Most of us have heard of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. This is the classic story which revolves around Ebenezer Scrooge and his visits from the three ghosts of Christmas. Ireland has it’s own version of A Christmas Carol that some people have read and consider it their principal Christmas tale. The book is […]
Category: Ireland
Kildare’s K
Kildare’s K Club is one of only four Irish hotels to receive a five star rating from the American Automobile Association. However, this luxurious hotel started out as a french style home built in the 1800’s not aware of it’s renowned destiny. The original owners of the K-Club were the Barton family who settled on […]
Thanks, Harvests and Traditions of Ireland
It occurred to me, since I live in the U.S., to wonder what traditions occur in Ireland, if any, in conjunction with our big holidays. This week is our Thanksgiving which is a big holiday in the U.S., then we follow that with the notorious day known as Black Friday. Even though, this too is […]
Leixlip Castle
Built in the 12th century, Leixlip Castle is one of the oldest continually inhabited buildings in all of Ireland. It was settled after the Norman invasion and went through a period of many different owners. Currently, the owners of Lexilip are Desmond and Mariga Guinness. Mairga is the daughter of a German prince and Desmond […]
Pilgrimages to Spirituality
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 […]
A Symmetrical Masterpiece
The Castletown House, located in Cellbridge is referred to as the greatest representation of Palladian architecture in all of Ireland. This house was built in 1722 and today sits only twenty miles from Dublin. Castletown would be the perfect reflection of the man for whom it was built. The home was built for William Connoly […]
Brrr…Signs of Winter in Ireland
Winter is not a popular time of year for tourists in Ireland or much of northern Europe. True, it is cold and wet, but Ireland offers a lot of compensation for that. Of course, air fare and hotel rates are usually less, but the real joys of an Irish winter are priceless. With a good […]
Give Thanks “Go Raibh Maith”
What is it that you are thankful for? Are you sure to be thankful every day or are you one who has to be reminded of all the blessings you do have periodically? Saying thanks is no stranger to Ireland and their culture because blessings are somewhat ingrained into their habits and behavior. There are […]
Barberstown Reverence
If you are looking for a classic castle situated near Dublin where you can stay for a night or two and even participate in unique activities, the Barberstown Castle may be the place for you. Today this ancient castle that was built in the 13th century is now a four star hotel. However, how it got […]
The Results Are In: Here’s Your Favorite Irish Things!
We knew we could count on you, our Shanore blog readers, to help us out, and you did! Go raibh maith agaibh! We appreciate your cooperation in our highly (un)scientific survey to determine your very favorite Irish things. The results show that you have impeccable, if somewhat varied, taste. We knew that, of course. Your […]