Musings, ramblings and thought provoking articles from our team of talented writers - all views expressed are their own!
The bogs play a remarkable role in Irish life. For generations, Irish people have cut turf from the bogs to burn as fuel. Visitors arriving to parts of Ireland in winter notice the rich, distinctive smell, and Irish people living overseas long for the smell of the home fires. Bogs have also preserved and eventually […]
Somewhere along the way, Beltaine became conflated with May Day in Ireland. People began celebrating on the first day of May with festivities our ancestors would have considered quite tame. It is also the first day of summer, although the weather rarely cooperates with that. The word ‘beltaine’ is used for the month of May, […]
Vacation is coming. If you are one of the many people following Game of Thrones and the intrigue of the competing tribes, you might like to plan your vacation around it. While you can’t buy a ticket to Westeros, you can visit the amazing locations where the iconic television series has been filmed, including Northern […]
The Celtic trinity knot, or triquetra, lends itself very well to engagement and wedding rings. The shape is a natural frame for gems, and it is rich in meanings. Part of this distinctive motif’s charm is that is reflects to many meanings based on the concept of a trinity or triptych. Early Celtic Christians used […]
Most mothers occasionally feel overshadowed by their children. Once little ones arrive, they tend to take center stage for a couple of decades. Hence, to avoid overlooking mothers completely, we have Mother’s Day. (Ditto for daddies and their special day!) In Ireland, Mother’s Day is the last Sunday in March, several weeks ahead of the […]
The March 29th deadline for the UK to leave the European Union is looming, and honestly everyone from politicians to your aunt just seem to be more confused about it by the hour. The short answer to the question is that no one knows and whatever seems likely today could seem impossible tomorrow. But we […]
St. Patrick’s Day shows us just how the various strands of Irish are woven together – Irish, Irish-American and Irish in America. The history of the holiday is a story of traditions going back and forth, evolving and influencing each other. It’s not a case of tradition flowing only from the old country to the […]
Ireland has many claims to romantic fame. We have a legacy of poets, although most of their love poetry features tragedy. The same is true of our romantic ballads. St. Valentine is buried in Dublin. Well, not all of him. But a relic of his is at Whitefriar Church on Dublin’s south side, not far […]
St. Valentine’s Day is on the horizon, and romance is in the air. Who doesn’t love a good love story? The Irish are known for our gift of storytelling, and so it is no surprise that behind one of most popular Irish motifs is an incredible love story. The Claddagh design is iconic and deeply […]
We are past the solstice now. A pink glow appears on the horizon earlier each morning. The daylight lingers a bit longer each afternoon. At a glance, the trees look as they have all winter. Bare. But beneath their bark, they are preparing for spring. A few have buds or soon will, a visual promise […]
