Hey Clan! In our last installment of the Clans of Ireland Series, I introduced you to the Dal Cais. Now, we’ll learn about the Eoganacht of Cashel. Breaking Down the Name Eoganacht Caisel or Eoganacht Cashel (pronounced: Owen-acht Kash-el), comes from the Irish meaning “people of Eóghan” (Eóghan means “born of the yew tree”), and…
Category: Historical Factoids
Historical tidbits for all you factoid lovers out there.
Hours of Prayer in Irish Monasticism
Irish monasticism, like any other, practiced the monastic Horarium.
Now, I know what you’re thinking. “We’re one sentence in, and already she’s throwing big terms at us.”
The Irish in America
Today we have a very special guest who has come to share about a topic occurring later in Irish history, but no less important: The Great Hunger and Irish Immigration to America.
The Óenach: Ancient Ireland’s Preeminent Social Event
There were many kinds of social gatherings in ancient Ireland. But one assembly rose above all others.
The óenach.
Óenach, pronounced “Oh-nach”, is generally understood to be an assembly equated with a fair or market. However, the óenach’s purpose was far greater, and varied upon the size, season, and location.
10th Century Irish Fashion
I confess. One of the first aspects that attracted me to the Middle Ages was fashion.
Longphorts
When Norse raiders first appeared in Irish waters in the year 837 AD, one can imagine the stir they caused. None could have guessed that their presence would mark a transition to forever change the cultural landscape of Ireland. When we typically think of Vikings, the first images are always that of raiders plundering monasteries….
Spancels: Cuffing the Chicken
Cuffing the chicken? If you’re like me, that mental image is too amusing for words. I mean, we own chickens. They’re not the most graceful animals. So picturing one trying to get around in some sort of cuffs is downright hilarious! Seriously, though, why on earth would you want to cuff a chicken? First off,…
Authenticating Irish Characters: Irish Surnames in the Middle Ages
One of the first tasks any fiction author sets out to do is to name characters. Creating memorable names helps readers connect to your characters. But believable characters are a challenge all around, and no less so in Historical Fiction. In this genre we’re faced with the added weight of… Historical Authenticity If you’re going…
Anamchara – “Soul Friend”
Anamchara, pronounced: an-m-ha-ra, is Irish Gaelic for “Soul Friend”. This ancient distinction originated with the druids. Later on it gained notoriety with priests and the ordained after Christianity came to Ireland. While Ecclesiastics (as Christian clergy were often called in the Middle Ages) considered an Anamchara essential for confession, the ideal transcended the mere act….
