New Year's Eve (Oíche Chinn Bliana)

These days, when we think of New Year, parties, champagne and celebration spring to mind. Once upon a time however, it was more about getting through a quiet night. The New Year was never really a big festival in Ireland, with the focus more on the necessities…

Prior to the firing squad death of Hickey, there appear to have been few reprisals for I.R.A. ambushes -- with the notable exception of the Hampshires running amok in Youghal after the November 1920 Piltown Cross engagement. This may very well have been attributable to the general chivalry displayed by Lennon’s…

TITLE: Irish Hunger and Migration: Myth, Memory and Memorialisation…

When I lost my Mum and my husband within two days of each other, my whole life crumbled around me.  I very slowly learned how to live again, with the help of my then two teenage boys and my grandchildren. Since then, my Christmas has changed, with my daughter now being the host of Christmas lunch, with family coming…

It’s not too late to make this delicious dessert, a riff on steamed pudding and gingerbread. Similar to a one served at the Meyrick Hotel (Eyre Square, Galway), this pudding starts with deliciously gooey pears on the bottom and finishes when the cake is turned upside down to reveal them as a deliciously gooey top! In…

The film "Spotlight" was recently released, based on the true story of the Boston Globe’s investigation of the Boston Archdiocese’s willful coverup of child molestation and abuse. The reviews have been, like the movie itself, scattered.

This is, without a doubt, a shattering film. Well made and well acted, it…

The Gods were smiling on us that day, long ago when we travelled out to the windswept island of Sceilg Mhichíl (or Skellig Michael), eleven kilometres off the coast of Kerry.  What a special place!  Sacred. Unique. Awesome.

It is not known when the monks first arrived on the…

In light of all the terrific Christmas-flavored postings lately, I've been prompted to share an excerpt from my historical novel "The Lockwoods of Clonakilty," a scene based on a little adventure my own family had a few…

My father, Thomas Francis, was born in 1901. He lived his entire life on a farm situated in the townland of Muckinish West between Ballyvaughan and Bell Harbour in the Burren region of County Clare. He died in 1991. He left a copybook containing his memoirs. The following extract was written July, 1989. P.J.…

DEARDAOIN -- On December 20, 1865, Maud Gonne  was born in Aldershot, England. Her father…

After my last post, I received a request for old-fashioned potato stuffing for turkey. You’ll find this recipe for roast goose with potato-bacon stuffing in my “Christmas Flavors of Ireland” cookbook, easy enough to use in your Christmas turkey as well.  For some other classics, order my newest book “Favorite…

The number if married couples in Ireland who met in dance halls is considerable. That is particularly true of people who were married in the '60s and '70s. At that time, dancing was Ireland’s most popular pastime among young people. It was not confined to youth, as many people, including married couples, enjoyed the music,…

Ernie O' Malley was born in Castlebar on the 26th of May 1897. His family moved to Dublin in 1906. He was educated at O'Connell's Schools and attended UCD, where he studied medicine.

He was a member of The Irish Volunteers and he joined the rebels on the Thursday of the Easter Rising in 1916 and was…

In the early 14th century, the Clan O’Malley, a great seafaring family, rose to power in Mayo. They ruled the southern shore of Clew Bay and most of the barony of Murrisk for over 300 years. They were ruthless pirates and terrorised the ships to and…

There is a moment in "Brooklyn" -- the recently released 1950s period semi-romance -- when one naive and worried young Irishwoman turns to a slightly less naive and worried young Irishwoman and asks her what America will be like. The response is heartfelt, immediate, true and not quite true, all at once: "Like Ireland,…

With the holiday season in full swing, there’s always room for a few new or revised recipes for tasty nibbles to serve at a drinks party, family gatherings, or cozy get-togethers. If you’re hosting this year, try this classic dip-with-a-twist. You’ll find the recipe in my “Christmas Flavors of Ireland”…

My aunt Winifred Carney was present with James Connolly on Moore Street.

I live in the United States and I am now able to purchase a Bond to help purchase Moore Street.  The following video…

Wild West Irish Tours owners Michael Regan-Waugh and Trish O'Donnell Jenkins are delighted to get some feedback from Maureen Kelley-Olson, the winner of the "The Wild West of Ireland: You Won't Forget Your First Time" contest. Maureen…

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"Our past shapes us and makes us what we are" was a favorite adage of my late grand-mother. To qualify this, she would add, "My tough background gave me strength of character which enable me to cope with what life had in store for me…" For many, our past is in another country. As we live life, we experience many different…