Over most of Western Europe, particularly in those areas connected with the ancient Celts, December 21, the shortest day of the year fell during the Druidic festival of 'Yule'. Today it is better known as the festival of the ‘Winter Solstice’.

‘Thoul’, an ancient word for…

While yet a teenager, I collected most of these clay pipes around Loughrea, in county Galway, some from the lake shore, some from under the water using a snorkel and mask, the smallest ones from the bottom of a hole I was digging in Elephant and Castle, while working as a student in…

The Wild Atlantic Way will be Ireland’s first long-distance driving route, stretching from the Inishowen Peninsula in Donegal to Kinsale in west Cork.  With a launch date of March 2014, this route consists of existing roadways, but it will offer visitors an opportunity…

by Sharon Hazard for The Wild Geese

When George Millar of the Irish Rovers talks about the music his group has been playing for more than 40 years, he can’t help mentioning the bodhrán, the…

On the Galway's Horrible Histories Walk, I weave the Brendan Voyage tale into the stories I tell, explaining how in 929 AD the Vikings raided the Priory Abbey of Annaghdown, 4 miles up the Corrib River from Galway city, which was founded by St. Brendan for his sister, Briga, and where he died in 577 AD.…

This is a postcard of William Street in Galway City, circa 1930. The keen eye will see "DUBLIN TIME" underneath the clock at Dillon's Jewellers (the building on the right of the photo with the striped awning). In the past, Galway, like other Irish towns, operated according to local time, which was relative to its distance from Greenwich. Dublin time was twenty-five minutes…

Men at Lunch, a documentary film touring the United States, is intriguing for many reasons. The film, which debuted at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival, seeks answers to the mystery surrounding an iconic American photograph. Why Connemara-based Sónta Films tackled what seems a…

I recently did a photo shoot in aid of a wonderful charity called Forgotten Horses Ireland (www.ForgottenHorses.com).  This organisation is strictly volunteer-run -- that is, every cent donated or raised by the charity goes directly to caring for these beautiful animals ...…

I just recently came across these lovely colourised photos from circa 1930 which depict life as it was for most folks in Connemara and in the Claddagh area of Galway Town.  What's striking, to me, is that the lifestyle shown would not have been much different even 100 years (or more) earlier!  The conditions of rural Ireland all the…

This summer, driving through Connemara, I pulled into Sraith Salach, (Willow Stream) as Recess is now officially called, on the N59 Galway Clifden Road. All Gaeltacht villages throughout Ireland now only have the Irish name, though it caused such a furore in Dingle/ Daingean that they made an exception. The village consists of a shop, pub and marble shop. My friends were…

In June of 2013, Chetham's LIbrary in Manchester, England published an album, containing about 120 excellent prints of coastal scenes of rural Galway. Many of them were dated to 1879.  Founded in 1653, Chetham’s Library in Long Millgate, Manchester, is the oldest public library in…

(First published on 2/10/12) Seattle-based author James Francis Smith, 78, found his current calling after he retired from a career in industry and finance.  He has been writing historical fiction for the past 10 years, starting with “Western…

I had occasion to visit Dan O’Hara’s hillside farm in Connemara recently as part of my work as a tour guide, work that takes me all over the country. The owner Martin Walsh, a natural born storyteller captivated the group with the story of how the unfortunate farmer ended up in New York and sang the sad song which told of his misfortune.…

Carrowntryla House was one of the ‘Big Houses’ in Dunmore, County Galway and is a place of personal interest to me as it was in this house that my grandmother was born in 1915. Her father, a former RIC constable, was the caretaker there until 1928. It is not known for certain where the name comes from. In its corrupt English form it appears to have several spelling variations.…

Kylemore Abbey is located in one of Ireland’s most unique landscapes –- Connemara. Described by Oscar Wilde as “a savage beauty," it is a region of awe-inspiring, unspoiled and natural beauty. Its patchwork of lakes, rugged mountains, and windswept bogs certainly gives a sense of splendid isolation.

The Abbey…

Jed Marum, a Boston lad who now calls Texas home, is a storyteller in true fashion of the Seanchaí of old.  He traces his heritage and roots back to Kilkenny and Galway. I can easily see him amongst the Bards of old entertaining Kings and commoners alike. 

Jed  has been performing on the Folk and Celtic music…

Galway City has historically been among the "most Irish" of all Irish towns/cities -- some would even argue that it would top that list.  For evidence of this, one need look no further than Galway's unofficial slogan, Croí Cultúrtha na hÉireann,…

Some died on the glenside, some died near a stranger

And wise men have told us their cause was a failure

But they fought for old Ireland and never feared danger

Glory O, Glory O, to the bold Fenian men

-- From ‘The…

By Joseph E. Gannon

"Now are you men, or are you kine, ye tillers of the soil? Would you be free, or evermore the rich man's cattle toil? The shadow on the dial hangs that points the fatal hour - Now hold your own! or branded slaves, forever cringe and cower."  Fanny Parnell (1849 - 1882)…

One day after a superb live members' chat with Connemara-based authors and publishers, John Walsh and Lisa Frank (which you may read here), the winners of the complimentary…