Claregalway Franciscan Friary Order: Franciscan (OFM; Ordo Fratrum Minorum) Founded c. 1250 Founded by John de Cogan (d. 1278) Also known as: Baile Chláir The Place Claregalway was one of the first Franciscan houses founded in Connacht. It was strategically located close to Claregalway castle and the banks of the river Clare, guarding a… Read more »

Dear Fellow Gardeners, February is often the nicest month in Ireland.  We really notice the days are getting a bit longer and we’ll probably get as much sunshine in February as in July.  I really think we deserve some good weather soon. There is good news about the Weekend Gardening Course in Renvyle  – as the weekend… Read more »

The CAO from Doha by thereluctantemigrant Back in my day, you could do it with the teacher, 10 minutes is all it took, bobs your uncle, fannys your aunt, all done. That’s right, back in 1993 there was no faffing around for months pondering your options on the CAO form, travel wasn’t an option, the tech… Read more »

The Kings Head Pub, Galway, Formerly The Bank Castle, home to Galway merchant, Thomas Lynch, and after the Cromwellian wars, to Colonel Peter Stubbers and Richard Gunning. This poem was penned after the death of King Charles I who was beheaded outside Whitehall Palace in London on the afternoon of January 30th, 1649, exactly 368… Read more »

Dolores O’Riordan – Let it linger by thereluctantemigrant   Stars die all the time, you remember where you were when you hear the news, the feelings that generally register are nostalgia, shock, end of an era that kind of thing. It passes. But this doesn’t, this lingers.   Psychologists say after splitting up with a partner, that… Read more »

GIY International Get Involved Get Growing Michael Kelly weekly article GIY Weekly Column January 13th 2017 Slow At Work And Inner Critics If you’re still looking for a new year’s resolution (or you’ve already broken your last one), how about this: get to know your inner critic. Start listening out for it and watching its… Read more »

With an exciting new nomination process and voting system in place this year. GAA Handball can now release the full list of nominations for the 2017 All-Stars, in association with O’Neills, with a total of 10 categories to be presented on the night of February 3rd at Croke Park. The list of Players Awards are broken… Read more »

GIY Weekly Column January 6th 2018 Growing In January And February It may still be winter but now is the time to get started for year ahead. Don’t jump straight into seed sowing however, start with a little planning… Low heat levels are the main reason that we can’t generally sow seeds in January and… Read more »

Claregalway Castle and Abbey in the 19th century in depictions of Ireland by William H. Bartlett (Click on photo to enlarge) http://irisharchaeology.ie/…/19th-century-depictions-of-ir…/ by Colm on May 12, 2014 in Archaeology blogs, Irish Archaeology Sites This blog post contains a selection of excellent 19th century illustrations of historic Irish sites. They were produced by William Henry… Read more »

Working abroad for a few years,works well, as long as everything works well! You’ve all your degrees authenticated, your passport is in order, you have no past convictions, you’re parents are well and are enthusiastic about your leaving, your wife is only too happy to give up her marketing career to be a full-time mom… Read more »