Holidays and festivals
St Patrick's Day, Halloween, Christmas and the festivals.
Where to Go for St. Patrick’s Day
Where to go for St. Patrick’s Day? Of course, Ireland. And definitely Dublin. But what if your travel feet itch and decide to choose another city this year? Some of the places to go for St.
Head Over to the Vatican for Easter
The casual observer might think that the only thing tying Ireland and Italy together - besides the fact that they're both in Europe - is the first letter of their names.
St. Patrick's Day: should you travel to Dublin or... Boston?
Saint Patrick's Day is observed on March 17 and celebrates Saint Patrick. In Ireland it is a national holiday, while in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Argentina and New…
Festivals in Galway
When people talk about the city of Galway , some would say that it is the popular home of musicians, artists as well as writers while others will state that it is the host to many festivals happening…
Festivals in Dublin
Everyday in the city of Dublin , Ireland is like a festival. Indeed, festivals and Dublin have a close connection as Dublin brings a selection of festivals that include art, cultural and religious…
Clonmel Junction Festival
Clonmel may not be on most peoples' list of places to visit when they're planning a trip to Ireland, but sometimes a good festival is enough to make you change your plans.
Kilkenny Cat Laughs Comedy Festival
If you need an excuse to head to Kilkenny in June, the Cat Laughs Comedy Festival is a great one - in addition to the usual sights of Kilkenny, this festival gives you an excuse to laugh yourself…
Galway International Oyster Festival
When you think of Galway , Ireland, what's the first thing that comes to mind? Why, it's oysters, of course! It's not?
Last weekend of the world Fleadh
Only in its second year, The World Fleadh finishes its week-long stint in Portlaoise (its inaugural year was in Kerry).
St Patrick's Day moved?
Have you heard about this? Seriously, NOT a joke. Saint Patrick's Day 2008 will be on March 15th, not the 17th. This is not the first time the day has been moved, it happened back in 1940.
Post-festival litter in Athlone
Just lookit 'em there - looking so geared-up, so athletic, so noble in their pursuit of personal challenge.
Irish Festival Season
Despite the lousy weather, it's festival season in Ireland . Aside from this weekend's TriAthlone here in town and the Phoenix Festival in Tullamore, Ballinasloe is getting in on the action with…
Omagh Festival
Hey, just a heads-up to anyone up the north this June, the annual Omagh Carnival starts this Friday the 22nd of June. Music, arts and crafts and general merry-making with be the order of the day.
RTE All-Ireland Drama Festival
Shite! I totally forgot to mention that this is the last weekend of the RTE All-Ireland Drama festival!!!
Athlone IRA Statue Easter Remembrance
It's that time of year again when flowers start appearing at the foot of Athlone's IRA statue.
Irish Easter Eggs
Maybe it's just me and my yankee upbringings, but Easter Eggs were actually real eggs when I was a kid.
Beannachtaí na Cásca - Happy Easter!
Happy Easter, everyone! Yes, the roaming hoardes of tourists and foreign nationals wandering in befuddlement on Good Friday looking for ANY place that would serve them a drink will now be shocked at…
Mad weather in Athlone on Paddy's weekend
What you see above are two photos taken just minutes apart from each other. Falling snow is hard to photograph, but the snowfall in the left picture was so heavy I couldn't believe it didn't stick…
Saint Patrick's Day Parade in Athlone
Here it is folks: the Saint Paddy's Day parade for your viewing pleasure. Rain and all, witness the spectacle below:
Athlonians on Saint Patrick's Day
So yesterday after the parade I interviewed a few locals here in Athlone for the craíc. Most of these are in Sean's Bar, the oldest pub in Ireland (and the world, for that matter).
Travelistic Paddy's Day short
The Travelistic folks' nod to Saint Patrick's Day. They even mention Sean's Bar here in Athlone - come on the town!
Saint Patrick's Day in Athlone
Well, not entirely. I had asked the bootsnall forum if there was anywhere folks would like me to go and report back on for Paddy's day, but I'm sorry to say I didn't get a single suggestion!
Athlone gears up for Paddy's day
To your left there is the billboard up at St Peter's square announcing the festivities planned for St Patrick's day weekend here in Athlone.
Definitive History of Saint Patrick
Well, it's all bit a of a build-up at this point to Saint Patrick's Day. I thought I would do a post on the man himself based on my vast knowledge of all things Patricus.
Pancake Tuesday in Ireland
Lest we forget - Ireland is still a Catholic nation. Today is the day before Ash Wednesday, the Tuesday commonly known as "Pancake Tuesday" here in Ireland.
New Year's Eve in Ireland
Well, of course the Irish love to celebrate the New Year. The ancient celtic new year is, of course, in October and is called samhain .
Christmas Castle crime!
Good lord, someone has tagged the castle. I dunno, after 800 years, maybe a new coat of paint, but tagging? Really?
St Stephen's Day in Ireland
I'm not aware that this day has any particular designation in the states other than "the day after Christmas," or "the second biggest shopping day of the year." I know the Canadians go into the…
Last-minute Christmas shopping in Ireland
So if you're anything like me, it's December the 23rd and you still haven't finished your Christmas shopping.
Anatomy of an Irish company Christmas party
Stage one: Arrival. Members of the company trickle into the hotel lobby and are greeted with complimentary mulled wine. Most wisely avoid this and purchase a beverage of their choice at . . .
Grafton Street Christmas
If you come to Ireland you will probably visit Dublin. If you visit Dublin you will probably wander onto Grafton Street.
Christmas Cranes
What you see there to your left is the tallest crane in Ireland . . . or should I say the tallest Christmas lights in Ireland?
Moate bonfire
Again my suspicion that the Irish tradition of bonfire burning was dying out (hehe - get it? "dying out" . . . nevermind) has taken another blow.
Bonfires galore!
Perhaps I spoke too soon - submitted for your consideration is the above: an approprately spooky and festive bunch carousing around a bonfire on all hallows eve - the ancient festival celebrating the…
Bobbing for apples at Irish Halloween parties
Back in the states we have a lot of traditions on Halloween and a number of party games often used throughout the year. One of the ones remember fondly was bobbing for apples.
Irish Bonfires a thing of the past?
So last night the Bean, the 15-year-old vietnamese boy, Anne-Marie and I piled into Betsy II and headed two hours north for a bonfire.
Irish halloween musings
So I was listening to Gerry Ryan today and, at the end of his show Fiona Looney came on and the two of them began discussing halloween.
Turnip carving video
Can I tell you a secret? Once a year I carry a camera with me for 24 hours and then edit it down to about 15 minutes.
Turnip carving
What you see there to your left is the final result of my experiment in reviving an ancient Irish tradition: the carving of a turnip into a jack-o-lantern.
The pumpkin harvest
Still under the weather, nevertheless, I managed to get out and run some errands today. What you see to your left is 12 pumpkins, a munchkin and a turnip. Yes, I have the turnip.
Samhain
I've discussed jack-o-laterns here yesterday, but the whole turnip/pumpkin thing isn't the only difference between celebrations in the states and in Ireland this time of year.
Carving Pumpkins in Ireland
Our flat is now decorated for Halloween. I wish I could stick some pictures up here, but the upload pictures function on my blog isn't currently working. Sorry, folks!