And welcome to the light half of the year! If you’ve never watched the sunrise at Newgrange in Ireland, you should. They’ve been live streaming it the last couple of years, and it’s amazing. I still can’t wrap my mind around how the ancient people constructed this. You can see photos and learn more at…
Author: Cindy Thomson
Original Christmas Tune from the Doans
I have some friends I’ve never met in person. Maybe you do too. Many years ago Deirdra Doan answered an email I’d sent to her husband, Celtic musician John Doan. I sent them a copy of Brigid of Ireland and John sent me a CD of his music. Since then Deirdra and I became friends,…
More Irish Christmas Traditions
You can find all kinds of Irish Christmas decorations now. I found an Irish Christmas angel ornament at a local department store and have ordered others, like the star below, online. But the truth is America decorates in a much more lavish manner than other countries do. Actually, that might not be a surprise to…
As I Went Out Walking
I came across this original song posted on YouTube. It’s just beautiful. I’ve posted the words to the song below the video. I could not find the songwriter’s name, but here is a link to her YouTube page. Enjoy and Merry Christmas! As I went out walking in the snowUnder cold and silver moonlightI thought I…
Stop 1 on the Ancient Brigid Tour: Dublin part one
Since there was no consensus when I asked my readers group where I should start blogging on the places we’ll see on the #ancientbrigidtour2023, I’ll start with Dublin. (Everyone chose a different spot! I should have known!) Dublin is where most people fly in and out of Ireland. A little history: Dublin was founded by…
The Celtic Love of Books
Treasured Books I love telling the story of how St. Columcille (Columba) loved books. They were rare in the 6th century when he lived, and to have one and be able to make your own copy to keep and study was the greatest treasure to saints and scholars. Columcille, whose name means Dove of the…
Irish Christmas Traditions
Want to partake in an Irish Christmas tradition? Go whitewash an outbuilding. The four weeks prior to Christmas (Advent) were traditionally times when folks in Ireland cleaned, preparing for the blessed event. Men whitewashed the outhouse while the women scrubbed the floors inside the house. Before the Christian era this tradition was thought to be…
O Holy Night
This is so beautiful. Turn up your speakers and be blessed.
A Few of My Favorite Things
Do you have special ornaments you hang on your tree? Today I’m going to share a few of my favorites. I’d love to see and hear about your favorites in the comments. I bought this Brigid’s cross ornament in an Irish import store a few years ago. This year I dropped it. You can see…
The Woman Who Illustrated Victorian Advertising
At the turn of the century a woman named Maud Humphrey (March 30, 1868 – November 22, 1940) created artwork that was extremely popular. Some of it appeared on calendars, advertisements, children’s books, and greeting cards. By the late 19th century she was one of the best known illustrators of children, helping to sell watches,…
