2. Money and milk should not be given away on New Year's Day - possibly because you might need them soon yourself. It was seen as 'bad luck'.

3. If a child had been more 'naughty' than 'nice', they would find a lump of coal as a present, rather than a cheering Christmas gift.

4. In common with many European countries, from early 2002, Ireland will use the common currency called the Euro.

5. Reinfhia means Reindeer.

6. Irish playwright and wit Oscar Wilde wrote The Selfish Giant.

7. Snowman. Fear means 'man' in Irish, while sneachta means 'snow'.

8. The sixpence was part of the British coinage before decimalisation in the early 1970s, followed by the establishment of the full Irish currency, the Punt.