Where Ireland is Older than Ancient

Lough Gur, an Irish Treasure of Time Older than the Pyramids.

Drive on any motorway or back road in Ireland.  It won’t be long before you come upon an ancient site.

You may see a Norman round tower, trees settled comfortably in a mystic fairy ring, a medieval castle tumbling in upon itself or a beautifully restored castle.  Perhaps you’ll happen upon the shadowed monastery where St. Kiernan slept between mountain peaks on the shores of a soft lake.  Look in the fields, especially if you’re in the west, or in the heartland, of Ireland.  You’ll likely see a dolmen.  Older than ancient, these huge stone tables often sit alone, skylining the horizon.

Stone circles, mounds, cairns and Celtic crosses.  Carvings on blinding-white quartzite and the inscriptions of an ancient language.  Many ancient relics are perfectly preserved and come complete with a visitor’s center.  Others are content to live amiably with grazing sheep.

Every illusive or majestic remnant of Ancient Ireland gives pause. Coming upon such a site leaves you speechless, for it’s a stronger experience than words can convey.

Come home to the past in Ireland.

Authentic Ireland’s dedicated writers: Meredith and Win Blevins

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Dublin, Ireland, a Passionate Beauty

Dublin, the Friendliest City in Europe

Dublin, The Friendliest City in Europe

 

Dublin, a pasionate beauty, was voted the friendliest city in Europe by several of the biggest names in the travel industry.

It’s no surprise.  Her heartbeat pulses down streets and alleys.  It flows down the River Liffey and runs into the sea at Dublin Bay.  Embraced on one side by soft hills and on the other by a tempestuous sea, Dublin is a pure pleasure any time of year.

Like all interesting people, Dublin has a mysterious past.  Her ancient Celtic founders, farmers and fishermen, built megaliths older than the pyramids on the outskirts of their community.  These places await you.

Roll with the flow of Dublin’s unique energy. Leaves flutter through the Temple Bar area past vibrant theatres and dazzling pubs.  They circle the ankles of street performers, gathering in the doorways of pubs filled with music.  Wander down elegant Grafton Street.

Very quiet, on a cool evening, you may hear the lyrical voices of Dublin’s literary children: Nobel laureates William Butler Yeats, George Bernard Shaw, and Samuel Becket.  The creator of Dracula, Bram Stoker.   Listen, now, there’s James Joyce…

Looking for a taste of ancient magic?  Dublin is a focal point of Celtic art and wisdom.  Stop and see the Book of Kells at Trinity College, and don’t forget the Beatty Library.  With a collection of rare books and intriguing art that’s more than 4,000 years old, a flight of fancy is limited only by your imagination.   There has never been a better time to visit Dublin.

Come to the city with a heartbeat as familiar as your own!   Best to you from the Authentic Ireland Crew!

Writer:  Meredith Blevins for Authentic Ireland Travel

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Love Irish Whiskey? Thank the Chinese!

Old Bushmills Meets the Chinese

It’s dificult to imagine, and even harder to admit, but it was not the Irish who invented whiskey.  Well, not 100% so, anyway.

The process of making this precious brew was brought to Ireland 1,000 years ago by Chinese monks.  Soon, small breweries were set up around Ireland.  Then, the English got into the act, and started requiring licenses for the stills.  What a shock!

Still, the word “whiskey” comes from the Gaelic “uisce heatha,” and means “water of life.”  So, the Chinese may have taught the Irish the method of making whiskey, but the Irish, ever good with words, gave the brew it’s poetic and proper name.

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Irish Ghost Doesn’t Get a Break!

Irish Ghost Keeps Prisoners in Line!

This spirit in Roscommon Ireland has given himself a big job–keeping the prisoners in line.

Even the most hardened criminal turns to jelly when he passes by  their cells.  But why would a spirit want to hang out in jail?

Strangely enough, this fellow has only been hanging around since the recent blessing of the prison burial ground by Catholic Clergy.  Apparently, the whole ceremony got him stirred up.

Who is he?  It’s said that this is the ghost of a man who took his own life long ago when the prison was a mental hospital.  It is reported that an exorcism took place, but that has been denied by a local Bishop after his recent visit to Castlerea.

We believe our ghost has found a calling, being a translucent guard, and that he won’t give it up easily!  Good job.

Best from the Crew at Authentic Ireland!

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Who Built that Thing in Ireland?

WOW! Is all anyone can really say...

Go to Dun Aengus, on the Aran Islands, in Ireland.  You will be blown out by this awesome testament to the natural world.

Perched on the edge of a cliff, it is thought that this was a place, when the seas raged and storms brewed, for people to take shelter from the storm while honoring its power.

Thousands of years old, we look to the legends of the once-powerful tribe of the Fir Bolg.  They sought refuge here from the Celts.  (Who were not the first Irish!)  Other stone forts, megalithic tombs, and Early Christian structures are dotted all over the three Aran Islands.

The islands are a magical place, and Dun Aengus will leave you speechless.  (Which can sometimes be a great relief…)

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