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The ancient Celtic calendar has four festival days: Imbolc, Beltane, Lughnasadh, and Samhain. Lughnasadh falls on August 1 and marks the transition from Summer to Autumn as well as the beginning of harvest season. Concidentally, “Lughnasadh” is the modern Irish word for the month of August. Four Festivals The ancient Celts marked the seasons with […]

July 12, Orangemen’s Day or simply The Twelfth, commemorates the victory of Prince William of Orange (a Protestant) over James II (a Catholic) at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. The celebration is held by the Orange Order, a Protestant fraternal organization. Why Orange? The colors of the Irish tricolor flag are easily recognizable: […]

July 12, Orangemen’s Day or simply The Twelfth, commemorates the victory of Prince William of Orange (a Protestant) over James II (a Catholic) at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. The celebration is held by the Orange Order, a Protestant fraternal organization. Why Orange? The colors of the Irish tricolor flag are easily recognizable: […]

Field Hockey Led to Donegal Square? Yes, it did! Neville Gardner, our fearless leader at Donegal Square and McCarthy’s Red Stag Pub, was once a young lad who was quite good at field hockey. So good, in fact, that he played for the Irish national team! In 1978, he was at a hockey tournament in […]

This well-known rhyme outlines Celtic wedding traditions: “Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue and a sixpence in your shoe”. Brides still include these items on their wedding day to ensure a successful and prosperous marriage. There are many Celtic wedding traditions and superstitions; these are just a few of them! To learn more about […]

Taking a break from “Royal Wedding Watch” here by looking at traditional love symbols of the Celtic World. It would be fun if Harry and Meghan (yes, we are on a first-name basis) incorporated some into their big day tomorrow! Probably the most recognized love symbol, the Claddagh, comes from Ireland. Scotland and Wales are […]

March 27 is International Whisk(e)y Day. Whiskey is beloved by many and has been called the greatest drink in the world, even the “Water of Life”. To the whiskey novice or non-whiskey drinker, however, it seems a bit daunting. Is there an “e” in the word whisk(e)y or not? What is the difference between bourbon, […]

They say everyone is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day, which is ironic because Saint Patrick himself was not even Irish. Very little is actually known about the life of Saint Patrick, although many myths and misperceptions persist and surface this time of year. Much of what is known about Saint Patrick comes from two documents: […]

People often refer to Donegal Square as “the Irish store”. In fact, we represent many of the Celtic nations, including the small but mighty Wales! March 1 is St. David’s Day celebrating the patron saint of Wales who is said to have died on that day in the year 589. Welsh Symbolism Several symbols are […]