Homeland Art

1. Have a Perfect Pint of Guinness

Go to the Guinness Storehouse at St. James Gate, Dublin. The site of the an old fermentation plant has been transformed into the Guinness Storehouse and Museum. The tour is pretty good (a little too much marketing blasted at you for my liking) but the best part about it is the pint of Guinness you get at the Gravity Bar. This is a perfect pint and the 360 degree view of Dublin city is breathtaking (if it’s a nice day off course).

Mulligan’s on Poolbeg Street also serves an exquisite pint of Guinness and it is my favorite if I have a “goo for a Guinness”. It’s not a place I’d have at the top of my list if I was with my wife (she likes her comforts) but if I’m with the lads it’s a great place to start off the night. James Joyce was a famous patron of this famous establishment.

Here is Mulligans’ website for more information.

2. Go Surfing

It is said that Ireland has the second best breaks in the world after Hawaii. Just make sure you bring your wet suit! The water temperature is not tropical. Surfing in Ireland in recent years has become extremely popular.

There are plenty of world class surf spots along the coast from Portrush in County Antrim to Tramore in the south.

For more information visit the Irish Surfing Association’s website.

3. See The Ceide Fields

The Ceide Fields are the oldest known field system in the world. Dating back over five and a half millenia. On the north Mayo coastline this unique experience will give you an insight into the difficult life of early Irish settlers. A local schoolteacher discovered the site in the 1930’s and there is a visitor centre on the site which you visit when in the area.

For more information visit the Ceide Fields Visitor Centre’s website.

4. Visit Brooklodge Hotel

Macreddin Village, Aughrim, County Wicklow.
My wife and I love this place. Personally, I don’t think I have ever been as relaxed as I was after spending a couple of nights here. We didn’t even leave the grounds of the hotel, there’s no need to. We saw a super concert by Mary Coughlan in the chapel on the grounds. From memory, there were 10 or 12 rows (benches) and about 10 or 12 people on each bench. Boy, can Mary belt out a few tunes. She didn’t sing “Ride On” which I was hoping she would but nonetheless it was fantastic. After the show we retired to the bar where I sank into my seat listening to a great jazz band.

There is a fantastic, totally organic, restaurant in the hotel. The Strawberry Tree is the only certified organic restaurant in Ireland. The food here is top notch.

Here is Brooklodge’s website for more information.

5. Go to the Galway Arts Festival.
It takes place every year and it just finished this year, so start preparing for next year. The festival has a large variety of arts including visual art, dance, theatre, comedy, and music. I wrote a blog here detailing some of my favourite acts this year.

For more information visit the Galway Arts Festival website.

6. Visit the Aran Islands.

Situated off the west coast of Ireland, in the mouth of the Galway Bay, the Aran Islands are a must see.  The scenery is breathtaking. They are comprised of three islands: Inis Mor, Inis Meain, and Inis Oirr (the Big Island, the Middle Island, and the South Island, respectively). The islands are rich in the language, culture, and heritage of Ireland.
The Islands can be reached by boat from Rossaveal or by plane at Connemara Regional Airport.
For more information have a look at this website. 

7. Take a Black Taxi tour of Belfast.

This is a very interesting trip. The cab driver will take you around Belfast, up and down the Falls and Shankill roads where you can see the murals from the times of “The Troubles”. You can then drive down to the shipyard area where the Titanic was built. You will also see the political districts which have borne the brunt of The Troubles over the last 30 years.

For more information check out this website

8. Go to the Ring of Kerry.

This is a special part of Ireland. It’s spectacular beauty is beyond question. It is a natural centre for outdoor pursuits including golf, watersports, hiking, cycling, horse riding, and the very best fishing for trout and salmon. The Ring of Kerry has some of the best beaches in Europe. The Ring of Kerry is my favorite part of Ireland, but then again I might be a little biased. Both my paternal grandparents are from Kerry. My grandfather from Glenbeigh and my grandmother from Knocknagoshal.

Here’s a good website for further information

9. Take a boat trip on the River Shannon.

Cruising the River Shannon is probably the most relaxing thing you could do. The beauty of a trip like this is that you can go up the Shannon at your own pace. There are plenty of quaint villages with welcoming pubs serving pints of Guinness to the sound of traditional Irish Music. You can stop off wherever you like and stay as long as you like because your bed is back on the boat. Bring your golf clubs and fishing rods. There are plenty of opportunities for both.

For more information on boat rentals and tours look here.

10. The Galway Oyster Festival.

Last but not least or maybe we have left the best to last: The Galway Oyster Festival takes place this year from Thursday 25th  September until Sunday 28th September. This festival is great fun. As we say here in Ireland: “The craic is mighty”. Galway City comes alive as many thousands of people come from all over the world to celebrate the oyster, a food known for it’s remarkable romantic powers! A weekend of non stop entertainment which features national and international top class entertainment. Miss this at your ‘pearl’!

We hope you enjoyed reading about our favorite spots. We are sure there are other spots people think should be up there with the best. Let us know. We would love to hear from you.

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Ireland is a land of rich art and culture. English is the main language spoken in Ireland although Irish language is also prevalent in some parts of Ireland. Art has flourished well in Ireland and the artists are highly respected here. Most of the art works of various artists can be found in museums and art galleries. These galleries are opened to all.

The art galleries usually conduct exhibitions of many artists every year and some special exhibitions will be held on festival seasons. These exhibitions are preserving the art works and are offering for sale also.

Ireland is famous for its fairy tales. They have a wide range of beliefs and practices relating to death and burial. The waking of dead was an important social ritual which involved praying and singing. There are lots of folklores about Irish saints. These saints were renowned for their sacred powers and they helped people in curing illness. The most celebrated saint is St. Patrick and St. Patrick’s Day is one of the important festivals in Ireland.

Irish art normally consists of carvings and they used bright primary colors. Decorative arts such as goldsmithery plaster work and glass works established well in Ireland in the 17th century. Contemporary Irish paintings and sculptures started to flourish from 18th century.

Later the Irish artists began to work on abstract expressionism mode. Contemporary sculptures are more abstract and clever and most of thee contemporary artists are greatly respected by the art lovers all over the world. Ireland art and culture is famous in whole world.

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Europe was ruled over by the Celts some thousands of years ago. The celts had a heritage of artwork which included celtic tattoos, knot work, lettering and names. They did not keep any written records of their artwork and they remembered everything and thus propagated their art. It is a huge culture consisting of pictures, designs, extensive metal work.  

The various art forms of the celts can be enumerated as below:

Cross art:  The celtic cross was believed to be the most powerful cross and there were interpretations and legends attached to it. It became an emblem which gave identity to the Irish and the Scottish people. This cross is also used in celtic designs, clip arts, jewellery etc.       

Knot art: In celtic art celtic knots are the main pattern. Since early Medieval times, ringed cross has been celtic symbol in Ireland, Scotland, Wales and the parts of Britain under influence of earlyCelticChurch. 

Clip art: The celtic clip art consisted of various information providing images. It is a collection of crosses, knots, weapons, rings, birds, buttons, shapes, shield devices, borders, lines, letters, symbols and much more.  

Tattoo art: The celts surely knew how to dye and paint their bodies and from there evolved the ideas of tattooing. They tattooed various celtic symbols, animal figures, celtic cross and knot tattoos which came to know as celtic body art.  

Irish celtic art: It is mainly a combination of celtic knots, crosses and tattoos. Various pictures had different meanings and are beautifully made. For example, the hound of Cuchulainn was supposed to protect people and the celtic territory. 

Thus the celtic art is a massive and a beautiful historical collection which greatly contributed to European history.

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The Irish Americans are citizens of United States whose ancestors were originated from Ireland. Ronald Reagan and John F. Kennedy are some of the popular Irish Americans.  The reasons why the Irish people immigrated to America are as follows: Economic hardships, social policies, famine and some religious intolerance were the major reasons for Irish immigrating to America.  The main reason for Irish migration to US was to escape the potato famine. People had to leave their land for survival. The potato was the important food crop in Ireland at the time. Yet they also grew oats, grains etc. But the poorest people could not afford to buy oats and thus they were increasingly dependant on the potato. The great famine attacked Ireland in the early 1800s and therefore 35% of Irish people depended on the potato as their main source of food. In 1830s the Government decided to tackle poverty. One such policy includes subsidized immigration to America.  There was little or no industry in Ireland. Hence the native Irish people wanted to go abroad o improve their life style. America became a destination for many Irish people.  Irish catholic people migrated to America to work as domestic servants or as a result of penal exile. Between 1820 and 1840 more catholic Irish immigrated to America. Most of the Irish immigrants settled in big cities of America like New York, Boston etc. they became the urbanized group in America while few of them settled a farmers. The Irish Catholic immigrants had high organization qualities and therefore they became the leaders of many Catholic Church in United States.

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Many people migrated from Ireland and settled in various parts of America due to famine and some other political reasons. Some of such Irish Americans supported and became leaders of union efforts. The Irish Americans are noted for their organization abilities. 

Mary Jones later known as Mother Jones, an Irish American sacrificed her 50 years of life in uniting the workers of various occupations in the country. She had faced many difficulties including imprisonment but she had earned lot of reputation. Irish Americans took active part in politics also. Richard Daley was elected as Chicago mayor. He played a vital role in the history of Democratic Party. He served as democratic Boss in

Chicago for 21 years. John F. Kennedy was elected as 35^th American President. He is the only president to have won the famous Pulitzer Prize. His foreign policies with Iran, Ireland, and Berlin etc were world famous. He showed interest in space programs also. The Irish Americans were changed by America as they changed America. Ronald Regan is an Irish American and he was the 40^th president of United States of America. He made lot of political and economic changes in the country. He was elected as US president two times from 1981 to 85 and 1985 to 89.
Francis O Neil is another famous Irish American who was noted for his career as police officer and collector of Irish traditional music. He devoted much of his life to collecting music, publishing and editing it in several volumes.

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Irish people are festival lovers. They celebrate both religious and secular festivals with joy.

Christmas is the main festival in Ireland. All the streets are decorated with lights and Christmas trees are mounted in front of the buildings. Food plays a vital role in celebration in Ireland. The traditional menu for Christmas in most of the families is a Goose or Turkey with stuffing and roasted potatoes. Christmas cakes and puddings will also be included in the menu.

St. Stephen’s day is a national holiday in Ireland. St. Patrick’ day is celebrated on March 17 in Ireland to honor the saint. Colorful parades pass through the towns and cities on this day. Special dinner will be arranged on that day. People will wear green dresses, batches, buttons etc. The tradition of drinking Patrick pot is also observed.

Ester is another important festival in Ireland. A large cake will be exhibited for all to see. Men will dance and the one who dances most will take the cake. Good Friday is observed as a day of fasting. The people will observe silence from noon to three in the after noon. Then they will visit the grave yards and in the evening they will take any sea food

Bonfire night will be celebrated on the shortest night of the year. People will dance and tell stories around the fire. Autumn Harvest festival is celebrated in Ireland when farmers bring their harvests to town. Meal is prepared with potatoes and this festival includes lot of dancing and singing.

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Irish people worshipped earth Goddesses, rising and setting Sun and Water goddesses only before the arrival of St. Patrick. St. Patrick arrived in 5^th century and his Christian missionaries worked to spread Christianity among them.

Irish history had been changed after the arrival of St. Patrick.The Christian missionaries mingled with local kings and families. Conversion of Irish people to Christianity was a gradual process. It was easy to spread Christianity in Ireland since the religious system prevalent in Ireland fitted with Christianity well in many aspects. Therefore the conversion process was made without any violence. St. Patrick got more success in preaching to the kings and he converted the Celtic pagan festivals. St. Patrick and his missionary members built many small churches. Writing came with Christianity in Ireland and thus the Churches controlled the education and they became the primary means of literature in the country. Thus Christianity embedded its root well in 6^th century after the death of St. Patrick.

Ireland became a centre from which Christianity spread to Britain and other European countries. There was a slave trade in Ireland which was ended by Christian missionaries. The Celtic Christians played an important role in preservation of learning even before the renaissance happened in other European Countries. The Irish monasteries engaged themselves in preserving ancient civilization through copying secular and religious literature. The Celtic Christians were mainly responsible for saving civilization and Christianity.Latin alphabets were introduced to Ireland only after the emergence of Christianity. Latin was used as a medium of education and Celtic Irish language remained in daily life.

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Ireland is a land of artists and saints. The ancient history of Ireland revealed the fact that the country had lot of emigrants from Britain and other parts of European continent. Ireland had face great change only after the arrival of Saint Patrick and other Christian missionaries whop had spread the Christianity in the country. Even now his death day March 17 is observed as St Patrick’s Day all over Ireland.

From the year 800 Ireland was suffered from the invasion of Vikings for more than one century. Then Ireland had regained self governing status by way of Irish Parliament. He power was in the hands of Anglo Irish only at that time. The Anglican ere the minority people and the majority Roman Catholic people suffered a lot. They were suppressed by the minority Anglicans and they were refused of any political or economical status. In the year 1801 the parliament in Ireland was abolished and Ireland had become a colony of Great Britain. Ireland had experienced major economical changes during the rule of Great Britain.

Ireland got freedom from British rule in he year 1922 after 4 years of freedom struggle. Twenty six counties of southern Ireland got freedom from Britain and had formed a free state. Dublin had become the capital of southern Ireland. Northern Ireland with six counties remained part of Great Britain.

The flag for Southern Ireland has tri colors. In which green stands for Roman Catholic, Orange for Protestants and white for the desired peace between the two categories. But Northern Ireland has the same flag of Great Britain

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From it’s beginnings over 1000 years ago, Dublin city has become one of Europe’s most well known cities and thousands of visitors flock here every year for it’s friendliness, beauty, charm and fun. 

Dublin’s official date of establishment is 988 but there is evidence that there was a settlement here back in the 2nd century when it was named Eblana. Many old artefacts of the first Norman Vikings have been found at the first site at the present day Wood Quay, situated in the city centre.

In the 9th Century, the town was captured by the Danes.  The fighting irish wrestled control od Dublin on a number of occassions notably in 1052, 1075 and1124.  In 1171 the Anglo-Normans, led by Henry II expelled the Danes.

Until the middle of the 17th century, Dublin remained a small, walled medieval town.  In 1649 the town was taken over by Oliver Cromwell.  There were 9,000 residents and the town was in a state of disrepair. By the end of the 17th century, however, there was a huge surge in the growth of Dublin.  Many protestant refugees from around Europe poured into Dublin. Over the next century, Dublin grew hugely and became the second city of the British Empire. This madew Dublin an exciting city for the Protestant Ascendancy. In 1800 the Act of Union abolished Dublin’s parliament and immeadiately reduced Dublin status. A long decline set in and only started to reverse after Ireland got it’s independance in 1922 after severe fighting at the Easter Uprising of 1916 and the revolution of 1919 to 1921, which resulted in the establishment of the Irish Free State.

After independance Dublin became the political, economical, and cultural centre of Ireland. South of the river is Dublin Castle which was built in 1204 and almost totally rebuilt in the 18th century. Today is the site of the inaugurations of the presidents of Ireland. Near the castle are Christ Church and Saint Patrick’s, Dublin’s two protestant cathedrals. Both date from Dublin’s earliest days as a Viking settlement.

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If you are Irish and want to know about your ancestors, family history, the meaning of your surname and the area of Ireland your ancestors came from then a good start is the Irish Genealogy forum. You can get the necessary details of your ancestors like birth, death, marriage, status etc. Most people are interested in knowing the history of our ancestors.
The Northern Ireland Genealogy is provided by emerald ancestor’s web page. You just enter your surname and forename with correct spelling. Then you can get the history of your ancestors over the last 200 years. You can get the search results within 20 minutes.

You can search easily by selecting the particular region in the alphabetical list.Irish genealogy database helps you to find your roots. You can discover the exact origin of your ancestors. Since most of the Irish people were emigrants, the search will help you to find from where your ancestors came. You can get the family heritages by choosing the location sites. You can get the birth and death records of your ancestors. Your search will be allotted to a professional who will find your Irish origin.If you want to know the details of your ancestors’ gravestone, you can get it from this website. You can get the burial location, year and other details about your ancestors’ gravestone. Many of the Irish emigrants were forced to leave their homeland due to the great famine. You can get the details about such ancestors in Irish genealogy database.

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