With the passage of time Irish Catholics eventually did become part of the fabric of Australian society. With the coming of each generation, they moved along and some of them, up the social scale. But their ascent was neither rapid nor easy. Continue reading
Filed under Irish Australian History …
British Espionage after The Rising
The Intelligence authorities found it difficult to accept that parents whose eldest adult child had been executed for his role in the Easter Rising, and who moreover had two more sons Volunteers (initially sentenced to death but commuted to 10-year sentences), were not actively involved in the Rising. Continue reading
The Story of Early Melbourne
The story of one of Melbourne’s early pioneers. Continue reading
An Irish Teacher in Papua New Guinea
Early one morning on my way to Rabaul with my family we did not see even one woman. However, we overtook many men on foot and on bicycles, all moving in the same direction with their bodies naked from the waist up. Each wore a bright red lap-lap or long piece of cloth knotted at the hip to form a skirt. Continue reading
Conamara faoi Nollaig: A Connemara Christmas
Cloisim gach coisméig is scuabadh ár gcosa le gach méanfach sa dorchadas..lI hear every squeak and sweep of our feet with every yawn in the dark. Continue reading
Feisty Irish Women and Irish National Foresters
Susan has had international recognition with her interview on The Ryan Tubridy Show on RTÉ Radio1…The Irish National Foresters were a Friendly Society that commenced in Ireland and then started in Melbourne in 1886 … Continue reading
What’s on in December 22 – February 23: Irish language and music summer schools, Brigidfest, Films
2-7 January 2023: Lake School in Koroit Join the Lake School of Celtic Music Song and Dance in Koroit VIC January 2-7 2023. You can learn fiddle, whistle, bodhran (irish drum), harp, concertina , guitar, ukulele to mention but a few of over 100 classes, workshops, sessions, dances and concerts. Extensive program for Kids and … Continue reading
God in a Bottle
they were usually ‘a reused glass spirit, wine or mineral bottle often containing a carved wooden cross, with a ladder leaning against it inside, sometimes (but not always) filled with water’. The water was usually holy water, or at least marketed as such. Continue reading
Based on truth and story: the Irish ballad tradition and its relevance to today.
The other songs cut straight to the chase of the reality of war. Mrs McGrath and Johnny, I hardly knew you. They give a heartbreaking perspective on the horror and futility of war and although tinged with humour they give a firsthand account of the injuries and lifelong disabilities inflicted. Continue reading
What’s on in November and January: A Course, Symposium, Commemoration, and Irish language and music summer schools
12 November 22: Ulysses for everyone – a guided tour This interactive course, a mix of presentation and discussion of text, assumes no prior knowledge of Ulysses, although having read the five chapters we recommend (1, 4, 6, 13, 18, or as many as you can manage), will certainly help to make the day a richer reading experience … Continue reading