The Irish Ring Forts — Secrets Written In Stone?
Ireland's many stone ring forts are an enduring mystery for the scholar of ancient Ireland. Numbering in the tens of thousands, with some estimates of their numbers reaching over fifty…
Cows As Currency In Early Ireland
"In early times [in Ireland] wealth is not spoken of in terms of money, which was not in circulation, nor of ownership of land, but primarily in terms of livestock…
From Bronze Age to Battlefields: The Curious Evolution of Irish Swords
A peculiarity we find in many late medieval and early modern depictions of Gaelic warriors are their swords, which often seem to be "flared" or widened towards the end, a…
The Irish Wolfhound: A Majestic Breed Steeped in History and Legend
The Irish Wolfhound, known in Irish as the Cú Faoil, is a breed of unparalleled size, strength, and historical significance. Renowned as one of the tallest dog breeds in the…
Maguires ‘Son of the Stewards’ – Protectors of the Book of Armagh
From at least the 14th-century onwards, custody of the Book of Armagh was entrusted to the Mac an Mhaoir (MacMoyer) clan–an appropriate name considering that it translates to ‘son of…
Rivalry of the O’Rourkes and the O’Reillys for the Kindom of Breifne
The area now called County Cavan was officially created as such in 1579. For centuries prior to the colonial conquest of Ireland, these lands once made up part of the…
“Loved their bold Phelim Brady, the Bard of Armagh”
In the tapestry of Irish history, woven with the threads of struggle, rebellion, and resilience, the figure of Patrick Donnelly emerges as a vibrant emblem of cultural and religious resistance.…
Macha the Red – Ireland’s Female High-King
Macha was daughter of Aedh Ruadh (Ayrooa), or Red Hugh, who was at this time in an agreement to share the sovereignty of Ireland in rotation every seven-years with another…
The Irish Roots of Middle-Earth: Discover How J.R.R Tolkien Was Inspired By Ireland’s Ancient Myth, Language, and Landscapes
J.R.R. Tolkien, the literary genius behind "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit," harboured a profound connection with Ireland that echoed in both his literary creations and personal experiences.…
Sick Maintenance: Injury, Restorative Justice, and Legal Liability in Early Ireland
The legal system of Ireland before the arrival of the Normans was known as the Brehon Law. It was a complex and evolved system of law that reflected the intricacies…