The Erie Canal in New York was the first canal dug by the Irish.  They did a splendid job and were hired by Mansuel White to dig the New Basin Canal in New Orleans. They were shipped in but the conditions were so bad -- no shelter. no food -- that they decided to leave.  There is an article in the Times-Picayune…

Ash Wednesday already? A little more than two months ago all thoughts were of Christmas turkey and ham, and only a few weeks ago we were digging into Super Bowl chili and munching on Buffalo wings. But now it’s time now for fish, and with this and few other recipes I’ll be sharing in the coming weeks,…

Because I once lived on the western coast of Ireland, and because author Lisa Carey moved to the island of Inishbofin, off Ireland's west coast to research her first book, I've been following her career for many years. I've loved each of her four Irish-themed novels, and eagerly awaited the February 7th release of her latest, "The…

LUAIN - On February 27, 1735, Thomas Conway, a soldier in French and U.S. armies, was born in Cloghane, County Kerry. Conway was taken to France at the age of six to be educated and, in 1749, he joined the Irish Brigade of…

Shamrock Gifts and more available with a 20% discount to celebrate upcoming St. Patrick's Day.



Sale on until Sunday, March 5th, while stocks last.



View here to purchase now to receive in plenty of…

The shamrock is thought by many Irish people globally, to be grown exclusively in Ireland, in Irish soil. Some sources would argue that this is a myth however and was perpetrated by entrepreneurial business people and owes more to…

The first time I fell in love was in the children’s section of Brooke Park library. I was 11 and she was 10, and her name was Josephine and she had so many freckles on her face that she was a haze of delight.

It didn’t take long for me to work out that she changed…

Valentine’s Day was first associated with romantic love in the circle of poet Geoffrey Chaucer, when the tradition of courtly love was very much in vogue. The day evolved into an occasion where lovers expressed their feelings for each other by giving flowers, sending cards, and offering confectionery, especially…

It is New York City and the Civil War is brewing. Norah McCabe, an Irish immigrant who escaped the Famine as a child, is now a young widow with a daughter. A milliner, struggling to survive in tumultuous times, Norah meets Abraham Lincoln, befriends the extraordinary African-American woman Elizabeth…

They sought to wipe the column out,

From east to west, from north to south,

“Till at Crossbarry’s bloody rout

They woke from their day dreaming

Though ten to one they were that day

Our boys were victors in the fray,

And over the hills we marched…

 I usually try to post a recipe that’s tied to a holiday or a seasonal ingredient but, frankly, since we’re between Super Bowl Sunday and Valentine’s Day, I’m just going to suggest a simple midwinter pork chop dish that I think you’ll enjoy. The pork is flavored with the ancient honey wine known as mead…

Dia daoibh a chaidre! (Hello friends!) 

If you are planning a trip to Ireland, make sure you keep your eyes peeled for coddle.  Sometimes referred to as Dublin…