In the last week of July 431 A.D., Patricius left his residence at Ard Mhacha and traveled with his retinue south toward the kingdom of Midhe. He had been summoned, by royal decree, to a meeting with the reigning monarch, king Laoghaire Mac Neill at the court at Tara. His journey would take…

What comes to mind for you when you hear the words “St. Patrick’s Day”? Green, I’d imagine; probably spirits, soda bread, and so on – but have you ever thought about…teeth?

Most people associate the loss of teeth with things like aging, nightmares, or even tooth faeries – but what if instead of a…

Once St. Brigid's Day has passed, our thoughts turn to the arrival of Spring . . .

I was reminded of what little credit I give sometimes Ireland's forgotten writers and poets, especially those who wrote in Irish, 'as Gaeilge'. This struck home when I read again Galway's blind…

On Saturday, February 22, the Center for Irish music celebrated 10 years of handing down the tradition at its annual Éigse: A Gaela Event at the Celtic Junction in St. Paul, MN. This celebration is the yearly benefit for the center when the music instructors perform for the local…

By Niall McArdle

Posted at my blog silence cunning exile ... maple syrup this morning:

Avoid the awful 'kiss me, i'm…

'Oiche na Gaoithe Moire' - The night of the big wind! That phrase usually refers to one of the most devastating hurricanes that ever hit Ireland, which made land during the night of Little Christmas, on the 6th of January 1839, almost 174 years ago, just before the outbreak of 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.…

The (New) Wild Geese Debuts Sat., Mar. 9…