Blogs

By Jenny Snook When it was first built, the RMS Titanic was celebrated as the largest ship in the world and allegedly ‘unsinkable’. As we know today, this was untrue, and the ship is now recognised as a symbol of over 1500 deaths. In 1912, the Titanic sank on its’…

The Irish Viking Age is agreed to have begun c. 795 AD with a raid on Rathlin Island, off the Antrim Coast. The year it ended is signified by the arrival of the Anglo-Normans in 1170 AD. From the time the Vikings first arrived in Dublin, ownership continued to switch…

During the 18th century, the condition of most prisons in Ireland was appalling. Overcrowding, starvation and the spread of disease were three common problems. Opened in 1796, Kilmainham Gaol was designed by Sir John Traille, who wanted to encourage criminals to reflect on their sins in solitude. The west-wing of…

With of over 1500 megalithic tombs in Ireland, approximately 150 of these are dolmens or portal tombs. The one located in Poulnabrone, Co. Clare has been classed as the oldest and best-preserved in the country. Situated in the centre of the Burren, hundreds of thousands of people visit this region…

Figures have shown that the main reason 80% of international visitors travelled to Ireland in 2014 was to experience the atmosphere of the Irish pub. 83% revealed that their favourite holiday activity was listening to traditional music inside. Pubs are a basic part of the Irish social scene, and whether…

Luckily, Irish dance is celebrated today as a part of our national heritage which people are proud of. This has a lot to do with the recent success of Riverdance but societies such as Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann also need to be appreciated. This piece looks at how Irish dance has…

By Jenny Snook While the Anglo-Normans invaded Ireland in the 12th century, their descendants adopted the Gaelic way of life and language. Intermarriage was common and they became known as: More Irish than the Irish themselves. Although they were a French speaking nation, by the 1500s the vast majority of…

Today, the main reason that people visit the town of Blarney, Co. Cork is to kiss the Blarney Stone. According to legend, kissing this stone provides that person with the ‘gift of the gab’ or, power of persuasive speech. The origin of the stone and the legend behind it are…

Founded by Arthur Guinness in 1759, by the 1770s Guinness was already selling overseas when most Irish companies were content with domestic sales. In 2018, the Guinness Storehouse made it possible for visitors to have their face imprinted onto the foam on the top of a pint, using the latest…

While the shamrock might be the symbol that most people associate with Ireland, the national Irish symbol is the harp. Ireland is the only country in the world represented by a musical instrument. This emblem not only symbolises resistance against the British Crown but, also an important Irish tradition that…

The Gate Theatre Dublin was founded in 1928 and today it continues to maintain its purpose as: An international home for Irish artists and an Irish home for international artists, creating a ‘world theatre’ that leads cultural conversation for artists and audiences in a progressive and inclusive dialogue.[1] Famous actors…

Looking at a copy of Dracula thatfeatures an author biography of Bram Stoker (born Abraham Stoker), it begins with an account of his work at the Lyceum Theatre in London. Born in 1847, Stoker did not actually move to London until 1878 and grew up in Clontarf, Co. Dublin. He…