Saint Patrick was born into a well-to-do British family, perhaps in what now is the North-Western English county of Cubmria. His father was a local government official and the family language was probably a version of Latin. As a youth he was captured by Irish pirates and taken into…

I am hosting a one week all-inclusive women's writing retreat on an island in Casco Bay,Maine in mid-June, 2015.  Enrollment is limited to 10.  Retreat includes professional/published writers/editors.  This retreat is open to all genres. interests and levels.  Your enquiries for…

ÓGRA, a Gaelic word meaning youth, is Ireland’s only full range of cosmetic products that uses peat from raised bogs as the integral ingredient in its range. Since time immemorial, nature has held the secrets to youth, beauty and vitality. Deep in the valleys of Ireland, we have uncovered this secret. 

ÓGRA was…

Israeli citizens are poised to go to the polls March 17th to vote in an election that will determine who will be the next Prime Minister.  According to yesterday's New York Times front page story headlined,…

Michael Mallin was born in 1874 in the Liberty tenements Dublin.  He was a son of a carpenter, but his early days living in Dublin elude historians.  It is, therefore, his teenage years that are the focus of this biopic.

At the age of fourteen years he joined the British…

In December of 2014, the Irish traditional fiddle and guitar duo of Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill joined sarod player Matthew Noone on a tour of India to play several shows as well as meet and collaborate with a host of famous Indian traditional musicians.  Myles O’Reilly…

In days gone by, there was a popular Irish…

In A.D. 451, the new Byzantine Emperor Marcian, an orthodox Christian, ordered a new Ecumenical council be convened to establish once and for all, the belief that Christ was and is both God and Man. Pope Leo 1 called for it to be held in Italy but Marcian insisted it be…

These are the Peninsula Pens that have been made for the celebrations of the Titanic that my family had an involvement in.  It is so humbling to have a great-grandfather…

On day five of your adventure with Cupid's Crusade, we take a trip from Doolin, County Clare to the Aran Islands in the mouth of Galway Bay.  The Aran Islands are the birthplace of the sweater worn by so many the…

By John Bruton

The rebellion of Easter Week 1916 was one of the formative events in Irish history.

It led towards the independence we now enjoy, along with the enactment of Home Rule in 1914, the meeting of the First Dail in 1919, the…

When European settlement of North America started pushing inland from the coast, transportation problems repeatedly occurred. The biggest problem was the Appalachian Mountains, 400 miles from the coast.  This made it difficult to transport goods as well as…

The game of 'Rings' is a traditional Irish game, brought to the four corners of the world by the emigration of the Irish during the famine years.  The other traditional Irish games of Bowls, Skittles and Horseshoes are played during the summer, while…

Fifteen days before Christmas 1988, "Aunt" Bridie Halpin died. At 85, she had lived a good life, but it was still sad for the Halpin family for their Bridie was the beloved matriarch of the clan in America. The first to come over, she had emigrated to New York in 1946. In turn, she…

Whether you’re studying Gaeilge as a native Irish person or as part of the Irish diaspora, the most important aspect to consider is staying motivated. It is true that there're several ways to achieve this goal, however, the best methodology to keep in mind is to maintain your…

Michael O'Hanrahan (Micheál Ó hAnnrachain, 1877 – 4 May 1916) is another one of the 1916 Leaders who is not universally  known.  He was born in New Ross, County Wexford to Richard and Mary O’Hanrahan (nee Williams).  He had a brother, Henry, and a sister, Eily.  His father was heavily involved in the 1867 Fenian Rising.  Michael's family moved to County Carlow when he was a young…

On 22 August 1798 a French force of about 1000 under General Jean Humbert (left) landed…

Patricia Horne is an Irish medical doctor who worked in Nigeria during in the 1950s at one of several medical missionary hospitals managed by Irish Catholic religious orders.

Horne came from a medical family. Her grandfather, Andrew Horne, was a founder and first…

When someone picks up a pen from Peninsula Pens they aren’t just holding a writing instrument ... they’re experiencing a lovingly hand-crafted piece of art, and a pen full of history.  From his home studio in Newtownards, Northern Ireland, Terry Williams…

On Thursday, March 5, 2015, Kate Cunningham from the Women's Museum of Ireland joined us for a LIVE interactive video discussion on the subject of Irish women's…