For those who cannot afford to go and check out Ireland's downright fascinating history and Ireland's other amazing enchantments for themselves, see how you can be astounded by 'Ireland's Queen Maeve' published by Amazon's CreateSpace or as an Amazon.com e-book without leaving your chair. It may make you want to get up and go there whether you can afford it or not. Here is a little snippet:

The ancient…

by Turtle Bunbury

Bridget Mooney and her four young brothers were putting the final touches on a large snowman outside their wooden cabin in County Mayo when the hurricane…

On New Year's Eve of 1602, Donal Cam O'Sullivan Beare (Domhnall Cam Ó Súilleabháin Bhéara), Chieftain of the great O'Sullivan clan of west Cork and 1,000 others from the area over which he ruled set out on one of the most harrowing and brutal treks in the history of Ireland.  Of…

A.D. 2013 has been a big year for The Wild Geese.  It was just nine months ago that the new and improved version of TheWildGeese.com was launched.  As 2013 winds down to a close, we thought it would be interesting to compile the most popular blog posts and discussions…

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…

National Library of Ireland. Gen. Richard Mulcahy in the uniform of the Irish Free State.

MÁIRT -- On Dec. 16, 1971, soldier and politician General Richard Mulcahy died in…

The following is a transcript taken from the LIVE Community Chat chat hosted here at TheWildGeese.com on Monday, December 9, 2013.  The focus for the discussion was the fascinating discovery of Newtown Jerpoint in County Kilkenny, where St. Nicholas' remains (as in Santa Claus) are purported to be buried.  The owner of…

Finding something unique that expresses your Irish pride colorfully and durably and affordably can be challenging, especially with less than 15 shopping days (and 10 shipping days) until Christmas.

Well, for more than a decade, we at The…

The following is a transcript taken from the LIVE Community Chat chat hosted here at TheWildGeese.com on Thursday, December 5, 2013.  The focus for the discussion was bygone Christmas traditions in Ireland with Sligo-based author / historian,…

Thomas Wentworth

Act Against Plowing by the Tayle, and Pulling the Wooll Off Living Sheep

[1635] Ireland Parliament [Thomas Wentworth],"Act Against Plowing by the Tayle, and Pulling the Wooll Off Living Sheep, 1635," in The Statutes at Large, Passed in the Parliaments held in Ireland. 2nd ed. (Dublin, 1786; Online at Animal…

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.…

Library of Congress General Joseph Finegan

DOMHNAIGH -- On…

From a St. Patrick's Day card published about 1910 Theobald Wolfe Tone

DOMNAIGH -- On November 10, 1798,…

I wrote about my novel, Ghost of Gallipoli, in a previous blog. However, given the significance of Sunday, 10^th November, I’d like to dedicate this article to all those men of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers, including my great-uncles, who died during the Gallipoli Campaign, in 1915.

A…

On this day in history:



1884 - The foundation of the Gaelic Athletic Association.



The Gaelic Athletic Association was founded at 3 pm on Saturday, 1 November 1884, in the billiards room of Lizzie Hayes' Commercial Hotel, Thurles, County Tipperary.

All present that day…

As any Irish history enthusiast will know, 2013 marks the centenary of a very significant year in the Irish fight for independence - and the next ten years will provide many more milestones to commemorate. The years 1913-23 in Ireland saw the Dublin Lockout, the 1916 Rising, the War of Independence, and the Civil War. By the end of this tumultuous decade, Ireland would be a fledgling Free State, and the…

O'Duffy's Blueshirts rally in a Dublin cemetery, 1934

CÉADAOIN -- On Oct. 30, 1892, Eoin O'Duffy, revolutionary and organizer of the infamous Blueshirts, was born in…

Handball in Ballymore Eustace                       

Copy of photo below of Mickey Dowling appearing at P. 54 of the Ballymore-Eustace GAA Centenary Book.

Book

Tom McElligott in his book on handball devoted two sections to Ballymore Eustace players.  Tom is now deceased.  The late Mickey Dowling of Barrack St. was one of the two Ballymore Eustace players to receive a…