Oh wild was their rush and exultant their shout,

When the signal to charge from the bugle rang out,—

The fire of their hearts seemed to temper each blade.

They…

It was around mid-afternoon on February 3, 1921, as the Irish Volunteers of the Mid and East Limerick Brigades emerged onto the road near Dromkeen House in Co. Limerick. The firing at the Dromkeen Ambush had just ended, having only gone on for a few minutes, but the effect on the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) men in the ambushed convoy had been…

As requested, here an account of the life of Anne Devlin, assistant to Robert Emmet.

In the church of St. Nicholas of…

It seems to me people start Halloween the first of October. They claim it has overtaken Christmas as the best holiday of the year. Approximately 100 countries celebrate Halloween but just what are we actually celebrating?…

With its sunny weather, vacation time, and, for the lucky, a shorter work-week, summer is a great time to catch up on hobbies, whether parasailing, mountain biking, or in my case, visiting new or favorite Irish pubs.



After much exhaustive research, with summer now nearly behind, I share…

The life and times of Private Albert D.J. Cashier are one of those historic anomalies that make you scratch your head and wonder, ‘How the hell could that happen?’

Private Cashier served in the ranks of the 95th Illinois for three years – from their muster-in on September 4, 1862, until the regiment…

On Friday September 20th, 1803, Robert Emmet was hanged and beheaded by Executioner Thomas Galvin in Thomas Street, in front of St. Catherine’s Church, before a crowd of up to 45,000 people.

Each year the Emmet and Devlin Memorial…

On July 3, 1998, An Taoiseach Bertie Aherne, T.D., unveiled a plaque on The Kingsbridge Inn to commemorate the bicentenary of "The Races of Castlebar." This event, as well as the publication of Thomas Flanagan's “The Year of the French" in 1979 and the subsequent filming of this novel some years ago, have increased an…

On 22 August 1798 a French force of about 1000 under General Jean Humbert (left) landed…

Tomatoes and basil; potatoes and rosemary; salmon and dill. Perfect partners in summer dishes, of course, so grab as many fresh herbs as you can to pair with the last of summer’s bounty. Herbs are the easiest of all edible plants to grow — whether in a small pot on your windowsill, in a…

MÁIRT -- On July 26, 1739, George Clinton, soldier, first governor of New York, and vice president of the United States was born in Little Britain, N.Y., of Irish Protestant parents. Clinton served in his father's New York state militia unit during the French and Indian War before being elected to the New…

Aodh Mór Ó Néill died on this date, 20th July, in 1616.

In his biography, 'The Great O'Neill', Seán Ó Faoláin portrays the exile O'Neill's last days in Rome as a period of despair and disillusionment.

This really was not how it was supposed to end. In 1598, after the Battle of the Yellow Ford, there was little…

By Joe Gannon

On our recent trip to Ireland my wife and I visited a small museum in Killasser, Swinford, County Mayo, which should be on the itinerary of anyone who is ever in the area and is interested in Irish history and culture. The greatest treasure at Hennigan's Heritage…

I recently spent 10 days visiting “Ireland’s Ancient East,” a touring region tapping 5,000 years of history in the south and eastern area of the country. Described as a touring region rather than a specific route, it was designed to offer a "relaxing, compact journey of…

On Fathers Day we remember our own, and other special fathers. There are also special fathers in Irish history. In fact, if you examine the background of many of Ireland's patriots, you will find the strong influence of a nationalist father. But there is one, in particular, who did…

John L. Sullivan, heavyweight champion of the world, strode into the bar in the small town of Belfast in western New York state as if he owned it. He had done…

Over 250 men have been awarded the Medal of Honor who list as their place of birth “Ireland”.  Though uniforms, weapons and enemies have changed, their love and devotion to their adopted country that motivated them to deeds of the highest bravery in her defense have remained…

The Dictionary of Statistics by Michael G. Mulhall, London, George Routledge and Sons, 1892

I have been browsing through the above book and found many interesting population, emigration and property statistics relating to Ireland in the 19^th century. These statistics reveal the impact the artificial famine of the 1840s had…

A Blessed Nettlemas to all our members here.

Nettlemas, the name the Irish gave to the eve prior to Féile na Neantóg or May 1. On Nettlemas night, boys walked in the streets stinging one another with nettles. We can for go that custom, I am thinking. Instead, shall we toast to the start of a new season, the half…

In 2013 our annual trek to Ireland brought us to a pleasant small cottage in the little village of Lahardane, County Mayo. The choice had been more about it being a centrally located base…