This is a video demo of the opening scene of "The Last Torch." It is just a demo for creative purposes. O'Rourke is out scouting when he sees the Spanish Armada in trouble off the west coast of Ireland. The visuals are taken from…

I recently met a woman born on the very day of Kennedy’s assassination, Erica fervently desires to learn who really killed him. Proving that even with the…

On New Year's Eve of 1602, Donal Cam O'Sullivan Beare (Domhnall Cam Ó Súilleabháin Bhéara), Chieftain of the great O'Sullivan clan of west Cork and 1,000 others from the area over which he ruled set out on one of the most harrowing and brutal treks in the history of Ireland.  Of…

Opening in Movie theaters on January 10, 2014 “Lone Survivor” was the film adaptation of Chief Petty Officer Marcus Luttrell’s best-selling memoir, describing the heroism and sacrifice of a SEAL Reconnaissance Team in the Mountains of Afghanistan. The SEAL team was led by Lt. Michael P.…

Beau Riffenburgh’s biography of James McParlan, titled “Pinkerton’s Great Detective: The…

This one's for all you animal lovers out there, and especially for all you equine lovers.  On second thought, this is something that will be enjoyed by anyone who loves Ireland, her unique landscapes, and her grand auld traditions.

Last night (26 December, 2013), a new…

'Oiche na Gaoithe Moire' - The night of the big wind! That phrase usually refers to one of the most devastating hurricanes that ever hit Ireland, which made land during the night of Little Christmas, on the 6th of January 1839, almost 174 years ago, just before the outbreak of the…

The traditions on the 26th of December in Ireland have not largely carried over to most sectors of the worldwide Irish diaspora.  Known as St. Stephen's Day or Wren Day in Ireland, this is a brief crash course on the traditions of this day for those outside Ireland who are…

(Left, left to right, Brendan Barry and new recruit and County Meath native Conall Finn with County Kildare native Emmet Gallagher, owner of McMahons Irish pub in Warrenton, Virginia.)

NEW YORK – Just prior to a recent reception for the soon-to-launch Dingle Distillery at the Irish Consulate General in…

Eight-year-old Virginia O'Hanlon wrote a letter to the editor of New York's Sun, and the quick response was printed as an unsigned editorial on September 21, 1897. The response by Francis Pharcellus Church, a former Civil War correspondent, has since become history's most…

(First published in 1998) Joseph Gannon's review of Terry Golway's book

Revolution has usually been a young man's game. John Devoy was definitely an exception to this rule; -- a man who lived to a very old age, through times…

A.D. 2013 has been a big year for The Wild Geese.  It was just nine months ago that the new and improved version of TheWildGeese.com was launched.  As 2013 winds down to a close, we thought it would be interesting to compile the most popular blog posts and discussions…

December 18, 2013, marked the 135^th anniversary of the execution of John Kehoe at Pottsville, Pennsylvania. On that day in 1878, newspapers country-wide reported the scheduled death of the “King of…

For 13 years I had been looking for "The Cross of Ballysheen" County Wexford in historical records and on my journeys with Google streetview.  Finally I was here at 'The Lobster Pot' at Carnsore Point which sits right on the crossroads dividing the old townlands of Ballysheen and Ballyfane.  I had quickly set up a…

Looking to land an Irish lad or lassie like they do in the movies? Planning a trip for your honeymoon in Ireland?  Researching…

While yet a teenager, I collected most of these clay pipes around Loughrea, in county Galway, some from the lake shore, some from under the water using a snorkel and mask, the smallest ones from the bottom of a hole I was digging in Elephant and Castle, while working as a student in…

The Wild Atlantic Way will be Ireland’s first long-distance driving route, stretching from the Inishowen Peninsula in Donegal to Kinsale in west Cork.  With a launch date of March 2014, this route consists of existing roadways, but it will offer visitors an opportunity…

It was a cold night in November 1983, and I was in the middle of my 12-hour night shift driving a yellow cab in NYC.

Coming down Broadway in upper Manhattan, four people flagged me down. Three jumped in the back and one into the front, never a good plan from the perspective of the driver. The passenger in the front said: “Can you hurry up and get to Times Square?” and promised to take care of me when we arrived –- a…

I’m not sure why so many people think history is boring. Sure, a dull teacher can ruin any good story, but history, in the right setting is not only intriguing, but it is alive. You’ll be amazed at the history you can discover during a driving tour of Ireland. The lens of history is…

Some of you might be taking a trip to Ireland in the near future and having a real pint of Guinness will be first on your agenda. You have all heard that the Black Stuff tastes better in Ireland and it definitely does. Trust me; you are talking to an expert. …