Áras an Uachtaráin (), is the official home of the President of Ireland. The name means "House of the President" in Irish. It is in the Phoenix Park on the northside of Dublin. It used to be known as the Viceregal Lodge.
The original house was designed by park ranger and amateur architect, Nathaniel Clements in the mid eighteenth century. It was bought by the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. His official residence was in the Viceregal Apartments in Dublin Castle. The house in the park then became the "Viceregal Lodge", the "out of season" residence of the Lord Lieutenant (also known as the Viceroy), where he lived for most of the year from the 1820s onwards. During the Social Season (January to St. Patrick's Day in March) he lived in Dublin Castle.
In 1882, the grounds around the house became the location for a famous murder. Two men were stabbed to death with surgical knives while walking back to the residence from Dublin Castle. They were the Lord Frederick Cavendish, the British Cabinet minister with responsibility for Irish affairs, and Thomas Henry Burke, chief civil servant. A small insurgent group called the Invincibles was responsible for the deed. The Lord Lieutenant, the 5th Earl Spencer, heard the victims screams from a ground floor window in the drawing room.
In 1911, the house got a large extension for the visit of King George V and Queen Mary. After the Irish Free State was established in 1922, it became the home of the Governor-General of the Irish Free State until 1932. After that the new Governor-General, Domhnall Ua Buachalla, personally leased a private mansion in the southside of Dublin.
The house was left empty for some years, until the office of President of Ireland was created in 1937. In 1938, the first President, Douglas Hyde lived there temporarily while plans were made to build a new presidential palace on the grounds. The outbreak of World War II saved the building, which had been renamed "Áras an Uachtaráin" as plans were put on hold. By 1945 it had become too closely identified with the presidency of Ireland to be demolished. But because it had not been lived in, a lot of work was needed to rebuild and improve it, especially to the kitchens, servants' quarters and chapel.
The first President, Douglas Hyde lived in the residential quarters on the first floor of the main building. Later presidents moved to the new wing attached to the main house that had been built on for the visit of King George V in 1911. However, in 1990 Mary Robinson moved back to the older main building. Mary McAleese lived in the 1911 wing. The current occupant is Michael D.Higgans
Beside it being the home of the president, it has a few state rooms for official occasions. Áras an Uachtaráin also houses the headquarters of the Garda Mounted Unit.
Various visiting British kings and queens stayed at the Viceregal Lodge, notably Queen Victoria and George V. American presidents that visited include Presidents John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton, who are all of Irish descent. Other famous visitors to the Áras an Uachtaráin have been Princess Grace of Monaco and her husband, Prince Rainier III; King Baudouin of the Belgians; King Juan Carlos and Queen Sophia; Pope John Paul II; Prince Charles, and Prince Philip.
Guests do not normally stay at Áras an Uachtaráin. Although it has ninety-two rooms, many of these are used for storage of presidential files, for household staff and official staff, including military "aides-de-camp", a Secretary to the President and a press office. In 2001, the Irish state opened a guest residence nearby in Farmleigh, a former Guinness mansion.
On 1 May 2004, during Ireland's six-month presidency of the European Union, Áras an Uachtarain was the Venue for the "European Day of Welcomes" (Accession Day) in which ten new members joined the EU. All 25 heads of government attended the flag raising ceremony in the gardens of the palace.
Áras an Uachtaráin is now open for free tours every Saturday.
Hangar
A hangar is a closed structure made to hold an aircraft while it is on the ground. It is like a garage but for aircraft instead of cars. A hanger is most often metal, but may be made of other things like wood and concrete. It protects the aircraft from weather and sun damage.
Phoenix Park Murders
The Phoenix Park Murders were the fatal stabbings on 6 May 1882 in the Phoenix Park in Dublin. Lord Frederick Cavendish and Thomas Henry Burke were killed. Cavendish was the newly appointed Chief Secretary for Ireland, and Burke was the Permanent Undersecretary, the most senior Irish civil servant. The assassination was carried out by members of the "Irish National Invincibles".
Cavendish and Burke were attacked as they walked through Phoenix Park to the Viceregal Lodge. This was the "out of season" residence of the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland ("the King's representative and head of the Irish affairs"). Thomas Myles, surgeon at the nearby Dr Steevens' Hospital, was called to help the victims.
The Lord Lieutenant, Lord Spencer, described suddenly hearing screams, before seeing a man running to the Lodge grounds shouting "Lord Frederick Cavendish and Mr. Burke are killed." Responsibility for the political murders was claimed by a small, until then unknown Republican organisation called the "Irish National Invincibles".
The hunt for the murderers was led by Superintendent John Mallon, a Catholic who came from Armagh. Mallon had a pretty good idea of who was involved. He suspected a number of former Fenian activists. A large number of suspects were arrested and kept in prison by claiming they were connected with other crimes. Mallon got several of them to reveal what they knew about the murders.
The Invincibles' leader James Carey, Michael Kavanagh and Joe Hanlon agreed to testify against the others. Joe Brady, Michael Fagan, Thomas Caffrey, Dan Curley and Tim Kelly were convicted of the murder. They were hanged in Kilmainham Gaol in Dublin between 14 May and 4 June 1883. Others were sentenced to serve long prison terms.
Irish politician Charles Stewart Parnell made a speech condemning the murders in 1882. This increased his popularity in both Britain and Ireland.
In March 1887, "The Times" printed letters that said they were written by Parnell. The letters said that he agreed with the murderers of the English politicians, and that his speech saying otherwise was not true. It later came to light that the letters were not written by Parnell. They were forgeries written by journalist Richard Pigott. Parnell was personally shown to be innocent by the Parnell Commission in 1888-89.
Garage
A garage is a place for storing cars. There are many kinds of garages used for different things.
A residential garage is a garage that is part of a house or similar building. Some garages are directly connected (called "attached") to the house, while others are separate and called a "detached" garage". The garage will have a large garage door that opens to let cars in and out, which is often opened by a motor.
A parking garage is a large covered structure, often made of concrete, which is used for holding many cars. Parking garages may have more than one level.
An automobile repair shop may also be called a garage, although it is for repairing cars rather than just storing them.
Melatonin
Melatonin is a hormone found in animals, plants, and microbes. In animals, levels of melatonin have a daily cycle. It drives the circadian rhythms of several biological functions.
Melatonin is produced in the pineal gland which is outside of the blood–brain barrier. It acts as a hormone, and is released into the blood.
Melatonin acts on melatonin receptors. It also acts directly because it is a powerful antioxidant, which protects DNA.