Posts Tagged ‘Ireland’
Chasing the Irish Pirate Queen around the Aran Islands
Hats off to James McQuiston, editor and publisher of The Celtic Guide, a superbly professional magazine that reflects his passionate interest in Scotland and Ireland. The December issue (click here) features contributions from throughout the Celtic world. They include an excerpt from my latest book, Celtic Lightning: How the Scots and the Irish Created a…
Read MoreHats off to the Irish! And to the witty genius who led the charge . . . .
Hats off to Ireland, the first country to recognize gay marriage by popular vote. Following an emotional campaign, the Irish voted 62.1 per cent favor of this move, which signals a social revolution. Overnight, Ireland has become a model of inclusivity and tolerance. Yet I would suggest that this transformation could have been foreseen. Faithful…
Read MoreCanada’s Celtic Connection . . . .
That’s the headline on my column in the latest issue (August-September) of Canada’s History magazine. The piece touches on JFK, the “coffin ships” that brought so many immigrants to Canada, and the new statue in Londonderry that matches one in Halifax harbour. It begins as follows: Some years ago, while driving with friends in Canada,…
Read MoreOur Hero Meets JFK in Ireland
So the big celebration happened: the 50th anniversary of JFK’s 1963 visit to Ireland. They gave it a day-long street party in New Ross, County Wexford. Several members of te Kennedy clan were there. And the Irish prime minister. Not to forget Michael Flatley, the Lord of Dance, and folk singer Judy Collins. You can…
Read More300,000 to gather in Ireland . . .
DUBLIN MIXES GUINNESS, JOYCE, AND THE STONE AGE Ireland by Ken McGoogan 300,000 people are set for the Gathering in Ireland. Some will be tracing their ancestors. Others will come to see the monasteries, or to follow in the footsteps of the writer James Joyce. Many will make their way to the Guinness Storehouse, where…
Read MoreUntitled Post
Did someone mention Irish music? Here’s a 4:30 video I put together featuring the versatile Daniel Payne and Matt Malloy of the Chieftains. Some I shot at the Cliffs of Moher, but most happens at Matt Malloy’s pub in Westport on the west coast of the Emerald Isle. Payne was sailing as a musician with…
Read MoreA Discovery of Vikings
The next issue of Canada’s History magazine will feature a piece I’ve written about the Viking roots of Canada. To whet your appetite, I’ve created a four-minute video, A Discovery of Vikings. Here we find Dr. Ned Kelly, keeper of antiquities at Ireland’s National Museum, talking about locating what promises to be the most spectacular…
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