Amazing and Extraordinary Facts: Ireland takes you on an absorbing journey around Ireland to unearth the adventures, inventions, legends, firsts and birthplaces that have shaped the unique history of Ireland. From Baltimore to Barbary, Titanic to Shergar, and even the myth of the Aran jumper, this intriguing compendium of facts and stories will give you a captivating insight into The Emerald Isle, and the ideas and events that have shaped the individual identity of this remarkable country. Brief, accessible and entertaining pieces on a wide variety of subjects makes it the perfect book to dip in to. The amazing and extraordinary facts series presents interesting, surprising and little-known facts and stories about a wide range of topics which are guaranteed to inform, absorb and entertain in equal measure.

This fascinating compilation of accumulated wisdom includes traditional sayings and superstitions to explain whether, and why, they still work today. With advice on the practical necessities of cooking, gardening, housekeeping and health, as well as proverbial wisdom concerning good behaviour for children, adults and life in general. AUTHOR: Ruth Binney has been studying the countryside and nature for over 50 years. She holds a degree in Natural Sciences from Cambridge University and has been involved in countless publications during her career as an editor. She is the also a bestselling author having published numerous books on the gardening, countryside, country sayings and customs. Ruth lives in Yeovil, Somerset. 100 b/w illustrations

In the 1830s, a small community known as El Fronton de Santa
Isabel set roots on the banks of the Laguna Madre Bay. Official claim for the land was granted to Don Rafael Garcia as part of the
Potrero ("Pasture") de Santa Isabel in 1828. Less than two decades
later, Point Isabel was home to Zachary Taylor's Fort Polk and found itself a home base during the Mexican-American War. In 1853, construction was completed on the Point Isabel lighthouse, a
navigational beacon with a 16-mile view. Port Isabel was incorporated in 1928, and a deep-water port shipped its first commercial load in 1937. By the 1950s, Port Isabel was the "Shrimping Capital of the World," and the first Queen Isabella Causeway connected South Padre Island to the mainland. Port Isabel continues to deepen its roots on the banks of the Laguna Madre Bay. Heritage and cultural tourism, a relaxed quality of life, and an appreciation for all things coastal are synonymous with Port Isabel.

At the turn of the 20th century the rail network extended to over 23,000 miles, very nearly the circumference of the world - the greatest length it was ever to achieve. Some urban routes had closed and later, hundreds of rural lines and stations succumbed to the Beeching axe. This title shows the network in its heyday before the decline commenced.