History & Folklore

The ever-changing moon was an object of mystery and superstition in ancient 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 diminution of the Gaelic language and consequent sense of a broken tradition is one of the utmost importance in arriving at any adequate assessment of life in Ireland today. Here I attempt to show how proverbs reflect the old Gaelic tradition, now very weakened, mindful of what Thomas Davis […]

We have all heard that a four-leaved clover is lucky but the ‘hungry-grass’ was quite the opposite and very unlucky indeed for anyone who stood on it. ‘Hungry grass’ cannot be distinguished from other kinds of grass. It is said to grow on the spot where some poor person died […]

When the decade of centenary celebrations began in 2012 (covering events such as World War One, the Easter Rising, emancipation for women, the War of Independence, and so on) the Irish Civil War years were always going to be seen as the most contentious to commemorate. While there are many […]