A Life-Long Fascination with Gaeilge

by Crystailín Narayana, for The Irish Gift

Ever since I was a…

The True History of the San Patricios

One of the least-known stories of the Irish who came to America in the 1840s is that of the Irish battalion that fought on the Mexican side in the U.S.-Mexico…

I have not always been Gerry Regan.

I was born Patrick O’Connor, on February 26, 1953, to a woman I finally met 44 years later. And on learning my first and last name, I was frankly surprised. The name seemed stage-Irish, recalling for me, Harrigan and Hart. For a…

Seachtain na Gaeilge (Irish Language Week) is an international Irish language festival and one of the biggest celebrations of our native language and culture that takes place each year in Ireland and in many other countries. 

This year’s festival is running from 1 –…

Did you know there is no Gaelic term for yes or no in the Irish language? Or did you know that there is no j, k, q, v, w, x, y or z in the Irish alphabet?   Have…

I’m looking for paintings and sketches of Wolfe Tone, his capture, and trial. The 1790’s Armagh disturbances, peep of the day and Orange Boys wrecking parties.

Saint Patrick’s Day as been celebrated on March 17th since the early seventeenth century. The day commemorates Saint Patrick and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland, as well as the celebration of all things Irish; culture and heritage. It is widely celebrated all around the…

I am amazed at how often the descendants of Limerick emigrants come back to Limerick and are shocked that we do not look like the photo above, with barefooted children an women in shawls:

It has been said to me "Oh! I thought you all lived in the…

Welcome to The Irish Gift, an Irish organization that provides online classes in the East Galway music tradition and the music of Eddie Kelly. We also offer classes in the Irish language, sean nós singing and sean nós dancing. Online classes in bodhrán and uilleann pipes are also…

Hulton Deutsch Roger Casement being led out of Pentonville Prison, where he would later be hanged.

DOMHNAIGH -- On February 23, 1965, Irish patriot…

If you have seen seen the movie "Gettysburg," you might notice that during the climatic Pickett's Charge, behind the Union line at the Bloody Angle are two flags, the Regimental stars and stripes, and the state flag--green with a gold trim. This green flag was the only Pennsylvania flag not…

Colaiste Lurgan, the creative and ever-blossoming Irish language school in Connemara, is preparing for the March 3rd launch of their massive initiative to help people who would like to learn the Irish language.

Here's Lurgan's description of the initiative they're calling “Sé Seachtaini” (six…

There is an old Gaelic proverb, "What whiskey does not cure cannot be cured." Today, many an Irish person will happily prescribe a glass of hot whiskey with whole cloves if you are suffering from a cold or other ailment. Try it with Clontarf 1014 Irish Whiskey and Celtic Honey Liqueur!…

By Niall McArdle

Posted at my blog silence cunning exile ... maple syrup this morning:

Avoid the awful 'kiss me, i'm…

An Irish language development officer in east Belfast says many people there are upset by an Orange Order claim that Irish is being used for political purposes by…

Seventy million Irish diaspora know they have something intense and unexplainable coursing through their DNA. Perhaps, more than any other country in the world, Ire-land has left an extremely strong emotional connection to it's land through the DNA of it's people.   While we were…

Let's take a look back to the late 1800s and early 1900s at old pictures of the rural countryside and city life throughout various parts of Ireland. (Top image: Donkey cart…

By Joseph Gannon

Last October we lost one of the finest historical…

It's funny, but when I mentioned to a close friend that I was going to be reviewing this book, she said "Oh, I found all of that on Ancestory.com". Fair enough. Some people visit one website and are satisfied with the history they come away with. For my friend (being third…