soc.culture.irish was created by a vote of 539 to 21 following
	the usual process (see news.announce.newusers for more
	information on this process).  The result was announced in
	news.announce.newgroups on 12 May 1995.

	The vote approved the following as the charter of the newsgroup.

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	The soc.culture.irish newsgroup will be open to discussion of
	all subjects  specifically referring to Ireland or Irish
	culture.   This newsgroup will be created for reasons including,
	but not restricted to, the following:

	* To encourage understanding and discussion of Ireland and Irish
	  culture, in the many ways people wish to define it.

	* To act as a focus for the Irish diaspora (Irish people,
	  including emigrants and their descendants) and to draw
	  together the global threads of Irishness.

	* To act as a resource for Irish people who wish to use the
	  Internet and for people who wish to encourage the development
	  of the Internet in Ireland.

	* To provide a forum for the use and support of the Irish
	  language.

	The following exceptions should be noted:

	* Matters referring to the broader family of Celtic nations
	  should be posted to soc.culture.celtic.

	* Matters referring to Irish folk music should be posted to
	  rec.music.celtic.

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	[ At the time the charter was written there was no separate
	newsgroup for Irish family names.  Now there is
	soc.genealogy.ireland, which is more appropriate for this
	than soc.culture.irish .]

Like many newsgroups, soc.culture.irish is slowly developing a
	culture of its own. For a guide to what's _really_ going
	on, try Gerard Cunningham's informal guide to the newsgroup
	(http://www.wwa.com/~abardubh/).