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 […]
The Gift Of Peacefulness In Celtic Words Of Wisdom
As we prepare to say good-bye to 2014 and celebrate the start of 2015, I’m avoiding my annual pit-fall of writing a long list of resolutions. I’m only destined to break them long before the end of January. As 2014 draws to a close, I’m simply taking time for reflection. Instead of sharing ill-fated resolutions […]
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, […]
Between The Jigs And The Reels
My West Cork granny frequently referred to jigs and reels in her daily speech. Whenever she was a little flustered, in a hurry, or feeling chaotic, she would make an exclamation about Irish dancing, no less. “Between the jigs and the reels, I don’t know whether I’m coming or going.” Any stranger would believe […]
Donegal Sunsets
As the sun sets, magic spreads across the world. But according to Oscar Wilde, my obsession with sunsets is very old fashioned, and a sign that I may even be a bit of a stick-in-the-mud. Oscar Wilde believed we don’t value sunsets because we don’t have to pay for them. No matter how “unfashionable” it […]
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 […]
Thou Shalt Not Blow Your Own Trumpet – A Commandment Of The Irish Psyche
Irish people do not like to show off. We have a palpable fear of being perceived to blow our own trumpets, so much so I feel confident in claiming self-deprecation and self-effacement are traits of the Irish psyche. Image Credit “Who do you think you are?” To most Americans this is a question […]
Wise Old Words From Ireland For Mother’s Day
Wishing all mothers of the world a very happy Mother’s Day. This holiday may be celebrated on different days throughout the world, but this weekend let’s join American families to honor our mothers with sincerest sentiments of love and gratitude. To mark this day I thought I might share some Irish wisdom on motherhood and […]
The Irish Psyche And Sigmund Freud
The Irish psyche is a deep topic for a blog post on the day after St. Patrick’s Day, when many facets of said psyche were on display all over the world. As I did a little research for this post I came across a quotation attributed to the father of psychoanalysis himself, Sigmund Freud. […]
This New Year I Hope You Dance As If No One Is Watching
On this the first day of 2013 many are waking up with a keen determination to stick to New Year’s resolutions. Some choose one lofty goal, others take on the world with a lengthy list of drastic lifestyle changes they truly believe will create inner happiness. Image Credit I like the idea of commitment to […]
