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International Festival of Authors
The 2016 International Festival of Authors (IFOA) featured some brilliant Irish talent. Five contemporary writers including Catriona Crowe, Emma Donoghue, Julie Morrissy, Paul Muldoon and Ciaran O’Rourke were invited to the festival to speak and share their work and ideas, allowing the audience to explore Irish literature and culture. Celtic Canada was fortunate enough to […]
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The 12 Pubs of Christmas
On the first day of Christmas my true love said to me, “Let’s go to the pub, love.” It’s a Friday evening chilled to the bone, you decide it would be a fantastic night for a pub visit. You imagine the warm and welcoming atmosphere; the pub banter, delicious comfort food and a beer to […]
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The Gloaming
Irish-American quintet, The Gloaming launch their sophomore recording The Gloaming 2 on May 9, 2016, licensed exclusively in Canada to Montreal’s Justin Time Records. Hot on the heels of their 2014 self-titled debut, also licensed to Justin Time, this follow up is further proof of the group’s genre-stretching musical approach, which expands beyond its roots […]
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History Made in Prince Edward Island – Inaugural Island Championship
On May 1st, 2016, history was made on Prince Edward Island when the newly formed PEI Celts played the Halifax Gaels (Eastern Canadian Champions), in their inaugural Gaelic Football tournament for the Island Cup. The game took place at the University of Prince Edward Island. Wearing the colours of County Monaghan, the PEI Celts battled […]
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The Ferocious O’Flahertys of Aughnanure Castle
On the leafy shores of the Drimneen River in the wilds of western county Galway stands a medieval fortress fit for a king. This castle comes complete with all the prerequisites of medieval Gaelic lordly living – high stone walls, a drawbridge and even a hall dedicated to banqueting. Indeed, no other building in Connemara […]
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Why I bothered to Learn Irish
I was born and raised in Australia and I came to Ireland and began learning Irish in my thirties. I consider myself to be extremely lucky to have had the opportunity to learn it. While I’m a long way from being articulate ‘as Gaeilge’ I am for the most part beyond the pain barrier that […]
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Galway City
With a youthful population and a bohemian spirit, Galway’s charms are best enjoyed by strolling the city lanes and soaking up the atmosphere. There’s plenty to keep sightseers happy, too 1. Shop for some traditional Celtic jewellery Call in and watch Jonathan Margetts tinkering with rings in Thomas Dillon’s shop. He’s an expert on the […]
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Smiths Falls Seeks out its Irish Roots
You can choose your friends but you cannot choose your family. In the case of Smiths Falls, however, there may be a large family connection with Carnew, County Wicklow, Ireland, that would make that market town a perfect fit as a sister city. A public meeting on the possibility of twinning with the Irish town […]
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Culinary Queen – Clodagh McKenna
As an Irish chef Clodagh is the author of five best-selling cookery books, which include ‘Clodagh’s Irish Kitchen’ and ‘Homemade’. Clodagh has filmed four television series entitled ‘Fresh From the Farmers Markets’, and ‘Fresh From The Sea’, which have aired in Ireland, UK, Europe, New Zealand, Australia, Canada and in the US ‘Clodagh’s Irish Food […]
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Connemara’s Traditions
The smoke of the peat, the swaying bog grasses, ancient stone walls… it could only be Ireland’s traditional heartland of Connemara Passing through the desolate Doo Lough and Delphi Valleys towards the village of Leenane in County Galway is a dramatic journey. This is Ireland unplugged. The rugged landscape and remoteness of the region has […]