A September, 2011, Discovery Channel documentary series examined various warrior groups throughout history with an episode on the Irish. With battle and livelihood re-enactments, the series tells a moving story of how the ancient Irish not only lived and died but trained, fought, and rose to and fell from power. From the Viking ravaging of.. [More]

Last Saturday on St. Patrick’s Day (17 Mar 2012) I was leaving my in-laws house to attend a family party when driving by a car pulled up and down went the window and the lady commented that she loved the kilt I was wearing, then she asked if I was Irish. I replied yes and.. [More]

I’m one of the few who became interested in genealogy when a child. I would sit beside my great-grandmother and ask her to tell me stories about her parents and her grandparents. Her answer wasn’t encouraging, “I really don’t have much to tell, my parents and family never talked about themselves very much.” Years later.. [More]

Without a doubt, my most memorable St. Patrick’s Day was in 2001 when I attended the Irish Fellowship Club of Chicago’s 100th Annual Banquet. If Chicago were a monarchy, this would be the grandest yearly gathering of it’s political, business, and religious royalty, nobles, and knights. Princes of the City and of the Church, all.. [More]

A most interesting group of tales are attached to Lemaneagh Castle, now magnificent ruins of the great O’Brien stronghold of Lemaneagh on the edge of the Burren, between Inchiquin and Kilfenora. Conor O’Brien, of the 1630s, built gates on the castle to shut in the people of Burren; for a road, through the stronghold, led.. [More]

Once known as “St. Mary of the Fertile Rock”, a reference to the fertile soil of the Burren in Co. Clare, Corcomroe Abbey is an early 13th century Cistercian foundation with O’Brien roots. In ruin at the head of a southwest facing valley, the Abbey hosts a well tended graveyard and memorial stones dating to.. [More]

The Origin and History of the O’Brien Clan First published in 1860, by John O’Donoghue, A.M. Barrister-at-Law, this very important book deals with the history and fortunes of an Irish family, once High Kings of Ireland, who are now spread around the world. The book, only a limited number having been printed more than 140.. [More]

The O’Brien Clan of Torrance “He who cares nothing about his ancestors will rarely achieve anything worthy of being remembered by his descendants” Born into a big, beautiful, loving Irish family, at the height of the great American depression in 1928. Much talk of the old country was always in the air. It may well.. [More]

Brian Ború (Middle Irish: Brian Bóruma, Irish: Brian Bóroimhe) Mac Cennétig (c. 941–23 April 1014), was born at Kincora, Killaloe, a town in the region of Tuadmumu (Thomond), the son of Cennetig (Cennedi) and Babhion or Bebinn. Members of the Dál gCais (or Dalcassians) tribe, the family had an ancient royal ancestry. The youngest of twelve sons,.. [More]

The Rock of Cashel, the traditional seat of the kings of Munster for several hundred years prior to the Norman invasion, is one of the most picturesque and remarkable collections of Celtic art and medieval architecture to be found anywhere in Europe. Cashel is home to some spectacular Irish lore; reputed to be the site.. [More]