Irish Surname Map
Check out this clever resource from barrygriffin.com which gives you maps showing the distribution of 1000s of Irish surnames across Ireland. Admittedly, the data is pulled from the 1901 and 1911…
The First Judgment in Ireland
“And that, without deceit, is the first judgement in Ireland: so that thence, with very noble judgement, it is the right of his wife against Partholón.” Lebor Gabhála Érenn §30. The First Judgment…
Brehon Law and the Statutes of Kilkenny 1367
It is one of the world’s oldest systems of verifiable jurisprudence next to the Vedic laws. And these native Irish laws bear striking resemblance to the laws of other pre-colonial…
The Story of Dublin in less than 2 pages
I came across an image I had saved on my phone from some time ago that tells a very concise yet still interesting "Story of Dublin" that I thought readers…
Spring Equinox Celebrations and Astronomical Alignments in Ireland
Happy Spring Equinox everyone! A time-honoured by our ancestors and all of mankind since time immemorial and marked out by great celebrations, and astrologically aligned monuments, to mark the occasion…
Ancient Icelandic Law in Reykjavik
At the start of October, I had the dual pleasure of making my first trip to Iceland, where I also got to hear eminent scholar David Friedman's analysis of ancient…
Ireland: The Emerald Isle
The Emerald Isle The following verse contains the first printed example of the term ‘Emerald Isle’ being used in reference to Ireland. William Drennan, a Belfast born poet, was also…
Ireland, The Island of Saints and Scholars
Though there were some Christians already in Ireland before the coming of Saint Patrick in 432 A.D., it was the success of his mission converting the island that the Irish…
14 Ancient Names for Ireland (Video)
The Names of Ireland An Ainmneacha na hÉireann With a land as ancient as this, it should come as no surprise to learn that the place we call ‘Ireland’ was…
Dublin or Baile Átha Cliath? Blackpool or the or the Ford of Hurdles? On the name origins of Ireland’s capital city.
Ireland's capital city gives us an interesting example of an Irish place-name where the commonly used English form and the native Irish form bear no relationship to each other. Unlike…