Happy Flag Day!

Flags have been important to groups of people since Biblical times, and certainly Celtic clans used flags and colors and tartans to identify themselves. Today is flag day in the US. We fly our flag at our house every day, but today is an especially good one to fly the red, white, and blue.

This is the flag outside of the funeral home during my father's funeral. Underneath the Star Spangled Banner is the US Army flag in honor of my father's service.

Beautiful Ireland

Sometimes I just need a visual. You?

Ireland's Workhouses

I'm doing some research on this and came across this video. I thought it was interesting and wanted to share it here.

The Blasket Islands

I haven't been there. It's on my list. It's also on the cover of my book:

The Blasket Islands lie on the "edge of Europe" and were inhabited by hearty fishermen and their families who made their living lobster fishing. But it's past tense. The island no longer has inhabitants. This Time Magazine article from 1952 marked the sad event when the last occupants left for the mainland.

But when the community thrived, it was Gaelic speaking and virtually cut off from the influence of the people who lived just two miles across the sound. This microcosm of civilization attracted several scholars who traveled there and encouraged some of the people to write their life stories. One of these islanders was named Tomás Ó Criomhtháin. His tombstone reads: "There will not be those like us again". 


His story is still in print as well as some of the others. I'm going to have to add that to my wish list! Never mind. Just ordered it on my Kindle. :) I will let you know what I think!