Did you know that marking the beginning of each new year on January 1st is a relatively new custom in Ireland? Believe it or not, this practice is less than 300 years old. Until recent years New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day celebrations were very subdued in Ireland. The Irish national folklore archive does […]
Irish Superstitions From Days Gone By
The Irish were a superstitious race, a spiritual people who believed in the power of magic, myth and creation. Here we explore some of these old superstitions.
Furze – The Yellow Flower Of The Irish Landscape
Ireland’s hills and hedgerows are blooming with the golden glow of yellow furze. This prolific plant adds stunning color to the Irish landscape each and every year. A Plant Of Many Names: Now this hill brightening plant bears many names throughout Ireland. I grew up calling it furze. In northern counties this landscape illuminator […]
Irish Primrose Superstitions And Lore
When I think of Ireland, I imagine hedgerows of delicate primroses in spring. I love to see these yellow blossoms in shady banks, damp woods, along the roadside, or peeping between the blocks of old stone walls. I wasn’t one bit surprised to learn this wild flower of Ireland was considered sacred by our Celtic […]
Bidding Farewell – A Not-So-Simple Irish Ritual
Saying goodbye and departing a friend’s home may be a simple act in America, but in Ireland there is an unwritten code of honor that guides farewell rituals. There are superstitions that must be adhered to, or God forbid you may draw some form of ill fate upon your unsuspecting self. I always remember my […]
Irish Halloween Superstitions Foretelling Romance, Love And Marriage
Move over Valentine’s Day – Halloween is nearly here, and in olden days in Ireland, this was the time of year for predicting romances, just waiting to flourish. The Irish were, and still are, a very superstitious race. Since we will be celebrating Halloween at the end of this month (or all through this month, […]
The Irish – A Superstitious Race
Ireland is a land of superstitions. Take it from me. I grew up surrounded by these superstitions. Pheasant feathers or lilac were never to be brought into my granny’s house. God forbid a robin landed on a window sill and flew indoors – he bore the news of imminent death. When visiting a house for […]
A Full Moon Over Dublin Bay
During my time in Ireland this year I have been a very lucky moon-gazer. Our summertime night skies haven’t been blighted by typical Irish cloudy skies. I’ve been blessed to observe the full moon in all its glory casting a torchlike glow over Dublin, illuminating both sea and land. Dublin Bay by the light of […]
What I Miss About Ireland: Robins
Robins remind me of Ireland. I remember gardening with my mother as a child, and being amazed by how tame robins appeared. They often followed us around the garden, pecking for worms and insects in the grass as we worked. Irish robins are much smaller than the American variety. I remember seeing an American robin […]
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