Musings, ramblings and thought provoking articles from our team of talented writers - all views expressed are their own!
Halloween began centuries ago in Ireland as Samhain. October 31st was the last day of the Celtic year, and people believed it was a time when all sorts of ghouls could visit from the spirit world. Jack o’lanterns are the descendants of turnips carved with gruesome faces to frighten off evil spirits. Trick or treating […]
His name is so merged with his product that we often forget it was a person’s name before it was a stout. His signature is right there on the logo, but what do we know about him? The name Guinness is as closely associated with Ireland as the name Patrick. But before there was Guinness […]
Most of Ireland is rural. Farming is a crucial part of the Irish economy, history and culture. One of the largest events in the country is all about farm life. Every September, when farming life calms down slightly, Irish farmers gather for a massive celebration of their vocation. The National Ploughing Championships are much more […]
HRH the Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle’s turn as guest editor of British Vogue has garnered attention around the world for featuring women who she describes as ‘forces for change.’ Alongside high-profile leaders such as New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, legendary actor and activist Jane Fonda and author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is Irish academic, […]
Lughnasa was not actually that big a part of the play and subsequent film Dancing at Lughnasa. The story was so captivating, it’s easy to focus on that and forget all about the name. But Lughnasa was once a fairly important event in Ireland. It was the Celtic harvest festival, and it was named for […]
The Eiffel Tower is pretty, but is standing in line with a mob of other tourists really all that romantic? If your idea of romance involves seclusion, rugged natural beauty and a sense of history, Ireland offers a lot of spots that are perfect. Of course, we have plenty of places that draw crowds. Blarney […]
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, […]
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 […]
