When the Germans went to invade Czechoslovakia during the Second World War it was believed they wouldn’t experience much they were met with resistance from one man: Josef Mencik Sourced records have been deemed unreliable and some believe information that would reveal his ancestry is concealed in archives that protect those who were involved in World War II Mencik never shared his mother or father’s names and he never disclosed if he had any siblings What is known of his family later in life is that he had a wife and was dubbed the “Knight of Strakonice.” When Josef Mencik was old enough to afford a house of his own, he did exactly that, purchasing a castle that dated back to the 14th century It was called Dobrš Castle and had been severely damaged by heavy rainfall and a fire that had broken out on the property he began restoring Dobrš to its former glory Mencik also amassed a remarkable collection of antiques and curiosities from centuries prior This led him to turn the castle into a pseudo-museum where he happily educated visitors on the history of the area he has since been described as the definition of living history Josef Mencik embraced an alternative lifestyle while living at Dobrš Castle He quite literally lived like a knight from the Middle Ages abandoning modern conveniences like cars and electricity instead employing torches and candles to light his homestead Mencik was respected in his community for being a generous and helpful person The moment that cemented Josef Mencik into history was the day he decided to face the invading Wehrmacht by himself. In many instances, when the Germans wanted to invade a territory, they were met with retaliation from inhabitants. When they crossed the Czechoslovakian border in 1938 Mencik stood up against the advancing German column at the Buccina border, wearing a full French medieval-era suit of armor Some historians have called his defiance courageous while others have referred to it as foolish it initially prevented the German soldiers from advancing any further – if only for a moment The troops stood there in shock of the knight standing before them as they ultimately decided to pay no mind to Mencik and continue past him Josef Mencik’s stand against the Germans has become a tale of legend. While some equate him to a Czechoslovakian Don Quixote others believe he was fully aware of the fact he wasn’t a real knight it’s more likely that he idolized them and saw honor in standing up against the enemy while dressed as one Mencik likely never believed he could actually prevent the Germans from invading Czechoslovakia successful in preventing his castle from being overrun While he was regarded as a non-issue by the Germans the fact remains that they never technically defeated him More from us: Maurice Rose: The Highest Ranking US Officer Killed By the Enemy In Europe During WWII Want to become a trivia master? Sign up for our War History Fact of the Day newsletter! Dobrš Castle became nationalized by the Communist government Mencik went on to live a long and chivalrous life until his death at the age of 78 and historians and scholars alike have studied his story Samantha Franco is a content writer with a BA and MA in history She has written content for multiple sites covering an array of historical topics For travel to the United States on a temporary basis For foreign citizens who want to live permanently in the United States The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) allows citizens of participating countries* to travel to the United States without a visa for stays of 90 days or less Outside of Czech Republic: +420-257-022-000 or from U.S Learn more about quality higher-education opportunities in the U.S that you will not find anywhere else in the world Find the closest American Space in Czech Republic where you can connect with the U.S government agencies work with Czech Republic Embassy in Prague has traditionally hosted the launch of the Convoy of Liberty The Convoy is a magnificent tribute to the U.S role in liberating Czechoslovakia from fascist dictatorship in 1945 and other soldiers and civilians who brought freedom to Pilsen and so many other towns in southwest Bohemia in 1945 The Convoy has been considered the start of the season of annual commemorations in towns throughout the region culminating in the Festival of Freedom and a ceremony at the Thank You which living veterans of General Patton’s Third Army proudly attend each year on May 6 the Coronavirus pandemic has required the postponement of these public commemorations and festivals so we will recognize this important anniversary virtually Embassy looks forward to honoring the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Pilsen and the region in 2021 and being proudly present at commemoration events for many to celebrate the end of World War II and the U.S Army’s role in liberating Czechoslovakia in 1945 Ambassador Stephen King has recorded a message honoring those who sacrificed to end the war and thanking the Convoy of Liberty and the many towns throughout southwest Bohemia who joyfully celebrate the U.S role in bringing freedom to Czechoslovakia in 1945 Embassy officials will send a personal video message to each municipality that had planned to host a commemoration this year Ambassador King’s video message may be found here We use cookies to make our website work better and improve your experience This webpage uses Cookies and JavaScript in order to work properly We strongly recommend to enable those technologies in yur browser In case of wrongly displayed content you can request necessary information at e-mail address wwwadmin@mzv.cz The Czech Embassy hosted a fashion show of its national costumes as part of the EU Open House on Saturday Traditional folk clothing in the Czech Republic is a reflection of the country’s rich and long history and vibrant culture called kroj (singular) and kroje (plural) in Czech are also indicative of the various regions of the Czech Republic Miss Oklahoma Czech-Slovak Queen Anna Sedivy-Thompson Miss Kansas Czech-Slovak Queen Jessica Wonderlich and Miss Czech-Slovak US 2018-2019 Runner-Up Heather Vikla Czech Embassy’s Masaryk Diplomatic Program participant Austin Sappington and others presented national costumes from the Czech Republic Jessica Wonderlich presented an Americanized Kroj (American Diaspora) Anne Smisek Jans presented Strakonice (Prácheňsko) Brenda Sedivy Thompson presented Strážnice (Slovácko) Heather Vikla presented Velké Karlovice (Valašsko) Austin Sappington presented Americanized Valašsko Evelyn Pavelka-Sykora Sedivy presented Kyjov (Kyjov) David Thompson presented Hluk (Uherský Ostroh) Eva Sedivy-Thompson presented Bílovice (Uherské Hradiště) Anna Sedivy-Thompson presented Prostějov (Haná) Text of the descriptions of the kroje at the fashion show: Jessica Wonderlich is Miss Czech/Slovak Kansas 2021-2022 from Topeka Jessica is wearing an Americanized kroj that she made to be similar to her great-grandmother’s kroj Jessica is wearing a white blouse with a ruffled neckline and sleeves She is wearing a black apron with a sunflower pattern to represent her home state of Kansas Her black vest has two sunflowers on the front and is tied together in the front with a blue ribbon Jessica is also wearing Czech Garnet earrings her parents gave her a gift for winning Miss Czech Slovak Kansas Queen Jessica is wearing black boots and a flower headpiece Anne is wearing a kroj from the South Bohemian area of Strakonice.  This is a new kroj from this region with the blouse vest and apron recently made and purchased there This kroj was used by the Domaci Czech Folk Dance group in New Prague The skirt for this kroj was made with a kelly green heavy cotton fabric it is gathered at the waist and has a golden yellow trim A petticoat underneath adds fullness to the skirt The long apron for this kroj is also gathered at the waist and is made from white cotton fabric with white embroidery and cutwork The white cotton blouse is made in traditional methods of squares and rectangles and is trimmed with white eyelet embroidery and cutwork The full sleeves are gathered and tied at the elbow and are trimmed with the same white eyelet embroidery and cutwork as the neckline The navy blue fitted vest has colorful red green and white embroidery on the front and back of the vest.  The front of the vest has a red braided trim around the top edge along with red houndstooth This style of vest laces in the front with a red cord The criss-crossing red ribbon on the back of the vest simulates a faux closure Tucked into the front of the vest is a white embroidered and lace-trimmed handkerchief The head piece for this kroj was typically a dove This ensemble is completed with a traditional red glass bead necklace Brenda is modeling a kroj from Strážnice in the Slovácko region of South Moravia This kroj is most well-known for its unique color palette and heavy use of brocade satin fabric Strážnice was a more urban and affluent area compared to nearby rural villages at the time this kroj came about which is why the fabrics used in its construction are so rich There isn’t very much decoration of this kroj so the attention is all on the luxurious fabric and vest of this kroj are all made from different colors of floral brocade This kroj was made by Tradice Slovácka in Blatnička has a unique shape that is only seen in Strážnice The bottom of the sleeve is tight around the arm before flaring at the cuff with beautiful lace accents which is predominantly seen only in the Slovácko region of the Czech Republic There are two very heavily starched petticoats underneath the skirt of this kroj Because of the stiffness and the volume of these petticoats the wearer actually cannot sit down while wearing this dress A striking red ribbon tied at the waist and black shoes are the finishing touches for this eye-catching kroj Heather is wearing the authentic kroj of Velké Karlovice which is in the Valašsko Region of eastern Moravia It took three months to make and was made completely by hand using only locally-sourced natural fibers You might notice that this kroj is simpler in decoration compared to other Moravian kroje The first is that Valašsko is a cold rural mountainous region so the kroj is made to be very warm instead of very decorative The second reason is because of the unique flavor of Czech folklore that exists in Valašsko there was a large migration of people into Valašsko called the Vlachs which is where we get the name Valašsko from and these were shepherds that migrated from modern-day Romania The Vlach pastoral culture mixed with the folk cultures of the Czechs and Germans in this area led to the creation of this beautiful and distinctly Czech folk dress The kroj features a white shirt with white embroidered decorations and gathered sleeves a design that is specific to the town of Velké Karlovice The embellishments on the red and green wool vest indicate both the kroj’s town of origin and the type of celebration for which this kroj is worn The top skirt is made of a traditional Czech material called Modrotisk which is a hand-dyed and hand-printed indigo fabric The pattern on the blueprint varies from town to town and from region to region and you’ll get to see another example of a different blueprint fabric later in the fashion show This fabric is one of the most well-known pieces of the Valašský kroj and is one the most famous symbols of Czech folk culture This top skirt is worn over a voluminous black underskirt Single young ladies in the Valašsko Region sometimes wore handkerchiefs on their heads just like the married women This kept them warm while they were out in the cold mountain air Heather is modeling the unmarried woman’s version of the headscarf as the scarf is tied in the back instead of under the chin and there is no lace cap underneath the scarf complete this rich and elegant Valašský kroj Austin is also modeling a kroj from the Valasško (Moravian Wallachian) region of eastern Czechia This kroje has a unique look compared to other Czech kroje It is simpler than kroje from many other regions because the Czechs of this region were shepherds and farmers Moravian Wallachia is unique compared to other Czech regions because it was settled by Vlachs a people from the Balkans who are closely related to modern Romanians Vlachs settled the region during the wars between the Austrian and Ottoman Empires and mixed with the local Slavic population Today the people of this region are Czechs It would have been worn to work or perhaps to a festival His slippers are called krpce and are well suited to working in the highland environment of the Carpathian Mountains His pants are made of wool and would have kept him warm during the cold Carpathian winters The most distinctive part of Austin’s kroj is his hat Men in Valassko either opted for these hats or wool shepherds’ hats Austin’s kroj was mostly made by Maggie Grmela a Czech-American kroj maker in the town of West Alenka is wearing a kroj from the South Bohemian Blata region This kroj has a petticoat to hold the tightly gathered and pleated fuschia wool skirt.  The skirt length falls below the knees and is decorated with a silk embroidered ribbon and silver braided trim The bottom of the skirt has black houndstooth which was believed to keep the evil spirits from creeping into the soul This apron is very indicative of the Blata region with white embroidery and cutwork around the outer edge of the apron The white floral embroidered patterns on the apron are trimmed with very colorful glass seed beads This is the only region that typically used glass beads to adorn their kroje The large cutwork has an intricate mesh embroidered into the center To complete the apron are gold “flitters” or flat sequins On top of the apron is a similarly decorated handkerchief it gently gathers at the neck through the delicate lace The full sleeves are gathered at the elbow and the sleeves are trimmed with lace and tied with a colorful ribbon at the elbow This blouse has a separate embroidered and beaded collar that is gathered and tied in the back The black velvet vest has the closure in the back and is embellished with coral and green trim and white beads.  The bottom of the vest has traditional rounded scallops that sit over the top of the apron and skirt This vest was traditionally worn with an apron that had embroidery One of the elements that made this kroj especially famous was the carved carp fish scales that adorned the vest to represent the fish farms of this particular region.  The headband Alenka is wearing is made of black velvet and is decorated with gold red and green beads.  This headband is fastened with embroidered ties in the back Red tights and black flats finish the ensemble Next we have a kroj from the town of Kyjov which is in the Slovácko region of southern Moravia The Kyjovský kroj has become one of the most recognizable icons for Czech folk culture around the world This particular kroj was made in the late 1930s and is being modeled by my maternal grandmother the skirts of the Kyjovský kroj got shorter and fuller until they reached the silhouette many are familiar with today straighter skirt is how this kroj looked before modernization The orange-red striped skirt is made of wool and is decorated with embroidered poppy flowers which are significant to the traditional recipes of this region and gold vest is made of silk and the three circles on the back represent the Holy Trinity The blouse is lightly starched to give it its characteristic voluminous sleeves The black lace on the sleeves and scarf is hand-made bobbin lace Another way you can tell this kroj is from Kyjov is because the sleeves and scarf are only black and white with no colorful inlays The heavily embroidered black and white rectangular shoulder scarf is only worn by brides and married women and was hand-made and hand-dyed using indigo dye This is the same kind of fabric that we saw earlier on Heather’s Valašský kroj but the difference in the style and design of the two fabrics shows how much variation there can be between kroje from different regions Kroje from the towns in the Kyjov region can look confusingly similar to the untrained eye but one of the tricks you can use to determine the specific town a kroj came from is to look at the pattern on the apron This particular pattern comes from the town of Kyjov David is wearing the festive kroj typical of a young man in Hluk which is a town in the Uherský Ostroh area of southeastern Moravia Hluk is known for its rich folk culture and its world renowned jízda králů The young men from Hluk wear thick wool pants with blue cord embellishments and a white or yellow fringed wool scarf tucked in the front specially decorated with metal details in the traditional style is wrapped twice around the waist and the pants are tucked into traditional black leather boots The vest of this kroj has bright orange flowers on it and these are a detail that is unique to Hluk and the neighboring towns in the region Many of the kroje from this region look very similar but one of the several ways you can tell this kroj is specifically from the town of Hluk is by the embroidery on the shirt The embroidery pattern from Hluk has black and yellow accents around the flower at the top of the chest The shirt has to be starched for the sleeves to have their full shape and the detailed plaques of embroidery on the chest and shoulders have to be removed and sewn back on every time the kroj is cleaned and starched so a lot of time and work goes into making this kroj look so extravagant A thick black hat is worn with a traditionally decorated corsage pinned to the side Since the feather in the corsage has not been cut this indicates that this hat would have been worn by a groom on his wedding day Uherské Hradiště - Eva Šedivý-Thompson  Eva is modeling a kroj from the town of Bílovice which is in the Uherské Hradiště region of southern Moravia make this kroj easily identifiable as coming from the Slovácko cultural region This kroj is very elaborate and it takes over 30 minutes to put on This kroj was made by Věra Hubáčková in Březolupy Under the beautiful blue brocade top skirt are four heavily starched petticoats that are tied around the waist with strings In the back is a tightly pleated black panel with detailed gold embroidery at the top This is the most delicate part of the kroj and the wearer cannot sit on this back skirt otherwise it will be ruined A thick floral folk ribbon is tied in a bow around the waist and the bottom of the ribbon must sit at the hem of the skirt and shoulders of this kroj are hand-embroidered plaques with geometric designs that indicate the specific town in Uherské Hradiště where this kroj originates The embroidery from Bílovice is always gold and purple which is white with sequins and more floral ribbon Red houndstooth trim on the arms of the vest was believed to serve as protection for the wearer One of the most memorable features of this kroj are the huge pleated sleeves These sleeves are hand-pleated using a very old traditional technique and they are stuffed with stuffing like pillows so the wearer cannot lift their arms too high There are many different headpieces from this region but today Eva is modeling the Turkish scarf Turkish scarves were only worn by married women it is very common to see young girls wearing the headscarf The pattern on the scarf is specific to the town it’s from and the way the scarf is tied is also unique to each village in addition to having a kroj maker for each region there is a specialist for each town whose only job is to tie headscarves and they must know the specific way each town ties their headscarf This Hanácký kroj is from Prostějov near Olomouc in central Moravia and is being modeled by Anna this kroj was worn by peasants and farmers hundreds of years ago in the Czech lands Floral motifs and embroidery on this kroj are some of the most intricate and well-known in the entire Czech Republic Very distinctive black shoes are worn with the Hanácký kroj These colorfully decorated heels take traditional cobblers six months to make and have to be custom-made to the measurements of the wearer These shoes are very difficult to get in the United States so Anna’s cousin in the Czech Republic helped her get these shoes from the Czech Republic to complete this kroj full skirt gives this kroj a very distinctive appearance is worn over five heavily starched petticoats The white apron features a white lace trim and beautiful yellow embroidery young girls would add a new row of embroidery to their aprons Little girls would have only a few pieces of embroidery while young women would have an apron full of embroidery it was possible to immediately determine the age of the wearer The vest on a Hanácký kroj makes its town of origin easily discernible with this style of vest coming from towns in the central and northern parts of the Haná region Small rounded ridges are sewn into the bottom of the vest in the back to hold up the long blue waist ribbon The style of the sleeves also indicates this kroj is from the Prostějov region of Haná thickly-pleated sleeves with intricately embroidered black cuffs ruffled lace collar is worn around the neck In the collars worn by the wealthiest of women the lace could sometimes stretch out over 30 feet long when unfolded the stunning red headpiece modeled by Anna is called a pantlék This heavily embellished headpiece would have been worn by a bride on her wedding day Mirrors cover the sides of the headpiece to ward off any ill will directed towards the bride The flowers on the top of the headpiece would have been fresh flowers picked specifically for the decoration of the pantlék on the day of the wedding Queens of the Miss Czech-Slovak US PageantPhoto Credit: Doug Sanford May 10, 2025 EU Open House 2025: Czech Embassy Opens to the Public May 13, 2025 Concert: Tomáš Kačo May 14, 2025 Film: Girl America has acquired three battery-enclosure manufacturing plants from Dura-Shiloh in an all-cash transaction for $325 million The Ontario-based manufacturer of various industrial and transport-related parts and systems will organize the new plants as part of a new Linamar Structures Operating Group and it promised to detail further plans during an upcoming conference call The former Dura Shiloh's battery-enclosure business include high strength steel and composite material designs with precision bonding “We are excited to complete this acquisition a further step forward in Linamar’s transition towards an ‘electrified mobility’ world bolstering our growing Structures and Chassis business portfolio,” according to a statement by executive chairman and CEO Linda Hasenfratz Czech Republic – and the third is an operation opened in January 2022 in Muscle Shoals to supply aluminum EV battery enclosures to the Mercedes-Benz electric battery pack plant in central Alabama The buyer has called the Muscle Shoals plant a “state-of-the-art premiere battery-enclosures operation that Linamar will be able to showcase to other OEM customers in order to win future business.” Battery enclosures for electric vehicles are typically metal or plastic structures that enclose the battery and protect it from external interference and it may serve as an insulator or functions as part of a battery cooling system Linamar already has several battery-tray and enclosure products in production Those include both diecast aluminum as well as welded aluminum assemblies A group of hurlers from Czechia were at Lámh Dhearg on Sunday to play a game against the host club Píobairí Strakonice is the GAA Club of Strakonice; a small town in South Bohemia - Czech Republic The name Píobairí was chosen as the symbol of Strakonice is a traditional Czech bagpiper which is also shown on the club logo The club was founded in 2020 and achieved GAA affiliate status in summer 2022 The current team is made up almost entirely of local players who are new to Gaelic games with 22 players being involved through the 2023 season This week club members embarked on the club's third annual trip to Ireland visiting Croke Park (where the club logo is now on display on the wall of clubs) In previous years the team have played against Ard Eoin Ruairí Óg and most recently Lamh Dheárg where the team received a great hospitable and enjoyable reception Sign up to the daily Belfastmedia briefing to stay up to date with everything Belfast Developed and maintained by Soundlining © Copyright 2025 Belfast Media All rights reserved Developed and maintained by Soundlining © Copyright 2025 Belfast Media All rights reserved 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The CDa Pro Air Purifier developed by Innova NanoJet Technologies Ltd. a UK-based leader in air purification technology Strakonice Hospital has adopted this cutting-edge system for use in its pulmonary department achieving outstanding results while earning praise from both patients and medical professionals Strakonice Hospital has become the first hospital in Central Europe to integrate the CDa Pro air purification system According to hospital spokesperson Kateřina Koželuhová the device has been widely utilized in the pulmonary department stating: "This device employs a specialized technology that disperses nano-sized water droplets into the air These droplets effectively bind to harmful airborne particles such as dust removing them from the air and significantly reducing health risks it greatly helps in preventing disease transmission and improving overall air quality." Strakonice Hospital was recognized as the Best Hospital of 2024 with the implementation of the CDa Pro air purification system it further solidifies its reputation for excellence This also underscores the credibility and market influence of Innova NanoJet Technologies Ltd. reinforcing its position as a trusted leader in air purification solutions The CDa Pro air purifier features Innova NanoJet's groundbreaking NanoJet platform technology which releases trillions of nano-scale liquid droplets to physically remove airborne pollutants and fine particles with over 99% efficiency The system operates without traditional filters reducing maintenance needs and solid waste production while requiring only minimal water and electricity This makes it highly suitable for large-scale air quality management in crisis situations and expansive medical environments About Innova NanoJet Technologies Ltd.Innova NanoJet Technologies Ltd is a pioneering technology company specializing in advanced air purification solutions through its NanoJet platform The company's flagship Clean Air for Life CDa series including the CDa Model-H for homes and the CDa Pro for commercial spaces is designed to create pollution-free and virus-free indoor environments Innova NanoJet is committed to improving global air quality through innovation and sustainable technology Media Contact:Stephanie Reibel, +1 (323) 363-6333[email protected] Innova NanoJet Technologies Ltd.US Office: 800 E. Colorado Blvd., Suite 888, Pasadena, CA 91101www.innova-nanojet.co.uk a UK-based innovation-driven company and a leader in air purification technology Computer & Electronics Biotechnology HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning) Household, Consumer & Cosmetics Do not sell or share my personal information: Fáilte chuig gaa.ie - suíomh oifigiúil CLG The first ever Czechia Hurling Championship match between Prague Hibernians and Píobairí Strakonice plays out before the vista of the Czech countryside ‘For the first time’ is always a nice collection of words to assemble in that order It evokes a sense of freshly inked history an unprecedented achievement with the promise of more to come a hurling championship match has been played between two GAA clubs in Czechia The meeting of Prague Hibernians and Píobairí Strakonice recently took place in a sylvan setting outside the Czech town of Strakonice and surely caused more than a few rubber-necking motorists to wobble on the road as they drove by Patrick Ryan was playing in the match and even he couldn’t help but be struck by the strangeness of the sight of a game of hurling being played with the backdrop of a green fields and red roofs in the middle of the Czech countryside If you were to follow that thread it would bring you back to a lecture hall in University of Limerick many years ago that Ryan was wondering how to extricate himself from He thought he was applying for a teaching programme as part of his Public Administration degree but not long after he sat down realised it was an Erasmus teaching programme meant just for language students He was sitting in the middle of a row and didn’t want to make it obvious he’d made a mistake by getting up to leave so he kept his head down and stayed where he was When the information page was passed around and he read the fine print he saw you didn’t in fact have to have a language to apply so he chanced his arm and decided to apply for a country with a language that wasn’t taught in the University He can’t remember now why he put the Czech Republic top of the list but that’s where he ended up as a teaching assistant in a school in Prague He loved it so much he completed a teaching qualification when he returned to UL and then headed back to Prague for another couple of years where he was one of the founding members of Prague Hibernians GAA club in 2009 “I was at their first couple of training sessions and first match,” recalls Ryan “There was maybe five or six of us in a carpark beside a park because there were people playing soccer in the park “I still pinch myself sometimes that we now have almost 100 members between Gaelic Football Prague Hibernians hurling and camogie players pictured after a training session Patrick Ryan is second from the right in the front row Ryan also met his future wife in Prague and they moved back to Ireland for an eight-year stint before eventually returning to the Czech capital again After playing little hurling during his twenties he’d rediscovered his love of the sport during his thirties in Dublin with Realt Dearg and the only cloud on his horizon regarding the move back to Prague was that he expected he’d have to hang up his hurley again Prague Hibernians had been a Gaelic Football only club since their foundation and when Ryan suggested on his return that they also give hurling a go there weren’t too many volunteers putting their hands up and once he planted the seed in 2019 it sprouted more quickly than he could have hoped “At the first hurling training session in Prague we had two people including me,” he says this Slovak guy that I had met on a hike a week or two previously “Then the following week we had six or seven people and we haven't looked back since then “There wasn't that much interest in hurling in Prague among Ireland people at the time the Irish there were mainly from football counties and playing one sport was enough for them “Because of that we got a real mixture playing hurling and also have some people from Northern Ireland who had never played hurling until they came here “I think that worked out really well because it allowed this new group to train together and build up their skills together We had a couple of Irish who were intermittently involved but there wasn't this big skill gap “And now we have some new arrivals in Prague Had they come the first month when you had 12 people who were learning how to rise the ball they might have been this isn't for me Action from a Prague Hibernians hurling training session Many of Ryan’s new pupils showed a natural aptitude for the sport that he didn’t expect and before too long the skill level of the players quickly developed “Maybe we as Irish people think of hurling as this really difficult sport that only Irish people can do,” he says “But then you had a hurl to a Czech 10-year-old and they immediately rise the ball and you're like “One of our best players was a 17-year-old Ukranian who just ran rings around everyone after just a couple of sessions “Most of the Czechs and Slovaks play floorball which is like unihockey so the idea of having a stick in their hand is not something unusual or alien to them “They figure out themselves fairly quickly that you can't just try to dribble the ball around somebody but that background in floorball definitely helps.” With every match and tournament they played the Prague Hibernians hurlers got better and better until they eventually won their first ever hurling match in a tournament in Cologne in October of 2019 Not only did this result give everyone involved a timely boost to redouble their efforts it also produced a spark that ultimately lit a flame for hurling in the town of Strakonice which is around 100km from Prague “It was just a coincidence that after the game in Cologne we won there was a post on the Prague Hibernians Facebook page and this guy Louis Donnelly liked the post and I didn't recognise the name,” says Ryan “When I clicked on his profile there was a background of Prague so I sent him a message to ask him how he was doing and to see if he'd like to get involved “It turned out he was living two hours outside Prague with a Czech wife so was there for the long-term He said he'd like to come for training if he could manage it or even just to play in tournaments and then mentioned he had 10 or 12 hurls at home and had been harbouring a secret dream of getting a team up and running in his town “My advice was to just go for it because the first year here I was just thinking/talking about it It was only when I said to someone else to meet me at this time and at this place and I'll bring the gear that we had somewhere to go from “He got six guys together and about two weeks after he liked the Facebook post eight of us went to Strakonice to meet them for a joint training session together It kicked off for him from there and he was able to hold onto those guys and a few more then joined.” When the Covid-19 pandemic hit travel was limited within Czechia but the Strakonice hurlers kept training away on their own and when the first lockdown ended some of them joined forces with Prague Hibernians to compete in a tournament in Dresden literally the day the second Czechia lockdown ended in May this year the two clubs came together to host that first ever Czechia Hurling Championship match in Strakonice The more established Prague hurlers won on a scoreline of 4-24 to 4-6 but the real triumph was that the game had taken place at all “You're pinching yourself that you're in the countryside of Czechia playing a hurling match,” says Ryan “In the photos that were taken you can see tractors going by and distinctive church buildings in the background “I even have that feeling whenever we have a big training session We have one nice pitch that overlooks Prague and you're there with the sun setting and can hear sliotars whizzing around and you're looking out over Prague thinking how did this end up happening?” Action from the first ever Czechia Hurling Championship match between Prague Hibernians and Píobairí Strakonice The answer to that question is the old sporting truism that if you build it they will come Foundations have now been put in place by Prague Hibernians and Píobairí Strakonice and the intent is to keep going upwards brick by brick in the coming years and further develop camogie as well as hurling in Czechia “That's our long-term goal,” says Ryan “We'd love to have an actual Czech Championship if it can happen in Strakonice it can happen anywhere So we're just trying to make ourselves as visible as possible so that someone can approach us and say they're interested in setting up a club of their own “We'd be happy to help out in any way with joint sessions or equipment “A big thing would be if we could get hurling into Charles University and become some sort of social club or something there, much like what Darmstadt did and they're obviously still reaping the benefits of it. “When all this started I thought that if we had just three or four Irish guys in Prague who were into hurling we could just go behind the goals at football training for a puck-around and then go to Dresden to train with them and play in tournaments. “But then very quickly we found that non-Irish players could very quickly become good hurlers. “As a teacher you always enjoy when you see that light-bulb moment in someone's eyes. Learning a new sport is much like learning a language and gets more satisfying the better you get at it. “It’s great to see the enjoyment that people are getting from learning a new sport, and just to see the huge mix of people that we have, a guy from Australia, a guy from India, Italy, Ukraine, Czechs and Slovaks is fantastic too. “It’s just a great melting pot of people who are all enjoying themselves so much and it warms your heart, I guess.” Laois and Dublin through to oneills.com Leinster U20 hurling semi-finals7 hours ago Munster SHC: Limerick assert themselves against Waterford 2 days ago Round-up: Electric Ireland Leinster Minor Hurling Championship2 days ago Cork and Waterford to contest Electric Ireland Munster Minor Hurling Final2 days ago Official Sponsors of the GAA Football All-Ireland Championship Official Sponsors of the GAA Hurling All-Ireland Championship Václav Vonášek actually wanted to be a clarinettist so he chose the deep-toned woodwind instrument he has been thrilled every day by its sound He discovered his love for the contrabassoon the deepest-sounding instrument of the orchestra he continued his studies under František Herman and Jiří Seidl at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague and under Andrea de Flammineis and Martin Gatt at the Royal College of Music in London He also attended master classes given by Dag Jensen Václav Vonášek was awarded his doctorate for his thesis on works for unaccompanied bassoon and characteristics of their performance including the ARD International Music Competition and the Prague Spring International Music Festival he gained his first orchestral experience in the theatre orchestra in Pilsen and the Karlovy Vary Symphony Orchestra and as a substitute with the Berliner Philharmoniker the Bayerisches Staatsorchester and the Solistes Européens Luxembourg Following positions as first bassoonist with the Prague Philharmonia and as second bassoonist and contrabassoonist with the Czech Philharmonic he joined the Berliner Philharmoniker in March 2016 Václav Vonášek is a member of the Arundo Quartet and the PhilHarmonia Octet with whom he – among other things – has premiered and recorded his own arrangements (Bach When the bassoonist is not dedicating himself to music or building reeds for his instrument he likes to go hiking and – together with his children – go on digital scavenger hunts (geocaching) He is also a keen inline skater and crown cork collector International Competition Prague Spring (2009)Third Prize Internationalen Instrumentalwettbewerb Markneukirchen (2006)Award from the Czech Ministry of Education for outstanding study results (2005)First Prize International competition for Oboe and Bassoon in Lodz Competion of the International Double Reed Society in Melbourne “At my first concert with the Berliner Philharmoniker I was incredibly excited and nervous: Would I be able to adapt myself to the orchestra But then I became fascinated by the way they made music: everyone plays and feels along with everyone else Sign In Subscribe Now Become a free member today and receive top local stories right to your inbox Red Deer Rebels’ import player Samuel Drancak may be a long way from where he grew up in Strakonice Czechia but central Alberta is already beginning to feel like home The 17-year-old forward was selected by the Rebels 54th overall in the first round of the 2023 CHL Import Draft in July and within the last week skated alongside his teammates at training camp He told The Advocate the opportunity to take part in camp as a member of the Rebels has been great “Training camp was super nice and my teammates are good so everything is nice,” he said “All the people here have been great so I’m excited for the season.” Drancak played in the Czech U17 league last season for the HC Motor České Budějovice and recorded 17 goals and 48 assists for 65 points in 34 games His impressive point total was the league’s second-best He also suited up in the Czech professional league for two games and played nine games at the U20 level where he contributed 12 points This is just his second time on Canadian soil The first was when he played for his country at the 2022 World U17 Hockey Challenge in B.C where he contributed two points in six games This summer he also competed in the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup in his home country They took home the silver medal after losing to Team Canada in the gold medal game “It was fun because we weren’t expected to go to the final There were some fun games and against Canada was awesome,” he said The Rebels and Drancak begin pre-season play this Friday in Calgary before facing the Edmonton Oil Kings on Sunday at the Peavey Mart Centrium Drancak said he’s excited about playing in his first Western Hockey League games this week it has taken some time to adapt to the WHL game Playing against older players on the ice has been a more physical style and the ice surface is smaller than what he’s used to “Everything has been faster and I have less time [to make decisions] but it’s been fun,” he said “[The smaller ice surface] for me has been better Even if he is still adapting you wouldn’t notice it by watching him play During the Rebels’ annual black-and-white game this week he scored not once but twice in the third period to tie the game 3-3 He also nearly scored during the overtime period “I had great guys on my line and I got lucky It was a great game on both sides,” he said Drancak will soon be named to the final roster after pre-season play wraps up After the departure of defenceman Christoffer Sedoff Drancak will fill the second import spot on the team alongside fellow Czechia forward Frantisek Formanek He explained his goal for the season is to contribute on the offensive end He described himself as more of a playmaker rather than a goal scorer That doesn’t mean he can’t bury opportunities when they come to him “I play a physical game and have a good hockey sense I don’t usually score goals but in training camp Drancak first started playing hockey at just three years old He’s the first in the Drancak family to play hockey and what drives him is to eventually make it to the professional level His favourite player in the NHL is Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs but compared himself to Los Angeles Kings forward Anze Kopitar Dialogue and debate are integral to a free society and we welcome and encourage you to share your views on the issues of the day. We ask that you be respectful of others and their points of view, refrain from personal attacks and stay on topic. To learn about our commenting policies and how our community-based moderation works, please read our Community Guidelines for those that wish to stand out from the crowd the čezeta is a timeless celebration of individuality in celebration of the 60th anniversary of the classic czech scooter a limited first series of 600 ‘type 506 electric’ will commence production following the official launch in the spring of 2017.  a czech legend in the scooter worldall images ©  čezeta the čezeta (pronounced chuh-zeh-tuh) is a czech legend in the scooter world. in the former-czechoslovakia j.f. koch was the founder of česká zbrojovka strakonice (čz), a company that manufactured motorcycles from 1935 to 1997 in ’57 he introduced the čezeta ‘type 501’ scooter and from then until 1964 several further series culminating in the type ‘505’ all produced by the ‘golden hands’ of czech artisans known across central europe for their manufacturing expertise instantly recognizable due to its distinctive torpedo form the čezeta was popular for its simplicity reliability and durability and quickly became a symbol of adventure for young czechs the brand gained recognition with over 100 many of which are now collector’s items the ‘type 506’ now has electric power neil eamonn smith acquired the brand in 2013  happening now! partnering with antonio citterio, AXOR presents three bathroom concepts that are not merely places of function, but destinations in themselves — sanctuaries of style, context, and personal expression. advertisement5/5Masopust runs through Ash Wednesday the Czech company that inherits the Czech armoury traditions which in its Strakonice plant produces assault rifles 40mm grenade launchers and conversion kits in various calibers for AR-15/M16/M4 lower receivers Among the numerous weapons exhibited at its stand Luvo Prague unveiled its new semi-automatic pistol LA-15 P in 5.56 x 45 mm calibre The Czech company started its development due to some requests by Police forces outside the European Union the length of 590 mm and the lack of a stock allowing qualifying it as a pistol which is definitely the same of assault rifles and carbines The LA-15 P is based on a direct gas impeachment mechanism and is fitted with a 7.5” (190 mm) cold hammered barrel with blue finishing and a 1 turn in 7” rifling twist; the barrel ends with a 1/2 “-28 UNED thread allowing the mounting of the standard “M4” like flash hider or of a suppressor According to Luvo Prague the barrel has a life of approximately 26,000 rounds The upper and lower receivers are built in forged 7075 T6 aircraft aluminium with hard anodised surface finishing; the pistol features a full length Picatinny rail on the top and shorter Keymod rails on the side of the handguard the weapon on exhibition being fitted with a red dot sight The two positions selector is located above the pistol grip while the magazine the magazine catch is aft of the trigger guard; the pistol is provided with a standard 20 round magazine 10 and 30 round-magazines are also available The weapon on show was the very first prototype Luvo Prague having finished the first shooting tests of the new weapon two days prior the opening of Future Forces Forum at the Prague exhibition the company also announced that it is starting producing silencers flash hiders and compensators for the whole range of its firearms Indo Defence – Jakarta – 11-14 June DSEI – London – 9-12 September PARTNER – Belgrade – 23-26 September Seafuture – La Spezia – 29 Sept.-2 October ADEX – Seoul – 29 October-2 November Dubai Air Show – Dubai – 17-21 November Milipol Paris – Paris – 18-21 Novenber Expodefensa – Bogotá – 1-3 December Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" traces their company history back The South Bohemian Armory in Strakonice They still produce a couple of Czech classics but since 2006 they have been focusing on producing AR-15 and AR-10-style rifles in a wide variety of style and calibers Some examples of their weapons are below … These are just a sample of what the company offers They also manufacture AR-15s chambered in .300 AAC BLK Luvo Prague does not produce their own long range/heavy sniper rifles but they do have a .338 LM and .50 BMG rifles in development I look forward to see what they come up with next [ Many thanks to Dom of Popular Airsoft for providing photos I founded TFB in 2007 and over 10 years worked tirelessly to build it up into the largest gun blog online During my decade at TFB I was fortunate to work with the most amazing talented writers and genuinely good people More by Steve Johnson or are they going to be imported to the US in some way @Mike Same way they've been getting other European arms into the U.S or just going under the table (which is hard). I have had a very bad experience with this company! I have ordered in March an la10 and when it arrived at the gunsmith (last week.. 7 months after the order ) the weapon is defective : the trigger is way too hard!! We try to contact luvo for a remedy : no news...Avoid this company which is not serious and prefer overland for the same kind of weapon in Europe https://www.donegallive.ie/section/1196/advertise-with-us All the latest breaking local news from Donegal Keep up to date with the latest sports news Read the latest crime and court news from Donegal County Donegal - Donegal Live Donegal Now Donegal Democrat Donegal Post Donegal Peoples Press Finn Valley Inishowen Read all the latest Irish news and updates from around Ireland Find whats happening in and around Donegal Enjoy our award winning photos and picture galleries taken in Donegal Gaeilge Irish Language Erse Gaelic Donegal Live Donegal Now Donegal Democrat Donegal Post Donegal Peoples Press Finn Valley Read about the latest properties available in Donegal Recent death notices and obituaries from Donegal Latest environmental and climate change news in County Donegal Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter Support our mission and join our community now you can subscribe for as little as €0.50 per week which will also give you access to all of our premium content and archived articles Thank you for supporting Ireland's best local journalism The Aodh Ruadh senior hurling team were delighted to put the club on an international standing by playing host to Píobairí Strakonice from the Czech Republic last Saturday The lads really enjoyed both the match and the get together in the club house afterwards paid tribute to the amazing work done by Louis Donnelly in establishing the club in Stakonice and attracting local Czech men to play our ancient sport Barry presented him with an Aodh Ruadh jersey to display back in the Czech Republic Louis presented Aodh Ruadh with a large bottle of beer from the municipal brewery in Strakonice and some other Czech treats and products The afternoon was a huge success and we are all looking forward to maintaining our new friendship and arranging more matches in the future " + $(".testo_articolo").html().replace(//g please subscribe and support local journalism Subscribing will allow you access to all of our premium content and archived articles To continue reading this article for FREE,please kindly register and/or log in Registration is absolutely 100% FREE and will help us personalise your experience on our sites You can also sign up to our carefully curated newsletter(s) to keep up to date with your latest local news Nikita Burns was before Ballyshannon District Court A day in the life of a children’s residential care worker at Ashdale Care Minster Alan Dillon at the opening of the new offices The opticians are delighted to welcome onboard their new Practice Manager Subscribe or register today to discover more from DonegalLive.ie Donegal Post and Inish Times here for instant access to Donegal's premier news titles Keep up with the latest news from Donegal with our daily newsletter featuring the most important stories of the day delivered to your inbox every evening at 5pm This publication supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and Office of the Press Ombudsman and our staff operate within the Code of Practice of the Press Council Lo-call 1800 208 080 or email: info@presscouncil.ie A light magnitude 3.1 earthquake hit 15.4 km (10 mi) away from Pisek, Jihocesky kraj,  Czech Republic The depth of the quake could not be determined but is assumed to be shallow.The quake was felt widely in the area Lot 288: Nazi Proofed CZ Model 27 Semi-Automatic Pistol from https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/2030/288/nazi-proofed-cz-model-27-semiautomatic-pistol If you want to subscribe to our monthly newsletter CarbonMedia OutdoorHub // TheFirearmBlog // AllOutdoor // ActionHub // AgDaily © AllOutdoor • All Rights Reserved • Carbon Media Group Outdoors