Our Ireland

Creative Thinking Time For Ruairi Quinn – Save Our Small Schools

Many readers are probably aware of the ‘Save Our Small Schools‘ campaign, currently raging across popular social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. If not, here’s the story so far.

Minister for Education Ruairi Quinn, has decided to force many rural and small schools in Ireland to close by means of unfairly increasing the teacher [...]

Walk Mount Brandon on The Dingle Peninsula

For hikers and mountaineers visiting the west of Ireland, Mount Brandon on Dingles Peninsula is a place you must visit.

Not only will you enjoy the challenge of the mountain itself, but we hope you will be inspired by the peninsula’s landscapes, seascapes and the rich heritage that surrounds this high region generally [...]

Adare Ireland – Limerick’s Charming Irish Heritage Town

Adare’s Traditional Irish Cottages

Adare is a popular destination for visitors touring Ireland’s towns. This picturesque town in County Limerick is probably most famous for it’s thatched roofed cottages. Adare town was designated as an ‘Irish Heritage Town’ because of it’s historic architecture. Most of the thatched buildings are no longer used as residential dwellings, [...]

The Story Of Queenstown Cobh

Cobh in Cork, formally named Queenstown between 1849 to 1922. A major transatlantic Irish shipping port, Cobh was the last departure point for approximately 2.5 million of the six million Irish people who emigrated to North America between 1848 and 1950. The Famine And Irish Emigration In those early years of emigration many passengers [...]

Kiss Me I’m Irish – Legends Of The Blarney Stone

Ireland’s Blarney Stone

By John Parks

In the village of Blarney, Ireland, sits the legendary Blarney Stone, a bluestone block built into the Blarney Castle’s embattlements. Because of this stone, Blarney Castle is one of Ireland’s most popular tourist destinations. Millions of visitors from around the globe travel here annually to kiss the [...]

The Rare Oul’ Times

Raised on songs and stories, heroes of renown The passing tales and glories, that once was Dublin town The hallowed halls and houses, the haunting children’s rhymes That once was Dublin city in the rare old times

Chorus: Ring a-ring a-rosie, as the light declines I remember Dublin city in the rare oul’ times

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Seven Drunken Nights

Ronnie Drew Of The Dubliners

As I went home on Monday night as drunk as drunk could be I saw a horse outside the door where my old horse should be Well, I called me wife and I said to her: Will you kindly tell to me Who owns that horse outside the door [...]

I’ll Tell Me Ma When I Get Home

I’ll tell my ma when I go home The boys won’t leave the girls alone They pulled my hair and stole my comb But that’s all right till I go home. She is handsome, she is pretty She is the bell of Belfast city She is counting one, two, three Please won’t you tell me [...]

The Rare Old Mountain Dew

Chorus Let the grasses grow and the waters flow, In a free and easy way, But give me enough of that rare old stuff, That’s made near Galway Bay. Come gougers all, From Donegal, Sligo and Leitrim too, And we’ll give you the slip as we take a sip, Of the rare old mountain dew.

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Mursheen Durkin

In the days I went a courtin’, I was never tired resortin’ To the alehouse and the playhouse or many a house beside, I told me brother Seamus l’d go off and go right famous And before l’d return again l’d roam the world wide.

(Chorus)

So goodbye Mursheen Durkin, l’m sick and tired of [...]