Lille

Lille (French pronunciation: [lil]; Dutch: Rijsel [ˈrɛi̯səl]) is a city in the north of France. It is the principal city of the Lille Métropole. Lille is situated in French Flanders, on the Deûle River, near France's border with Belgium. It is the capital of the Nord-Pas-de-Calais-Picardie region and the prefecture of the Nord department.

The city of Lille, to which the previously independent town of Lomme was annexed on 27 February 2000, had a population of 226,827 as recorded by the 2009 census. However, Lille Métropole, which also includes Roubaix, Tourcoing and numerous suburban communities, had a population of 1,091,438. The Eurometropolis Lille-Kortrijk-Tournai, which also includes the Belgian cities of Kortrijk, Tournai and Mouscron, had 2,155,161 residents in 2008. It is the fifth-largest urban area in France after Paris, Lyon, Marseille, and Toulouse.

History

Origin of the city

Archeological digs seem to show the area as inhabited by as early as 2000 BC, most notably in the modern-day quartiers of Fives, Wazemmes, and Old Lille. The original inhabitants of this region were the Gauls, such as the Menapians, the Morins, the Atrebates, and the Nervians, who were followed by Germanic peoples: the Saxons, the Frisians and the Franks.

RC Strasbourg Alsace

Racing Club de Strasbourg Alsace (commonly known as RC Strasbourg, RCS, or simply Strasbourg) is a French association football club founded in 1906, based in the city of Strasbourg, Alsace. It has possessed professional status since 1933 and currently plays in the Championnat National, the third tier of French football, after successive promotions from CFA 2 and CFA. Once a member of France's Ligue 1 and a former champion, the club was relegated to the fourth tier of French football at the conclusion of the 2010–11 Championnat National season after going into financial liquidation. Renamed RC Strasbourg Alsace, they won the CFA championship in 2012–13, and for the 2014–15 season they competed in their current division for a second-consecutive term, finishing fourth.

The club's home stadium, since 1914, is Stade de la Meinau. They are managed by Jacky Duguépéroux, who is in his third stint in the role.

The club is one of six clubs to have won all three major French trophies: the Championship in 1979, the Coupe de France in 1951, 1966, 2001 and the Coupe de la Ligue in 1997 and 2005. Strasbourg is also among the six teams to have played more than 2000 games in France's top flight (56 seasons) and has taken part in 52 European games since 1961. Despite these accomplishments, the club has never really managed to establish itself as one of France's leading clubs, experiencing relegation at least once a decade since the early 1950s. Racing has changed its manager 52 times in 75 years of professional play, often under pressure from the fans.

Lisa Hannigan

Lisa Margaret Hannigan (born 12 February 1981) is an Irish singer, songwriter, and musician. She began her musical career as a member of Damien Rice's band. Since beginning her solo career in 2007 she has released two albums: Sea Sew (2008) and Passenger (2011). Hannigan's music has received award nominations both in Ireland and the USA.

Early life and education

Hannigan was born in Dublin but grew up in Kilcloon, County Meath, Ireland. She attended primary school at Scoil Oilibhéir Naofa in Kilcloon and secondary school at The King's Hospital in Palmerstown and enrolled at Trinity College, Dublin to study Art History.

Career

While still in college, Hannigan met Damien Rice at a concert in Dublin in early 2001. Rice enlisted Hannigan to sing on his 2002 album O and his later album "9", featured in the hit "9 Crimes". She toured with Rice as part of his band during that period, lending vocal support and occasionally playing electric guitar, bass guitar or drums.

In 2007, Hannigan returned to Dublin and began a solo career. Some of Hannigan's live recordings were made available through trading networks radio shows. These recordings included: "Willy" by Joni Mitchell, "Be My Husband" by Nina Simone (from the 1965 album Pastel Blues), "Mercedes Benz" by Janis Joplin and "Love Hurts" by Roy Orbison. Hannigan also performed live with her own band, called The Daisy Okell Quartet and contributed guest vocals to the recordings of Mic Christopher, The Frames and Herbie Hancock.