Irish America
Irish America
Douglas Hyde, born in Roscommon in 1860, was a leading figure in the Gaelic revival and Ireland’s first president. A couple of unplanned events shaped the course of Douglas Hyde’s early life. He should have been born in County Sligo, where his family resided, but instead, he arrived on January 17, 1860, in Castlerea, County Roscommon, where his mother was visiting her … [Read more...] about Ireland’s First President
Christmas the most magical time of year in Ireland, where the festive atmosphere is not to be missed. Cheerful Christmas markets spring up all across the island, traditional decoration displays are top class, and bars are bustling. Family and friends are reuniting by the crackling peat fires with a hot toddy or creamy pint. This is the perfect time of year for friends, both old … [Read more...] about Ireland At Christmas
Photographer John Wesson on the landscape and people of Kerry that captured his imagination more than 30 years ago. I am lucky enough to have had a long association with Kerry, having returned on a regular basis for nearly 30 years. Each year I spend more and more time in “The Kingdom.” In most of Kerry, and certainly in the south and west, you are never very far from the sea … [Read more...] about Kerry: The Beautiful Kingdom (Photos)
A trip to the West Cork Literary Festival turns into an unexpected and inspiring look at Bantry Bay and the people who call it home. In the words of Man Booker Prize-winner Anne Enright, “Ireland is a series of stories that have been told to us.” For me, Enright’s words couldn’t have rung truer. My father’s stories of growing up in Country Cork, told to me as a child, had the … [Read more...] about Reading West Cork
History abounds on a tour that began in Washington, D.C. and visited Civil War battlefields, colonial towns, and the Blue Ridge Mountains. As you might expect, Memorial Day weekend is a popular time to visit the nation’s capitol. There are celebrations, a free concert by the National Symphony Orchestra on the West Lawn, and a spectacular fireworks display. However, the … [Read more...] about Hospitality and History in the American South
