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 […]
Tag: Irish Culture
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 […]
An Irish Christmas Carol
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]