collinstown
 * Coole
 * Crookedwood
 * Delvin
 * Drumcree
 * Drumraney
 * Finnea
 * Fore
 * Glassan
 * Horseleap
 * Kilbeggan
 * Killucan and Rathwire
 * Kinnegad
 * Milltownpass
 * Moate
 * Mount Temple
 * Moyvoughly
 * Mullingar, the county town
 * Multyfarnham
 * Raharney
 * Rathconrath
 * Rathowen
 * Rochfortbridge
 * Rosemount
 * Streamstown
 * Tang
 * Tubberclare
 * Tyrrellspass

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: County Westmeath


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Leon Askin

Leon Askin (born Leo Aschkenasy, 18 September 1907 – 3 June 2005) was an Austrian Jewish actor best known in North America for portraying the character General Burkhalter on the TV situation comedy Hogan's Heroes.

Life and career
Askin was born into a Jewish family in Vienna, the son of Malvine (Susman) and Samuel Aschkenasy (both of whom were later murdered in a German concentration camp). According to his autobiography his first experience of show business occurred during World War I when he recited a poem before Emperor Franz Joseph. In the 1920s, he studied acting with Louise Dumont and Max Reinhardt. While working at Vienna's "ABC" cabaret theater in the 1930s, he frequently directed the works of dissident political writer Jura Soyfer.

Askin fled Austria to the United States in 1940, after having been beaten and abused by the Nazi SA and SS. His parents were murdered in the Treblinka death camp. He then served in World War II as a Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Army Air Forces. After the war, he went to Hollywood to begin a career in films, invariably portraying foreign characters who speak English with a strong accent. Askin appeared as the Russian composer Anton Rubinstein in a Disneyland anthology episode of the life of Peter Tchaikovsky. Fans of the television series Adventures of Superman recall his portrayals of an eastern European diamond smuggler (Joseph Ferdinand) in the 1953 black-and-white episode "Superman in Exile", and as a South American prime minister in a color episode. He appeared in 20th Century Fox's biblical epic The Robe in 1953 as a Syrian guide named Abidor. In 1960, he appeared in the film Pension Schöller, and the following year was prominently featured in Billy Wilder's film One, Two, Three, co-starring with James Cagney.

Askin gained wide recognition and popularity for his recurring role as the stern General Albert Burkhalter in the sitcom Hogan's Heroes, appearing in 67 episodes of the show’s run from 1965 to 1971, including the pilot episode. Burkhalter was the gruff and portly commanding officer of Colonel Klink, the bungling commandant of a German World War II prisoner-of-war camp, manipulated by American Colonel Hogan so that the prisoners would get away with clandestine activities.

Askin made guest appearances on The Restless Gun 1957 episode "The Shooting of Jett King", My Favorite Martian and the 1965 episode "Martin Of The Movies" as Von Reinbein. The Monkees 1967 episode "The Card Carrying Red Shoes", as Nicolai, on Daniel Boone in its 1969 episode "Benvenuto... Who?" as Roquelinm and in the "Fiddler in the House" episode of the 1974 situation comedy Paul Sand in Friends and Lovers as a violin virtuoso. Between 1977 and 1979, he appeared in Steve Allen's PBS series, Meeting of Minds, portraying Martin Luther and Karl Marx. He portrayed a psychology professor in a season six episode of Happy Days. In 1979 he portrayed the character Mr. Hoffmeier of Hoffmeier’s Bakery, judging a pie contest in an episode in the third season of Three’s Company titled "The Bake-Off".

His other film credits include roles in:
 * Road to Bali (1952)
 * Desert Legion (1953)
 * The Veils of Bagdad (1953)
 * Knock on Wood (1954)
 * Secret of the Incas (1954)
 * Valley of the Kings (1954)
 * Son of Sinbad (1955)
 * The Last Blitzkrieg (1959)
 * Lulu (1962)
 * Sherlock Holmes and the Deadly Necklace (1962)
 * Do Not Disturb (1965)
 * What Did You Do in the War, Daddy? (1966)
 * Double Trouble (1967)
 * The Caper of the Golden Bulls (1967)
 * The Perils of Pauline (1967)
 * The Wicked Dreams of Paula Schultz (1968)
 * A Fine Pair (1968)
 * Guns for San Sebastian (1968)
 * The Maltese Bippy (1969)
 * Death Knocks Twice (1969)
 * Hammersmith Is Out (1972)
 * The World's Greatest Athlete (1973)
 * Going Ape! (1981)
 * Frightmare (1983).

In 1982, he had a brief appearance as a Moscow Anchorman in the film Airplane II: The Sequel. Askin had a role in the classic Mel Brooks comedy Young Frankenstein (1974), but his scenes were cut from the film.

Death
Askin died from natural causes in Vienna on June 3, 2005, at the age of 97 and is interred at Vienna Central Cemetery.

Decorations and awards

 * 1988: Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art
 * 1994: Silver Medal for Service to the City of Vienna
 * 1996: Award of the title "professor"
 * 2001: Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art, 1st class
 * 2002: Gold Medal of Honour for Services to the city of Vienna
 * 2003: Goldener Rathausmann of Vienna to mark the 75th anniversary
 * 2007: Naming of Leon-Askin-Platz in Vienna-Penzing
 * 2007: A bust of Leon Askin in Türkenschanzpark (Vienna)
 * 2007: Plaque unveiled at Hütteldorferstrasse 349 in Vienna-Penzing, to mark 100th anniversary of Askin's birth
 * 2009: At Sechsschimmelgasse 19 in Vienna-Alsergrund a public housing block was named after him
 * 27 May 2010: Leon-Askin-Park at Grundsteingasse in Ottakring (Vienna's 16th District) named after Askin

title: Leon Askin


text:
Estates of the realm

The estates of the realm, or three estates, were the broad orders of social hierarchy used in Christendom (Christian Europe) from the Middle Ages to early modern Europe. Different systems for dividing society members into estates developed and evolved over time.

 * The best known system is the French Ancien Régime (Old Regime), a three-estate system which was made up of a First Estate of clergy, a Second Estate of titled nobles, and a Third Estate of all other subjects (both peasants and bourgeoisie).
 * In some regions, notably Sweden and Russia, burghers (the urban merchant class) and rural commoners were split into separate estates, creating a four-estate system with rural commoners ranking the lowest as the Fourth Estate.
 * In Norway, the taxpaying classes were considered as one, and with a very small aristocracy; this class/estate was as powerful as the monarchy itself. In Denmark, however, only owners of large tracts of land had any influence. Furthermore, the non-landowning poor could be left outside the estates, leaving them without political rights.
 * In England, a two-estate system evolved that combined nobility and clergy into one lordly estate with "commons" as the second estate. This system produced the two houses of parliament, the House of Commons and the House of Lords.
 * In southern Germany, a three-estate system of nobility (princes and high clergy), knights, and burghers was used; this system excluded lower clergy and peasants altogether.
 * In Scotland, the Three Estates were the Clergy (First Estate), Nobility (Second Estate), and Shire Commissioners, or "burghers" (Third Estate), representing the bourgeoisie and lower commoners. The Estates made up a Scottish Parliament.

Today, the terms three estates and estates of the realm may sometimes be re-interpreted to refer to the modern separation of powers in government into the legislature, administration, and the judiciary. -->The modern term the fourth estate invokes medieval three-estate systems, and usually refers to some particular force outside that medieval power structure, most commonly the independent press or the mass media.

Social mobility
During the Middle Ages, advancing to different social classes was uncommon and difficult, and when it did happen, it generally took the form of a gradual increase in status over several generations of a family rather than within a single lifetime.

One field in which commoners could appreciably advance within a single lifetime was the Church. The medieval Church was an institution where social mobility was most likely achieved up to a certain level (generally to that of vicar general or abbot/abbess for commoners). Typically, only nobility were appointed to the highest church positions (bishops, archbishops, heads of religious orders, etc.), although low nobility could aspire to the highest church positions. Since clergy could not marry, such mobility was theoretically limited to one generation. Nepotism was common in this period.

Another possible way to rise in social position was due to exceptional military or commercial success. Such families were rare, and their rise to nobility required royal patronage at some point. However, because noble lines went extinct naturally, some ennoblements were necessary.

Dynamics
Johan Huizinga observed that "Medieval political speculation is imbued to the marrow with the idea of a structure of society based upon distinct orders". The virtually synonymous terms estate and order designated a great variety of social realities, not at all limited to a class, Huizinga concluded applying to every social function, every trade, every recognisable grouping.

"There are, first of all, the estates of the realm, but there are also the trades, the state of matrimony and that of virginity, the state of sin. At court, there are the 'four estates of the body and mouth': bread-masters, cup-bearers, carvers, and cooks. In the Church, there are sacerdotal orders and monastic orders. Finally there are the different orders of chivalry."

This static view of society was predicated on inherited positions. Commoners were universally considered the lowest order. The higher estates' necessary dependency on the commoners' production, however, often further divided the otherwise equal common people into burghers (also known as bourgeoisie) of the realm's cities and towns, and the peasants and serfs of the realm's surrounding lands and villages. A person's estate and position within it were usually inherited from the father and his occupation, similar to a caste within that system. In many regions and realms, there also existed population groups born outside these specifically defined resident estates.

Legislative bodies or advisory bodies to a monarch were traditionally grouped along lines of these estates, with the monarch above all three estates. Meetings of the estates of the realm became early legislative and judicial parliaments. Monarchs often sought to legitimize their power by requiring oaths of fealty from the estates. Today, in most countries, the estates have lost all their legal privileges, and are mainly of historical interest. The nobility may be an exception, for instance due to legislation against false titles of nobility.

One of the earliest political pamphlets to address these ideas was called "What Is the Third Estate?" (Qu'est-ce que le tiers-état?) It was written by Abbé Emmanuel Joseph Sieyès in January 1789, shortly before the start of the French Revolution.

Background
After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, numerous geographic and ethnic kingdoms developed among the endemic peoples of Europe, affecting their day-to-day secular lives; along with those, the growing influence of the Catholic Church and its Papacy affected the ethical, moral and religious lives and decisions of all. This led to mutual dependency between the secular and religious powers for guidance and protection, but over time and with the growing power of the kingdoms, competing secular realities increasingly diverged from religious idealism and Church decisions.

The new lords of the land identified themselves primarily as warriors, but because new technologies of warfare were expensive, and the fighting men required substantial material resources and considerable leisure to train, these needs had to be filled. The economic and political transformation of the countryside in the period were filled by a large growth in population, agricultural production, technological innovations and urban centers; movements of reform and renewal attempted to sharpen the distinction between clerical and lay status, and power, recognized by the Church also had their effect.

In his book The Three Orders: Feudal Society Imagined, the French medievalist Georges Duby has shown that in the period 1023–1025 the first theorist who justified the division of European society into the three estates of the realm was Gerard of Florennes, the bishop of Cambrai.

As a result of the Investiture Controversy of the late 11th and early 12th centuries, the powerful office of Holy Roman Emperor lost much of its religious character and retained a more nominal universal preeminence over other rulers, though it varied. The struggle over investiture and the reform movement also legitimized all secular authorities, partly on the grounds of their obligation to enforce discipline.

In the 11th and 12th centuries, thinkers argued that human society consisted of three orders: those who pray, those who fight, and those who labour. The structure of the first order, the clergy, was in place by 1200 and remained singly intact until the religious reformations of the 16th century. The second order, those who fight, was the rank of the politically powerful, ambitious, and dangerous. Kings took pains to ensure that it did not resist their authority. The general category of those who labour (specifically, those who were not knightly warriors or nobles) diversified rapidly after the 11th century into the lively and energetic worlds of peasants, skilled artisans, merchants, financiers, lay professionals, and entrepreneurs, which together drove the European economy to its greatest achievements.

By the 12th century, most European political thinkers agreed that monarchy was the ideal form of governance. This was because it imitated on earth the model set by God for the universe; it was the form of government of the ancient Hebrews and the Christian Biblical basis, the later Roman Empire, and also the peoples who succeeded Rome after the 4th century.

Kingdom of France
France under the Ancien Régime (before the French Revolution) divided society into three estates: the First Estate (clergy); the Second Estate (nobility); and the Third Estate (commoners). The king was not part of any estate.

First Estate
The First Estate comprised the entire clergy and the religious orders, traditionally divided into "higher" and "lower" clergy. Although there was no formally recognized demarcation between the two categories, the upper clergy were, effectively, clerical nobility, from Second Estate families. In the time of Louis XVI, every bishop in France was a nobleman, a situation that had not existed before the 18th century.

The "lower clergy" (about equally divided between parish priests, monks, and nuns) constituted about 90 percent of the First Estate, which in 1789 numbered around 130,000 (about 0.5% of the population).

Second Estate
The Second Estate (deuxieme état) was the French nobility and (technically, though not in common use) royalty, other than the monarch himself, who stood outside of the system of estates.

The Second Estate is traditionally divided into noblesse d'épée ("nobility of the sword"), and noblesse de robe ("nobility of the robe"), the magisterial class that administered royal justice and civil government.

The Second Estate constituted approximately 1.5% of France's population. Under the ancien régime ("old rule/old government", i.e. before the revolution), the Second Estate were exempt from the corvée royale (forced labor on the roads) and from most other forms of taxation such as the gabelle (salt tax), and most important, the taille (France's oldest form of direct taxation). This exemption from paying taxes was a major reason for their opposition to political reform.

Third Estate
The Third Estate (Tiers état) comprised all of those who were not members of either of the above, and can be divided into two groups, urban and rural, together making up over 98% of France's population. The urban included wage-labourers. The rural included free peasants (who owned their own land and could be prosperous) and villeins (serfs, or peasants working on a noble's land). The free peasants paid disproportionately high taxes compared to the other Estates and were unhappy because they wanted more rights. In addition, the First and Second Estates relied on the labour of the Third, which made the latter's inferior status all the more glaring.

There were an estimated 27 million paysans in the Third Estate when the French Revolution started.

They had a hard life of physical labour and food shortages. Most people were born in this group, and most remained in it for their entire lives. It was extremely rare for people of this ascribed status to become part of another estate; those who did were usually being rewarded for extraordinary bravery in battle, or entering religious life. A few commoners were able to marry into the Second Estate, but this was a rare occurrence.

Estates General
The Estates General (not to be confused with a "class of citizen") was a general citizens' assembly that was first called by Philip IV in 1302 and then met intermittently at the request of the King until 1614; after that, it was not called again for over 170 years.

In the period leading up to the Estates General of 1789, France was in the grip of an unmanageable public debt. In May 1776, finance minister Turgot was dismissed, after failing to enact reforms. The next year, Jacques Necker, a foreigner, was appointed Controller-General of Finances. (He could not officially be made the finance minister because he was a Protestant.) Drastic inflation and simultaneous scarcity of food created a major famine in the winter of 1788–89. This led to widespread discontent, and produced a group of Third Estate representatives (612 exactly) pressing a comparatively radical set of reforms, much of it in alignment with the goals of acting finance minister Jacques Necker, but very much against the wishes of Louis XVI's court and many of the hereditary nobles who were his Second Estate allies (allies at least to the extent that they were against being taxed themselves and in favour of maintaining high taxation for commoners).

Louis XVI called a meeting of the Estates General to deal with the economic problems and quell the growing discontent, but when he could not persuade them to rubber-stamp his 'ideal program', he sought to dissolve the assembly and take legislation into his own hands. However, the Third Estate held out for their right to representation. The lower clergy (and some nobles and upper clergy) eventually sided with the Third Estate, and the King was forced to yield. Thus, the 1789 Estates General meeting became an invitation to revolution.

By June, when continued impasses led to further deterioration in relations, the Estates General was reconstituted in a different form, first as the National Assembly (June 17, 1789), seeking a solution independent of the King's management. (The Estates General, under that name and directed by the King, did continue to meet occasionally.) These independently-organized meetings are now seen as the epoch event of the French Revolution, during which – after several more weeks of civil unrest – the body assumed a new status as a revolutionary legislature, the National Constituent Assembly (July 9, 1789).

This unitary body of former representatives of the three estates began governing, along with an emergency committee, in the power vacuum after the Bourbon monarchy fled from Paris. Among the Assembly was Maximilien Robespierre, an influential president of the Jacobins who would years later become instrumental in the turbulent period of violence and political upheaval in France known as the Reign of Terror (5 September 1793 – 28 July 1794).

Great Britain and Ireland
Whilst the estates were never formulated in a way that prevented social mobility, the English (subsequently the British) parliament was formed along the classic estate lines, being composed of the "Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons". The tradition where the Lords Spiritual and Temporal sat separately from the Commons began during the reign of Edward III in the 14th century.

Notwithstanding the House of Lords Act 1999, the British Parliament still recognises the existence of the three estates: the Commons in the House of Commons, the nobility (Lords Temporal) in the House of Lords, and the clergy in the form of the Church of England bishops also entitled to sit in the upper House as the Lords Spiritual.

Scotland
The members of the Parliament of Scotland were collectively referred to as the Three Estates (Older Scots: Thre Estaitis), also known as the community of the realm, and until 1690 composed of:
 * the first estate of prelates (bishops and abbots)
 * the second estate of lairds (dukes, earls, parliamentary peers (after 1437) and lay tenants-in-chief)
 * the third estate of burgh commissioners (representatives chosen by the royal burghs)

The First Estate was overthrown during the Glorious Revolution and the accession of William III. The Second Estate was then split into two to retain the division into three.

A shire commissioner was the closest equivalent of the English office of Member of Parliament, namely a commoner or member of the lower nobility. Because the Parliament of Scotland was unicameral, all members sat in the same chamber, as opposed to the separate English House of Lords and House of Commons.

The parliament also had university constituencies (see Ancient universities of Scotland). The system was also adopted by the Parliament of England when James VI ascended to the English throne. It was believed that the universities were affected by the decisions of Parliament and ought therefore to have representation in it. This continued in the Parliament of Great Britain after 1707 and the Parliament of the United Kingdom until 1950.

Ireland
After the 12th-century Norman invasion of Ireland, administration of the Anglo-Norman Lordship of Ireland was modelled on that of the Kingdom of England. As in England, the Parliament of Ireland evolved out of the Magnum Concilium "great council" summoned by the chief governor of Ireland, attended by the council (curia regis), magnates (feudal lords), and prelates (bishops and abbots). Membership was based on fealty to the king, and the preservation of the king's peace, and so the fluctuating number of autonomous Irish Gaelic kings were outside of the system; they had their own local brehon law taxation arrangements. Elected representatives are first attested in 1297 and continually from the later 14th century. In 1297, counties were first represented by elected knights of the shire (sheriffs had previously represented them). In 1299, towns were represented. From the 14th century, a distinction from the English parliament was that deliberations on church funding were held in Parliament rather than in Convocation. The separation of the Irish House of Lords from the elected Irish House of Commons had developed by the fifteenth century. The clerical proctors elected by the lower clergy of each diocese formed a separate house or estate until 1537, when they were expelled for their opposition to the Irish Reformation. The Parliament of Ireland was dissolved after the Act of Union 1800, and instead Ireland was joined to the Kingdom of Great Britain to form the United Kingdom; 100 Irish MPs instead represented the Third Estate in the House of Commons in London, while a selection of hereditary peers (typically about 28 representative peers) represented the Irish nobility in the House of Lords. In addition, four seats as Lords Spiritual were reserved for Church of Ireland clergy: one archbishop and three bishops at a time, alternating place after each legislative session. After the disestablishment of the Church of Ireland in 1871, no more seats were created for Irish bishops.

Sweden and Finland
The Estates in Sweden (including Finland) and later also Russia's Grand Duchy of Finland were the two higher estates, nobility and clergy, and the two lower estates, burghers and land-owning peasants. Each were free men, and had specific rights and responsibilities, and the right to send representatives to the Riksdag of the Estates. The Riksdag, and later the Diet of Finland was tetracameral: at the Riksdag, each Estate voted as a single body. Since early 18th century, a bill needed the approval of at least three Estates to pass, and constitutional amendments required the approval of all Estates. Prior to the 18th century, the King had the right to cast a deciding vote if the Estates were split evenly.

After Russia's conquest of Finland in 1809, the estates in Finland swore an oath to the Emperor in the Diet of Porvoo. A Finnish House of Nobility was codified in 1818 in accordance with the old Swedish law of 1723. However, after the Diet of Porvoo, the Diet of Finland was reconvened only in 1863. In the meantime, for a period of 54 years, the country was governed only administratively.

There was also a population outside the estates. Unlike in other areas, people had no "default" estate, and were not peasants unless they came from a land-owner's family. A summary of this division is:
 * Nobility (see Finnish nobility and Swedish nobility) was exempt from tax, had an inherited rank and the right to keep a fief, and had a tradition of military service and government. Nobility was codified in 1280 with the Swedish king granting exemption from taxation (frälse) to land-owners that could equip a cavalryman (or be one themselves) for the king's army. Around 1400, letters patent were introduced, in 1561 the ranks of Count and Baron were added, and in 1625 the House of Nobility was codified as the First Estate of the land. Following Axel Oxenstierna's reform, higher government offices were open only to nobles. However, the nobility still owned only their own property, not the peasants or their land as in much of Europe. Heads of the noble houses were hereditary members of the assembly of nobles. The Nobility is divided into titled nobility (counts and barons) and lower nobility. Until the 18th century, the lower nobility was in turn divided into Knights and Esquires such that each of the three classes would first vote internally, giving one vote per class in the assembly. This resulted in great political influence for the higher nobility.
 * Clergy, or priests, were exempt from tax, and collected tithes for the church. After the Swedish Reformation, the church became Lutheran. In later centuries, the estate included teachers of universities and certain state schools. The estate was governed by the state church which consecrated its ministers and appointed them to positions with a vote in choosing diet representatives.
 * Burghers were city-dwellers, tradesmen and craftsmen. Trade was allowed only in the cities when the mercantilistic ideology had got the upper hand, and the burghers had the exclusive right to conduct commerce within the framework of guilds. Entry to this Estate was controlled by the autonomy of the towns themselves. Peasants were allowed to sell their produce within the city limits, but any further trade, particularly foreign trade, was allowed only for burghers. In order for a settlement to become a city, a royal charter granting market right was required, and foreign trade required royally chartered staple port rights. After the annexation of Finland into Imperial Russia in 1809, mill-owners and other proto-industrialists would gradually be included in this estate.
 * Peasants were land-owners of land-taxed farms and their families (comparable in status to yeomen in England), which represented the majority in medieval times. Since most of the population were independent farmer families until the 19th century, not serfs nor villeins, there is a remarkable difference in tradition compared to other European countries. Entry was controlled by ownership of farmland, which was not generally for sale but a hereditary property. After 1809, Swedish tenants renting a large enough farm (ten times larger than what was required of peasants owning their own farm) were included as well as non-nobility owning tax-exempt land. Their representatives to the Diet were elected indirectly: each municipality sent electors to elect the representative of an electoral district.
 * To no estate belonged propertyless cottagers, villeins, tenants of farms owned by others, farmhands, servants, some lower administrative workers, rural craftsmen, travelling salesmen, vagrants, and propertyless and unemployed people (who sometimes lived in strangers' houses). To reflect how the people belonging to the estates saw them, the Finnish word for "obscene", säädytön, has the literal meaning "estateless". They had no political rights and could not vote. Their mobility was severely limited by the policy of "legal protection" (Finnish: laillinen suojelu): every estateless person had to be employed by a taxed citizen from the estates, or they could be charged with vagrancy and sentenced to forced labor. In Finland, this policy lasted until 1883.

In Sweden, the Riksdag of the Estates existed until it was replaced with a bicameral Riksdag in 1866, which gave political rights to anyone with a certain income or property. Nevertheless, many of the leading politicians of the 19th century continued to be drawn from the old estates, in that they were either noblemen themselves, or represented agricultural and urban interests. Ennoblements continued even after the estates had lost their political importance, with the last ennoblement of explorer Sven Hedin taking place in 1902; this practice was formally abolished with the adoption of the new Constitution January 1, 1975, while the status of the House of Nobility continued to be regulated in law until 2003.

In Finland, this legal division existed until 1906, still drawing on the Swedish constitution of 1772. However, at the start of the 20th century most of the population did not belong to any Estate and had no political representation. A particularly large class were the rent farmers, who did not own the land they cultivated but had to work in the land-owner's farm to pay their rent (unlike Russia, there were no slaves or serfs.) Furthermore, the industrial workers living in the city were not represented by the four-estate system.

The political system was reformed as a result of the Finnish general strike of 1905, with the last Diet instituting a new constitutional law to create the modern parliamentary system, ending the political privileges of the estates. The post-independence constitution of 1919 forbade ennoblement, and all tax privileges were abolished in 1920. The privileges of the estates were officially and finally abolished in 1995, although in legal practice, the privileges had long been unenforceable. As in Sweden, the nobility has not been officially abolished and records of nobility are still voluntarily maintained by the Finnish House of Nobility.

In Finland, it is still illegal and punishable by jail time (up to one year) to defraud into marriage by declaring a false name or estate (Rikoslaki 18 luku § 1/Strafflagen 18 kap. § 1).

Low Countries
The Low Countries, which until the late sixteenth century consisted of several counties, prince bishoprics, duchies etc. in the area that is now modern Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, had no States General until 1464, when Duke Philip of Burgundy assembled the first States General in Bruges. Later in the 15th and 16th centuries, Brussels became the place where the States General assembled. On these occasions, deputies from the States of the various provinces (as the counties, prince-bishoprics and duchies were called) asked for more liberties. For this reason, the States General were not assembled very often.

As a consequence of the Union of Utrecht in 1579 and the events that followed afterwards, the States General declared that they no longer obeyed King Philip II of Spain, who was also overlord of the Netherlands. After the reconquest of the southern Netherlands (roughly Belgium and Luxemburg), the States General of the Dutch Republic first assembled permanently in Middelburg, and in The Hague from 1585 onward. Without a king to rule the country, the States General became the sovereign power. It was the level of government where all things were dealt with that were of concern to all the seven provinces that became part of the Republic of the United Netherlands.

During that time, the States General were formed by representatives of the States (i.e. provincial parliaments) of the seven provinces. In each States (a plurale tantum) sat representatives of the nobility and the cities (the clergy were no longer represented; in Friesland the peasants were indirectly represented by the Grietmannen).

In the Southern Netherlands, the last meetings of the States General loyal to the Habsburgs took place in the Estates General of 1600 and the Estates General of 1632.

As a government, the States General of the Dutch Republic were abolished in 1795. A new parliament was created, called Nationale Vergadering (National Assembly). It no longer consisted of representatives of the States, let alone the Estates: all men were considered equal under the 1798 Constitution. Eventually, the Netherlands became part of the French Empire under Napoleon (1810: La Hollande est reunie à l'Empire).

After regaining independence in November 1813, the name "States General" was resurrected for a legislature constituted in 1814 and elected by the States-Provincial. In 1815, when the Netherlands were united with Belgium and Luxemburg, the States General were divided into two chambers: the First Chamber and the Second Chamber. The members of the First Chamber were appointed for life by the King, while the members of the Second Chamber were elected by the members of the States Provincial. The States General resided in The Hague and Brussels in alternate years until 1830, when, as a result of the Belgian Revolution, The Hague became once again the sole residence of the States General, Brussels instead hosting the newly founded Belgian Parliament.

From 1848 on, the Dutch Constitution provides that members of the Second Chamber be elected by the people (at first only by a limited portion of the male population; universal male and female suffrage exists since 1919), while the members of the First Chamber are chosen by the members of the States Provincial. As a result, the Second Chamber became the most important. The First Chamber is also called Senate. This however, is not a term used in the Constitution.

Occasionally, the First and Second Chamber meet in a Verenigde Vergadering (Joint Session), for instance on Prinsjesdag, the annual opening of the parliamentary year, and when a new king is inaugurated.

Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire had the Imperial Diet (Reichstag). The clergy was represented by the independent prince-bishops, prince-archbishops and prince-abbots of the many monasteries. The nobility consisted of independent aristocratic rulers: secular prince-electors, kings, dukes, margraves, counts and others. Burghers consisted of representatives of the independent imperial cities. Many peoples whose territories within the Holy Roman Empire had been independent for centuries had no representatives in the Imperial Diet, and this included the Imperial Knights and independent villages. The power of the Imperial Diet was limited, despite efforts of centralization.

Large realms of the nobility or clergy had estates of their own that could wield great power in local affairs. Power struggles between ruler and estates were comparable to similar events in the history of the British and French parliaments.

The Swabian League, a significant regional power in its part of Germany during the 15th Century, also had its own kind of Estates, a governing Federal Council comprising three Colleges: those of Princes, Cities, and Knights.

Russian Empire
In the late Russian Empire, the estates were called sosloviyes. The four major estates were: nobility (dvoryanstvo), clergy, rural dwellers, and urban dwellers, with a more detailed stratification therein. The division in estates was of mixed nature: traditional, occupational, as well as formal: for example, voting in Duma was carried out by estates. Russian Empire Census recorded the reported estate of a person.

Kingdom of Portugal
In the Medieval Kingdom of Portugal, the "Cortes" was an assembly of representatives of the estates of the realm – the nobility, clergy and bourgeoisie. It was called and dismissed by the King of Portugal at will, at a place of his choosing. Cortes which brought all three estates together are sometimes distinguished as "Cortes-Gerais" (General Courts), in contrast to smaller assemblies which brought only one or two estates, to negotiate a specific point relevant only to them.

Principality of Catalonia
The Parliament of Catalonia was first established in 1283 as the Catalan Courts (Catalan: Corts Catalanes), according to American historian Thomas Bisson, and it has been considered by several historians as a model of medieval parliament. For instance, English historian of constitutionalism Charles Howard McIlwain wrote that the General Court of Catalonia, during the 14th century, had a more defined organization and met more regularly than the parliaments of England or France.

The roots of the parliament institution in Catalonia are in the Peace and Truce Assemblies (assemblees de pau i treva) that started in the 11th century. The members of the Catalan Courts were organized in the Three Estates (Catalan: Tres Estats or Tres Braços): The parliamentary institution was abolished in 1716, together with the rest of institutions of the Principality of Catalonia, after the War of the Spanish Succession.
 * the "military estate" (braç militars) with representatives of the feudal nobility
 * the "ecclesiastical estate" (braç eclesiàstic) with representatives of the religious hierarchy
 * the "royal estate" (braç reial or braç popular) with representatives of the free municipalities under royal privilege

Location-specific

 * Prussian estates
 * Estates of the Netherlands Antilles
 * Estates of Brittany
 * The Canterbury Tales (the division of society into three estates is one of the key themes)
 * A Satire of the Three Estates

General

 * Honorary males
 * Social class
 * Caste

title: Estates of the realm


text:
Boseong County

Boseong County (Boseong-gun) is a county in South Jeolla Province, South Korea. Boseong is famous for its green tea leaves, with 26.71 hectares of land dedicated to its production. It is also the birthplace of the Korean independence activist Philip Jaisohn.

History
In the Samhan era, Boseong belonged to the Mahan confederacy and later became Bokhol County (伏忽郡) under the rule of the Baekje dynasty. The name "Boseong" was given in Unified Silla.

Geography
Large areas consist of mountains such as Mangil-Bong, Jonje Mountain and Joowol Mountain. The Boseong River flows through the center of Boseong. The multipurpose Juam Dam was built on the Boseong River in 1990.

Climate
Boseong is one of the rainiest places in South Korea. It has a moderate climate. The average annual temperature is 12.6 °C. The average temperature in January is −0.5 °C and the average temperature in August is 27.8 °C. Annual mean precipitation is 1,450 mm.

Administrative district
Boseong consists of two towns-Boseong town and Beolgyo town. Every town of population is gradually decreased.
 * Boseong : It is the seat of a county office. In addition, it is a major transportation point since 1930 and it is the distribution center of agricultural products. In the southern part of the Boseong, there are the largest tea gardens in South Korea.
 * Beolgyo : It is also major transportation point in Boseong. It had flourished since the Japanese occupation but it is little decline in recent years.

Boseong Green Tea
Boseong Green Tea is a special product produced in Boseong district.

Boseong County is the largest tea-producing area in Korea. It is so called as to be called as DongguyeojI-Seungnam (meaning " tea house " in the Joseon Dynasty). Tea produced in Boseong County is still active in growing tea plants, accounting for 40 percent of the nation's tea production.

Boseong is known as the green tea capital of Korea. The surrounding climate and soil provide good conditions for growing a unique green tea that has a distinct taste and aroma. Almost one third of all tea farmland is located in Boseong, and nearly half of all green tea production in Korea comes from the area. This status has been carefully crafted in recent decades, partly due to the long history green tea has with the area.

Green tea has been produced in Boseong for the past 1600 years. The earliest historical mention of green tea in Korea was from the reign of Queen Seondeok of Silla in the mid-7th century AD. Nearly two hundred years later, historical records indicate green tea seeds were planted at the foot of nearby Jirisan Mountain. During the Joseon dynasty, green tea began to fall out of favor due to its close association with Buddhism, but was still enjoyed by certain parts of the population and the Jirisan plantation continued to thrive. But it was not until the 1930s that green tea was produced on a large-scale basis. By the 1970s, huge, terraced farms as large as 250 acres became commonplace among local mountainsides. The 1980s marked the beginning of a decline in green tea demand which resulted in lower green tea output and a degradation of crops. It was then that the local government decided to reinvigorate the green tea industry by subsidizing local green tea businesses and developing newer, more efficient means to increase output and quality by collaborating with local universities and research institutes. Local media outlets also made efforts to paint Boseong as the green tea capital of the country to increase dominance in the industry by local businesses and draw in tourists from around the country. Mt. Hwangseong features the largest plantation in Boseong, the Daehan Green Tea Plantation. This plantation is responsible for over one third of all tea production in the area. The mountainside features a terraced design that extends along the lower reaches of the mountain and is carefully manicured, providing an impressive view when seen from the top. This view is accessible by road and has become a famous stop for tourists. The Boseong Fragrance Tea Festival is also staged in May of each year and 2013 will mark the 38th year of the festival. The festival gives tea enthusiasts the chance to pick tea leaves, make tea bowls or sample local cuisine infused with green tea flavoring.

Boseong Green Tea passed the strict quality inspection of the Russian Medical Biology Lab, and was officially recognized as a beverage suitable for an astronaut's special diet.

Transportation
National Road No. 2 goes through Boseong, and the Gyeongjeon Line transits several towns. There are mainly five stations including Boseong station, Dukryang Station, Yedang Station, Joseong Station and Beolgyo Station. Coastal region has well-connected transportation. However, inland of Boseong has a poor transportation because of mountains.

Notable people

 * Paik Hak-soon   Director of Inter-Korean Relations and Center for North Korean Studies at the Sejong Institute in Korea
 * Park Ra-yeon    South Korean poet
 * Cheong Yang-seog  South Korean politician
 * Baek Ji-heon, K-pop idol from the K-pop group Fromis 9

Twin towns – sister cities
Boseong is twinned with:

 * 🇰🇷 Gangnam-gu, South Korea
 * 🇰🇷 Gangbuk-gu, South Korea
 * 🇰🇷 Yeonje-gu, South Korea
 * 🇰🇷 Buk-gu, South Korea
 * Sujiatun, China

title: Boseong County


text: User talk:65.120.80.8

title: User talk:65.120.80.8


text:
Damyang County

Damyang County (Damyang-gun) is a county in Jeollanam-do, South Korea. Tourism is a major local industry. Notable local products include bamboo goods and strawberries.

Damyang is not to be confused with Danyang, which is located in eastern North Chungcheong Province.

Geography
The county comprises one eup (Damyang-eup, the seat), and eleven myeon (Bongsan-myeon, Changpyeong-myeon, Daedeok-myeon, Daejeon-myeon, Geumseong-myeon, Goseo-myeon, Mujeong-myeon, Nam-myeon, Subok-myeon, Wolsan-myeon, Yong-myeon).

Mountains
Chuwolsan and Byeongpungsan are popular hiking destinations. Also notable for its fortress (Geumseongsanseong): Geumseongsan.

Bamboo
Damyang is one of the northernmost places where bamboo can be found on the Korean peninsula, and its bamboo forests are well-known among Koreans. Many touristic attractions have been created to leverage that reputation: a Bamboo Theme Park / Daenamugol, a Bamboo Museum, a Bamboo Festival, a park filled with green bamboo (Juknokwon - 죽녹원).

Metasequoia
A stretch of metasequoia trees just outside Damyang-eup, planted during the Park Chung-Hee administration in the 1970s, has a long walking path of about two kilometers. The trees are particularly striking in late October to early November when their leaves turn bright colors. The walk gained nationwide popularity after a romantic drama was shot here. It was even picked as one of the most beautiful roads in all of Korea.

Food

 * Jeollanam-do enjoys a good reputation for its cuisine, and Damyang provides a large choice of restaurants.
 * The most popular specialities include Damyang ddeok galbi (tteokgalbi): this tasty and juicy marinated beef and pork mix, usually grilled at the table, is supposed to have originated either in Damyang or in Gwangju.
 * Bamboo foods served at restaurants in Damyang include daetongbap (rice cooked in bamboo), tea places bamboo tea and the salad of raw bamboo with spicy vinegar.

Literature
Several houses of famous scholars can be visited, and the Miam Diaries (Miam Yu Hui-chun: 1513–1577) are preserved in Daeduk-myon.

Events

 * Damyang Bamboo Festival
 * The V Asian-Pacific Astronomy Olympiad took place in Damyang in October 2009.

Dramas
Korean dramas have become a significant source of revenue for tourism, and many counties sponsor series or compete to host a few shootings, hoping to hit a jackpot similar to the localities 'blessed' with Winter Sonata's visit. Damyang boasts its metasequoia path (see above), and a 'movie village'.

Landmarks and Monuments
They include the fortress of Geumseongsanseong, and various national treasures (pagodas, pavilions... - overall, 66 properties, including 15 at the national level and 51 at the provincial level).

Infrastructure has followed the natural assets, and tourists can stay in themed resorts with local features such as hot baths perfumed with bamboo.

Temples

 * Yongheungsa in Wolsa-myeon (not to be confused with Busan's Yonggungsa)
 * Gaeseonsa in Nam-myeon.

Soswaewon
A private garden built by Yang San-bo (1503–1557), Soswaewon (소쇄원) stretches along a charming streamlet dotted with pavilions particularly suitable for meditation. A refreshing spot in the summer heat.

Juknokwon
Juknokwon was opened on May, 2003. This bamboo grove is 310,0002 wide. There are 8 trails which have different themes. And it was filming location of 'R-Point'.

Gwanbangjerim
Gwanbangjerim is a forest created to protect Gwanbangje, an embankment along Damyangcheon Stream. It is designated as Natural Monument No. 366, and about 320 deciduous broadleaf trees of 15 species remain.

Sister cities

 * 🇨🇳 Anji, China
 * 🇯🇵 Takehara, Japan
 * 🇺🇸 Lynnwood, Washington, United States

title: Damyang County


text:
Talk:Saint Lucia

Commonwealth Head of State
quote, "Being a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, the head of state of Saint Lucia is the British monarch"

This seems to imply all Commonwealth nations have the British monarch as their head of state..?

A: Saint Lucia is a Commonwealth Realm and recognises the British monarch as head of state. Other members of the Commonwealth of Nations have their own heads of state. Vivenot 10:51, 29 July 2005 (UTC)

Caribbean Wikipedians' notice board
I would like to announce the establishment of the Caribbean Wikipedians' notice board]]. Anyone with an interest in the Caribbean is welcome to join in. Guettarda 1 July 2005 04:11 (UTC)

Category:Saint Lucian Wikipedians
Wikipedia are in the process of re-implementing the userlists of Wikipedians into a set of Categories, so I've set up Category:Saint Lucian Wikipedians.

To add yourself to this list, insert the following on your user page:

I look forward to hearing from other Lucian Wikipedians soon!

Vivenot 16:08, 29 July 2005 (UTC)

 * Not sure if there are many other Lucians here, but you might want to add your name to List of Caribbean Wikipedians. Guettarda 16:25, 29 July 2005 (UTC)
 * Oops, I'm an idiot, you already did. Guettarda 16:25, 29 July 2005 (UTC)
 * No Worries mate! It's nice to meet you. Hope to chat to you and other Caribbean Wikipedians soon Vivenot 16:28, 29 July 2005 (UTC)

Tourism
Before I went as a tourist, I had a look here to see what to expect - and didn't find much. I've added a little section and 2 pictures, but feel this could be extended quite a lot. What about a section of resorts/hotels on the island, including facts about them and perhaps a rating of some sort? amertner 23:28, 24 February 2006 (UTC)

 * needs to be tidied up a bit reads like a tourist brochure Khukri 10:14, 22 March 2006 (UTC)

 * As of right now, the tourism section is POV and needs to be changed. Furthermore, the section should be merged into the section on economics.  I'm adding a POV tag until the necessary changes are made.  --The Way 05:00, 28 September 2006 (UTC)

 * Surely you mean it is currently POV?--Vivenot 09:16, 28 September 2006 (UTC)

 * I removed all the language that seemed POV, and there was a lot of it. I also removed the POV tag, however I'm still not sure that tourism needs its own section...  --The Way 05:14, 6 October 2006 (UTC)

ok im doing a project on st.lucia and there (here in wikipeida) is nothing about traditions or customs!!! someone help! -ashleyluvzpetewentz —Preceding unsigned comment added by Ashleyluvzpetewentz (talk • contribs) 01:12, 26 November 2007 (UTC)
 * You'd have much better luck looking elsewhere. The WP article is still very much a WIP. Chensiyuan (talk) 07:54, 26 November 2007 (UTC)

Anybody know anything about the environment (or wildlife) of ST lucia? Seems like an important element taht is missing from this article. —Preceding unsigned comment added by TheChonkster (talk • contribs) 22:25, 1 April 2009 (UTC)

Culture?
Is the culture section here getting too big or too difficult for the page itself? I have nominated Culture of Saint Lucia for deletion, because I think that this entails all the material there, and goes above and beyond that, and that that article could thus be deleted pretty safely. Feel free to weigh in on this at [] or to leave comments on my user talk page. Thank you.-Kmaguir1 08:32, 3 September 2006 (UTC)

 * Strong disagree - Culture of Saint Lucia should be kept as every country has a culture article (refer to []. --Vivenot 15:14, 4 September 2006 (UTC)

Proposed WikiProject
There is now a proposed WikiProject for the Caribbean area, including Saint Lucia, at WikiProject Council/Proposals. Interested parties should add their names there so we can determine if there is enough interest to start such a project in earnest. Thank you for your attention. Badbilltucker 17:03, 13 December 2006 (UTC)

Pronunciation
Can anybody add some information as to the proper pronunciation of the name "Saint Lucia"? I've heard it pronounced (in English) as something like "Saint Looshia", where the "c" had a sound similar to its sound in Italian. What's the origin of that pronunciation? --Cotoco 23:46, 17 March 2007 (UTC)

 * The correct pronunciation of the country is "Loo-shya". The IPA transcription of this article needs to be changed to reflect this, unfortunately I am not able to do it. --Vivenot 10:55, 13 July 2007 (UTC)

 * Do you happen to know why it's pronounced like that? As I said, this pronunciation seems to have an Italian influence to it. Is that how people usually pronounce the name "Lucia" in most anglophone countries? --Cotoco 08:05, 15 July 2007 (UTC)

 * Moreover, where does the -ia come from? French has -ie, english has -y. 87.103.125.82 (talk) 10:57, 28 July 2010 (UTC)
 * -ia endings are Latin. The French is Sainte-Lucie, as you'd rightly pointed out. JonChapple Talk 20:28, 7 September 2011 (UTC)

Ok, why does the island have a Latin name? Is it because it changed hands so often that a name that did not have to be changed to reflect the language of the latest ruler was more convenient? It would be interesting to know. 95.146.141.219 (talk) 12:26, 2 September 2013 (UTC)

 * This pronunication (albeit correct) is weird entirely. In both Italian and Latin, the ci sound is like ch in English. How did they get from "Lucie" (-see) to an "sh" sound should be articulated into this article. Weird from every linguistic aspect, certainly everyone gets this wrong the first time. Savvyjack23 (talk) 21:15, 8 March 2017 (UTC)

Finding the BrE pronunciation guide bizarre - I'm British, of St Lucian heritage and the attribution for AmE is far closer to how it's pronounced in England. (Certainly in Scotland/Wales/N. Ireland - whose dialects are routinely passed over in considerations for IPA on BrE - St Lucia is not pronounced as represented) I think it would be appropriate to get rid of the BrE pronunciation guide because it simply doesn't reflect reality. 82.29.123.32 (talk) 01:30, 1 September 2020 (UTC) T.Norville 02:30 BST

Religion ?
90 % are catholic ? 212.95.99.4 (talk) 04:41, 17 November 2007 (UTC)
 * http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/diplo/de/Laenderinformationen/01-Laender/StLucia.html

 * How about CIA world factbook? Chensiyuan (talk) 04:44, 17 November 2007 (UTC)

Contrary to article there are no Jews on St. Lucia other than a few American Jewish medical students. We should change the article I believe.Mwinog2777 (talk) 16:24, 17 March 2017 (UTC)

official language
This article contradicts itself. One can read in the infobox that the official languages are English, French Patois ans Spanish but in the text only English is mentioned as an official language.

 * What is true? Are there one or three official languages?
 * If there are three, why is Spanish an official language?
 * Which are the sources? What does the constitution say?

Aaker (talk) 00:12, 11 December 2007 (UTC)

 * That appears to be either a mistake or vandalism. Every other source I can find on the internet says that English is the only official language. Funnyhat (talk) 06:57, 14 December 2007 (UTC)

 * Thanks! Aaker (talk) 23:47, 17 December 2007 (UTC)
 * This (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/st.html) has English as only official language. Hence I shall write non-official language. Sarcelles (talk) 20:01, 27 October 2010 (UTC)
 * Saint Lucian Creole French has been entered as one of the official languages again. Sarcelles (talk) 19:39, 31 October 2010 (UTC)

Wrong Shade of Blue
The image of the flag on the page right now is using the old (1979-2002) shade of blue. The modern flag of Saint Lucia is much lighter, like in the previous version of the image. Can anyone fix this? (And maybe upload the current version as a separate historical flag or something.) Thanks. Orange Tuesday (talk) 18:44, 1 April 2008 (UTC)
 * Never mind! Fixed it myself. Orange Tuesday (talk) 19:33, 2 April 2008 (UTC)

Mick Jagger
I have removed the comment about Mick Jagger having owning a property on the island. This is something that local tour guides often say to wow people on the tour. Mick Jagger has visited the island but does not own a home here. It is correct that the boxer George Foreman owns a home here. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 213.86.213.196 (talk) 14:53, 14 August 2008 (UTC)

Patois
One part of the article says that Patois is a language, and another says that Creole is a patois. Somebody who knows about such things should edit the document for consistency and accuracy. Ronstew (talk) 19:24, 7 November 2008 (UTC)

 * Patois and Creole is the same... Some people say Patois and some people say Creole —Preceding unsigned comment added by 98.221.179.196 (talk) 05:40, 16 February 2010 (UTC)

 * Actually, "patois" is a general term for any nonstandard language, while "creole" is a more specific term for a natural language developed by the mixing of multiple languages. 138.16.18.34 (talk) 16:56, 10 November 2013 (UTC)

How far?
How far is the equator from saint lucia? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 99.250.225.63 (talk) 19:29, 17 January 2010 (UTC)

The shape of power socket in ST. LUCIA
I wonder the shape of power socket in ST. LUCIA. Perhaps, it's a british-3pin or european-2pin.... —Preceding unsigned comment added by 112.173.189.129 (talk) 06:50, 26 June 2010 (UTC)

Contradictory Information
Hi all, this is my first time editing a "talk" page, so I'm not so sure if I'm doing it right, but I just wanted to point out that the intro to the article states that "The island nation has been the home of two Nobel laureates, Arthur Lewis and Derek Walcott. It is the nation with the second most such honorees per capita after the Faroe Islands." while the Demographics section states that "Saint Lucia boasts the highest ratio of Nobel laureates produced with respect to the total population of any country in the world." I was just pointing this out with the hopes that someone with more knowledge on the subject can fix it. 174.59.166.229 (talk) 19:57, 26 August 2011 (UTC)

Population
The percentage of ethnic division of population is more than 100%??? 46.47.119.155 (talk) 23:12, 5 January 2013 (UTC)

Pre-European history
I think the history section needs at least a few words about the island's inhabitants prior to European invasion. 138.16.18.34 (talk) 16:50, 10 November 2013 (UTC)

Don't the Africans count for anything? But certainly, we should hear more about the island's original invaders. 24.130.15.8 (talk) 04:14, 25 April 2014 (UTC)

There's no such thing as an "original invader". People who occupy previously uninhabited land are settlers. Laodah 18:04, 8 August 2015 (UTC)

Hotel Chocolat?
Is it worth mentioning the cocoa plantation and hotel that Hotel Chocolat have here? It seems somewhat 'out of it' to not mention it, I mean surely that thing brings in a bit of tourism itself? MM (I did the who in the whatnow?)  (I did it!) 17:06, 6 August 2014 (UTC)

What is the role of the Quarters?
They are equated with parishes in the article. Do they function as civil administrative districts? Do they have local officers? Councils? How are these elected or appointed? Over what matters do they have jurisdiction, if any? This sort of information should be included in the section on the Quarters. At present there is just a list of their names. J. D. Crutchfield | Talk 21:13, 11 November 2014 (UTC)

Crime
Remarkable that there is no section within the Saint Lucia page on crime in Saint Lucia, nor even a link to the latter.. The word 'crime' does not even appear on the page. As it is now, the whole Saint Lucia page could have been written by the St Lucia Tourism Board and no doubt was. A very sanitised and poor effort to date. 124.187.33.41 (talk) 12:15, 27 March 2015 (UTC)

Who is "De Rousselan"?
In the History section, French Colony it says "De Rousselan was appointed the island's governor, took a Carib wife and remained in post until his death in 1654." Who is "De Rousselan"? Why is he mentioned by last name when he is not introduced by full name anywhere in the article? Even if he in mononymous, there should be some explanation of who he is.Probablynoteworthy (talk) 17:07, 18 March 2017 (UTC)

Louis de Kerengoan, sieur de Rousselan from Martinique was a military officer who led French settlers to Santa Lucia to set up a fort. He also had hopes of establishing a permanent settlement on the island. Just about the first thing de Rousselan did was marry a Carib woman. He was appointed governor in 1653. The settlers had no problems with the Caribs. Until de Rousselan died in 1654 and they began attacking the settlement. Then they went on to kill three fresh governors, one after another. (Yes, I just learned all this today.) ObadiahKatz (talk) 04:22, 13 November 2017 (UTC)

Copyright problem removed
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"Débòt" & "Moulala" dance !?
Hello, is there anyone who knows about traditional Saintelucian dance ???

I would like to know if the "Debòt" and "Moulala" dances are traditional of St. Lucia and if they are still danced there, please, thank you ! PouLagwiyann (talk) 02:56, 30 May 2019 (UTC)

Replacing Amerindians with Arawaks
I suggest that the term 'Amerindians' in the very first paragraph be changed to the more specific term 'Arawaks'.

Amerindian is the broad term for indigenous groups across the Americas. The term Arawak, however, specifically refers to the Caribbean group that occupied the Eastern Caribbean prior to the Caribs. Both Arawaks and Caribs fall under the category of Amerindian, so it is more accurate to use the appropriate name for the initial group of people.

The Pre-colonial period subsection under the History section of this article and the page History of Saint Lucia already use the term 'Arawaks' as opposed to 'Amerindians', so this should remain consistent within the article. -  Shayvory (talk) 14:42, 28 March 2020 (UTC)

Comments
The article looks very good, and I wish you luck with your GA nomination. A few notes to use or ignore as you see fit: Best wishes. -SusanLesch (talk) 19:30, 1 December 2022 (UTC)
 * Maybe spell out Saint every time, or don't. This might be a fraught decision.
 * History is too long (for US cities, the guideline is 10 paragraphs). Is it possible to move some to History of Saint Lucia?
 * Just general comment, I don't think single sentences should be a paragraph. I'd encourage you to combine these where possible.
 * Can "Double Taxation Relief" be combined into one para? (I'm trying to decide if all three parts refer to the same treaty.)
 * similarly, FATCA. Can the early treaty come first and both sections be one para?
 * only necessary to say a member of La Francophonie once (we have three times now)

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 * Saint Lucia Product Exports (2019).svg

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title: Talk:Saint Lucia