When Brehon Law Stirred the Waters: The Fight for the Erne and Beyond
1. A Bold Daylight Caper Picture a crisp June morning in 1925, the sun spilling golden light across the River Erne in Co. Donegal. A crew of six fishermen from…
Irish heritage
The Fat of the Land: A Beginner’s Guide to Exploring Ireland’s Abundant Edible Landscapes
Ireland's landscapes are not only breathtakingly beautiful but also teeming with a diverse array of edible plants, herbs, and lesser-known food sources waiting to be discovered. From the lush green…
Alignments in the Irish Landscape? With Guest Ray Keogh
Join Ciarán McMahon and me as we talk to Ray Keogh, who first noticed that certain landmarks were aligned while visiting Egypt. This realisation led to his searching for similar…
Exploring Bretha Nemed or the “Judgments of the Privileged”: A Window into Early Irish Legal Tradition
The ancient legal texts of Ireland offer a fascinating glimpse into the minds and societal structures of our ancestors. Among these, the Bretha Nemed ("Judgments of the Privileged") stands out…
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…
Identity, Nostalgia, and Money: The Rich Cultural Legacy of Ireland’s Pre-Euro Currency | Irish Punt Series B Banknotes
The Series B banknotes, a vivid snapshot of Ireland's cultural legacy, were circulated by the Central Bank of Ireland from 1976 to 1992, replacing the previous Series A. A pantheon…
The Fate of the Children of Lir | A Famous Tale From Irish Mythology
Lir, a powerful king of the Tuatha Dé Danann, had four children: Fionnuala, Aodh, Fiachra, and Conn. After Lir's wife died, he remarried Aoife, a jealous and cruel woman. Out…
Purring Through Irish History: Learn About The History of Cats in Early Irish Society, Legend, and Law
Discover the fascinating world of cats in early Irish society exploring the history of cats in Ireland, the Catslechta legal manuscript, and some early Irish cat names. Learn about the famous Pangur Bán poem and Irish folklore and legends that featured monstrous enchanted wild cats. Discover the Cave of Cats-Oweynagat, an ancient cave in County Roscommon associated with legends of demon cats, and the mysterious Imbas forasna divination technique used by the Druids.
The Triple Judgements of The Freemen | Poetic Wisdom of the Irish Triads
The significance of the number three to the early Irish is evident in the literature, mythology, and laws of early Ireland, which abounds in triplets and triads. There are three triple-goddess personifications of sovereignty and of Ireland; the triple forms of the Morrígan and the motif of the threefold death; as well as the three-leaved shamrock Saint Patrick used to teach the native Irish of the 5th century about the Holy Trinity. This article explores the concept of "three" in Irish history, mythology, and belief.
From the Ashes: The Role of Culture and Heritage in Irish Transition to Independence
In living memory alone, many countries have experienced drastic changes to its cultural and political constituents, going through a state of transition from one form of government, laws, and ideology to another.…