A
series of articles by Tyna on Irish culture,
history and travel. We are adding new articles to this
series all the time so bookmark LittleShamrocks.com's
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The
History
of Irish Whiskey
The
history of Irish Whiskey, 'Uisce Beatha', meaning
'water of life' in Gaelic, began over 800 years ago.
The
Irish English Language
Tourists
arriving in Ireland, especially for the first time, are
going to get a healthy dose of the Irish English language.
Here is a brief lesson in understanding some of their
vocabulary
and some Irish slang.
Deirdre of the Sorrows
In
the Irish legend of "Deirdre of the
Sorrows", we learn about the most famous legend
of an Irish woman.
The
Irish Flag
The
Irish Flag is known as the 'Irish Tricolour' and its
history began in the early nineteenth century.
Ancient
Irish Writing - Ogham
The ancient Irish writing known
as Ogham is believed to be
the earliest recorded script used in Celtic Ireland.
Irish
Castles
Irish castles and other ancient structures of Ireland
include stone towers, walls and other fortifications that
can be found all over the Irish countryside.
Ghost
watch in Ireland
Ghost
watch in Ireland is all about the tragic and untimely
accidental death of Helena Blunden.
The Irish Tenors
The Irish Tenors are three of the few vocalists
capable of the beautiful, ringing tone and high C performance
skills that qualify them as tenors.
The Free University of Ireland
The Free University of Ireland or, in Gaelic, Saor-Ollscoil
Na hÉireann, was established in 1986 by a small
group of specialists in the theory of education, with a
creative vision of the lifelong learning process.
Irish Sports
Irish sports are popular and widespread. Participation
and spectating levels are high but, as in other western
regions, participation has been dropping due to the increasing
popularity of other activities such as computer games.
Flights
to Ireland
Flights to Ireland have steadily risen ever since the late
1970's. One reason is due to the recent surge in family
genealogical research.
Ireland
The Republic of Ireland is a country in the continent of
Europe. Even though Northern Ireland is located on the
same land mass as Ireland, it is part of the United Kingdom
and under British Rule.
Dublin, Ireland
Dublin,
Ireland is the country's capital, as well as its largest
city. It is the home of many attractions
that bring tourists to Ireland annually. There are magnificent
castles, beautiful buildings, art galleries and museums
to explore.
Irish Gaels
The Irish Gaels are an ethnic linguistic
group which originated in Ireland and then spread to Scotland
and the Isle of Man. They are three different forms of
the Goidelic, or Gaelic languages; Irish Gaelic, Scottish
Gaelic and Manx Gaelic.
The
Shrine of St. Patrick's Bell
The Shrine of St. Patrick's Bell is a coveted relic in
the possession of the Royal Irish Academy in Dublin.
The
Irish Legend of the Fairy Race
According to the Irish legend of the fairy race, fairies
are supposed to have once been angels in heaven cast
out by divine command as punishment for their excessive
pride.
The
Fairies' Revenge
The fairies' revenge is the legend
of a mortal man who encroached upon the fairies'
rath.
The
Irish Phouka
The
Irish Phouka is a member of the fairy race but
there are conflicting opinions about his powers
and personality.
How Finn MacCoul and His Men Were Bewitched
The Irish Harpist
The Irish harpist referred to in this article is Turlough
0'Carolan, who was the most famous of Ireland's harpists.
Ancient Irish Weaponry
The Royal Irish Academy in Dublin is home to a large collection
of ancient Irish weaponry.
Ancient Irish Relics
There is an enormous amount of ancient Irish relics that
have been found in Ireland over the centuries.
Irish
Culture
The
Irish Book of Kells
The Irish Book of Kells is almost as symbolic
to Ireland and St. Patrick as the shamrock. It is probably
the most well-known sample of medieval illumination and
calligraphy still around today.
The
Irish and All Hallows Eve
The history of Halloween began with the Irish
and All Hallows Eve. Like other historic festivals, it
is a tradition that has been passed down from one generation
to the next.
Native
Irish Dog Breeds
Information about native Irish dog breeds.
The
Irish Shillelagh
Today's version of the Irish Shillelagh is
a walking stick or cane but, to the ancient Irish, the
shillelagh was their weapon of choice.
Irish
Saints
Over the centuries, Ireland has become
known as the 'island of saints and scholars'. Many
of the Irish saints were never officially canonized
by the Catholic church so they are not remembered by
most people.
Ireland's
Rose of Tralee International Festival
Ireland's Rose of Tralee International
Festival is one of the country's most famous and
longest running festivals. In 2008, the festival
celebrates its 49th anniversary, which is held in
Tralee, County Kerry.
A
Traditional Irish Christmas
Ireland has a number of traditional
Irish Christmas customs and rituals that are all its
own.
New
Irish Cookery
New Irish cookery is simply traditional Irish
cooking with a healthy twist. The days of lard used for
baking and fatty meats with gravy are long gone.
Irish
Waterford Crystal
Even though there is evidence that glass
started being made in 13th century Ireland, it was reborn
as an art form, and the story of Irish Waterford Crystal
began in the late 1700's.
Irish
History & Legends
The
Irish Leprechaun & St. Patrick's Day
Today,
even though the Irish leprechaun is closely associated with
St. Patrick's Day, he actually has nothing to do with St.
Patrick or the history of the holiday.
The
Irish and The Blarney Stone
Blarney
Castle, famous for the Blarney Stone, is said to give the
gift of gab or talk ('blarney') to those who kiss it.
History
of Irish Dance
The
history of Irish dance started when the Celts arrived in
Ireland from central Europe over two thousand years ago.
The
Irish in Australia
The plight of the Irish in Australia
begins during the mid 1780's when Ireland was part
of the British Empire.
The
Titanic and Ireland
The history of the Titanic and Ireland
begins in 1911 with the ship's construction at the
Harland and Wolff Shipyards in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
The
History of Irish Wade Pottery
The history of Irish Wade Pottery
began in 1946 when it was made under the name Wade
Ulster.
The
History of the Irish Kilt & the Tartan
The
Irish kilt ... is this a traditional ancient garment? Is
it a remnant of the early Celtic race? There is no evidence
in early Irish records to support the theory that the kilt
was invented in Ireland.
The
History of Belleek Irish Porcelain
In
1849, John Caldwell Bloomfield inherited the Castlecaldwell
estate from his father. The estate encompassed the village
of Belleek. Because of the potato famine and the plight of
his tenant farmers, he wanted to provide them with some form
of worthwhile employment.
History
of the Irish Cross
The history of the Irish Cross, or Celtic
Cross, has many versions. The first one I heard was that
it was developed by St. Patrick during the Pagan conversion
to Christianity.
Irish
History of the Tara Brooch
The
Irish history of the Tara Brooch begins with its discovery
in Drogheda, County Louth, in August of 1850. This uneventful
find happened at the seashore, which served as a playground
for the two little local boys who found it.
History
of the Irish Claddagh
The history of the Irish Claddagh goes
back to the 16th century. Richard Joyce, a native of
County Galway, was captured by Algerians while on his
way to the West Indies.
Ancient
Irish Wedding Customs
Handfasting is an old Irish ceremony of commitment.
The ceremony formalized a relationship, whether an engagement,
a permanent marriage, or a marriage over several lifetimes.
History
of the Irish Knit Sweater
The history of the Irish knit sweater began
at the Aran Islands, three islands at the mouth of Galway
Bay.
St.
Patrick and The Irish
Did you know that St. Patrick was not Irish?
He was actually Welsh and was born in Wales circa 385 A.D.
His real name was Maewyn and, until he was about sixteen,
he considered himself a pagan.
Custom
of The Irish Matchmaker
"Babhdóir" is the Irish
word for 'matchmaker'. The custom of the Irish matchmaker
is particularly busy during ‘Shrovetide’, which
is the marrying season in Ireland
The
History of Irish Linen
You probably know that Irish linen is the
finest and most famous linen in the world. I was very interested
to learn that linen is also the oldest fabric known to
man, and even pre-dates the invention of the wheel.
The
History of Irish Lace
Irish lace is world famous for the intricate
designs that developed from very simple patterns.
The
Irish Legend of Finn MacCoul
The Irish legend of Finn MacCoul is one of
the more prevalent mythological tales of Ireland.
Finn
MacCoul and The Isle of Man
There
are a few versions of the mythological legend of Finn MacCoul
and The Isle of Man.
Finn
MacCoul and The Giants Causeway
Many
of the great legends of Ireland are linked to the north
coast of Ulster, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, where
man first settled on the emerald isle.
Irish Food History
The stories of Irish Soda Bread, Corned Beef
and Cabbage, and Bailey's Irish Cream.
Ireland
Travel
Tyna's
Ireland Travel Tips
My friend Terry and I have traveled to Ireland
six times in the past ten years. Most of our trips went
off without a hitch but there were a few really bad experiences.
Ireland's
Dingle Peninsula
Jutting
out into the Atlantic Ocean, Ireland's Dingle Peninsula in
County Kerry has been inhabited by large numbers of tribes
and clans for almost 6000 years.
Ancient
Ireland's Hill of Tara
The
Hill of Tara is an ancient Irish site built circa 3200
B.C. It is claimed that you can see half the counties of
Ireland from the top of Tara.
Ireland's
Croagh Patrick Mountain
Mt.
Croagh Patrick is a mountain near the town of Westport in
County Mayo, Ireland. Known in Irish Gaelic as Cruach Phádraig
and locally as 'The Reek'.
Ireland's
Cliffs of Moher and The Burren
Located
in County Clare and bordering the Burren Area, the Cliffs
of Moher are one of Ireland's most spectacular sights.
Cork
City, Ireland
Cork City, Ireland, in County Cork,
was founded in the 7th century by St. Finnbarre who
constructed an abbey there. Corcaigh, in Gaelic, means
marshy place.
Galway
City, Ireland
Galway City, Ireland, in County Galway,
is known as the gateway to Europe. It is situated
on the western most part of the coast of Ireland,
with the Aran Islands located at the mouth of Galway
Bay.
Ireland's
River Shannon
Ireland's River Shannon is named after
Sionnan, who was the granddaughter of the Mythological
God of the Sea, known as Manannan Mac Lir.
Ireland's
River Boyne
Rising in the Bog of Allen, County
Kildare, Ireland's Boyne River flows 70 miles northeast
to enter the Irish Sea just below Drogheda in County
Louth.
Ireland's
River Liffey
Ireland's River Liffey is the main
river in Dublin, the capital of Ireland. It begins
at Sally Gap near Kippure in County Wicklow, just
south of Dublin.
Irish Golfing
The
Irish golfing experience is envied by golf resorts across
Europe. Irish golf courses enjoy pristine landscapes and
scenery so perfect that, once you have played golf in Ireland,
you will be organizing your next Irish golf vacation before
your trip is over.
Irish Fishing
The
Irish fishing holiday is recognized as being the most desirable
of fishing vacation destinations in Europe. The vast variety
and quality of fishing in Ireland has given the country
a reputation of which there is no equal.
Bord
Fáilte - Bureau of Ireland Travel
Bord
Fáilte is a government-run agency
that deals with the promotion of Ireland as a tourist destination.
This organization is the licensing board for Irish restaurants,
accommodations, pubs and tourist sites.
