Red nosed reindeer are not native to Ireland, and while they do visit annually, Ireland is not home to reindeer per se. But three other types of deer do call Ireland home: the Fallow Deer, the Red Deer and the Sitka Deer. And no doubt they all share the nation’s delight at seeing Rudolph and […]
Tag: Celtic history
Wrapping Up the 12
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 […]
Hungry for Irish
Christmas time brings to mind giving and receiving gifts. but also one tried and true tradition is cooking. We cook for our loved ones at home or our friends and co-workers for the holidays. But why? Cooking brings a sense of comfort and fullfillment. Those who enjoy it, enjoy sharing it with others. It is […]
Into the 12 Days
We spent last week discussing the twelve days of Christmas and how they are celebrated in Ireland. We talked about the wrenboys and the activities of boxing day, but there were still several days to cover in the twelve days of Christmas. You may be wondering,”what is left?” Well, in Ireland, there is plenty left. […]
Making Your Christmas More Green
For those of you reading who aren’t in Ireland, but maybe want to bring a bit of Irish culture into your Christmas holidays, there are little things you can do to bring the green into your holiday season. It requires being able to put aside your basic holiday music, recipes and traditions and trying to […]
12 Days of Christmas in Ireland
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 […]
A Former Foulksrath
It is interesting to read about the history of Ireland’s once domineering and protruding castles. Castles are something of an enigma to people today who live in their modern homes and apartments. When they were originally built, they were not just built to shelter someone’s possessions and their families like houses are today. Castles were […]
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 […]
The Irish Christmas Candle Tradition
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 […]
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 […]