If it hasn’t made its official appearance yet where you live, you can expect rhubarb to be showing up shortly. One of the earliest spring vegetables — yes, it’s a perennial vegetable — it’s generally used as a fruit in desserts and jams. Since rhubarb is almost too tart to be served on its own, it’s the perfect companion to…

MÁIRT -- On May 15, 1847, The Syria, the first ship to arrive during what Quebecois would call the 'Summer of Sorrow,' landed at the Canadian quarantine station in the St. Lawrence River, just north of Quebec. The French had called that island 'Grosse Ile,' but since 1847 many have called it…

The exhausted Irish boxer stood in the middle of the makeshift boxing ring in the smoke-filled La Scala opera house in Dublin. Sweat was trickling down his face, tinged scarlett with a bit of blood oozing from a cut above his left eye. His chest was heaving with a heavy breathing -- a mixture of fatigue and…

With only a few days to go before we celebrate Mother’s Day, you might want to think about giving her a real treat — breakfast in bed!  Sure, you can take her out to brunch, but breakfast in bed creates a real Hallmark moment — “you care enough to cook the very best!” Rhubarb season is in full swing now, so these…

To outsiders, the village of Ballinalee, in County Longford, might seem like no great shakes, just a bump in the road, a blink-and-you-miss-it spot that you’re through before you even notice. Were they to consult a map of the county, the seemingly inconsequential dot called Ballinalee might be ignored in favour…

DOMHNAIGH -- On May 7, 1915, the English passenger ship Lusitania was sunk near Old Head, Co. Cork, off the southern Irish coast. The liner had left New York bound for Liverpool on May 1. German intelligence believed, and most historians now believe, that the ship was carrying munitions.…

Among the most powerless men in the world are those in prisons. Your body no longer belongs to you; it belongs to the state. Every day you are told when to get up, when to go to bed, when you can exercise, when you can see your family, and also, when you can eat. Hidden within that last power of the state, however, is a…

In April 2004 I was launching my first novel at the Irish cultural centre in Hammersmith, London, when a lady came over to me and shook my hand.

“I think I may be your cousin,” she said. “My name is Ethna Herron. You look a bit like my people and I thought I just had to say.” She…

Feast your eyes on the natural beauty that Ireland has to offer. From amazing stone landscapes, to breathtaking cliff faces to picturesque lakes and more.…

DEARDAOIN -- From April 29 through May 4, 1863, the 6th Louisiana Infantry, a largely Irish Confederate regiment, fought at the 2nd battle of Fredericksburg, during the Chancellorsville campaign. With its…

I usually try to tie my posts to seasonal recipes or ingredients — Easter chocolate, Mother’s Day, Christmas cakes, etc. — but I deviate this week with this recipe for granola. Why? Because I love it, and yesterday I made a fresh batch to keep on hand to sprinkle on fruit and yogurt or muesli, one of my new favorite foods! You can, of course, buy a bag at a supermarket…

He stands in bronze and he stands on granite,

Facing the river where the fleet turned tail;

The stone lists the Davis Guards upon it,

Names that rhyme in the songs of the Gael.*

Around 3:30 on an afternoon of September 8^th 1863, on…

DOMHNAIGH -- On April 23, 1014 the Battle of Clontarf, one of the most famous and important battles in Irish history, was fought just north of Dublin. It was a bloody stand-up battle, fought mainly with ax and sword, with Brian Boru's men prevailing. This battle would later enter Irish legend as the place…

DOMHNAIGH -- On April 16, 1746, a battle was fought in Scotland that would have long-term implications for Ireland, as well as Scotland. It ended "Bonnie" Prince Charlie's Jacobite uprising, known in Scotland as simply, "The '45." It was the battle of "…

Quiet determination -- I think that's what he had.  He was passionate about the Irish language, Irish history and culture, the Irish way of life.

Above, oil painting of Patrick Pearse at Ros Muc, Connemara

He saw what the English education system was doing, trying to stamp…

On a crisp, clear afternoon in what is now southwest Montana, in January 1836, a thin bearded man in his mid-30s, dressed in buckskin, was racing across the valley of the meandering Yellowstone River on the back of a very fast horse. Ahead of him in the distance, lit by the bright sunlight, he could see the…

One of the most popular — and among the most decadent — chocolate desserts in Ireland and England is this no-bake biscuit cake. I have to admit that it’s one I discovered only recently, but it’s quickly become a favorite of mine and everyone else who tastes it. It’s a favorite, too, of Prince William, who ordered it as…

NOW RANKED #1 NEW RELEASE ON AMAZON’S IRISH MEMOIRS!!

REVIEW RATING OF 5-STARS!!

LAUGHTER, TEARS &…

As John Paul Jones, captain of the Bonhomme Richard, prepared to face two British ships off Flamborough Head on the coast of England on September 23, 1779, he had some very interesting allies on board his…

Roger Casement and crew members stand in the tower of a German U-boat en route to Ireland.

DOMHNAIGH -- On the monrning of April 9, 1916, a German merchant ship,…