Books Irish Sport Irish culture and customs

Cormac's Corner

A compilation of some of the best of his weekly columns in the Irish Voice and other publications, Cormac offers an often wickedly accurate insight on life in the west of Ireland. Alternately witty, funny, and sometimes achingly sad, it's an absorbing collection that we promise will be hard to put down.
Click here for Cormac - UK and here for Cormac - USA.

Celebrating Irish Festivals
by Ruth Marshall & Judith Adams

Never miss an opportunity to celebrate your Irish heritage with this rich treasury of stories, illustrations, poems, traditions, food, activities, games dances and songs marking a wide variety of events in the Celtic calendar.
Click here for Celebrating Irish Festivals

Kindling the Celtic Spirit
by Mara Freeman

A beautifully crafted book with plenty of substance for those who wish to immerse themselves in the seasonal customs and culture of the ancient Celts.
See Review
Click here for Celtic Spirit

Irish Wild Plants: Myths, Legends & Folklore
by Niall Mac Coitir

There are many myths and legends and much folklore associated with the wild plants and flowers of Ireland. In ancient times, it was also believed there were 365 different parts to the body, and a different plant existed to cure the ailments of each part. Discover them all in this beautifully illustrated work which features specially commissioned watercolours by Grania Langrishe.
Click here for Irish Wild Plants.

Celtic Names for Children
by Loretto Todd
The meaning behind each name is explained, as are associated myths, stories, places or saints. Also included are pronunciation guides, interesting facts about some of the best-known Celtic names, and over 120,000 variations of the names listed.
Click here for Celtic names for Children.

Fri, May 18, 2012

The Round Towers

The Round Towers of Ireland are remarkable among the world's ancient monuments; one author has called them 'Elegant, free-standing pencils of stone.' Today, 65 survive in part or whole. Hand-crafted in native stone and cemented with a sand, lime, horsehair and oxblood mortar - a technique imported from Roman Britain - it's said by many historians that they were built by monastic communities to thwart Viking invaders. And yet, there's reason to believe that the towers were built long before Christianity came to Ireland. Whatever their origins, monasteries did indeed flourish where the round towers existed. And why not. These imposing edifices provided a watch tower, a keep and a refuge.
Image: By kind permission of Stephen Cassidy, The Cassidy Clan.

Click for More Culture Corner.

Can't Find it?!

Our Library is compiled from what we know and like. If you can't find what you're looking for read on.
• First: go to Amazon -
There's no escaping the fact that they are the largest catalog.
Note: There are multiple Amazons and they do not carry exactly the same items. Any one of the U.S., U.K. and Canada sites may not have the item but another Amazon will. Each site will ship anywhere in the world. Try them all before you give up.
Click here for Amazon.US.
Click here for Amazon.UK.
Click here for Amazon.Canada.
• Second: Amazon doesn't have it? Try Powells. They are the largest book source in New York and they have a good selection of 'out of print' books. Click here for Powells.
This link brings you to a list of 600 Irish titles; if you're looking for something else, just Search.
• Third: Still can't find It? Alright, try ALibris they are the place for 'books you never thought you'd find'. We've found everything we were after. Click here for ALibris.
• Last: Nothing Worked?
E-Mail us, we'll give it a go. Click for Russ & Bridget.

Celtic Bookmark

Elegant bookmark is made of silver over pewter. It measures 3" x 1". When in use, the pretty Celtic design sticks out of your book. Or choose Trinity Knot or Celtic Heart.

Click for Celtic Book mark.

This Web Site Bashed, Kicked & Glued together by Russ Haggerty.