DOMHNAIGH -- On June 14, 1690, William of Orange, King of Holland, and recently declared King of England, arrived in Belfast with his fleet. The Catholic King James II had been tolerated by the Protestant nobility for a time because all his possible heirs…

LUAIN -- On June 8, 1853, John Mitchel escaped from Australia, eventually making it to the United States. Mitchel, a member of the Young Ireland Party, was born in Comnish, Co. Derry. John was the son of a Presbyterian minister. He obtained a law…

To our readers and fellow members of TheWildGeese.irish community:

We are as a community startled, enraged and greatly saddened by the death May 25 of African-American George Floyd at the hands of a Minnesota police officer. As we reexamine race…

It’s strawberry season in Ireland, especially in County Wicklow, where the luscious berries are grown in great number at places like Green’s Berry Farm in Gorey.  Delicious in shortcakes, jams, and quick beads, of course, but for a change of pace toss them in a salad with cheese and…

LUAIN -- On June 1, 1866, the Fenian Brotherhood undertook the most famous action of its history: the invasion of Canada. Mexican and…

A friend of mine, an archeologist, …

LUAIN -- On May 25, 1798 in Co. Wicklow, as the British authorities began to receive news of people rising up in several parts of the island, anxious loyalist militia units committed two massacres of men they suspected of being rebels. In Dunlavin, 28 or…

The origins of Memorial Day, originally titled Decoration Day, has a somewhat murky origin. But what is clear is that on May 30, 1868, 5,000 gathered at Arlington National Cemetery to commemorate the 20,000 fallen warriors buried there, with the…

When friends and families get together these days to (responsibly) celebrate, you might want to add this rich pound cake to the menu. Grand Marnier and citrus are the perfect aromatics to flavor it, and olive oil makes it moist and delicious. It’s a perfect recipe for summer entertaining,…

DOMHNAIGH to LUAIN -- On May 17-18, 1918, the British government began arresting all the leaders of Sinn Fein that it could round-up. Britain desperately wanted to impose conscription on the Irish to replace its tremendous losses in the…

Wild garlic season is just finishing up in Ireland, and as a farewell to Erin's green shore it blossoms profusely in white flowerings throughout the land. Thanks to this wonderful plant I've eaten a lot of beautiful wild garlic pesto and wild garlic soup the last couple of months, as well as going on some lovely walks in the woods! On one…

(Above: "The Army Forge" by Edwin Forbes, Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper.)

Patrick Callaghan of the 1^st Vermont Cavalry felt the warm northern Virginia summer sun on his face as the blacksmith…

Following the huge success of last year’s release of The Loopline Collection Vol. 1, which featured rare footage of U2 playing an early gig in Dublin, the Irish Film Institute (IFI) is delighted today to release the second volume of the collection.

Founded in 1992 by filmmaker Sé Merry Doyle, the pioneering Loopline…

On May 3rd 1863 , General Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia, having crossed the Rappahanock River, was readying to fight again.

Earlier that morning, Lee ordered one of his two corps commanders, Gen. Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson, to get around and…

DOMHNAIGH -- On May 10, 1806, James Shields (left) , who would have one of the most remarkable careers in…

Reverend Peter Cooney, CSC

DOMHNAIGH -- On May 3, 1921, the South Mayo Brigade of the Irish Volunteers, commanded by Tom Maguire, ambushed an RIC / Black and Tan supply column of a Crossley tender and a Ford car at Tourmakeady, Co. Mayo on the western shore of Lough Mask. This was the 2nd in a series of major attacks on crown forces in the county…

Imported asparagus are available all year round, but there’s nothing to beat those locally grown in its short spring season: in Ireland, traditionally beginning on April 23 and ending on Midsummer Day.  Although its delicate flavor and seasonality makes it highly desirable in the kitchen,…

I’m a PhD researcher from Glasgow School of Art, and, for the last 6 years, I have been working on a research-led doctorate about the cillíní – the children’s burial grounds.



The research has been based in County Kerry, where I’ve worked closely with members from the local…