"In eighteen hundred and forty-four

I landed on the Liverpool shore

Me belly was empty me hands were raw

With working on the railway, the railway

I'm weary of the railway

Poor paddy works on the railway"

(from Poor Paddy on the Railway by The Dubliners…

One May afternoon a few years ago my wife asked me to come for a walk in the woodland just outside Carndonagh, the Donegal town where she was born. She wanted to show me where she and her friends had played when they were children. By the time we reached the wood, the dull day had brightened and everything around us…

When President Michael D. Higgins gave the keynote address on International Women’s Day in Ireland this year, he spoke of the “diverse and often boundary breaking roles played by women in the Uprising of 1916, as well as the impact of the role of women in the post 1916 period in Ireland’s fledging Republic. Higgins…

Left, Marine Pfc. John Patrick White, born in Caherdaniel, County Kerry.

Five of the 28 Irish-born GIs who perished in the Korean War were born in County Kerry, including Marine Pfc. John Patrick White (left). Four were born in Cork, Roscommon and Limerick. Mayo was the birthplace for three, Leitrim and Antrim two,…

Patrick Gallagher was born in Derrintogher, County Mayo, Ireland on February 2, 1944. At the age of 18, Patrick immigrated to the United States for the promise of a new life, one filled with opportunity. He quickly started on the immigrant dream: studying law while working in real estate, even getting involved in local politics…

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…

DOMHNAIGH --  On May 21, 1745, the uncle of the 'Liberator,' and an officer in the Irish Brigade of France, was born in Derrynane, Co. Kerry. Young Daniel became a cadet with the French army in 1761. He served in Clare's Regiment of the…

In the early part of the Irish War of Independence there had not been any major ambushes of Crown forces in County Mayo, unlike several other counties, notably County Cork. However, in May 1921, the Irish Volunteers began to escalate their attacks there. First, on May…

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…

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…

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…

James Connolly (Séamas Ó Conghaile) is one of the handful of men who share the dubious honour of being placed in the iconic status categories in the Irish history books based on his involvement in the Easter Rising 1916 as well as his role in the Trade Union movement.  He was born in Cowgate 1868 to Irish…

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…

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…

In the over 150 year history of the Congressional Medal of Honor, the United States Highest award for “conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of  life…

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…

The oldest harp on which the ‘official’ national emblem of  Ireland is based is housed in the Long Room at Trinity College, Dublin. Two other medieval harps that have also been preserved from that era, are housed in The Museum of Scotland: The Queen Mary Harp 15th century - and the Lamont Harp [date being…