History & Folklore

‘The great appear great, because we are on our knees: Let us rise.’ – Jim Larkin, Union leader, and Founder of the Irish Labour Party.  When any union goes on strike, be they nurses, rail workers, teachers, retail employees, the media usually likes to take to the streets to get a […]

A good deal of the countryside of ancient Ireland was once covered with trees and scrub with hazel one of the most important providers of food. The nutritious nut (cnó) of this tree can be kept for up to a year and must therefore have been a valuable winter food. It […]

If the pandemic has highlighted one thing, it is that Ireland is a dog-loving nation. Ireland is world-renowned for its famous breeds like the Irish Red and White Setter, or the Kerry Blue and of course, the Irish Wolfhound. Mahatma Gandhi, a giant of humanity, non-violence, and a lawyer of […]

In Irish folk tradition, St. Brigid’s Day, February 1, is the first day of spring, and thus of the farming year. It is the festival of Ireland’s much-loved Brigid, who is often  called ‘Mary of the Gael’. She built her convent in Kildare (Cill Dara, the Church of the Oak). […]