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Category Archives: History
Ireland=Middle-earth
My name is Kerry and I’m a Tolkien-junky. Over the holidays I saw The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey six times. The cinematography, special effects, and characters were so real I couldn’t help myself. Only snowstorms and icy roads kept me … Continue reading
Posted in Archaeology, History, Language
Tagged archaeology, Burren, dolmens, Gollum, J.R.R. Tolkien, Lord of the Rings, ringforts, standing stones, The Hobbit
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The Spear-Mighty
Overshadowed in legend by their contemporaries to the north, south, and west, the history of the Laigin tribes is no less rich. The land of these confederate tribes formed roughly what would become the Province of Leinster in southeastern Ireland. … Continue reading
Posted in History, People, Politics
Tagged Ireland, Iron Age, kings, Laigin, Leinster tribes
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The Wool-Growers
To date, this site has received 2,583 visitors. Not bad for a remote little corner of the Internet. It’s fun to see what you all search for here. About half the time it looks like you’re finding your search topic. As … Continue reading
King of Kings?
While millions of voices are lifted in song to the King of Kings this time of year, I thought I’d take the opportunity to explore the ancient Irish concept of kingship – an all-encompassing but muddy construct. So many of … Continue reading
Pulling Strings
Since many of us have a chance to enjoy outdoor music festivals this summer, I thought it would be fun to examine the history of some ancient Irish musical instruments. First up – the big one – the harp, or … Continue reading
Access Denied
A couple weeks ago, publishing conglomerate HarperCollins announced that it would require libraries subscribing to its eBook service to purchase a new copy of an eBook after 26 circulations. In other words, after a book was checked out (downloaded to … Continue reading
Posted in History, Law, Warfare
Tagged books, brehon laws, Celtic Church, Columcille, copyright, Ireland, kings, psalter
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Days of Future Passed
“…It was the custom for the firstborn of a tribal leader to dwell among a rival tribe once a truce had been declared. If the least of that tribe’s members died in a renewal of hostilities, the rival chieftain’s offspring … Continue reading
BOOK REVIEW The Road Wet, The Wind Close
As the weather grows cooler in northern climes and the days more blustery, thoughts turn to curling up with a good book. And here’s a good one…the second in my travelogue series. Roy, James Charles. (1993). The Road Wet, the … Continue reading
Posted in Archaeology, Book Reviews, History, Religion, Travel
Tagged archaeology, Celtic Church, Ireland, monasteries, travel
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BOOK REVIEW Ancient Ireland: An Explorer’s Guide
Since autumn is an excellent time to visit Ireland – the summer crowds have gone, airfare and accommodations are cheaper – I thought I’d start a series of book reviews and share some of my favorite Irish travel books. Whether … Continue reading
Posted in Book Reviews, History, Travel
Tagged archaeology, Ireland, Iron Age, Stone Age, travel
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