Oh, my, how this debate continues on. As St. Brigid’s Day (Feb. 1) approaches, I’m always thinking about this and I keep coming back to the same question: to the Irish, it hardly matters, so why do Irish Americans keep asking? I’m not annoyed by it, however. Asking questions, searching for answers, is never wrong. … The post St. Brigid: Saint? Goddess? Legend? appeared first on Irish Fireside Travel and Culture ..read more

In an era of religious oppression, one Irish priest found a way to circumvent the laws and inspire his congregation on the Loop Head Peninsula in County Clare. He built the Little Ark of Kilbaha. Links: Loop Head Tourism: www.loophead.ie County Clare Tourism: www.clare.ie Lahinch Golf: www.lahinchgolf.com Doonbeg Golf: www.trumpgolfireland.com Cliffs of Moher: www.cliffsofmoher.ie Shannon […] The post #161 Ireland’s Little Ark (audio & video versions) appeared first on Irish Fireside Travel and Culture ..read more

Holycross didn’t always have that name… until the arrival of a relic of the True Cross arrived it was known as the Church of the Eight Hands — for rather gruesome reasons. There’s a lot more to this church than you might notice on first glance, and I’m happy to tell you some highlights. Links: […] The post #160 The Glory of Holycross (audio and video versions) appeared first on Irish Fireside Travel and Culture ..read more

In the tiny village of Kilcormac, there’s a holy statue that has been safeguarded by the locals for hundreds of years. It has survived religious suppression, Cromwell’s armies, and a parish priest who thought it belonged with him. Audio Version: Links: Kilcormac at Visit Offaly: https://www.visitoffaly.ie/Places-to-Go/Kilcormac/ Kilbeggan Distillery: https://www.kilbegganwhiskey.com/ Tullamore D.E.W. Distillery: https://www.tullamoredew.com/ Durrow High […] The post #159 The Pietà in the Bog (video & audio versions) appeared first on Irish Fireside Travel and Culture ..read more

Timahoe isn’t too far off the M7 motorway between Dublin and Limerick. Its round tower is among the best in Ireland, and the towns tribute to St Muchta (Muchua) will charm any visitor. In this episode I introduce you to a bit of the history and charms of Timahoe, County Laois, and sites nearby. If […] The post #158 The Secrets of Timahoe (Audio & Video) appeared first on Irish Fireside Travel and Culture ..read more

Our annual Secret Santa Gift Exchange is wrapping up… or maybe I should say unwrapping. Here are some of the gifts that Irish Firesiders sent to other Irish Firesiders around the world: (if you sent a Secret Santa report and don’t see it below, let Corey know — some reports were edited for length and […] The post Look What Our 2019 Santa Have Been Up To appeared first on Irish Fireside Travel and Culture ..read more

We’re bringing back our little tradition known as the Irish Fireside Secret Santa Gift Exchange. This will be the ELEVENTH YEAR giving our online community a chance to interact offline by sending each other PRESENTS!!! This will also be our final year hosting this event. It’s been loads of fun, but the time has come […] The post Secret Santa Grand Finale appeared first on Irish Fireside Travel and Culture ..read more

You may know the story of St Brigid of Kildare. She’s the 5th Century saint whose profile is on par with St Patrick in Ireland. There are statues and churches and holy wells with her name on them thoughout the Emerald Isle. Longtime Irish Fireside contributor Cindy Thomson even wrote some historical fiction on the […] The post St Brigid’s Cross Giveaway appeared first on Irish Fireside Travel and Culture ..read more

Whether it’s because you don’t have an international plan for your smartphone or you simply hit a deadzone, it’s a good idea to download local maps to your phone before you get lost in Ireland. In this episode, I walk you through the “hidden” feature in Google Maps that lets you get directions even when […] The post #157 Downloading Offline Google Maps for Navigation in Ireland – VIDEO appeared first on Irish Fireside Travel and Culture ..read more