Saint Finnian of Clonard was a member of Clanna Rudhraighe from the Ulaid in the vicinity of New Ross. According to some sources, Finnian studied for a time at the monastic centre of Martin of Tours in Gaul. Tours was noted for its austerity. He later went to Wales and continued his studies at the […]
On this night, the Black and Tans burnt Cork City Centre with a devastating series of fires that swept through the city centre; looted businesses, assaulted firefighters and shot at the local population. The burning and the subsequent controversy is one of the most significant events of the Irish War of Independence; on the day […]
The important thing to note here is that there has been no “cure” discovered for Downs Syndrome. It’s not that medicine has gotten better at preventing Downs Syndrome, it’s that doctors have gotten better at identifying those children before they are born, and eliminating them: “The number of babies born with Down’s syndrome has fallen […]
The ad is called “the gift that gives back”. Let us sincerely hope, for this woman’s sake, that what it gives him back is a divorce: My fellow men: If you only ever listen to one piece of advice, let it be this: Do not, under any circumstances, present your wife with an exercise bike […]
Known as the fastest field game in the world, a sliotar can top 93mph from a good strike. Hurling is also mentioned in the 11th/ 12th century Leabhar na hUidre, while further descriptions are to be found in 13th/14th century romantic tale Cath Mhaigh Tuireadh Chunga. This latter account details a very bloody hurling game […]
ON THIS DAY: 3RD DECEMBER 1974: Maguire Seven charged with possessing materials for bomb making 40-year-old Irish born Anne Maguire, from North London, was convicted of possessing nitro-glycerine, which was then allegedly passed on for use to the IRA. Her husband, Patrick Maguire, 42 was also sentenced to 14 years imprisonment. Her two younger sons, […]
The Book of Kells is Ireland’s greatest cultural treasure and the world’s most famous medieval manuscript. It contains the four Gospels in Latin based on the Vulgate text which St Jerome completed in 384AD, intermixed with readings from the earlier Old Latin translation. The book is written on vellum (prepared calfskin) in a bold and […]
Thomas Clarke Luby was an Irish revolutionary, author, journalist and one of the founding members of the Irish Republican Brotherhood. He was a member of Daniel O’Connell Repeal Association whose aim was to repeal the 1801 Act of Union between Great Britain and Ireland. He parted company with O’Connell after the repeal campaign failed, having […]
A few months ago, shortly after this website launched, we were one of the very few voices to stand up for Young Fine Gael President, Killian Foley-Walsh, after he and some colleagues were denounced for attending a conference in Washington D.C. held by the Young Americas Foundation. A quick reminder: “The young man in the […]
An interesting question posed on twitter this morning by David Quinn: Caroline West of DCU wants children taught 'porn literacy'. Question; does she share the view of some researchers in this area that there is such a thing as 'ethical porn', or does she believe porn is bad, per se? #todaysor — David Quinn (@DavQuinn) […]
The Irish Citizen Army was founded at the height of the Dublin Lockout of 1913 to protect strikers at their demonstrations from the police. Three years later it took part, alongside the Irish Volunteers, in the insurrection of Easter 1916. Its leader James Connolly along with his second, Michael Mallin, were executed for their part […]
ON THIS DAY: 21 NOVEMBER 615: SAINT COLUMBANUS (Columbán meaning white dove) died in present day Italy As an Irish missionary, he was notable for founding a number of monasteries from around 590 in the Frankish and Lombard kingdoms, most notably Luxeuil Abbey in present-day France and Bobbio Abbey in present-day Italy. He was one […]