Musings, ramblings and thought provoking articles from our team of talented writers - all views expressed are their own!
Kilkenny Castle, located in Kilkenny, Ireland is a landmark that is over eight hundred years old. Yet, it still stands today as a significant symbol of what was built in order to keep people out. It is quite a political change when we realize that long ago, the Pope in England allowed for the siege […]
The twelve days of Christmas, Irish-style, are coming to a close. And when I say these days are wrapping up, I mean it is also something people are doing in high quantities at this time of year, two days before Christmas. It’s the time where last-minute shoppers are picking up their last gifts and tying […]
The Twelve Days of Christmas is a popular Christmas song, but how many people were aware that they signified actual days and specific occurrences? No, I am not talking about the eight maids of milking or the seven swans a swimming etc., but instead about the actual days that correlate to the twelve days of […]
Irish Christmas decorations are similar to those in the USA, but not exactly the same. While some enjoy the lights around the window, most houses seem to prefer a few larger light-up decorations. Signs pleading ‘Santa please stop here!’ and images of the jolly man himself are always popular, but one image stands out for […]
Much of Celtic spirituality has revolved around designs, artwork and various other mediums. It is usually easy to identify a work of Celtic art because of it’s unique characteristics. These symbols included combining religious symbols with overlays and other geometric shapes. The designs are usually very ornate and detailed. One of the most famous examples of […]
One can often wonder about Ireland in the winter time. For instance, if someone wanted to travel to this great isle, would this be the time of year to do it or should that person wait? Well, suffice it to say, there should really be nothing stopping anyone from visiting Ireland in the wintertime for […]
Brigid is a famed mythological goddess of the Celts with not just one key attribute but three distinct ways in which she ruled the ways. Her skills were in healing physical ails, poetry and smithcraft. This would make her the perfect goddess symbol for Shanore, for she would have appreciated the fine metal working that […]
Although Newgrange’s spectacular display at the winter solstice gets all the attention, it isn’t the only astrological event or the only amazing prehistoric cairn in the Boyne Valley. Tuesday, 23rd September was the autumn equinox, the period when the day and night are equally long. Perhaps it gets less attention because we generally dread the […]
Many of Ireland’s most beloved symbols have been used for centuries; some even go back further than recorded history. While various symbols have waxed and waned in popularity over time as fashions come and go, one moment in Irish history stands out as a time when Celtic symbols were embraced and exalted by our leading […]
Brian O’Nolan (aka Flann O’Brien) declared the pint of plain as your only man in his famous verse The Workman’s Friend, which is in his 1939 novel At Swim Two Birds. And the classic pint of Guinness has long been iconic. The Guinness Storehouse at St. James’s Gate on the quays of the River Liffey […]
