Wren Day Originally Published December 2015 The wren, the wren, the king of all birds, On St. Stephen’s Day was caught in the furze, Although he is little his family is great, I pray you, good landlady, give us a treat… The day after Christmas, or St. Stephen’s Day, is also “Wren Day”, or “Hunt[…]
Category: Ireland
Celtic History In the News — November 2019
Celtic History and Archaeology In the News Apologies to any of you that have already read this one last month. We are just getting some content moved to the new location. Pictish carved beasts ‘unlike anything found before A 1,200-year-old standing stone discovered in the Highlands has carvings never before seen on a Pictish stone,[…]
Celtic History In the News — December 2019
Recent News in Celtic Archaeology and History Rare spindle whorl discovered in Pictish excavation in Perthshire Archaeologists delving into Perthshire’s hidden history are celebrating a successful five-year investigation at an ancient Pictish settlement. Celtic warrior from 2,000 years ago buried in chariot with weapons and ponies hailed as most important find of its kind in[…]
Irish Astronomers
Originally published October 2015. Updated December 2019. Irish Astronomers Until the 1990’s it seems that a number of scholars thought that the Irish had lagged behind other European countries when it came to early observations about the heavens. However, Two Irish Scholars Daniel McCarthy an Aiden Breen have shown through a number of studies that[…]
6 Beautiful Irish Wedding Traditions
Weddings are all about bringing people together. The best weddings are all about blending families and customs in a meaningful way. Unfortunately, it is often easier said than done. Every culture has its own traditions, each with a charm all its own. A wedding is a perfect opportunity to pay tribute to the beautiful customs[…]
Ireland’s Female Weavers
Ireland’s Female Weavers During the Napoleonic War from 1803 to 1815 there were some 300,000 men in the British army and 140,000 in the Royal Navy. There were 13 Irish battalions who were almost exclusively recruited from Ireland. Some “English” battalions consisted of over 30% Irish recruits. It’s not known how many weavers left to[…]
Irish Wedding Gifts Everyone Will Love
Unfortunately, when it comes to family gatherings, the Irish can get a bad rap. Everyone’s heard of an Irish wake. Irish weddings carry fewer cultural associations, however. We know the Irish can throw down at a funeral, but what about wedding receptions? The answer is a resounding, “Yes!” There are plenty of memorable Irish wedding[…]
Do the Irish Wear Kilts?
Well, do the Irish wear kilts? Of course, they do. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be in business. If you don’t believe us, take a gander at our web site Kilts-N-Stuff, where we specialize in all things Celtic, including Kilts. Yes, we know most people associate kilts with Scotland and the Scottish Highlands. They can’t help it,[…]
Bog Butter
Bog Butter Update A post on an ancient Ireland blog recently included a photo (left) of a “mether” or wooden drinking vessel that was filled with bog butter and found in County Armagh. It brings up something I hadn’t seen while writing my post. It appears bog butter was also used as a way to[…]
Irish Colonial “Slaves”
Irish Colonial “Slaves” I recently ran across an article The Myth of “Irish Slaves” in the Colonies (see link below) which seems inspired by the spread of an argument that the history of Irish colonial “slaves” has been ignored in favor of the more common African slave narrative. The author suggests that the story of[…]