In Irish Folklore the Raven was thought to be a messenger from the other world. Autumn is upon us. The leaves have gone gold and scarlet, night falls earlier, the air turns chill, and the season to plant crops won’t come again until Spring. For our ancestors, it was time to breathe a sigh of relief that summer had produced a bountiful harvest and rejoice in that good fortune … [Read more...] about Slainte! Birds of Celtic Myths and Legend
Recipes
Sláinte! Spring’s Precious Sting
Nettles - the edible leaf that is also known as the devil's leaf. Some foods don’t have a real come-hitherness about them. Who was the bold soul to first slurp a raw oyster? Artichokes have thorns and stickers growing on every surface. Rhubarb is notorious for its super sour pucker power, and, if carelessly ingested, its leaves are quite capable of killing a foolhardy … [Read more...] about Sláinte! Spring’s Precious Sting
Sláinte! Apples: The Fruit of the Gods
Apples are abundant in Ireland in the fall, and they play a key role not only on the table but in festivities as well. Several years ago after a rigorous day of exploring County Laois, I pulled into a pub for a well-deserved pick-me-up pint. It was a wee bit early for the local drinking crowd and the long bar held only one customer, a young man who looked more like a fellow … [Read more...] about Sláinte! Apples: The Fruit of the Gods
Sláinte: Breakfast at Brennan’s
The most misunderstood metropolis in the United States is New Orleans. Mention the city and the mind instantly provides Francophile associations. The French Quarter is its most famous neighborhood, France's pre-Lenten Mardi Gras celebration is the biggest annual bash, and Fleurs de Lis flutter on the municipal flag. Regardless of popular thinking, New Orleans could as easily … [Read more...] about Sláinte: Breakfast at Brennan’s
The Fair Days of Summer
For hundreds of years, Fair Day was an integral part of Ireland's rural community, writes Margaret M. Johnson. The holding of country fairs in rural Ireland goes back so far into the past that their beginnings are delightfully entangled in myth, history and tradition. Whether originally a pagan ritual or an occasion for farmers to sell surplus crops, the country fair has … [Read more...] about The Fair Days of Summer





