This post originally appeared on an older blog in 2011. The Vikings were conquerers largely because of their ships. Whether it’s the Viking influence or something else, Belfast has been building for a long time. Even before the Vikings, however, the Irish were boat builders. They may not have had longboats, but they may have…
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Ireland’s Royal Heritage
When someone with Irish roots boasts that he is related to an Irish king, don’t be surprised. Ancient Ireland was divided into five kingdoms–five! The island is approximately the size of the state of Indiana, which of course is only one of fifty states in our “kingdom.” Each Irish kingdom had a provisional “king”, and…
Trinity College Dublin
Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland, was founded by Queen Elizabeth I in 1592 (the charter was granted in December 1591.) Dublin donated the grounds, the site of the ruined monastery, All Hallows, which had been founded in 1166 by Dermot MacMurrough (a most interesting character that I will have to blog more about someday.) The oldest building…
Sketching History
One Man’s Contribution Austin Cooper, historian, lived from 1759-1830. His family now refers to him as the Antiquary to distinguish him from the many Austins in the family line. Cooper was a Fellow of the Royal Society of Antiquaries in London, but perhaps his greatest contribution to preserving history was his drawings. He traveled about…
Celtic Music from Adagio Trio
This is from a post on my old blog dating back to 2011. I’m delight to see this trio is still performing! Today I’m bringing you a Q&A from a musical group called Adagio Trio. They have a Celtic CD out you might like to sample. From their web site: The Adagio Trio was founded…
Happy St. David’s Day!
This post originally appeared on my old blog in 2010. I’ll be visiting Wales in September so I’m excited to revisit this information! Today is the feast day of the patron saint of Wales. His name in Welsh is Dewi and he lived from about 500-589. He was another of the great teaching monks of…
The Real St. Patrick
This is an article I wrote for a magazine that decided to go with another writer’s article instead. At the time this really annoyed me because it had been assigned to me. So I posted it on my old blog and am re-posting it here. The Real St. Patrick © 2007 Cindy Thomson, All Rights…
Celtic Voices
Celtic Voices, the title I chose for my old blog, refers to the voices St. Patrick heard long ago. Many people credit Patrick for bringing Christianity to Ireland. In principle this is true, but technically there were Christians in Ireland before he came, first as a slave at the age of 16, and later as…
Groundhog Day’s Irish Origin
A version of this post was originally published on an older blog in 2010. There is a good chance Groundhog Day came out of Ireland. Here’s why: In ancient times there were no weathermen. The ancient people had to predict the weather themselves so they turned to nature to help them, specifically the hedgehog. On…
Brigid Interpretations
A version of this post first appeared on my old blog in 2010. Brigid of Ireland is my interpretation of the saint’s early life. Others have their own interpretations. Below is the book trailer for a children’s book, The Life of Saint Brigid. It was written by Jane G Meyer, illustrated by Zachary Lynch. I love the…