Musings, ramblings and thought provoking articles from our team of talented writers - all views expressed are their own!
Plenty of European countries have their twisted tales of evil stepmothers, but Ireland’s version is really for the birds. Well, for the swans anyway. With apologies to wrongly maligned stepmothers everywhere, Ireland’s version at least features a wicked stepmother who couldn’t bring herself to actually kill her stepchildren and instead comes up with another plot […]
Ireland’s great abundance of gifted writers has made literature our best known export, and readers around the world can list the biggest names. But we also have those treasured authors who are beloved and respected here, while somehow largely escaping the notice of readers elsewhere. Dermot Healy was one such treasure, and his recent death […]
Paradoxically, the stereotypical Irish-American occupation has long been police officer, but in Ireland, the concept of police came from outside. Once upon a time, Ireland ran quite smoothly and relatively peacefully without a single police officer. Between the time of the Druids and imposition of British Common Law, Ireland followed its own unique system of […]
Images of Ireland tend to show rolling green hillsides dotted with sheep, narrow country roads, colorful pubs and villages and beautiful ruins of castles, towers and monasteries. You don’t see many photos of Irish forests, largely because they mostly destroyed long before the camera was invented. Farming began in Ireland about 6,000 years ago when […]
You might think water wouldn’t be anything special in a country famous for how much it rains, but not all water is equal. Some is potable, some isn’t – and some is holy. Catholic churches worldwide have holy water fonts, but Ireland takes it a step further. We have holy wells. Used not just for […]
Claddagh rings are not the only rings that enchant visitors to Ireland. Sure, they are beautiful and you can buy one to take home. Our other famous rings are less portable, and you’d do well to look but not touch them, as people occasionally learn the hard way. The Irish landscape is dotted with ancient […]
Most tourists visiting Dublin make a point of strolling over this gorgeous iron pedestrian bridge spanning the River Liffey, and many Dubliners cross back and forth over it daily. It is estimated that an average of 30,000 people use the Ha’Penny Bridge every day. The iron arches topped with lamps give a romantic, cozy charm, […]
You have no doubt seen it countless times on logos, decorations, tea sets, t-shirts and jewelry. It’s one of the most enduring and popular symbols of Ireland, and it is everywhere on St. Patrick’s Day, but what do you really know about Ireland’s most famous plant? The shamrock is synonymous with Ireland, yet it remains […]
Shimmering shoals of silvery fish are not the only thing shining in the depths of the sea off the coast of Galway. While you will find oysters in the sea, this sunken treasure is not pearls, as much as we love them. The North Atlantic has seen a lot of traffic, from curraghs out fishing […]
It’s not like you can avoid seeing hearts everywhere this week, so you might as well enjoy them! Of course, the famous and widely loved Irish heart design is the Claddagh, named for what was once a tiny fishing village but is now part of Galway city. Even the story of its design is romantic. […]
