DOMHNAIGH -- On July 8, 1770, Mary Ann McCracken -- patriot, philanthropist and sister of United Irish martyr Henry Joy McCracken -- was born in Belfast. Mary Ann was the fiercely independent daughter of a Presbyterian sea captain. With her sister, Margaret, she started a small muslin business while only in…

A quiet thread of melancholy hovered over me as I made my way to breakfast on the last morning of my Clare-Conemara-Galway tour. And even though I’m glad to be home and see my family again, I’ve left a…

The final day of my Wild West Clare-Connemara-Galway Tour was a quiet wrap-up to a week of history, myth, legend, song and breathtaking sights.

But quiet doesn’t mean dull! Far from it, in fact. It was a perfect day for anyone who,…

I have discovered Heaven.

Another beautiful, sunny day on the …

A heat wave has hit Ireland this week, and I’ve managed to acquire a bit of a sunburn…and I’m having the time of my life!

Today I realized a long-held dream. I took a journey to the top of the world, the edge of the earth, with the hot sun beating down…

We've been quiet on the blog post for some time, but we're back now and looking forward to providing some interesting posts!

Just to recap on the ongoing discount codes to use on www.totallyirishgifts.com, exclusively for members of The Wild Geese. All our gifts are…

A scorcher in the Wild West of Ireland today, as the country enters a heat wave and I headed out upon a journey of spirituality and self-discovery.

Stony outcrop of the Burren, stones in every fertile place. ~ John Betjeman

The…

Another fabulous day in the Wild West of Ireland that brought out the romantic in me!

Our first stop was the “Quiet Man Bridge,” where John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara played out the loves scenes in the movie. What an incredibly lovely place, full of sparkling…

A lovely day for a cruise…and that’s exactly what we did!

We left our B&B early and drove through gently-rolling, sheep-dotted hills, while the clouds chased the sun and the sun chased back in a wind-blown game of “Catch me if you can.” There is no sky quite like an Irish sky!

And as we drove…

The sun shone brightly on the second day of my Clare-Connemara-Galway tour.

We got an early start and headed to Bunratty Castle and Folk Park, and it turned out to be a treasure trove of history of the best kind—the way…

I’m about to embark on a grand adventure, and I feel almost like one of my own romance novel heroines!

Tomorrow marks the beginning of my Wild West Irish Tour…

DOMHNAIGH -- On June 24, 1797, John Hughes, the first archbishop of New York, was born in Annaloghlan, County Tyrone. Hughes emigrated to the United States in 1817 and was ordained in Maryland in 1826. Appointed bishop in New York in 1842 and archbishop in 1850, Hughes was a fierce defender of Catholic…

As Independence Day approaches in the United States, out come the BBQ's, the American flags, and just about anything red, white and blue — including recipes for these fruity, berry-filled scones. You can actually eat them all day; lathered with a little butter or clotted cream for breakfast or brunch or with a…

DOMHNAIGH -- On June 17, 1845, author and poet Emily Lawless  (right) was born in Lyons Castle, County Kildare. Her family was part…

On June 23, 1963 the people of Ireland fell in love with a member of “The Wild Geese” who had less than five months to live. If ever an American politician had a style and ease that allowed the people of Ireland to see the “Irish” in him, it was John Fitzgerald Kennedy. By the summer of 1963 he had become the…

Strawberry season is finally here! In fact, the entire month of June is considered to be “strawberry month” and “National Strawberry Shortcake Day” is celebrated June 14. According to Driscoll’s, a California company celebrating over 100 years of growing berries, “The first printed shortcake recipe appeared in an…

MÁIRT -- On June 12, 1844, Januarius A. MacGahan , war correspondent, was born near New Lexington, Ohio. MacGahon's father was a native of County Derry. Januarius was an excellent student and became a teacher and then moved to St. Louis and was hired as a newspaper reporter. In…

DOMHNAIGH -- On June 3, 1836, Dr. Barry O'Meara (left) died in London. Born in Ireland, O'Meara joined the British Navy in 1808, after he had been dismissed from the army for assisting in a duel. In July 1815 he was serving on the HMS Bellerophon when Napoleon surrendered on board. His knowledge of Italian…