Musings, ramblings and thought provoking articles from our team of talented writers - all views expressed are their own!
We’re seeing more and more reports of protesters toppling questionable statues lately. In Ireland, we were disposing of offensive monuments long before it was cool. It’s part of our heritage that doesn’t get much attention. Nelson’s Pillar once stood in O’Connell Street, where it towered over the capital city’s widest street from 1808 to 1966 […]
William Butler Yeats, who was born on June 13, 1865, is one of Ireland’s most celebrated poets. His poems are woven into our collective Irish psyche. Some of his works referenced his unrequited love for Maud Gonne, widely seen as his muse, and Ireland was a popular topic for him. His fascination with the supernatural […]
Mother’s Day in North America is just around the corner. The mothers of Canada and the USA will have their day on Sunday, May 10th. The present is so strange and uncertain, it is a good time to look back and take some comfort from reminders of how strong people are. Back on April 24th, […]
The Irish are known for being gregarious people, friendly and welcoming. We’re known as story tellers, and of course stories need an audience. Even in an impersonal modern world, this is a close-knit society made of communities, where neighbors have known each other for generations. The draw of the local pub isn’t the pints, but […]
When you think of the elegant detail of crisp white Irish lace, it is easy to imagine ladies of the past sitting in their well-appointed living rooms relaxing with their craft in the evening. The reality of the origins of Irish lace are far from that image. Instead, imagine hungry, poverty-stricken women determined to care […]
Around the world, St. Patrick’s Day parades are falling victim to the corona virus. Amid fears of people spreading the covid 19 virus, parade organizers are cancelling the traditional event. Even Ireland’s capital has cancelled its parade, which draws massive crowds from around the world. But if it seems unprecedented, our memories are short. This […]
We tend to throw the word ‘hallmark’ around – saying this or that is the hallmark of a good restaurant, business, student, leader, etc. But do you know the real significance of a hallmark and what it means for your Irish jewelry? A jewelry hallmark is no arbitrary, subjective claim. It’s a solid, objective, official […]
Ireland’s second patron saint, Brigid of Kildare, was known, loved and sometimes probably feared for her shrewd negotiating skills and her willingness to go head to head with male leaders. Her feast day is February 1st, but that isn’t the only day this month that we think of her. She left us another special day, […]
Never mind Love Island. Ireland is a much more romantic island. While tropical islands have a certain appeal, especially in January and February, Ireland has its own unique and irresistible take on love and romance. With Valentine’s Day on the horizon, we have the evidence that really, Ireland is an incredibly romantic place and […]
One hundred years ago, Eamon De Valera began the new year in the United States of America. He had arrived there the previous June, coming in his capacity as president of the first Irish legislature to lobby for recognition of the emerging Irish state. The first legislature was actually elected before Ireland gained independence from […]
