"A Captain Unafraid" will tell the story of 19th century filibuster and soldier of fortune, "Dynamite" Johnny O' Brien.  You can read more about the fascinating life of "Dynamite" Johnny …

The mention of Irish land and property records causes many people to switch off and say that their people never owned property in Ireland. Indeed, it is true to say that very few people in 18th and 19th century Ireland owned their own property!

However, a wonderful…

Flora Mini Marathon, Dublin City, 2014

In excess of 40,000 women ran in this mini marathon today.  It's all of 10k, and it's actually magic.

Listening to the radio as I came home this evening, I heard the presenter say that 'some' of the women ran for charity, and that 800 charities were represented.  The truth is that the vast majority of people…

I have a copy of a long will for those of you are interested. I cannot post - too lengthy.

I sent the below message in to Facebook today and it is only as I read through the replies that I realise people don't actually think about these maps.

I was asked a question about the relevant size of them - it is 1:50,000

On Friday, the day before Janet arrived in this area, I dropped dogs with June my wonderful dog minder and then I drove to Dublin because I…

On Fathers Day we remember our own, and other special fathers. There are also special fathers in Irish history. In fact, if you examine the background of many of Ireland's patriots, you will find the strong influence of a nationalist father. But there is one, in particular, who did…

When I first thought about reviewing the last recorded work by a band, I questioned the futility. Why? If they are over, there must be a reason. Yet some infernal sadness tugs at my musical heartstrings, with questions like "Who were these guys?" "Were they good?" and "Will we be…

Jan 2011, I fell down a stairs, next morning quarter of my skull was removed and I was kept in a coma for two weeks.

My children were told I would probably die - I didn't - they were told I would be brain damaged - I amn't.............

Truthfully....I'm not as fast as I used to be and \I can forget things.

A year later, I was diagnosed with a disease called haemachromatosis - iron collecting

Been bled - 500 ml of blood out of me every two weeks for a…

Technically, the sister of one of your grandparents is your grand-aunt. “Grand” shows that it is one generation away; “great” is supposed to be added to generations beyond “grand.” But like so many other words in the English language, there’s the dictionary definition and then there’s how it’s commonly used.

Two new books by Irish writers have highlighted modern Ireland in all her graces and faults. Both works of fiction; they are grounded in the realities of recent Irish history. The Spinning Heart, by Donal Ryan, tells of what happens to a small Irish community in the aftermath of the collapse of…

Dating in 2014 has changed its face.  From online dating to joining singles' clubs, some of it works some of the time; but I bet I am correct in saying that much time is put into online dating with very little result.

Dating agencies can cost upwards of $1,000.  Online sites…

By Daniel McCarthy / TheWildGeese.com (Originally published in 2006)

Ennis, County Clare, Ireland – Venerable Gaelic Athletic Association founder Michael Cusack (left) is gaining new scrutiny, in this, the centennial year of his passing. As well as picking up his own website in September, next year an exhibit will open on "The Citizen" in…

Reverend Adam Boyd’s, (b1650 Scotland), son Robert Boyd (b1678 Ulster), died in Chester County, PA. Robert’s son George (b1691 Ulster) died in Pennsylvania, his son Patrick Harrison Boyd (b1711 County Antrim) died in Virginia, was the GGGGGrandfather of William Lawrence Boyd, (b 6-6-1894 Cambridge, Ohio) lists himself on his WW1 draft registration in 1917 as “farmer”. In 1918,…

A Church index of sorts.

While I've been travelling around with my friend Janet, Daniel who helps me with from-ireland has done a bit of organising of my last few months posts and created a Church index.

Mainly the Churches are in the counties I name above, but, we also have some Cork, Carlow, Kildare, Waterford, Dublin, Westmeath, Offaly (King's Co.) and Galway churches.

I just know I've forgotten somewhere!!

By Robert Doyle

He is one of the most iconic figures of the American Civil War and, as the commander of the Union Army’s Irish Brigade, Thomas Francis Meagher (right, from from Arthur Griffith's "Meagher of the Sword," Dublin, 1916) is probably the most famous of…

Fiction can often describe reality more fully than any number of newspaper articles or TV…

Reading the blog post by Neil Cosgrove about LCpl Patrick Gallagher , "Courage Worthy of the Foremost Recognition," and this being the day in the US where we honor those who died defending our nation, gave me pause to consider something that…

Audie Leon Murphy (20 June 1925 – 28 May 1971) was one of the most decorated American combat soldiers of World War II, receiving every military combat award for valor available from the U.S. Army, as well as French and Belgian…

Ireland in the 1650s lay in ruins. Twelve years of calamitous warfare had destroyed the country's infrastructure and resulted in the death of over 20% of the Irish population.

In August 1649 the New Model Army, led by Oliver Cromwell, went to Ireland to re-occupy the country following the Irish Rebellion of…