According to an ancient tale, the chieftain, Bricriu, prepared a great feast to which he invited all the Ulster warriors and their women. The feast was sumptuous, consisting of beef broth, roast boar, salmon, honey cakes and many other dishes; to drink, the guests had the finest of ale, the […]
History & Folklore
Born in Kinsale in October 1805, this year marks the 220th birthday of William Coppin, a famous 19th century shipbuilder with an eerie paranormal connection to the ill-fated Franklin polar expedition. Pauline Murphy shares more on this fascinating story. William Coppin was born into a Kinsale seafaring family on October […]
Extracts from ‘The Genealogy of Eoghanachta O’NEILLs’ (July 2018) courtesy of FTDNA O’Neill Clan Y-DNA project (Dwayne O’Neill, Administrator). The Eóganachta (or Eoghanachta) were an Irish dynasty dominating the Kingdom of Munster, from the sixth to the tenth centuries. While traditionally founded by Conall Corc, they are named after Éogan Mór, son of Ailill Aulom, a semi-mythological king. The […]
The ever-changing moon was an object of mystery and superstition in Ireland. The old Celtic druids placed great emphasis on the moon and arranged their calendar by it. It was believed that any work or business undertaken when the moon was growing (waxing) would be successful. Work begun when the […]