Irish History made Accessible: Articles on accessible history and opinion pieces on the relationship between heritage and contemporary issues by Andrew Clarke.
Blog
The Fading Year
Eolas ÁrsaThe Fading Year is an Irish Folklore Blog founded by Nev Swift in October 2015.
The Fading Year explores and creates content relating to Irish Calendar Customs and Seasonal Folklore as practiced and observed in Ireland during the nineteenth century – although, for context and to explore the development of Irish Customs, Traditions and Beliefs material from before and after this period is sometimes referred to.
Nev Swift studied Irish Folklore and History in University College Dublin and received a degree in these subjects in 2013. He continued his education in UCD completing a Masters in Archives and Records Management in 2014.
Nev Swift is currently working as an archivist in his native Dublin.
The Standing Stone
Eolas ÁrsaIreland has a rich and varied history, and this can be seen scattered across the land today. Every county has hundreds, if not thousands of places that point to its past. From ancient Neolithic tombs to modern fortified houses The Standing Stone brings you a closer look at the history that sits all around us.
For over 11 years we have travelled around Ireland to look at these historical sites, and present them to you here. There are over four-hundred places listed on The Standing Stone, and more being uploaded regularly.
In addition to our own posts we have several guest posts from a variety of archaeologists, historians, and professionals involved in Irish history and archaeology. There are also book reviews, and an extensive glossary.
Tales From the Wood
ImbasShelly Mooney
Shelly Mooney is an artist, historian and writer from the sunny south-east of Ireland. Born and based in County Wexford, Shelly spent her childhood surrounded by the rich history, as well as the myths and magic of Ireland’s wild and ancient landscape.
Growing up Shelly developed a passion for exploring the Irish countryside; camping trips with her family brought her from one side of the country to the other, creating an innate affection for the island. An ever-growing love for the works of Tolkien helped to fuel her fascination with mythology,
and as she began to realise how closely intertwined Ireland’s history and archaeology are with its myths, perhaps unsurprisingly it became a lifelong passion for her to learn more.
In 2008, Shelly began her degree at University College Dublin, the same year that the economic crisis of the recession hit Ireland. Shelly loved her time in University, majoring in History and German while also taking classes in Archaeology and Horticulture. Once she had graduated, given the uncertainty of the times, Shelly entered the business world to pursue a stable, sensible job. She spent several years working for various companies before realising that it wasn’t for her. A creative soul at heart, she yearned to express her passions and bring her love for Ireland’s rich culture to a wider audience.
In early 2020, with these goals in mind, Shelly launched Tales From The Wood. Here she writes, paints and shares her adventures around the breath-taking sites of Ireland with the rest of the world. Every piece of content is self-generated, from the photos, to the artwork – it is a labour of love in every sense of the word. An active participant in the Irish history and mythology community, Shelly is helping to ensure that the ancient stories and traditions of the Emerald Isle are preserved for future generations, and not lost to the ages.
After getting married in 2018 in an outdoor ceremony high in the Wicklow mountains, Shelly now lives in the quiet countryside of North Wexford with her husband Kev and their two pets; Lola the German Shephard, and Guinevere the silver cat. This peaceful life lends itself to the creative process, however when she’s not thinking about all the things mentioned above, Shelly also enjoys rekindling her horticulture love-affair in the garden, playing music (piano, guitar, whistle & fiddle!), as well as taking long walks with Lola through the countryside. Not to mention baking cakes and spending time with her family.
Mythical Ireland
Eolas ÁrsaAnthony Murphy
Mythical Ireland was established in March of the year 2000 by journalist, author and researcher Anthony Murphy. The website represents a journey into the ancient past, and attempts to cast new light on a sometimes obscure period of the early history of Ireland. This exploration takes place through many different disciplines, which include, but are not limited to, archaeology, anthropology, astronomy, mythology, spirituality and geodesy.
The great 5,000-year-old megalithic passage-tombs of Brú na Bóinne in the Boyne Valley represent the zenith of a phase of Irish prehistory that began with the introduction of farming around 6,000 years ago. Newgrange, Knowth and Dowth are huge, enigmatic structures, that are the finest examples of a type of monument that is found scattered throughout Ireland, and of which there may be as many as 1,500 examples. None can compare to these three, though, in terms of size, grandeur, and their illustrious prominence in the ancient myths.
Anthony’s exploration encompasses many different facets of these great monuments. He invites you to step into this ancient world, and through the various media of words, photography and video/film, to enjoy a unique glimpse a past that seems very much alive.
