Mary Kate Neill was born on June 11th, 1900 in the tiny township of Graiguenaspiddoge in County Carlow. The 1901 census shows her ten months old. Her mother was Catherine or Kate Neill (née Cullen) aged 38, and her father Michael Neill aged 51. Born in 1850 just after the potato famine of 1845-7, he was a blacksmith. Graiguenaspiddoge was a row of 28 houses beside a main road in the countryside,…

Yes indeed, what to do?  After the festivities are festivitied - after all the ceremonies, the lighting of candles, the opening of presents, the cooking and the eating…

My dad, Guard John Murphy (Killimor, Ballinasloe) died in Our Lady’s Hospice (Harold’s Cross, Dublin) aged forty-four, leaving my mother, aged thirty-nine, with ten children aged two and a half to eighteen years old.

On Christmas Eve of 1945, we spent most…

Ireland’s history, like that of most countries, is a mixture of history, legend, myth, ballad, and story.  Although part of my family came from County Tyrone in the years before the Famine, any stories from the family might have brought over seem to have slipped away over the…

Are YOU an expert?

I’ll save you the suspense. The answer is: YES!

The Wild Geese community is a diverse and enthusiastic group of…

This is one of the photographs taken of 'Honor Bright' by Garda Sgt Andrew Gordon on the morning of 9th June 1925. The photos were not used in court. In fact the court allowed no evidence about her at all apart from her name, address, age and her location on that night of 8th of June, the hottest night of the year, in relation to the location of the two accused murderers. Her words, emotions and actions or any closer description of her were objected to by the counsel of Leopold Dillon, who…

On a sunny afternoon in the early 1960s, a Canadian sea-plane touched down on the silvery-grey waters of Loughrea lake, taxied to a jetty and tied off. The children swimming at Long Point were distracted for a while but quickly returned to doggy-paddle and soccer on that…

If you haven't had the chance to get to know New Wild Geese members Corey & Liam, drop on over and say hello!

Liam Hughes is a Jewelry designer…

Up and Coming: We're delighted to put the spotlight on a growing number of intriguing events in metro New York in September. Here's a sketch of each along with links for more information: 

(BTW, don't hesitate to reach out to fellow WG in…

"A writer is not interested in explaining reality. He’s only interested in capturing it.” ~ Brendan Kennelly.

 Inside my father's bones lie a million secrets.

 Secrets passed down the long chain from…

The Great Shame: And the Triumph of the Irish In the English-Speaking World

By Thomas Keneally (of "Schindler’s List" fame)

Reviewed by John Edward (Ed) Murphy

Overall a good book and a very scholarly work. Great Shame covers significant historical events in 19th century Ireland,…

Dunmore Cave

Ballyfoyle, Co. Kilkenny, Ireland



History and geology blend at Dunmore Cave to give an interesting and unique situation. Consisting of a series of chambers formed over millions of years, the cave contains some of the finest calcite formations found in any Irish cave. The case has been known to man for many centuries…

We arrived at Dublin Airport to some fairly typical Irish summer weather, i.e. cloudy with off-and-on showers and temperatures of about 18 (about 65 back in the…

From ancient archeological treasures and industrial history to notable personalities, transportation and sporting memorabilia; Carlow County Museum is a treasure trove for the history buff, genealogical researcher and tourist alike. Read…

With Spring in the air, now is the time to hit the Carlow Garden Trail, a collection of 18 different gardening attractions including great old gardens that have been lovingly restored and maintained throughout the years, and smaller gardens which are maturing beautifully with time. Award winning garden centers and forest parks compliment the joy of a…

Widely respected as the jewel in Ireland’s gardening crown, Altamont Gardens are an enchanting blend of formal and informal gardens with riverside walks covering over 40 acres (16 hectares). The estate gains much of its character from the…

From pagan sites to ecclesiastical settlements, intricate layers of religious and secular cultural history set against rugged mountains, glorious countryside and lush river valleys make County Carlow a perfect base for exploring the Southeast of Ireland. Whether brought here by faith, born and spent their lives here, educated here…