Kingdom of Ireland - News Thread

[PresidentDavid]

[size="5"][b]King Anthony Pledges to Jump-Start the Economy[/b][/size]

[img]http://www.savenewgrange.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Money-Euro-Notes2.jpg[/img]

Having taken his position as Sovereign of Ireland, King Anthony has made it his first objective to jump start our economy and begin trade with foreign nations throughout Europe and even other parts of the planet. Economic specialists exclaim joy that the King wants to increase economic relations with Germany, one of the strongest nations in the northern hemisphere, and France, a next door neighbor who could probably provide a lot of goods or a lot of money for products. Currently, trade is technically closed to and from all nations until the either send an offer, or the King requests permission for civilians to be able to trade. If our King is able to seal the deal with our father nation, Germany, and our close neighbor, France, then it could not only mean a great deal of prosperity for the Irish people, but also a monopoly on the Irish economy for the French and Germans.

[PresidentDavid]

[size="5"][b]Military Puts Down Terrorist Group, Few Survivors[/b][/size]

[img]http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/images/0625-01.jpg[/img]

South of Belfast, a group of over two-hundred terrorists were killed by the army after they claimed responsibility for three car bombs in Belfast and were tracked down to Holywood. After refusing to exit the building in which they were in, the army planted charges on one of the four walls and blew open a hole. After the building was breached, gunfire erupted from the terrorist side which ended up in the army using a tank to destroy the building, killing most of the terrorists. After a twenty minute shoot out, three members of the militant organization surrendered and "were arrested for Treason, Terrorism, Misuse of a Firearm, and Instigating Violence." says Belfast Police Chief Ryan McClellan. "Because they wanted the overthrow of the monarchy and targeted government buildings with their car bombs, they suffer a very real possibility of being convicted of treason." Though few similar acts like this have occurred so far, worried subjects of the King made a five thousand signature petition to increase defense spending and enlarge the small Irish armed forces of twenty-thousand soldiers to something more along the lines of one hundred-thousand trained professionals.

Some officials are worried that the King himself is just a figurehead and the military is just running our country, however that doesn't seem to be the case with the many Royal Decrees the King has made so far, and the current size of the military. King Anthony released a statement saying that, "While this was an unfortunate event, we need to remember that groups like these only represent a very small minority of our Protestant brothers in the north. For the last few years, peace has remained in all of Ulster and I intend to keep it that way." The King went on to say that he will be visiting Belfast soon to meet with the Mayor and discuss how else to prevent any more Troubles.

[PresidentDavid]

[size="5"][b]House of Lords Declares "Countries of Interest"[/b][/size]

[img]http://www.yourdictionary.com/images/articles/lg/3238.IrishFlag.jpg[/img]

[b]Germany[/b]

The House of Lords, the legislative branch of the Kingdom, passed a resolution earlier today in which they selected several countries from around the world that they think would "benefit the Irish people if His Majesty would decided to open up relations with them." The first three were the other European powers of France, Germany, and the Athenian Federation. With Germany being the father nation of the Irish Kingdom, the House of Lords praised them for, "granting the Irish people their much needed freedom and independence." The German report was the biggest of them all, praising the German Government for all the good they have done for Europe, and the stability they've brought to the West with their military might, and wise diplomatic decisions with the Athenian Federation and other world powers. Not to mention the jobs and opportunities that could come from trade. The report with Germany ended off in saying that if the King would make an alliance with Germany, to make sure that it surpasses all others because of "the already great relations we have with the German Reich and their positive outlook on the British Isles."

[b]The Athenian Federation[/b]

While not as large as the Reich's report, the Athenian Federation still had many pages of reasons why the Irish Crown should consider befriending or at least announcing good relations with those in Athens. One of the two strongest European powers and being one of the two most influential world powers had a large role to play in it, however trade with Athens was also included. The rich regions of Italy, southern France, Greece, and the Iberian Peninsula would all bring a wealth of money, resources, and jobs to the Irish people. Not to mention the stable existence of the Athenian Federation and their large "win rate" for wars with foreign powers who dare defy them.
One sentence speaking of both Germany and Athens said that it would be in the Irish interest to stay on their side and work with them not because of their military might, but because of how easily they've kept Europe European by not letting foreigners occupy large amounts of European territory unlike the many nations of the Western Hemisphere who have still failed to find a leader.

[b]France[/b]

Excluding Ireland, France is the youngest European power an automatically considered the the most unstable. However the French report from the House of Lords said that the French Government, "has stayed in power and does have an attractive economy." Regardless of some of their foreign policy decisions regarding other countries of the world, it would be extremely beneficial to open up trade with France and allow both sides to prosper. Simply said, "Because we don't recommend a full alliance immediately, it would be wise to build relations over time with France, however they are a force to be recognized with."

[b]Greenland[/b]

Last on the list of four was the North American nation of Greenland. While Greenland is geologically part of North America, most of it's past political history had been with Europe. The House of Lords did not specify on exactly what kind of alliance should be created with Greenland, but did explain that trade could prove useful and friendly relations "could result in a good ally down the line." The report went on to say that while North America has no leader, Greenland is a stable force who "should be recognized for their achievements." In addition to the benefits of trade with a stable North American power, Greenland also has an extremely large military that definitely will not be underestimated.

The King made a rare appearance yesterday and gave his take on the House's resolution. "It is at moments like this where I am so thankful for the House of Lords. While final authority lies with the Sovereign of this Kingdom, the House of Lords has a whole stock of good ideas and great plans to bring Ireland into a bright and vibrant future. I agree that the four countries mentioned have great records and even better economies - I hope to be meeting with most of them soon however I must first go to Berlin and talk with officials of the Reich. They gave us the blessing of our own country once again, and I will not let their generosity and grace go unnoticed. I was ordained by God to be in this position, and I will make sure that I thank the German Government for giving me the opportunity to serve him and you, my most loyal subjects of this amazing island." Our young King seems prepared to open up trade with the world - starting with Germany.

[PresidentDavid]

[size="5"][b]Entire Kingdom Waits for Word From Berlin[/b][/size]

[img]http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01789/ireland_1789397c.jpg[/img]
[i]Children waiting with their parents outside of the capital[/i]

The entire nation is at a virtual standstill today as thousands of merchants wait in port in Dublin and Belfast to set sail to Germany to begin trade. The father nation of Ireland is currently holding talks with our King in Berlin about "possible economic relations" reports a member of the House of Lords. As known to all, the Kingdom of Ireland has a strict policy regarding trade which states that the King himself must first approve trade with any sovereign nation before trade can start on either side. It is expected that the King wants to approve trade with Germany first, an obvious strong symbol of friendship that could hopefully continue to improve Irish-German relations.

The Athenian Federation was on the House of Lords' list of nations of interest, however now it's expected that no formal diplomacy will come. This isn't because of sour relations between Athens and Dublin, but because the Athenian Federation has a more strict foreign policy initiative which supposedly would result in Ireland and the Federation not signing a treaty any time soon. However this does not change the possibility of trade with the Federation because they do approve trade with almost all foreign nations. This means that the King simply has make a Royal Decree, declaring he agrees with supporting the secure European nation.

As thousands of merchants wait in Ireland's two biggest cities, we assume that word will come soon from the King or German officials. This trade deal could mean immense economic growth and an increase in jobs across the entire Kingdom.

[PresidentDavid]

[size="5"][b]Newly Created, Government-Funded, Organization "Widows-And-Daughters-of-Heros" (WADOH) [/b][/size]

[img]http://r2square.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/sad_girl1.jpg[/img]

The King's Office released plans this week in which a government funded and ran organization has been created for the wives and daughters of fallen Irish soldiers. Past wars have left thousands of women and girls without husbands or fathers. The organization is funded to cover everything from counseling for those suffering from depression to responsible families who were put in a bad financial situation by the loss of their husbands and dads. The organization is scheduled to open up it's official offices in Dublin, Belfast, and Cork in one week. The organization, otherwise known as WADOH, owes it's thanks to several generals who signed a petition to the King's Office.
No word yet from the King's party as he remains talking in Berlin to open up ports to trade with the mighty Germany economy.

[PresidentDavid]

[size="5"][b]Royal Military Gets 80,000 New Recruits![/b][/size]

[img]http://homepage.eircom.net/~billybrady/1916/army1.jpg[/img]
[i]Irish Army Marching in Dublin After the Crowning of
The King[/i]

The Royal Irish Army has gotten nearly 80,000 new recruits who will be entering basic training in the following months. The current trained and funded Army is at a low number of 20,000 soldiers however that is soon to change. The King's Office announced today that there will be a boost in Defense spending so that the new military members "can be properly trained, clothed, and fed." While the current small fighting force is tiny compared to the German or Athenian forces, they have been trained very well compared to most countries who treat their basic "Army" division as a weaker fighting force. As of now the Army is the only official military branch of the Irish Kingdom except for the minute force of the King's Royal Guard who specifically either stays in Dublin or with the King himself.

So far, the Kingdom of Ireland has no Air Force, Navy, or Coast Guard. Because of this, some critics have said that, "Ireland isn't serious about defending it's borders" or "Isn't ready to stop even an internal conflict that may arise." The King himself made a brief statement saying that, "Our country is only a week old yet we are expected to have a mighty military fighting force? I can promise all of my people that we are working hard to get a strong military who can defend all of us - without cutting corners." Plans have been introduced to create a Coast Guard, small Navy, Air Force, and different variants of Special Forces. Hopefully when the King returns from Germany, we will see more immediate results.

[PresidentDavid]

[b][size="5"]House of Lords Asking Civilians for Opinion on [i]Abortion[/i][/size][/b]

[img]http://talkingpointsmemo.com/assets_c/2011/12/stop-abortion-now-cropped-proto-custom_28.jpg[/img]

Today the House of Lords put out a bold message, asking the people of the Irish Kingdom if they supported legislation being passed to have abortion made totally illegal, or "based on different circumstances such as life threatening situations and rape." Abortion has been illegal for most of Ireland's history except for a few past governments who had made it totally legal or at least partially. While abortion is a hot topic and very close to many of the people in Ireland, the House of Lords has been sticking to even more pressing issues such as the Ireland's economic situation or it's relations with foreign nations such as Germany or Athens. Within the past week, however, things have changed.

A remarkable petition of nearly 480,000 people got the attention of the House of Lords after it was delivered to Dublin by [i]Éire for Life[/i], "an organization dedicated to stopping the murder of children." The petition was addressed to the House of Lords as it's opening topic and a close to unanimous decision came into conclusion. The House of Lords requested that citizens go to their local polling stations and vote on two subjects. "Do you support passing legislation to criminalize the abortion of human beings in The Kingdom of Ireland?" and "Which of these do you support: 1. Abortion of human beings should be criminalized, 2. Some forms of abortion, such as in cases of rape or fatal situations for the mother, should be kept legal, 3. Abortion should be kept totally legal."

Several bishops have praised the government for allowing the public to finally voice their opinions on the matter while critiques claim that this is just "an attempt to bring down destroy women's rights." Regardless, we will see how this develops when the polls close next week.

[PresidentDavid]

[size="5"][b]IRELAND AND GERMANY OPEN TO TRADE![/b][/size]

[img]http://www.politicalruminations.com/images/awesome-pics/crowds-ireland-love-obama.jpg[/img]
[i]Thousands Cheering Outside of The King's Office[/i]

King Anthony arrived home in Dublin from is trip to Berlin this afternoon after only being there for a few hours. No announcement or leak came from the King or officials in Berlin as the talks went on and ended. When word came that the King was returning home, political analysts suspected the worst since they hadn't released any official word on what the decision had been. That all changed when the King got home. Stepping up to a podium in front of the King's Residence and Royal Office, he began a deceiving speech. "As Sovereign of this Kingdom I am obligated to make deals with foreign nations and their leaders to create and approve treaties for trade, friendship, and defense. I promised you all that I would be going to Berlin and would have a treaty of trade in my hands when I returned." Looking down for a moment, the King then reconnected with the crowd and raised a document with his right hand, "I not only did that, but we formed an alliance."

The crowd exploded as hundreds of reporters flashed pictures. The ground rumbled for nearly a minute as men and women yelled with joy and hugged one another, knowing that this simple piece of paper would contribute to the prosperity of their country. After the minutes of unwavering noise the King ended his speech with, "I declare the ports of Dublin, Cork, and Belfast open to trade with Germany."

[PresidentDavid]

[size="5"][b]King Anthony Approves Budget for Space Program[/b][/size]

[img]http://im.glogster.com/media/4/30/34/37/30343751.jpg[/img]
[i]The City of Cork[/i]

King Anthony recently approved the creation of "what will start as a small space program, and hopefully lead to a bigger one in the future" so says the King. The budget was set at $400,000,000. The King said he expects to have "something" in space within the next year and that "if the Irish Space Program can do this, they will be renewed for another, higher, budget." Some of the smartest engineers and mathematicians from around the country are going to be brought to Cork, the planned "home city" of the Space Program. critics say the space program "will just be a pit that money is thrown into" and that "the outraging goals that are set for them will have no real monetary value when accomplished." Many supporters say that a space program is not profitable at first and sometimes, years can go by before there is a profit made. However science, the medical field, and common inventions along with the Velcro and the modern day computer chip stemmed from the first space program, NASA. Regardless of if the program will make or break the 375-million investment, it is now in the hands of Ireland's brightest minds to make the King proud.

Edited June 30, 2012 by PresidentDavid

[PresidentDavid]

[size="5"][b]King Approves Formal Branches of Military[/b][/size]

[img]http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5219/5465303593_2f0e38587a_z.jpg[/img]

King Anthony signed a Royal Decree today giving the Irish Military a total makeover. Until up to this point, The Irish Royal Army, a temporary branch for the armed forces of Ireland, has contained 100,000 recruits and well-trained soldiers in organized battalions and squads. With the numbers now at 200,000, it is just as good a time as any to make more organized branches. Also, in the first few weeks of Irish Independence the Kingdom has had no Navy or Air Force, leaving the island very vulnerable to domestic threats or even unlikely foreign conflict. The newly created branches include:

[b]The Royal Irish Army
-Royal Army Rangers
-Homeland Defense

The Royal Air Force
-Airborne Division

The Royal Navy
-Royal Marines
-Royal Coast Guard[/b]

With the creation of the new branches and sub-branches of the military it's estimated that they'll be fully equipped and ready for battle in a matter of weeks.

Edited July 1, 2012 by PresidentDavid

[PresidentDavid]

[size="5"][b]Local Officials Fear Food Shortages for Winter[/b][/size]

[img]http://www.cottagecraftworks.com/images/yellow-wheat-field%20%28600%20x%20399%29.jpg[/img]
[i]Wheat field in Leinster[/i]

Local officials from various municipalities including Belfast, Cork, Galway, Waterford, and even Dublin came together to address the House of Lords and give a press conference. Several questions were answered in the press conference including what commodities would be at shortages. Bottled water was not on the list however the committee warned that grown foods and even meat would not just have price increases towards the colder months, but may actually run out in many parts of the country. The House of Lords released a joint statement that they would do their best to secure funds from the Royal Treasury and try to make food caches in the "unlikely event of a food shortage in Ireland."

It took a few days for the King's Office to even release a statement regarding to what may be a terrible food crisis in the coming months. "I am sure that crisis will be adverted" said King Anthony, "Ireland is filled with miles of farmland and plenty of cattle to last us through the winter. In the event that there are shortages of vital food items, there are storage facilities housing a large quantity of food. The last thing we want is hungry people - God forbid, if it comes down to it, I'll skip a meal if it benefits someone else." There are no public records of any current food caches in Ireland that are reserved for civilians. However there are caches of food, munitions, and supplies for the military in the event of terrorism or invasion - but these commodities are strategically invaluable to the military. We will continue to see if the House of Lords and the King work together to guarantee that shops will still be stocked come November and December. Though we can only speculate on if the King or House of Lords would approve of foreign aid, given the pride many leaders on the island have.

Edited July 7, 2012 by PresidentDavid

[Lestari]

The Republic of Pará stands ready to provide aid in the form of food supplies and rations in the event that Ireland faces nation-wide food shortages. Give us the word and they will be on their way.

[Isaac MatthewII]

The UCNA echoes the statement from the Republic of Para, should food shortages become a problem dont hesitate to ask for aid.

[Shadow hawk]

"As said by other nations, Newfoundland will aid in the event of a famine. If requested, we'll give you more fishes than you may of ever seen."

Edited July 7, 2012 by Shadow hawk

[PresidentDavid]

[quote][b]From His Majesty the King of Ireland[/b]

[img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fe/Coat_of_arms_of_Ireland.svg/200px-Coat_of_arms_of_Ireland.svg.png[/img]
[b]To Officials of The Republic of Pará,
UNCA, and Newfoundland[/b]

Gentlemen,

I thank you for your kind offers of help in the event that trouble arises in Ireland. From what I know as of now, the market will have enough food to feed itself through the winter. But if we do get into a food crises I'll do everything I can to make sure that my people don't go hungry. Obviously my last resort is to accept food from foreign nations because it will make Ireland look weak and hurt the pride of my people. I thank you all and I hope it doesn't resort to that, but if it comes down to it I will come back in contact with you.

[b]King Anthony O'Reilly[/b][/quote]

[PresidentDavid]

[size="5"][b]Space Agency Launches Several Satellites Successfully From Cork![/b][/size]

[img]http://www.sciteh.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/spacexfalcon1launch.jpg[/img]

In the past three days the Irish Space Agency has launched seven satellites into space, only one of them being government owned. While the abilities of the government's satellite are classified, we do know that it will at least have the ability to look down at the Earth with amazing picture and quality. Two generals and multiple military analysts have told us that this satellite alone will give us a big step towards getting a more technologically advanced military. Several nations of the world, including Germany and the Athenian Federation, have highly advanced militaries that are a force to be reckoned with. What many are hoping is that this satellite will at least make some take the Irish Armed Forces seriously. King Anthony himself was at the launch of the first and second satellite. He told reporters that, "I'm so proud of our engineers and scientists to getting us this far. With the success of these rockets we know that it will benefit us to continue to fund this space program so that the military and the economy can reap the benefits."

Of the other satellites that were launched into orbit, two of them were weather satellites that do have the power to look down on the Earth similar to the newly launched military satellite, but with less clarity. In the past two years scientists have been trying to make a historical record of the highs and lows of temperature in Ireland. So far, the record only goes back twenty years with the last two being the coldest so far. Scientists say that these satellites will be able to help them track weather patterns and give people all across the island a better weather report. This will not only theoretically benefit the average citizen but will also help farmers who area always trying to keep up with the rain. Concerned citizens are hoping that the satellites will be able to help estimate what the weather will be like this winter while everyone wonders if they'll have food on their tables.

[PresidentDavid]

[b]Private[/b]

[i]The King[/i]

The King and his council sat around a large rectangular table in one of the many meeting rooms in the capital. Today was a little different then usual because circumstances had changed. Swiveling an ink pen in his hand, King Anthony looked down to his trusted group of advisers made up of various government officials, including his uncle. "We can't just accept that there will be casualties this year" said the young King, "There has to be something we can do." The first person to offer their opinion was the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Christopher O'Connell. "The safest thing to do would simply be accept some aid. There are plenty of governments willing to help us for absolutely no price at all and quite frankly, sir, I don't see why we should refuse them." At the other head of the table, across from the King, was Anthony's Minister of Culture, Miss Cynthia McNeil. Folding her hands and sweetly turning her head towards one of her shoulders she tried to convince the King that what she had to say was the truth and correct. "See, your Majesty, we can accept all the aid we want. In fact, while we're at it, why don't we just dissolve the military?" Christopher rolled his eyes and leaned back in his chair mumbling, "Here we go again."

Ignoring his comment, Cynthia continued. "While the offers of these governments are generous, your majesty, we have to remember the effects it will have here back home on the people. Recent polling" she said, sending a graph to each of their iPhones, "shows that accepting aid would be taken as a sign of weakness and would the government look weak - like we can't take care of ourselves. That in turn makes you look weak sir, and we simply can't have that..." She rested the back of her pen at the corner of her mouth and took out her sketch pad, hoping someone would refute her graph. "We simply can't have this big of a blow to national pride, people would stop taking us seriously and you know what that comes with..." All of them thought of the few terrorist organizations recently destroyed in Northern Ireland but none of them spoke of it, "Then what do you propose we do Cynthia?" Smiling, Cynthia looked over to General Worth of the Irish Army.

Preparing to mount his defense, they all listened to her give a simple request that they use the military's food reserves. "Your Majesty, for the love of God this is outrageous!" Cynthia rolled her eyes, "I'm sorry, will the soldiers be needing that food? Are we going to war, general?" General Worth sat up straight and repelled the cheap shot with a well organized retaliation, "Sir, you know just as well as I do that the food in those caches are what feeds the soldiers from a day to day basis. What are we suppose to do? Give everyone the winter off?" General Worth folded his arms and looked off at the wall, "Sir, the military are the very last people you want to be hungry, I can promise you that." Christopher laughed, "What? Is that a threat?"

Standing up, Anthony took his jacket off from the back of his chair and put it on. Everyone else in the room quickly rose to their feet as the King fashioned his buttons, "I don't know what we should do yet. If possible, I don't want to get foreign aid - I know that, sorry Christopher but Cynthia is right." Cynthia grew a satisfied smile on her face until the King finished his remarks, "However I do not want to just strip the military of it's food stuffs - that would be insane." Anthony looked directly at General Worth, "I know you think we should just nationalize few of the bigger farms and give out the food, but I can't just attack the market like that general." The King's uncle stood quietly, having said nothing so far, "Going take a walk, nephew?" Anthony walked out of the dark meeting room and said, "Yes Uncle, don't wait up."

Noticing the King walking out of the meeting room, an attentive office goer chanted, "Make way for the King!" The packed office made a neat path for the King to walk in between them. Anthony just had to get out for a while, maybe get some fresh air, enjoy a night sky? After a short journey outside he met up with a smiling old man. "Good afternoon your Majesty. Where can I take you?" Howard was a great guy. He didn't have an official position because well... he had a combination of jobs. He was the only person to drive the King anywhere, he set the table and kept the Royal Quarters clean for the King and his Uncle, and he talked to Anthony when he needed advice from a friend. "I thought we could go somewhere in the country Howard, somewhere small."

Howard opened the back passenger door to the low-detail black car, "Certainly sir." The drive out of Dublin and the greater area was a relief for Anthony. It was nice to just get away from it all every now and again. Being King was simply a job you could not escape.. but you could avoid being it every now and again. "You a little down sir." Anthony nodded, "I'm just dealing with a lot right now Howard; you know, with what people will be eating in a few months." Howard nodded as he took an abrupt turn, "I know just the place to bring you, it's a small town I'd go to on the weekends when I was younger. I'm sure you'll like it... And about that; remember sir" said Howard while he trailed an elderly person taking their time on the road, "Remember why you are here. To serve God and protect the people of Ireland. Doing both of those involves keeping to your word, and not sacrificing your beliefs." Pulling up to a small, two story stone structure, Anthony looked up, "Where are we Howard?" Exiting the vehicle, Howard opened the King's door and motioned him to get out, "It's a bar. No one has a TV for miles so I doubt you'll be recognized... Go find a friend." After agreeing to meet up with Howard in a few hours, the King entered the old pub. It was so vibrant his spirits were almost immediately uplifted. People were dancing, music was being played, and there was alcohol. After unbuttoning his jacket Anthony walked over to the bar, "Give me anything but water" he said jokingly. However he suddenly lost his words when the bar tender turned around. Long red hair, lightly freckled cheeks, and stunning green eyes - she was beautiful.

Edited July 7, 2012 by PresidentDavid

[PresidentDavid]

[b]Private[/b]

[i]The President[/i]

David closed his eyes and said a quick prayer as the air craft rumbled from a bit of turbulence. He opened his eyes to the sudden feeling of a warm hand on his cheek, "You act like you've never flown on a airplane before David." He opened his sparkling blue eyes and turned to his wife. "I've only taken this long of a trip once Susan, but it's much better with the three of you."
Susan turned her head ninety degrees and watched Áine sleep next to her sister. The plane was dark except for the moonlight which conveniently shinned on the two eighteen year olds. "I'm sure they'll feel much better when we get back" said Susan as she let her hand slip from the side of David's face. After finding a more comfortable position in his third coach seat, David turned on his new iPhone and began to fiddle around with the default apps and settings on it. "I can already tell that they are; hopefully they can find some peace once we get there."

Adding a new number to his contacts, David texted Benjamin who was having a quiet, friendly, chat with Denard. David shockingly took a double take at Denard who was actually in a pair of blue jeans - not a military uniform or a suit. [i]Thirty more minutes and we'll be there[/i] David watched his friend look down at his phone. Turning around to his son, Ben whispered something and then continued his conversation with Denard. With most of the passengers sleeping, the cabin was quiet so David could faintly hear, "Give David a thumbs up." Gabriel turned around and did so to David, who returned a gentle smile. "I think they'll like it here. It's really relaxed." Susan nodded in reply and leaned on her husband, "I can't wait to get there either. Do you think William will get there before us?" Closing his eyes, David nodded, "He sent me a text saying he's already there."

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is your Captain speaking." David took in a deep breath and sat up, his eyes opening with a panic. "I'd like to thank you for flying with us and be sure to come back again. We always appreciate your business." The plane wasn't moving and people were starting to get up. A flight attendant in a pretty green uniform unlocked the side door on the air craft and let it swing open, revealing the terminal. Before Susan could ask if he was okay he quickly stood, walking past eager passengers who were attempting to get out of their seats and into the walkway. Passing Denard, Gabriel, and Ben, he past the captain he gave him a supportive nod and walked into the air port. Two baggage boys came up to David after he handed them his ticket, "We're here to help you with your bags Mister.... O'Reilly. I see you're traveling with a group, I'll get some more guys to come help." The two baggage boys, who so happened to be twins, quickly scattered over to an information desk. A perky woman picked up her phone and within seconds a few more baggage boys in their green uniforms scurried over to their friends who then came over to David. David observed their striking appearance to hotel bell boys as one of them fixed on his hat and extended his hand, "Welcome to Ireland Mister O'Reilly."

[PresidentDavid]

[b]Classified[/b]

The DEFCON Level of the Irish Military was changed by the King to DEFCON 1. The Military would be called into emergency service and for all members to report to their locations.

Edited July 10, 2012 by PresidentDavid

[PresidentDavid]

[b][size="5"]KING TRAVELS TO GREAT BRITAIN / DAY OF PRAYER DECLARED[/size][/b]

[img]http://ladylibertytoday.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/large_prayer4.jpg[/img]
[i]Students and Teachers Stop During Lunch Around Ireland to Offer a Prayer For
The King[/i]

An anonymous source gave a tip to the associated press that King Anthony traveled to Great Britain, more specifically the capital in London, to talk to the leader of Reichtenburg in order to avoid a war between Ireland and the new nation. Only a few days ago did the King give a list of demands to Reichtenburg after several accounts of genocide, religious discrimination, and segregation came out into the open. However we were told by our source, and confirmed by the King's Office, that the King left Ireland from Dublin and headed to London the next afternoon. We don't have any idea what they could possibly be talking about except that it must be on friendly terms in order to avoid war. The Irish military, dwarfing the Reichtenburg armed forces by nearly two-to-one, has seen an increase in activity in the past few days especially from the time King Anthony left Ireland.

Christopher O'Connell, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom, updated us this morning with this. "Nearly an hour before the ultimatum for Reichtenburg was up, we got new intelligence that the previous reports about Reichtenburg's way of governance were actually wrong - including any and all accounts of genocide and discrimination among race or religion. King Anthony traveled to England to talk to the leader of Reichtenburg to avoid war however he has also gone to explain to the Reichtenburg government that a fully German government simply can not rule over Celtic island." The Minister went on to say that the King was going to do his best to get Reichtenburg a "more traditional government" that may appease not only other nations of the world, but also the British people.

Several local officials and civilians have voiced that they are worried for the King's safety while he is in Great Britain. One can't blame the King's People for their worry because he is currently in a country previously considered "hostile" and currently considered "suspicious". Minister of Culture, Cynthia McNeil, along with the King's Uncle, got together outside of the Royal Quarters in Dublin and together called a national day of prayer for "our King and other leaders in the British Isles - that we can hopefully achieve peace and that this situation between Ireland and Great Britain is quickly resolved." Bishops and priests from around the country gathered in Cork to hold a monumental Mass, submitting the Eucharist to an estimated ten-thousand people of The Way. Hundreds light candles in their windows; something the done to show support or strength in a time of worry. So far no word has come from London on what the King has accomplished with Reichtenburg leaders.

Edited July 12, 2012 by PresidentDavid

[PresidentDavid]

[b]Private[/b]

[i]The President[/i]

[img]http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Photo/_new/120302-sandhouse-hotel-ireland-02-5a.380;380;7;70.jpg[/img]

The hotel was beautiful and well furnished. It was a rather patriotic structure with it's interior design featuring variants of green and orange lining the walls and carpeting the floors. Three Irish flags proudly hung outside of the building, illuminated by a few lamps just below them. The hotel wasn't a mammoth by any standards however it did reach seven stories into the sky. David's family, Denard, and Gabriel and his father shared different rooms according to family and relation. The hotel was only a temporary stay, however it was a really nice one. The top floor showcased a beautiful view of Dublin using one-way glass. David's family, having the most members, rented the largest and most luxurious of the suites. A master-bedroom for David and Susan, a smaller yet still fancy bedroom for Áine and her sister Badb to share, a full bathroom for the parents, a half-bath for the daughters, living space, a kitchen, and even a small balcony! It may as well have been a generously sized apartment, taking up one third of the top floor. Denard, staying by himself, had a master bedroom, small bathroom, decently sized living space, and adequate kitchen though he was likely to be visiting the O'Reilly's more then staying in his own room. Meanwhile Ben and Gabriel had a two bedroom - neither one a master - small kitchen, medium living space, medium sized bathroom, and small balcony of their own.

All of them were content with their living quarters, enjoying luxury after the past couple of weeks that were filled with angst. David sat and read the [i]Kingdom's Standard[/i], one of the most successful papers in all of Ireland - especially Dublin and Belfast. Though David was still young, he used reading glasses most of the time when looking at anything close. It seemed that many people in his family became far-sighted at an early age, not being able to see up close, however most of them kept their distant vision all the way up to their deaths. David never really concluded if it was a blessing or a curse, but figured it was nice to at least be able to see far off into the distance while others had to squint their eyes.

After a few minutes of sitting down on a very comfortable couch in the living space, David lowered his paper after getting a strong feeling that someone was watching him. The moving away of the paper revealed the his 17 year old daughter, Áine, standing in front of him in jean-capris which barely went pas her knees. She had on a snow-white T-shirt which had sharp green letters going across it reading [i]Fada Beo an Rí[/i] in Irish Gaelic which translated to "Long Live the King". Clovers sprouted from some of the letters. The most noticeable feature was a mimic of the King's sash on the shirt. It was purposely faded for effect, and stretched along the chest, starting at the right shoulder and moving down to the lower abs before circling back around the back and up to the right shoulder again. Her long blue hair was put over her left shoulder so he could see the full cycle the pretend-sash made. "That's a marvelous shirt" said David, examining the faded sash and crisp lettering, "where did you get it? I don't remember going to a store." Áine bit her lip and giggled, pointing behind David. He turned around to see a tall black man in jeans, a dark blue button up shirt, and a [url="http://cdn.hollyworth.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/will-smith-net-worth.jpg"]navy-blue sweater vest[/url] on top. "William!" David cried.

Throwing his reading glasses onto the table next to Áine, David stood and went around the sofa. William smiled and extended his hand. David grabbed it and shook it, giving Will a man-hug by reaching in and patting his back with his left hand. "I was getting worried! Great to see you dude! Where have you been?" Susan rushed in from the master bedroom to see what the commotion about. After seeing William she relaxed and ran over to the kitchen, "I just put on some coffee, everyone take a seat!" David and William continued to talk as they both got comfortable in two of the big leather seats in the living space. Áine sat on the sofa where her father previously was and called out to her sister Badb he walked out of their room, not showing much emotion as always. In a pair of jeans and dark blue tank-top to match her hair, Badb went sit next to her sister after giving William a brief smile and a brief, "Howdy". Will skillfully threw Badb a small shopping bag, seeing that she was slightly envious of her sister's shirt.

Susan walked in with a wooden tray in her hands filled with five cups of coffee. Observing Áine's new shirt and Badb's bag she jumped into the conversation, "Aw William, you didn't have to get them gifts - how nice of you. I hope not anything too expensive?" William slapped the air to show it was no big deal. "It's no problem Susan, they deserve a present." A rare, excited smile crossed over Badb's face as she pulled out a pair of girly-cowboy boots. They were a little dusty. William pointed over to them, "Y'all were already out when I stopped by your ranch David, I saw these laying outside so I figured it belonged to one of the girls." Badb found a pair of dusty socks inside and quickly slipped them on, stuffing the bottom of her jeans into the previously lost boots. Áine gave a girly giggle as Badb jumped up to her feet. "Thank you so much Will!" she cried, giving him a strong hug, "I thought I'd never see these again!"

David took a big sip of his coffee, having not gotten much sleep in the past few days, "Have you seen the others yet? They've been waiting to here." William shook his head and enjoyed the black beverage, "Not yet, I figured I'd surprise y'all first... I just wanted to thank you David for letting us all come with you here." David reached over and patted him on the back, "Don't mention it. You would have done the same for me so we'll just call it equal there. Let me call the others so they can see you." Taking out his new iPhone, David called both Ben and Denard who rushed over to David's room. Gabriel ran past his father, the first to excitedly shake William's hand. "We've been waiting forever man! How was the trip?" Will gave his former boss a pat on the back as David and Susan took a few chairs from the table in the kitchen and brought them in the living room for the new guests to sit in. Denard and Ben both greeted Will as well, gossiping about the attractive flight attendants on the airplanes and how some of them take offense to the phrase "Flight attendant".

Ben raised his hands, silencing the group. Everyone looked over to him seeing what he had to say, "I think I can speak for all of his here that we are so dang grateful for you letting us come here David, it means the world to us." The three other men gave a short applause for David and his family. "It's no problem guys, y'all can stay with the O'Reillys as long as you want." As the afternoon progressed, David and Susan took alternating turns watching over the food they started to cook. They decided everyone could enjoy a big meal after everything they had gone through.

[PresidentDavid]

[b][size="5"]Effects of Coal Accident[/size][/b]

[img]http://c10674700.r0.cf2.rackcdn.com/03-16-10_coal-train-photo_original.jpg[/img]

The recent coal mine collapse in Western Ireland terrified millions of Irishmen that the country's power facilities may stop running by as early as this afternoon. The facility that was practically destroyed in the accident is the biggest source of coal for Ireland, providing a huge twenty five percent of the Kingdom's coal. Ireland's main source of power is run on the fossil fuel while the majority of those living in rural communities still heat their homes with it. The fear of not having warmth for the winter has teamed up with the scare of food shortages to cause panic around the island. "In response to the disaster in Connaught" said Minister of Culture, Cynthia McNeil, "the King has decided to speak with action, instead of words. Effective immediately by Royal Decree, the tax on coal will be removed to compensate for the rising cost." Minister McNeil went on to say that the King also included an expensive but generous provision in the Decree which stated that "The Kingdom of Ireland will purchase, with funds from the Royal Treasury, one-million tons of coal from France over the next two months. This coal will be sold to power providers to ensure that electricity is still created in the near future."

However the mine accident in Connaught was not the first one to happen in the past few years, in fact it was one of three. This is why many scientists agree that the Irish people should not be relying so heavily on fossil fuels. It dirties the air and water, it can cause health problems, and it makes Ireland vulnerable to shortages of the carbon based fuel. Several scientists from the Space Agency in Cork point out that some of the Agency's work, outside of exploring the cosmos, currently includes finding a renewable energy technology that will best suit Ireland. Some types of energy, like solar panels, have been ruled out as the most reliable because of Ireland's constant rain showers year-round, however alternatives such as wind are not out of the question. King Anthony himself, a proponent of wind technology, said that he "will continue to work with our scientists on making Ireland cleaner and more efficient for the near future."

[PresidentDavid]

[b]Private[/b]

[i]The President[/i]

A fury of vibrant, dramatic, and solemn music erupted into the air like fire igniting a room filled with the fumes of gasoline. The O'Reilly suite echoed with the quick and coordinated series of notes which awoke Áine from her deep slumber. After opening her eyes to a new day Áine sat up to find her sister wasn't on the other side of the bed. After examining the room a little further she concluded that Badb must have gone out somewhere maybe with Gabriel or Susan and they were just being considerate not to wake herself up. Though while coming to the conclusion of where her sister was she continuously had her chain of thought wildly interrupted by the flawless strokes of a piano which continued to echo throughout probably the entire top floor of the hotel. She stood up and looked down to remind herself what she was wearing. Blue pajama pants accompanied by the new t-shirt William had gotten her. [i]Suitable enough[/i] she thought as she walked around her side of the bed and towards the door. Her growling stomach wasn't on the top of her agenda, instead she wanted to investigate where the soothing and inspirational music she was hearing was coming from.

Slowly turning the nob to her creaky door, she popped her head out into the small hallway which lead to the living are and partly open kitchen. Áine couldn't see anyone in the living space and convinced herself no one was there. After she carefully opened her door and stepped out of her and Badb's room Áine walked into the nicely furnished living area. It was then when she noticed that the music was coming across from the living space, not inside it. The kitchen was, of course, semi-connected to the living room but the music wasn't coming from there. The only other logical conclusion was that the floor was paper-thin and someone on the floor below her was jamming out (which made her reconsider walking on the seemingly stable floor) or it was coming from David and Susan's room. Áine's toes grabbed onto the fuzzy white carpet with each step she took in an attempt to keep quiet and not interrupt whoever was playing; and maybe so she could listen.

Only the living and bedrooms was carpeted so her barefeet met an uncomfortable surprise when she stepped out onto the freezing wooden floors of the small hall that led to the master bedroom. In order to keep privacy, the small hall went straight from the living area about eight feet and then diverted to a right turn and continued that way for another eight feet. This was done so that anyone coming out of the bedroom would have a bit of privacy before God-knows-who in the living area would see them - maybe giving them a chance to cover up after a wild night? Áine peaked her head over the corner of the hallway and looked at the door leading to the master bedroom. The music was louder now that the sounds didn't have to bounce off a wall to get to her. Creeping to the door she reached out with her right hand and turned the doorknob slowly. The white door - which it itself was a masterpiece of handcrafted wood - opened to a big master bedroom which was almost as big as the living quarters. A king-size bed with two lamps on either side occupied an empty corner compared to the rest of the room. On the left were a couple of bookshelves which featured what seemed to be a miniature library. All kinds of books lined with different colors were neatly placed along the pinewood shelves. In the corner with the bookshelves were a few comfortable chairs and a tiny table which would make a perfect sitting area for any book-lover who liked to sit down, read, and maybe have cold glass of lemonade. The other side of the room that the bed was facing away from was bare except for a desk that had one swivel-chair as a companion and a computer to sit on top.

Then came the back of the room which was the pièce de résistance. The entire back of the room had large glass panels which rose up to touch the ceiling. Against the glass was a large, black grand piano and surprisingly reflected a great deal of light. The bright sun gleamed in through the glass panels and illuminated not only the piano but also David. Áine leaned against the door frame and closed her eyes. Time nearly slowed down for her while she listened to the light pressure exerted from David's fingers onto the white and black keys. The song repeated it's signature piece one more time and then came to a soft conclusion which was surprisingly all one cord. Her eyelids flickered open and she was brought back to reality. [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlijGWVi_FM "]Reality wasn't as nice as the song was.[/url] "David?" Her legal father rose his head from the piano embarrassingly while he quickly backed away from it. "He- hey Áine... What are you doing here?" The teenager observed her surroundings and cautiously came into the room, "I woke up a minute ago - I didn't know you played the piano." David scratched the back of his head and avoided eye contact for a moment as he tried to think of an excuse but he knew Áine would know if he was lying - she was good at... catching lies. Sighing, David gave the truth, "I don't usually play around people - it's more of a relief for me then a hobby." Happy to get her feat back on toasty, warm, carpet Áine scurried over to David and stood in the sun with him.

She looked at the elaborate set of keys and poked one of the higher notes. She giggled at the ear pinching sound it made but quickly regained her focus back on David, who she has now known for years but had never even assumed he could play a musical instrument. "You said it was more of a relief" she pressed a C and E in the same octave at the same time, making a pretty yet lonely sound, "what do you need relief from?" David matched what she just played except he played it three octaves lower. "I had a nightmare and this song reminded me of it - so I stayed home while everyone else went out to play it; I'm sure they'll be home soon." Áine's short attention span caused her to get excited at the thought of everyone coming home. She could talk to Badb, to her mom, to Gabriel (who amuses her), and even to William or Denard. The seventeen year old blue haired wonder loved to be the center of attention. After blacking out from thinking about all of these things for a few moments she quickly jammed her fingers on a few keys which made an ugly sound, "Tricky David, you are good at changing the subject; what was your dream about?" David closed his eyes and started playing a happier song, "It was about a fight. Good guys and bad guys were fighting and the good guys asked for my help but I was to preoccupied by something else... so they lost."

David opened his eyes after he finished the short, up-beat tune and turned to his right to see no blue-haired, blue-eyed young lady inquiring about the piano next to him. "Over here!" said Áine. She was sitting in one of the chairs on the other side of the room by the bookshelves. She was looking inside a big, dusty book and finally found the page she was looking for just as David finished the short walk to where she was. "Right here" she pointed into the book. David adjusted his reading glasses he had on from playing the piano and read over a short story about an ancient Irish warrior who had a similar dream and lost his Kingdom, "The only thing I have to lose is you, your sister, and Susan" said David as he put down the book and hugged her tightly. Áine hugged him back since she was a sucker for any type of physical or emotional attention from anyone at any given time, "Then we might just be what you lose...... Protect us, David."

Edited July 18, 2012 by PresidentDavid

[PresidentDavid]

[size="5"][b]The King Speaks on the Topic of Sex-Trafficking in Ireland[/b][/size]

[img]http://mgjack.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/human-trafficking.jpg?w=500[/img]

On Friday thirty-three girls between the age of 13 and 16 were rescued from a boarded-up warehouse in downtown Belfast. They were among nearly 100 other girls and young ladies who were rescued around the country from what is suspected to be the largest human-trafficking circle in Ireland. Police Chief Dallas Douglas of Belfast had this to say, "While I was saddened to find out that the the head of this human-trafficking circle was here in Belfast, I made it my own personal duty and the duty of all law enforcement in Belfast to bring down this disgrace." The government released an official report saying that all of the girls were citizens of Ireland and most were from normal families. A smaller circle of contracted kidnappers were also arrested and brought to a prison west of Dublin where "they will await to be judged for their crimes" says the Chief.

King Anthony addressed the entire Kingdom today before letting the House of Lords go on with their normal business, "Upon hearing the situation of those young ladies I was devastated and angry beyond verbal description. I made sure that Belfast Law Enforcement had all resources available. Because of these brave young ladies and the brave members of the Belfast Police Department, I am happy to report that over one-hundred and thirty young ladies were rescued. Local governments are working with the provinces to get these girls back to their families." The King spoke a bit longer on how he supported extra spending for the creation of a national law enforcement agency but was asked a question about the sentencing of the traffickers. "Thank you for the question, however if you read the laws you will know that the practice of slavery or rape is punishable by death if proved to be serious enough. I am sure the judges of this Kingdom will come to a logical conclusion after they look over all of the evidence presented to them."

[PresidentDavid]

[size="5"][b]National Celebration Begins - King Gives Public Praise To Germany[/b][/size]

[img]http://101thingstodosw.com/san-diego/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/shamROCK.jpg[/img]
[i]Streets are Packed in Dublin, Cork, and Belfast as National Celebration Begins[/i]

King Anthony declared the next seven days a "week of celebration". The beloved Monarch of Ireland signed a Royal Decree which officiated the because several problems have been solved in the few days regarding some of Ireland's food and electrical problems. "It is a miracle from God" stated the King "and we need to all show our gratitude and joy for his answer to our prayers." Public events have been scheduled throughout the country that have been declared totally tax free. Minister Cynthia O'Neil of Culture told us exclusively that "These celebrations have been carefully scheduled in major gathering and population centers throughout the island. Measures have been taken to ensure that even the poorest people of Ireland can enjoy in the festivities as we support our King, show our allegiance to God, and continue to have hope that the Irish situation will continue to improve." Last night celebrations started early as the band Uisce Glas played for three hours in a total of four Irish parks.

Amongst the celebration came a very public and formal thanks from King Anthony to Germany "for their trade, for their friendship, and their loyalty. The people of Ireland and their King have a lot of thanks to give to the German Reich. Not only have we begun a recovery from a series of unfortunate events, but patriotism and hope has never shined so brightly on Éire." The King carried on his speech to personally thank the German Chancellor for taking a "calculated-risk" with granting Ireland independence. A unanimous decision came from the House of Lords to have a German flag permanently present in the House Chambers to "always remember what they have done for us." The Minister of Defense added that, "If it weren't for the German Air Force, the King may not be alive today. How lucky we are to have them keeping our back - just as we have theirs."

Edited July 27, 2012 by PresidentDavid