Settlement type	Town
Name	Sligo
Other name
Pushpin map	Ireland
Pushpin label position	left
Pushpin map caption	Location in Ireland
Coordinates display	inline,title
Coordinates type	dim:100000_region:IE
Blank name sec1	Irish Grid Reference
Blank info sec1
Area total km2	12.9
Area footnotes
Unit pref	Metric
Elevation m	13
Subdivision type	Country
Subdivision name	Ireland
Subdivision type1	Province
Subdivision name1	Connacht
Subdivision type2	County
Subdivision name2	County Sligo
Subdivision type3	Dáil Éireann
Subdivision name3	Sligo–North Leitrim
Subdivision type4	EU Parliament
Subdivision name4	North–West
Blank name sec2	Dialing code
Blank info sec2	+353 71
Population urban	17892
Population rural	1510
Population as of	2006
Website	}}

Sligo ( — "sly-go" ) is the county town of County Sligo in Ireland. The town is a borough and has a charter and a town mayor. It is sometimes referred to as a city, and sometimes as a town, and is the second largest urban area in Connacht (after Galway). The town is currently campaigning for city status.

History

Sligo's Irish name ''Sligeach'' - meaning shelly place - allegedly originates in the abundance of shellfish found in the river and its estuary, and from the extensive 'shell middens' or Stone Age food preparation areas in the vicinity. The river (now known as the Garavogue 'rough river' ) was also called the Sligeach. The Ordnance Survey letters of 1836 state that "cart loads of shells were found underground in many places within the town where houses now stand". At that time shells were constantly being dug up during the construction of foundations for buildings. This whole area, from the river estuary at Sligo, around the coast to the river at Ballysadare Bay, is rich in marine resources which were utilised as far back as the Mesolithic period. The significance of Sligo in the Early Neolithic period is demonstrated by the abundance of ancient sites close by, not least Carrowmore, on the Cuil Irra peninsula, 3 km (2 miles) from the town. The NRA excavation for the N4 Sligo Inner Relief Road in 2002 revealed an early Neolithic causewayed enclosure (c. 4000 B.C.) overlooking the town. It would have been enclosed by a ditch and palisade, and was perhaps an area of commerce and ritual. According to Edward Danagher, who excavated there, 'Magheraboy demonstrates the early Neolithic settlement of this area of Sligo, while the longevity of the activity on the site indicates a stable and successful population during the final centuries of the fifth millennium and the first centuries of the fourth millennium BC'. Sligo town's first roundabout was constructed around a megalithic tomb (Abbeyquarter North, in Garavogue Villas ). Maurice Fitzgerald, the Lord Chief Justice of Ireland, is generally credited with the establishment of the mediaeval town of Sligo, building the Castle of Sligo in 1245. Sligo was burned several times during the mediaeval period. In 1257, Geoffry O'Donnell, chief of Tirconnell, marched on Sligo and burned the town. The annalists refer to this Sligo as a ''sradbhaile'' ('street settlement'): a village or town not defended by an enclosure or wall, and consisting of one street. By the mid 15th century the town and port had grown in importance. Amongst the earliest preserved specimens of written English in Connacht is a receipt for 20 marks, dated August 1430, paid by Saunder Lynche and Davy Botyller, to Henry Blake and Walter Blake, customers of "ye King and John Rede, controller of ye porte of Galvy and of Slego". Over a century later an order was sent by the Elizabethan Government to Sir Nicholas Malby, Knight, willing him to establish "apt and safe" places for the keeping of the Assizes & Sessions, with walls of lime & stone, in each county of Connacht, "judging that the aptest place be in Sligo, for the County of Sligo…" Sligo Abbey, the Dominican Friary, is the only mediaeval building left standing in the town (Bram Stoker, whose mother came from Sligo, has cited ghost stories about the abbey as part of the inspiration for his infamous novel, Dracula). The abbey was founded by Fitzgerald in 1253 but was accidentally destroyed by fire in 1414, and was rebuilt in its present form. When Frederick Hamilton’s soldiers sacked Sligo Town in 1642, the Abbey was burned and everything valuable in it was destroyed. Much of the structure, including the choir, carved altar and cloisters remains.

Between 1847 and 1851 over 30,000 people emigrated through the port of Sligo. On the Quays, overlooking the Garavogue River, is a sculpted memorial to the emigrants. This is one of a suite of three sculptures commissioned by the Sligo Famine Commemoration Committee to honour the victims of the Great Famine. A plaque in the background, headed 'Letter to America, January 2, 1850' tells one family's sad story: "''I am now, I may say, alone in the world. All my brothers and sisters are dead and children but yourself... We are all ejected out of Mr. Enright's ground... The times was so bad and all Ireland in such a state of poverty that no person could pay rent. My only hope now rests with you, as I am without one shilling and as I said before I must either beg or go to the poorhouse... I remain your affectionate father, Owen Larkin. Be sure answer this by return of post.''"

Sligo town recently highlighted its connections with Goon Show star and writer Spike Milligan by unveiling a plaque at the former Milligan family home at Number 5 Holborn Street.

Media

There are three local newspapers in Sligo: the Sligo Weekender - out every Tuesday, the Northwest Express -out every Thursday and The Sligo Champion - out every Wednesday. The area has a local radio station, Ocean FM, which also broadcasts to Counties Donegal, Leitrim and Sligo. Sligo is also served by the West youth radio station I102-104FM.

Education

Sligo has 6 secondary schools (one of which is located outside the borough boundary) and 42 primary schools (one of which is located outside the borough boundary). St Angela's College and Institute of Technology, Sligo are third-level colleges located in or near the town.

Transport

The main roads to Sligo are the N4 to Dublin, the N15 to Lifford, County Donegal; and the N16 to Blacklion, County Cavan. The section of the N4 road between Sligo and Collooney is made up of dual carriageway. The first phase of this road was completed in January 1998, bypassing the towns of Collooney and Ballysadare. An extension to this road was completed in September 2005, and is known as the Sligo Inner Relief Road.

O'Connell Street - the main street in the town - was pedestrianised on 15 August 2006. Plans for the proposed redevelopment and paving of this street were publicly unveiled on 23 July 2008 in The Sligo Champion. The newspaper later revealed that people were not in favour of the pedestrianisation of the street. The street was reopened to traffic in December 2009.

Sligo acquired a rail link to Dublin on 3 December 1862, with the opening of Sligo railway station. Connections to Enniskillen and the north followed in 1881 and Limerick and the south in 1895. The line to Enniskillen closed in 1957 and passenger services to Galway-Ennis-Limerick closed in 1963. For many years CIE kept the latter line open for freight traffic, and although it is now disused, it forms part of the Western Rail Corridor redevelopment project. In 1966 Sligo railway station was renamed Mac Diarmada Station after Irish rebel Seán Mac Diarmada from County Leitrim. Iarnród Éireann, Ireland's national railway operator, runs inter-city rail services between Sligo and Dublin Connolly.

Sligo Town and County Sligo are served by Sligo Airport, 8 km (5 miles) from Sligo town and close to Strandhill village, though no scheduled flights currently operate out of the airport.

Sligo port handles small ships up to .

Bus Éireann operates 4 bus routes in the town: one serves the town centre and one which serves the western area of the town. The other two routes run from the town to Strandhill and Rosses Point respectively.

Development

Like many towns in the west of Ireland, Sligo suffered for many years from a lack of development, mainly due to its relative isolation. However this has improved in most sectors in the past decade.

Development has occurred along the river Garavogue with the regeneration of J.F.K. Parade (2000), Rockwood Parade (1993–1997), and The Riverside (1997–2006), as well as two new footbridges over the river, one on Rockwood Parade (1996) and one on The Riverside (1999).

Twinning

Sligo is twinned with the following places: Crozon, Brittany, France Illapel, Choapa Province, Chile Kempten im Allgäu, Bavaria, Germany Tallahassee, Florida, United States

Gallery

See also

Development of Sligo

List of Sligo people

List of towns and villages in Ireland

Sligo Jail

References

External links

Official site - Sligo Borough Council

Sligo Heritage

Sligo Town and the surrounding area

Sligo Town on the Net

CraicTunes.ie - Traditional & Contemporary Music Downloads from Sligo

Category:Port cities and towns in the Republic of Ireland Category:Towns and villages in County Sligo Category:Horse racing venues in the Republic of Ireland Category:County towns in the Republic of Ireland

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Name	Paul Cook
Background	non_vocal_instrumentalist
Birth name	Paul Thomas Cook
Birth date	July 20, 1956
Origin	London, England
Occupation	Drummer
Instrument	drums, vocals
Genre	Punk rock
Label	Virgin Records, Warner Bros.
Associated acts	Sex Pistols (1975–1978, 1996, 2002–2003, 2007–present)The Professionals (1980–1982)Chiefs of Relief (1987–1988) Man-Raze (2004–present) }}

Paul Thomas Cook (born 20 July 1956, Hammersmith, London) is an English drummer and member of the punk rock band Sex Pistols.

Early life and career

Cook was raised in Hammersmith and attended the Christopher Wren school in White City Estate, Shepherds Bush, where he met Steve Jones. In 1972-1973, Cook and Jones, along with their school friend Wally Nightingale, formed a band, The Strand. Cook was the first member of the group to actually invest in a piece of equipment (a drum kit) rather than steal it. Within the next three years The Strand evolved into the Sex Pistols.

Later career

After the Sex Pistols suddenly broke up after their final concert in San Francisco on January 14, 1978, Cook and Jones initially worked on the soundtrack to Malcolm McLaren's film, ''The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle.'' The two also recorded a few songs using the Sex Pistols name, Jones singing lead on the album version of the song "Silly Thing". The pair then started a new band, The Professionals, with Andy Allen. Allen caused some legal problems; he played bass on "Silly Thing" and the first few Professionals recordings, but had no recording contract and had been neither credited nor paid. Consequently, the Virgin Records compilation album ''Cash Cows'', which featured The Professionals' track "Kick Down the Doors," was withdrawn. Cook and Jones played together on Johnny Thunders' solo album, ''So Alone''.

The Professionals released four singles and one album (an album of demos surfaced later), but never matched the Pistols' commercial success.

In the early 1980s, Cook, along with Jones, discovered the English new wave girl-group Bananarama. Cook helped the trio record their debut single, "Aie a Mwana," and acted as a producer on their 1982 debut album ''Deep Sea Skiving.''

In the late 1980s, Cook surfaced with the group Chiefs of Relief with former Bow Wow Wow guitarist Matthew Ashman, and, after a period out of the music industry, played with Phil Collen in the 1990s. He reunited with the surviving Sex Pistols in 1996 for the ''Filthy Lucre'' world tour.

The Sex Pistols, including Paul Cook, played a gig for the 30th anniversary of ''Never Mind The Bollocks'' at the Brixton Academy on 8 November 2007. Due to popular demand, two further gigs were announced on 9 and 10 November, and four further dates were added.

In 2008, the Sex Pistols appeared at the Isle Of Wight Festival as the headlining act on the Saturday night, the Peace and Love Festival in Sweden, the Live at Loch Lomond Festival in Scotland, and the Summercase Festival in Madrid.

Cook currently drums with Man-Raze, which also features Phil Collen from Def Leppard and their friend Simon Laffy who used to play in Collen's pre-Leppard band, Girl. They released a debut album ''Surreal'' in 2008, and are touring throughout the UK in late 2009.

Personal life

Cook lives in Shepherd's Bush with his wife, Jeni, and their daughter, Hollie Cook. He works as a session musician for Edwyn Collins. Cook also plays football for Hollywood United.

References

Category:1956 births Category:Living people Category:Sex Pistols members Category:English punk rock drummers Category:English songwriters Category:People from Hammersmith Category:Man Raze members Category:Hollywood United players

de:Paul Cook et:Paul Cook es:Paul Cook fr:Paul Cook (Sex Pistols) gl:Paul Cook it:Paul Cook nl:Paul Cook ja:ポール・クック no:Paul Cook pl:Paul Cook pt:Paul Cook ru:Кук, Пол fi:Paul Cook sv:Paul Cook

name	The Christmas Song
type	Christmas song
artist	Mel Tormé
released	1944
writer	Mel Tormé,Bob Wells
misc	}}

"The Christmas Song" (commonly subtitled "Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire" or, as it was originally subtitled, "Merry Christmas to You") is a classic Christmas song written in 1944 by musician, composer, and vocalist Mel Tormé and Bob Wells. According to Tormé, the song was written during a blistering hot summer. In an effort to “stay cool by thinking cool,” the most-performed (according to BMI) Christmas song was born.

“I saw a spiral pad on his piano with four lines written in pencil,” Tormé recalled. “They started, ‘Chestnuts roasting ... , Jack Frost nipping ... , Yuletide carols …, Folks dressed up like Eskimos.’ Bob (Wells, co-writer) didn’t think he was writing a song lyric. He said he thought if he could immerse himself in winter he could cool off. Forty minutes later that song was written. I wrote all the music and some of the lyrics.”

The Nat King Cole Trio first recorded the song early in 1946. At Cole’s behest — and over the objections of his label, Capitol Records — a second recording was made the same year utilizing a small string section, this version becoming a massive hit on both the pop and R&B; charts. Cole again recorded the song in 1953, using the same arrangement with a full orchestra arranged and conducted by Nelson Riddle, and once more in 1961, in a stereophonic version with orchestra conducted by Ralph Carmichael. Nat King Cole's 1961 version is generally regarded as definitive, and in 2004 was the most loved seasonal song with women aged 30–49, while Cole’s original 1946 recording was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1974. Mel Tormé recorded the song himself in 1954, and again in 1961, 1966 and 1992.

The Nat King Cole recordings

First recording: Recorded at WMCA Radio Studios, New York City, June 14, 1946. Label credit: The King Cole Trio (Nat King Cole, vocal-pianist; Oscar Moore, guitarist; Johnny Miller, bassist). Not issued until 1989, when it was (accidentally) included on the various-artists compilation ''Billboard Greatest Christmas Hits (1935–1954)'' Rhino R1 70637(LP) / R2 70637(CD).

Second recording: Recorded at WMCA Radio Studios, New York City, August 19, 1946. First record issue. Label credit: The King Cole Trio with String Choir (Nat King Cole, vocal-pianist, Oscar Moore, guitarist; Johnny Miller, bassist; Charlie Grean, conductor of 4 string players, a harpist and a drummer) Lacquer disc master #981. Issued November 1946 as Capitol 311(78rpm). This is featured on a CD called ''The Holiday Album,'' which has 1940s Christmas songs recorded by Cole and Bing Crosby. In 2005 Capitol restored and re-released it for the 25 bit re-mastered Cole album "The Christmas Song," which also contains tracks from his 1960 and 1963 holiday albums.

Third recording: Recorded at Capitol Studios, Hollywood, August 24, 1952. This was the song’s first magnetic tape recording. Label credit: The King Cole Trio with String Choir (Actual artists: Nat King Cole, vocal; Nelson Riddle, orchestra conductor) Master #11726, take 11. Issued November 1953 as the “new” Capitol 90036(78rpm) / F90036(45rpm) (Capitol first issued 90036 in 1950 with the second recording). Correct label credit issued on October 18, 1954 as Capitol 2955(78rpm) / F2955(45rpm). Label credit: Nat “King” Cole with Orchestra Conducted by Nelson Riddle. This recording is available on the 1990 CD ''Cole, Christmas and Kids,'' as well as the various-artists compilation ''Casey Kasem Presents All Time Christmas Favorites.'' It was also included, along with both 1946 recordings, on the 1991 Mosaic Records box set ''The Complete Capitol Recordings of the Nat King Cole Trio.''

Fourth recording: Recorded at Capitol Studios, Hollywood, March 29, 1961. This rendition, the first recorded in stereo, is widely played on radio stations during the Christmas season, and is probably the most famous version of this song. Label credit: Nat King Cole (Nat King Cole, vocal; Charles Grean & Pete Rugolo, orchestration; Ralph Carmichael, orchestra conductor). The instrumental arrangement is nearly identical with the 1953 version, but the vocals are much deeper and more focused. Originally done for ''The Nat King Cole Story,'' (a 1961 LP devoted to stereo re-recordings of Cole’s earlier hits), this recording was later appended to a reissue of Cole’s 1960 holiday album ''The Magic of Christmas.'' Retitled ''The Christmas Song,'' the album was issued in 1963 as Capitol W-1967(mono) / SW-1967(stereo) and today is in print on compact disc. This recording of “The Christmas Song” is also available on half a dozen compilation albums. Some are Capitol pop standards Christmas compilations while others are broader-based. It’s available on WCBS-FM’s ''Ultimate Christmas Album Volume 3,'' for example.

There were several covers of Nat Cole's original record in the 1940s. The first of these was said to be by Dick Haymes on the Decca label, but his was released first--not recorded first. The first cover of "The Christmas Song" was performed by pop tenor and bandleader Eddy Howard on Majestic. Howard was a big Cole fan, and also covered Nat's versions of "I Want to Thank Your Folks" and "I Love You for Sentimental Reasons," among others.

Christina Aguilera version

name	The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)
artist	Christina Aguilera
from album	My Kind of Christmas
released	November 23, 1999
format	CD single
genre	pop christmas
length	4:25
label	RCA
writer	Mel Tormé, Bob Wells
producer	2000 Thunderpuss, Ron Fair
last single	"What a Girl Wants"(1999)
this single	"The Christmas Song"(1999)
next single	"Chritmas Time"(2000) }}

"The Christmas Song" was covered by pop singer Christina Aguilera for her holiday album, ''My Kind of Christmas.'' Her vocal range on the track spans from"C₃ to "C♯₇. Released in 1999, the single peaked at #18 on the Billboard Hot 100, the first single by Aguilera not to reach #1 nor enter the top 10. However, it should be noted that the single was only a limited release for a national holiday. The single was not released in the UK.

Release

The song was released to the United States on November 23 . Nevertheless, the music got a moderate success in Canada, the Airplay chart and in Japan . Was well accepted in the United States debuting at # 87 on Billboard Hot 100. After two weeks, the song peaked at # 18, one of the most accepted carols by the public, especially by young people.

Music video

The music video was directed by Doug Biro and Clare Davies.

Tracklist

CD Single

#The Christmas Song (Chesnuts Roasting On An Open Fire) (Thunderpuss 2000 Holiday Remix) #Genie in a Bottle (Eddie Arroyo's Smooth Mix)

Charts

Chart (1999)	Peakposition
align="left"

Selective list of notable recordings

"The Christmas Song" has been covered by numerous artists from a wide variety of genres, including:

Trace Adkins

Clay Aiken

Herb Alpert

Thomas Anders

India.Arie and Stevie Wonder (winner of the Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals in 2003)

Aska

Babyface

Tony Bennett

Polly Bergen (who sang the song on the December 14, 1957 airing of her NBC variety show, ''The Polly Bergen Show'')

Big Bird and the Swedish Chef (voiced by Carroll Spinney and Jim Henson in ''A Muppet Family Christmas'')

Michael Bolton

Toni Braxton

Garth Brooks

James Brown

Les Brown and his Orchestra (with Doris Day on lead vocal)

Michael Bublé (his version, bearing close similarities to Celine Dion's recording of the song, reached #6 on the ''Billboard'' Adult Contemporary chart in December 2003.)

Kenny Burrell

The Canadian Brass (from their 1985 Christmas album ''A Canadian Brass Christmas'')

The Carpenters (from their 1978 Christmas album ''Christmas Portrait'')

Celtic Woman

Charice

Chicago

Christmas Who? (a SpongeBob Christmas special. SpongeBob and Patrick in a Christmas song sing as a lyric ."..Chest Nuts roasting and burns in the third degree" before the ending of their song.)

Charlotte Church

Rosemary Clooney

Natalie Cole

Bing Crosby

Doris Day (from her 1964 Christmas album ''The Doris Day Christmas Album'')

Gavin Degraw

Celine Dion

Vanessa Doofenshmirtz (voiced by Olivia Olson on the album ''Phineas and Ferb Holiday Favorites'')

Bob Dylan

Gloria Estefan

Connie Francis

Aretha Franklin

Judy Garland, who sang the song in a duet with its composer, Mel Torme, on a Christmas-themed episode of her television show in December 1963.

Amy Grant (from her 1983 Christmas album ''A Christmas Album'')

Josh Groban

Hampton String Quartet

Hootie & the Blowfish

Whitney Houston

The Jackson 5

Alan Jackson (from his 2007 Christmas album ''Let It Be Christmas'')

Al Jarreau

Joe

Wynonna Judd

Peggy Lee

Damien Leith (from a special limited Christmas edition of his 2007 album ''Where We Land'')

The Lettermen

Lovedrug

Aimee Mann (from her 2006 album ''One More Drifter in the Snow'')

Martina McBride

Reba McEntire

Brian McKnight

*NSYNC

Ricky Nelson (on the episode of TV's ''The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet'' titled "A Busy Christmas")

Aaron Neville

New Kids on the Block

Des O'Connor (from a Tesco Christmas advert)

Alexander O'Neal

Olivia Olson (from a 2010 Christmas album, ''Phineas and Ferb: Holiday Favourites'')

The Partridge Family (from their 1971 Christmas album ''A Partridge Family Christmas Card'')

Les Paul

CeCe Peniston (from the 1996 Christmas album ''Merry Arizona II: Desert Stars Shine at Christmas'')

Raven-Symoné

Smokey Robinson & The Miracles (from their 1963 Christmas album ''Christmas with The Miracles)

Linda Ronstadt (from her 2000 Christmas album ''A Merry Little Christmas'')

SWV

Diane Schuur (nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Female in 1990)

Jessica Simpson

Frank Sinatra (including two recordings: a virtual duet with Nat King Cole, and an actual duet with Bing Crosby)

George Strait

Donna Summer

Demi Lovato

The Supremes (remained unreleased until their 1965 Christmas album, ''Merry Christmas'', was re-released in 1999 with additional tracks)

Take 6

Team Rocket (voiced by Rachael Lillis, Eric Stewart and Maddie Blaustein on the album ''Pokémon Christmas Bash'')

The Temptations

Twisted Sister

Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons

Luther Vandross

Andy Williams

Stevie Wonder (from his 1967 Christmas album ''Someday at Christmas'')

Dwight Yoakam

Ascap entry for song showing numerous other covers

Parodies

The title of ''The Simpsons'' episode "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire" is a parody of the song.

Bob Rivers parodied the song with his 2000 album, and the title track from said album, "Chipmunks Roasting On an Open Fire."

Stan Freberg's "Green Chri$tma$" includes several snippets of holiday songs. One segment begins with a sincere-sounding "Chestnuts roasting..." and quickly segués into a mock 1950s radio or TV ad, for a brand of chestnuts, being described as if they were toothpaste or cigarettes.

Twisted Sister parodied the song in his 2006 album ''A Twisted Christmas''.

Flyleaf released a song entitled "Christmas Song" on their EP, "Music as a Weapon." The song has nothing to do with the original, and features the story of Jesus' birth.

Footnotes

External links

Mark Evanier on Tormé and “The Christmas Song”

Category:Christmas songs Category:1946 songs Category:1961 singles Category:1999 singles Category:2009 singles Category:Nat King Cole songs Category:Amy Grant songs Category:Christina Aguilera songs Category:Toby Keith songs Category:Martina McBride songs Category:Joe Nichols songs Category:George Strait songs Category:Kenny Loggins songs Category:Trisha Yearwood songs Category:Vocal duets Category:Grammy Hall of Fame Award recipients Category:Barbra Streisand songs Category:Bob Dylan songs Category:Sheryl Crow songs Category:CeCe Peniston songs Category:The Partridge Family songs

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