| |
Traditions, folklore, history and more. If it's Irish, it's here. Or will be!
"People will not look forward to posterity who never look backward to their ancestors."
-Edmund Burke
Quotes
Library: Books, Movies, Music
Prints & Photos
Poetry
Jokes
Shops Ireland
Bunús na Gaeilge
(Basic Irish)
Circle of Prayer
Blessings
Did You Know?
Himself/Herself
Write to Us
Readers Write..
Links/Link to Us
Advertise with us
Awards & Testimonials
Submissions Guide
|
|
|
Just want entertaining facts about Ireland?
Then click here for Did You Know?
Welcome to our monthly trivia contest which is designed to test your knowledge of Irish history, legends, superstitions, arts, politics and more. The rules are very simple:
1. Contest is open only to subscribers of the Irish Culture and Customs newsletter. If you're not yet a subscriber, it's really easy to sign up - just click here for our free weekly update: Free Newsletter
2. At the beginning of the month, a list of ten questions will be posted on the contest page. Thanks to a great suggestion from our friend Audrey in California, all answers can be found on this site.
3. Only one entry per subscriber. For identification purposes, please use your subscription email address when you send us your entry.
4. Please send entries to Russ & Bridget
It would be very helpful if you put Contest or Trivia entry in the subject line.
5. Contest closes at midnight EST on the last day of the month.
6. We will contact the winner three times within a week of the drawing. if the winner does not claim their prize within 30 days of being notified, the prize is forfeited.
7. Winners are responsible for any taxes; also any duty which may be levied when shipping to a country other than the USA.
8. A drawing will be held from all correct entries received and winner will be notified by email. If the winner consents, we'll also announce who won in the newsletter and in the 'Winner's Circle' on this page. The winner may choose one prize from the following:
 A)
Celtic Warrior Pendant
This Shield of protection is a unique design based on the numbers 3 and 4, which enable magical powers to come into play that help provide circles of protection and other important esoteric forces to enhance well being. For more details, please click Celtic Warrior Pendant.
B) And not to be outdone, for those of you who yearn to learn how to play the penny whistle, Lollysmith is offering a made in Ireland Walton's mellow D whistle, carry bag and pocket size music book. For more details, please click Lollysmith.
C) Dublin Watercolourist Roger Cummiskey is also a sponsor. About the print, he says: "I wrote this poem to honour James Joyce and decided to turn it into a painting but as the poem is about two pages long I just used some of it. When Joyce was writing Finnegans Wake over 15 years he always referred to it as Work-in-Progress when asked what the title would eventually be. I use the modern day equivalent as the present title until such time as I get around to finishing the poem. I began writing it in 1998 and have had three Construction updates since. Maybe you would like to give it a title?"
http://www.RogerCummiskey.com/
May Quiz
1. The second of the four major festivals in the Celtic Calendar is what?
a) Hogmanay
b) Beltane
c) Samhain
2. What spring flower helps protect against fairy folk mischief?
a) Yellow promroses
b) Dandelions
c) Lilac
3. According to folklore, consuming what 3 times in May will keep the rheumatics away for a year?
a) Brotchen
b) Colcannon
c) Nettle Soup
4. Who wrote the poem Dark Rosaleen
a) James Clarence Mangan
b) Paul Durcan
c) Patrick Kavanagh
5. Which songwriter wrote The Moutains of Mourne?
a) Samuel Lover
b) Percy French
c) Jimmy Kennedy
6. Who established a monastic community on the island of Iona?
a) St. Brendan
b) St. Kevin
) St. Colomcille
7. Who was defeated at the second assault on Clonmel in 1650?
a) Oliver Cromwell
b) William of Orange
c) Lord Mountjoy
8. Where did Oscar Wild write Th Ballad of Reading Gaol?
a) Dublin, Ireland
b) Paris, France
c) London, England
9. In what county is Valentia Island located?
a) Kerry
b) Cork
c) Galway
10. Who said "I have my faults, but changing my tune is not one of them?"
a) Jonathan Swift
b) Brendan Behan
c) Samuel Beckett
###
Answers to April Quiz
1. Who was the leader of Cumann na mBan (the League of Women)?
a) Bernadette Devlin
b) Maude Gonne
- c) Constance Markievicz
2. Who wrote the poem Mise Eire (I Am Ireland)?
- a) Padraic Pearse
b) Oliver Goldsmith
c) Seamus Heaney
3. Who composed the song Did your mother come from Ireland?
- a) Jimmy Kennedy
b) Percy French
c) Cathal O'Byrne
4. What does An tSean-Bhó Riabhach' mean?
a) Dear old mother
- b) Old brindled cow
c) Old spinning wheel
5. Who created the Death of Cuchalain sculpture?
- a) Oliver Sheppard
b) Thomas Kirk
c) Éamonn O'Doherty
6. On what day in April did the 1916 Rising begin?
a) April 12th
b) April 14th
- c) April 24th
7. Who wrote 50 things you didn't know about the 1916 uprising
a) Michael McNally
- b) Mick Farrell
c) Fearghal McGarry
8. Where,in 433AD, did St. Patrick light the Paschal Fire?
a) Slemish Mountain
b) Croagh Patrick
- c) Hill of Slane
9. Who is credited with originating the phrase "A Pint of Plain Is Your Only Man?"
- a) Flann O'Brian
b) Brendan Behan
c) James Joyce
10. In what year did Guinness formally adopt the harp as its symbol?
a) 1762
b) 1862
- c) 1962
###
Winner's Circle
2013
April Winner: Judi Jemison, USA
March Winner: Anita Lock, USA
February Winner: Mary Mosler, USA
January Winner: Linda Ellis, USA
2012
December Winner: Carolyn Billen, USA
November Winner: Cindi Wood, USA
October Winner: Jackie Williams, USA
September Winner: Molly McManus, USA
August Winner: Daniel Killoran, USA
July Winner: Franklin Lamberth, USA
June: Rosalie Ferris, USA
May: no winner, USA
April: Suzi Lenker, USA
March: Robyn York, USA
February: Ruth Craig, Canada
January: Trish F., USA
2011
December: Christine Seaholtz, USA
November: Michele Baron, USA
October: Pamela Boyd, USA
September: Judi Jemison, USA
August: Diane Dubay, USA
July: no winner!
June: anonymous, USA
May: Sheila Cohen, USA
April: forfeited, they never responded
March: Tim Younger, USA
February: Catherine White, USA
January: Bridget O'Doyle, USA
2010
December: Tom McGuire, USA
November: Forfeited*
*We attempt to contact winners three times. If we don't receive a response, the prize is forfeited.
October: Patty Boutin, USA
September: Rachel Espinoza, USA
Ed. Note: Talk about the luck of the Irish??
Rachel is the daughter of Stephanie; our July/August winner!
July/August: Stephanie Espinoza, USA
June: Hannah Beck, USA
May: Bob Dennis, Northern Ireland
April: Peter Grotsky, USA
March: Shirley Younger, USA
February: Tara O'Hearn-St.Amand, Canada
January: Thomas McGuire, USA
2009
December: Carol Bartley Brown, Canada
November: Anonymous, USA
October: Ruth Craig, Canada
September: Anonymous
August: Michele Baron, USA
June/July: Miriam Driscoll, Canada
May: Susan McCarthy, USA
April: anonymous
March: Sheila Cohen, USA
February: Anonymous
January: Michelle Ortz, USA
2008
December: Cathy Knapp, USA
November: Sharron Newman, USA
October: Edith Cason, USA
September: Hannah Beck, USA
August: Mike Lorello, USA
July: David Marshall, USA
June: Michelle Ortz, USA
May: Kathy Fiddler, USA
April: Fernando Frias, USA
March: Kate Davis, USA
February: Maria Eryatmaz, USA
January: Sarah Gannon, USA
2007
December: Christine Seaholtz, USA
November: Edith Cason, USA
October: anonymous, USA
September: Tim Younger, USA
August: Pat Battles, Canada
July: Amanda Ryan, USA
June: no contest - no winner
May: Susan McCarthy, USA
April: Fred Pellerito, USA
March: Unclaimed - was it you?
February: Gael Hill, USA
January: Judi Jemison, USA
2006
December: Sharron Elaine Newman, USA
November: Lou Harris, USA
October: Kimberly Cook, USA
September: Chris Wilbik, USA
August: Dorothy Spackman, USA
July: Gael Hill, USA
June: Sheila Cohen, USA
May: Jackie Young, USA
April: Edith Bower, USA
March: Mindy Grazulis, USA
February: Hannah Beck, USA
January: Catherine White, USA
2005
December: Kathy Chopak, USA
November: Jack Mishler, USA
October: Josephine M. Battye, Ireland
September: Larry Purcell, USA
August: Barbara Levengston, UK
July: Anonymous
June: Susan O'Connor, USA
May: Shirley Younger, USA
April: Hannah, USA
March: A subscriber in Europe
February: Gina, USA
January: Paula, USA
2004
December: Don, USA
November: Diane Dubay, USA
October: Kristen Kenny, USA
June: Cheryl, USA
May: A Subscriber in Canada
April: Sandra Rooke, Canada
March: Michelle Ortz, USA
February: Mary Hutchinson, Canada
January: Maureen Anderson, Canada
2003
December: Jenny Rundle, Australia
November: Sharon Boyle, Canada - wins again!
October: Alda Tuk, Canada
September: Sharon Boyle, Canada
August: Rocky Brooks, Canada
July: Ellen Parodi, USA
June: Eniko Gaspar, Canada
May: Judy Skapik, USA
April: Pat Battles, Canada
March: Helen Dowd, Canada
February: Diane Dubay, USA
January: Bill Smith, USA
2002
December: Linda Barbour, Canada
November: Dallas Franklin, USA
October: Cecilia Bembibre, Argentina
August-September: Ms. R. Tagert, USA
July: Chris Lopez, USA
June: A subscriber in Europe
May: A subscriber in the USA
April: Patricia Edwards, UK
March: Jane I., USA
February: Judith Flynn, USA
|
|
Fri, Sep 27, 2024
 The Galway Hooker
This unique vessel, with its distinctive curved lines and bright red sails, originated in the village of Claddagh. During the 19th century, hookers supported a significant fishing industry and also carried goods, livestock and fuel. Seán Rainey is remembered for building the last of the original boats, the Truelight, for Martin Oliver who was to become the last king of the Claddagh; as king, he was entitled to white sails on his boat. Since the mid seventies, many of the old sailing craft which were on the verge of extinction have been lovingly restored and new ones have been built. During the summer months they can be seen at festivals such a Cruinniú na mBád - the Gathering of the Boats - in Kinvara.
Click for More Culture Corner.
I Never Knew That About Ireland
by Christopher Winn
In this wonderful compendium, Christopher Winn gives a tour of the four provinces of Ireland- Connacht, Leinster, Munster, and Ulster. Find out where dreams were inspired, ideas were born, and where the unforgettable heroes of Ireland's past now slumber. A treasure trove of fascinating stories, I Never Knew That About Ireland is packed full of information on the colorful history of the Emerald Isle. This irresistible book gives a captivating insight into the heritage, memories, and monuments that have shaped each county in Ireland, searching out their secrets and unearthing their hidden gems. Amazon Review
Click for I never Knew That..
The Irish Quiz Book
by Joe Black
Written by a one-time quiz show consultant and lifelong collector of Irish trivia, this book offers questions on sport, history, politics, literature, and all kinds of Irish miscellany. Organized by subject matter with 134 sections in groups of 15 questions, it's ideal for trivia buffs and Irish aficionados. The diverse questions offer something for everyone from "Why is Bloomsday so called?" and "What was a 'Galway Hooker'?" to "Who was termed the 'Babe Ruth' of Gaelic football?"
Click here for Quiz Book.
|
Don't be misled by the title - this isn't a book about Irish American pubs. It's a trivia book about Irish Americans and, in our humble opinion, it would be a fun little volume to have with you the next time you're bending your elbow with the lads.
Click for Pub Quiz Book.
|
|
|
|
|
