Samhain – the origins of Halloween History of Halloween Did you know that the origins of Halloween can be traced back to Ireland? That’s right – the holiday we all know and love has its roots in a centuries-old Celtic festival called Samhain. In this blog post, we’ll take a look at the history of […]
Belcoo Brooch This Celtic Belcoo brooch was discovered in a limestone quarry in the townland of Carrontreemall, County Fermanagh, not far from the town of Belcoo (Belcoo Brooch), after which the belcoo brooch is named. This Celtic jewelry piece is a fantastic example of a zoomorphic penannular brooch. Zoomorphic because of the animal head decoration […]
Who Were The Britons? The Britons were a collection of various Brythonic tribes who inhabited modern-day England and Wales. They were a Celtic tribe who settled in Britain during the Iron Age, where they lived and coexisted with rival tribes in peace. There were wars between tribes, just like the rest of the world at […]
Saint Columba Saint Columba is probably one of Ireland’s and Scotland’s most well-known saints. Rivaling saints Patrick and Bridget. St. Columba was responsible for the founding of many monasteries all across Ireland and Scotland. The most notable being the monastery on the isle of Iona which is situated on the west coast of Scotland. In […]
Summer Solstice Traditions in Celtic Ireland In the times before Saint Patrick brought Christianity to Ireland, pagan beliefs and traditions held sway. Celtic pagan festivals were celebrated throughout the year according to the cycles of The Sun. The spring and fall equinoxes and of course the shortest and longest days of the year held particular […]
Cross and Abbey of Duleek The monastery of Duleek, with its Celtic cross (Cross and Abbey of Duleek), is a fine monastery and there is simply no other way of putting it. Nestled in the small village of Duleek, is the ancient abbey standing there, tall and proud with hundreds of years of history behind […]
Founded by Saint Columba in the 6th Century The Celtic cross of Durrow is located in Durrow Abbey, County Offaly. The cross dates back to the 9th century AD. The abbey of Durrow is situated about 3 miles north of Tullamore. So, if you’re ever in the area make sure to pay a visit as […]
Celtic Cross of Carndonagh Saint Patrick’s high cross is found in the seaside village of Carndonagh, County Donegal. It is one of the oldest high crosses from the early Christian Period to be found anywhere in the British Isles. The cross is richly decorated with impressive Celtic artwork. This, combined with the millennia of history […]
The High cross of Moone is to be found at in the ruined abbey of Moone in County Kildare. The famous Celtic cross is 18 feet high and over 1,200 years old! The lands of south Kildare are not a major tourist destination, so unless you are from there you have no reason to be […]
Irish names are famous the world over and many of them have a wonderfully rich history. We take a look at Irish names through the ages. Here are some interesting facts… Ireland was one of the first countries to use surnames 916 AD was the first recorded use of surnames in Ireland The ‘O’ often […]
