Every August since 1613 (or possibly earlier) the County Kerry town of Killorglin has given itself over to the idiosyncratic joys and celebration of the Puck Fair Festival, and this year was no exception. From August 10 – 12, Killorglin residents and visitors were granted the “Freedom of the Town” by the young Queen of Puck Fair and her goat companion, King Puck, and reveled in … [Read more...] about Puck Fair: Ireland’s Oldest Festival
Island of Ireland
A Voyage of Rediscovery at the Dunbrody Famine Ship
The Irish America Hall of Fame finds a home in New Ross, and brings the story of the Irish in America back to a place that served as a port of departure for many who braved the journey to North America during Famine times. On a blustery July day, I descend the narrow ladder into the depths of the 'Dunbrody,' an exact replica of a three-masted sailing ship that ferried … [Read more...] about A Voyage of Rediscovery at the Dunbrody Famine Ship
Remembering from Afar
By Sheila Langan, Deputy Editor
9/11 Memorials in Ireland In the years since the attacks on September 11, 2001, memorials both big and small have been built throughout the United States and across the globe. The most immediate ones were impromptu – garlands draped on a parked car it became clear no one would claim, notes and photographs taped to fences and walls around New York City, candles placed outside … [Read more...] about Remembering from Afar
Westport
By Tara Dougherty, Staff Writer.
A gem of the west County Mayo is the picturesque home of some of Ireland’s quaintest and most delightful towns. In Westport, traditional music is always bursting from doors of Matt Molloy’s pub, while visits to the Foxford Woolen Mills and the Museum of Country Life provide a taste of rural days in the idyllic west of Ireland. Then, of course, for another perspective on the … [Read more...] about Westport
The Most Spectacular Golf Course on the Planet
The Old Head Golf Links in Kinsale, County Cork has been ranked by Links magazine as the most spectacular golf course on the planet (Spring 2011 edition). Truly one of the most unique golf courses ever conceived in the history of golf, it is built on a diamond of land jutting out over two miles into the Atlantic Ocean. The links and practice area occupy 180 acres and the … [Read more...] about The Most Spectacular Golf Course on the Planet