A journey through the native Irish-speaking areas of Ireland Fáilte go hEireann. These are the words of welcome that Irish people have greeted visitors with for centuries. They may well be the words that greet you when you visit. If they are, I urge you to take time to grasp their deeper meaning. Venture beyond the tourist hotspots and gain an insight into an older Ireland … [Read more...] about Fáilte go hÉireann
December January 2020 Issue
Skyscraper Sullivan
The Visionary Behind Our Modern Towers of Babel Few things convey a sense of progress and modernity like skyscrapers. Whether or not one finds them aesthetically appealing, such buildings dominate a city’s appearance and also let the world know that a particular city has arrived. For centuries, many an architect had wanted to build taller buildings. But not until the … [Read more...] about Skyscraper Sullivan
Wild Irish Women: Madame Bluebell
Ladies: who among us hasn’t at least briefly entertained the fantasy of having Catherine Deneuve portray you in the movie of your life? Okay, even if that’s not the direction you would go casting-wise, know that one Margaret Kelly had that distinct honor. Catherine Deneuve played a character based on her in the classic François Truffaut film, The Last Metro (Le Dernier Metro). … [Read more...] about Wild Irish Women: Madame Bluebell
Tragedy over the Reeks
The MacGillycuddy Reeks, Ireland’s tallest mountain range, stretches across the Iveragh Peninsula in the southwest section of the Emerald Isle. The area is steeped in ancient mythology and its scenic landscape is dominated by jagged, narrow spines cloaked in billowy clouds and flocks of sheep grazing in the glens below. Sadly, however, this picturesque setting also served as … [Read more...] about Tragedy over the Reeks
Listen Now Again
A new National Library of Ireland exhibition celebrating the life and work of Seamus Heaney gives an overview of the poet laureate's life and work. When Seamus Heaney was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1995, the Swedish Academy noted the “lyrical beauty and ethical depth” of his work. His poems, though often suffused with allusions to Dante, Homer, and the other … [Read more...] about Listen Now Again