Unfortunately Thomas’ new employer, like so many of chiefs in the region, was dishonorable and motivated by greed and little else. Still, as had been the case with The Begum, Thomas was an honorable man in a dishonorable world. He served his new employer well, refusing several chances to…

To say the prospects of children born into poverty-stricken Irish Catholic families in the 18th century were poor, with the Penal Laws still being used to oppress the Catholic population, would be a…

One day during our just completed two-week vacation to Ireland my wife, Lindy, and I had another of those thoroughly enjoyable “only in Ireland” experiences that make traveling there such a joy. We stayed in a 200-year-old cottage in the little town of Ardfinnan…

The Fadden More Psalter, a book of psalms as old as the Book of Kells, was found by turf cutters in a Tipperary bog in 2006.  It is written in Latin and includes illuminated letters and other decoration.  Dr. Eamonn Kelly and his team at The National Museum of Ireland dated the book to around 800 AD, and spent five years restoring it. 

The find was very exciting to Irish…

Check out our past quizzes here.

This interesting and uncommon name is of Old French origin.  It was introduced into England after the Norman Conquest of 1066 and derives from the Old French "avril(l)."  The month of April, ultimately from the Latin "aprilis", a derivative of "aperire", to open, has reference to…

By Joe Gannon and Gerry Regan

It’s hard to believe that it’s now been 23 years since we participated in one of our most memorable St.…

Tomás Mac Donnchadha, or Thomas MacDonagh (1 February 1878 – 3 May 1916), was born in Cloughjordan, County Tipperary, to Joseph and Mary MacDonagh (nee Parker).  Both his parents were intellectuals and…

In our blog post last week, we mentioned some of the main attractions that you must see if you ever visit Waterford. This week we are having a look at…

There are over 3,000 known pear varieties grown around the world, each with a distinctive character, texture, and flavor. The most popular and recognizable pears are the yellow Bartlett, with a true pear shape, followed by the elegant, egg-shaped Anjou, (also called…

If you’re concerned that modernity has caused the Emerald Isle will lose its rural charm, set your compass to County Tipperary for a taste of "the real Ireland."…

A Church index of sorts.

While I've been travelling around with my friend Janet, Daniel who helps me with from-ireland has done a bit of organising of my last few months posts and created a Church index.

Mainly the Churches are in the counties I name above, but, we also have some Cork, Carlow, Kildare, Waterford, Dublin, Westmeath, Offaly (King's Co.) and Galway churches.

I just know I've forgotten somewhere!!

What draws me back to Ireland over and over again?  There’s the stunning physical beauty.  But what makes a beautiful place so special?  For me, it’s the people: their intellect, passion, warmth and wit.  There’s no better place to find this than in an Irish pub and in the…

During his 1984 presidential visit to Ireland, a reporter asked Ronald Reagan what he thought of the groups who were protesting about various American policies. The president replied that it was good they lived in a country where they were allowed to protest.

Organizers…

See what the Emerald Isle has offer on foot. Walk along gigantic cliff faces, sandy dunes and beaches,…

High bridge of the South Side Railroad across the Appomattox. Capture of this bridge allowed Union troops to catch up to Lee at Farmville

LUAIN --…

After the Erie Canal was finished, many Irish people settled west of Syracuse on a hill overlooking the canal. This area became known as Tipperary Hill. When the city first installed traffic signal lights in 1925, they placed one at a major intersection in the main business…

So you have always told your wide-eyed, disbelieving grand-children that those scratchy 78's you have carefully stored in the attic would some day be worth money, y'know, the ones that you have been collecting for years at 'garage sales' and storage-lot auctions? Well they just got…

  In  the light of all the abuse scandals that have rocked the Catholic Church in…