A stroll through Ireland’s mystical past, from ancient castles and rugged stone monuments to lively taverns and modern day crafts in Kilkenny and Wexford. I recently paid a visit to Ireland’s Ancient East. What’s that, you say? You haven’t heard of such a place? Well, I was once the same as you. In fact, I was skeptical about the very idea of it. But now I’m a convert and I’m … [Read more...] about Ireland’s Ancient South East
Sharon Ní Chonchúir
Dublin's Fair County
Seaside villages, mountains and castles. There’s more to Dublin than its famed city. I thought I knew Dublin. I’ve spent lots of time in the capital and even accompanied friends from other countries on trips to tourist sites such as Trinity College and the Guinness Storehouse. Surely I’d seen all there was to see of Dublin’s fair city? On a recent trip, I realized how wrong I … [Read more...] about Dublin's Fair County
The Pain and the Pleasure
Five miles outside the County Mayo town of Westport, a conically-shaped mountain looms over the surrounding countryside. This is Croagh Patrick. It’s 2,500 feet high. It’s a place of ancient history. It’s associated with Ireland’s patron saint and on a rainy day this June, I was determined to climb it. The rain was lashing from the heavens when I began my ascent. The summit … [Read more...] about The Pain and the Pleasure
Mama Tina:
The Story of Christina Noble
The story of Christina Noble, whose memories of her poverty-ridden childhood in Dublin inspired her to help thousands of children in Vietnam, is now the subject of a major movie.
Christina Noble isn’t quite what I expected. I had anticipated someone akin to Mother Teresa dressed in a simple cotton sari, but the woman who greets me in the foyer of Dublin’s Shelbourne Hotel is … [Read more...] about Mama Tina:
The Story of Christina Noble
Patriot Graves: Dublin’s Glasnevin Cemetery
Dublin’s Glasnevin Cemetery, the final resting place of many famous Irish people including Daniel O’Connell, Maud Gonne, Brendan Behan, and most recently Chuck Feeney. Shannon Ní Chonchúir visits Glasnevin and talks to Aoife Kelleher about her documentary on Ireland’s largest cemetery. One Million Dubliners, directed by Aoife Kelleher, shines a light on the past and present … [Read more...] about Patriot Graves: Dublin’s Glasnevin Cemetery