Blog - Irish Heritage & Traditions

Saint Brigid is back in the news in Ireland in a very big way.

The Tree of Life of Crann Bethadh is found throughout Celtic history, culture and faith. But what does this symbol, much loved by the Celts, signify and what are its origins?

Ireland is famed for its traditions at Christmas and it’s a time when the country and people are at their best. Traditionally the weeks of celebration leading up to the big day always start on December 8th and the partying goes on well into the New Year in homes across the country.

Ireland’s important ancient writing system Ogham has been given added protection with news that Irish and Scottish academics have come together to use the latest in technology to preserve this very special language. The aim is to also give the ‘amazingly clever’ writing system of Ogham wider attention.

Samhain is a very special season in the Celtic tradition. Marking the end of the harvest season and beginning of winter or the darker half of the year, the celebrations begin on the evening of 31st October, as traditionally the Celtic days began and ended at sunset.

The Irish language has some of the most beautiful ways in any native tongue of proclaiming ‘I love you’ and whether you want to share that sentiment with a child, husband, wife, partner or friend, here are some beautiful phrases to declare your love and affection in Gaelic.

This time of year is a very special one in the Celtic calendar and traditionally known as an important step between light and dark. The long summer nights have now passed and this is a period of transition as we move to the darker evenings and the approach of winter.

May Day. May Day! It’s time to celebrate the ancient and spiritual Celtic festival of Bealtaine.

Who were the Claddagh community? The Claddagh ring is known worldwide and is one of the most instantly recognizable and best loved symbols of Ireland but the rural community that the name comes from has a much lesser known history.

Are you missing travel? Do you have wanderlust? Forget the travel restrictions and take a whimsical virtual trip to locations around Ireland that you’ve never been before or always wanted to see.

The daffodils and snowdrops are arriving, the evenings are getting longer, so how do you celebrate Spring the traditional Celtic way?

Who was Saint Patrick? Synonymous with Ireland and the Irish people, the patron saint of Ireland is celebrated on March 17th all over the world with revelry and scenes of green. But how much do you know about him? Here are some rare facts about Ireland’s best known symbolic figure...

How do people across the world celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day? This year’s unprecedented emerging health crisis has meant that celebrations have changed but where are the top spots to maximize the celebrations of Ireland’s most famous saint and all that is Irish?

A lesser known aspect to the story of Ireland’s Saint Patrick has now come to the fore with a 1,000 year old hand-bell believed to be linked to him now on display at the Ulster Museum in Belfast.

An old Irish tradition decrees that February 29 is the one day that women can take matters into their own hands and get down on one knee. This tradition is somewhat outdated as many women propose nowadays. Marriage in Ireland in 2020 now takes many modern forms but historically in Ireland this was the only day for women to get down on one knee.

Irish Christmas traditions add a layer of magic and colour to the season and there are many that are as popular today as when they first began. So what are the top traditions that have spread across the world and are popular globally right now?

The ancient Celtic wedding tradition of Handfasting is one of the fastest growing trends to emerge once more and is being seen at weddings of all types both in Ireland and globally in recent times. So what is this symbolic ceremony and why is it proving so popular?

While the population of Ireland is over 6 million, it is estimated that 50 to 80 million people around the world have Irish connections. No matter what their location, many Irish at home and abroad like to add a Celtic touch to their Christmas.

Christmas is all about tradition and while trends come and go, every family has its own traditions. Ireland and Irish people at home and all over the world have many true traditions when it comes to Christmas and the festive season.

The world’s largest celebration of Irish music, language, song and dance comes to our home town of Drogheda this week. Here are some beautiful pieces of jewelry to celebrate Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2018 and the very best of Irish design and craftsmanship, all featuring the Irish harp.