Folklore

Whitsuntide: not the luckiest time of the year

Exploring a point in the Irish calendar that was best avoided because of bad luck and tragedy

FEATURES 3 June 2026

Whitsuntide: not the luckiest time of the year

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A happy wife, a happy life’...songs and stories of the May bush

A happy wife, a happy life’...songs and stories of the May bush

L2 29 April 2026

‘The curse of the crows’ was one of Ireland’s most virulent curses

‘The curse of the crows’ was one of Ireland’s most virulent curses

FEATURES 4 March 2026

How St Gobnait created a buzz

How St Gobnait created a buzz

How St Gobnait created a buzz

L2 4 February 2026

Petticoat Loose was a female force to be reckoned with

Petticoat Loose was a female force to be reckoned with

Petticoat Loose was a female force to be reckoned with

FEATURES 29 October 2025

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Folklore: Old Ways to New Days – the stories behind our traditions

Folklore: Old Ways to New Days – the stories behind our traditions

Our columnist Shane Lehane publishes a new book on the curiosities of Irish life throughout the centuries.

L2 1 January 1970

Folklore: Tubbereenmire’s tug-of-war champions ruled the rope

Folklore: Tubbereenmire’s tug-of-war champions ruled the rope

Each and every crossroads all over Ireland has a story to tell just like the victorious 1924 team.

L2 1 January 1970

Folklore: no Meáin feat for these onions to find their way to the islands

Folklore: no Meáin feat for these onions to find their way to the islands

The wild perennial Babington’s leek is abundant out west...and nobody is quite sure how it got there, writes folklorist Shane Lehane.

FEATURES 1 January 1970

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National Dairy Council bridging the urban-rural divide through school farm visit

Kildare dairy farmer welcomed students as part of a National Dairy Council initiative, which saw 1,500 pupils across Ireland visit working dairy farms during May.

National Dairy Council bridging the urban-rural divide through school farm visit