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Ian Middleton

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Ireland Articles

Halloween - pumpkin lantern
Halloween it's NOT American!
Many people, it seems, think that Halloween is an American celebration. So, here in this article I set...
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View down to the centre of Ljubljana and the Ljubljana Castle lit up in the colours of the Irish flag to celebrate Saint Patrick's Day weekend 2016 in Slovenia. The castle was lit up green last year to celebrate the event, but as Ljubljana is the European Green Capital for 2016 the castle is already being lit green at night for the whole year. So the Irish embassy arranged for the colours of the flag to adorn the castle for 2016.
Saint Patrick’s Day around the World
Saint Patrick's Day is not only celebrated in Ireland but all over the world. Read here who Saint patrick...
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Dun Aonghasa on Inishmore, Galway, Ireland.
The Limestone world of Galway and Clare- Wild Atlantic Way Part 6
Explore the magical limestone world of the burren in Galway and Clare, in part 6 of my Wild Atlantic...
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Loftus Hall, County Wexford, Republic of Ireland. Located near to the Hook Peninsula, this manor house is the location for a famous local legend about the devil visiting a lonely woman.
The Story of Loftus Hall, the most haunted house in Ireland.
Located on the Hook Peninsula in County Wexford, Ireland is Loftus Hall. According to local folklore,...
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Saints & Legends of County Mayo - Wild Atlantic Way Part 5
In part 5 of my Wild Atlantic Way series I take you through the beautiful County Mayo, home to Croagh...
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Sunset over Knocknarea Mountain and Sligo Bay, Ireland. The small mound on top of this mountain is the burial mound of Queen Maeve, the famous Queen who instigated the Táin Bó Cuailgne (Cattle Raid of Cooley). She is buried under a cairn of 40,000 tons of rock, which is 6000 years old. Legend says she is buried standing upright, spear in hand and facing Ulster, her enemy.
Mysterious North West Ireland - Wild Atlantic Way Part 4
Leaving County Donegal, you enter the gorgeous undulating landscape of Sligo. This beautiful part of...
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Donegal Coast
Lush Green Southern Donegal - Wild Atlantic Way Part 3
While vastly different to the North, Southern Donegal is stunning in many ways. Visit the mysterious...
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Views from the Poisoned Glen in Northern County Donegal, Ireland.
Wild & Stunning Northern Donegal - Wild Atlantic Way - Part 2
Come and experience the wild and stunning landscape of Northern Donegal on the Wild Atlantic Way in Ireland....
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Newgrange megalithic passage cairn entry stone.
Boyne Valley in Ireland Part 3 - Newgrange, Knowth and Dowth
The megalithic complex of Newgrange, Knowth and Dowth contains some of Ireland’s largest and most magnificent...
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Balor's soldiers on the east side of Tory Island, County Donegal, Ireland.
Tory Island - Wild Atlantic Way - Part 1
Tory Island is a fascinating little place which lies off the coast of Northern Donegal in County Island....
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The Irish Talent for Singing Knows Some Bounds
For many years I had always thought that every Irish person could sing. In all my years of travelling...
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Trinity Well, in the grounds of Newberry House, near the village of Carbury, County Kildare, Ireland. Trinity Well, known in ancient Irish legend as the Well of Sergais, is the source of the magical River Boyne. The birth of the River Boyne has its roots in an ancient legend known as the Well of Sergais. It’s said that a long time ago when the Gods walked the earth there was a well shaded by magical hazel trees bearing crimson nuts. It was believed that whoever should eat these nuts would be graced with the knowledge of the world. The nuts fell off the trees and into the well, and were eaten by one of the vividly coloured salmon who swam there. For this reason, it became known as the salmon of knowledge. This well was owned by the God Nechtain, who was very possessive of the well. Only he and his three cup bearers were allowed anywhere near it. But one day his wife, referred to as Boann or Boínn (meaning she who has white cows; white cows were considered cows of the otherworld), was overcome with curiosity one day and went to the well without Nechtain’s permission or knowledge. There are various stories as to what she did there, but whatever it was resulted in the well overflowing and gushing forth onto the surrounding countryside and forming the Boyne Valley. Legend says the Boann inhabits the Fairy Mound where Newberry House now stands. It's here that the legendary Irish Giant, Celtic warrior and leader of the Fianna, ate the Salmon of Knowledge and gained the wisdom and power that enabled him to regain his rightful place as leader of teh Fianna and go on to become Ireland's greatest warrior and protector. The well was since christianised and is now known as Trinity Well. Every year the local priest peforms the annual Rosary the first Sunday in June.
The Well of Sergais - The Boyne Valley in Ireland Part 2
The birth of the River Boyne has its roots in an ancient legend known as the Well of Sergais. In this...
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Iron age rath at the Hill of Tara in County Meath, Ireland. Tara was once the ancient capital of Ireland, from where the high king ruled over the country. The upright stone you see on the mound is the Lia Fail (stone of destiny). According to Celtic legend the Lia Fail was used during the coronation of the high king, and was believe to emit a roar when the true high king touched it. (I tried but there was no sound, so I crossed being high king of Ireland off my list of potential destinies).
The Hill of Tara - The Boyne Valley in Ireland Part 1
The Hill of Tara in the heart of County Meath in ireland, is a fascinating place to visit at any time...
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Magic Road in the Comeragh Mountains, County Waterford, Ireland.
A Magic Road in the Comeragh Mountains
If I told you there was a section of road in Ireland where, if you park at the bottom of a small hill...
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Sean Og the leprechaun in O hare pub in Carlingford. County Louth, Ireland.
The Tale of the Wily Leprechaun
In the northeast corner of County Louth in Ireland lies the small and incredibly beautiful Cooley Peninsula....
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Brexit - European Union, which way to turn
Brexit - Maybe the Solution lies in the Problem
The UK has never been as divided as it is today over Brexit, or has it? But maybe, just maybe, the solution...
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Vampires and Viking Kings in North Dublin
Join me as I check out Castle Dracula, the Bram Stoker museum in Clontarf, and also Howth castle all...
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St Brigids cathedral in Kildare town.
St Brigid's Day - Feb 1st
St Brigid's Day is on Feb 1st. She was one of the three great Saints of Ireland, closely linked with...
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Hill of Allen (1)
The Hill of Allen.
Giants on the Bog - article about the Hill of Allen and the home of Irish giant, Finn McCool on the Bog...
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The King (1)
All Hail the King of Tory Island
In memory of Patsy Dan Rodgers, the King of Tory. Here is the story of my second time meeting this great...
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The stone of the Divisions (AKA the Cat Stone) on the Hill of Uisneach in County Meath is is possibly the most signifcant ancient monument in the whole country. Firstly, legend say that this is the burial place of Queen Eriu, Queen of the Tuatha de Danann (A powerful, magical race that inhabited Ireland before the Celts). She was defeated and mortally wounded in a battle with the Celtic King, Amergen granted her a dying wish. He promised her that the island would bear her name forever – The Gaelic name Eriú was later changed by the Vikings into “Eriú’s Land”, or Ireland. This 30-ton stone looks more like a giant bolder that has been cracked into several pieces. The splits are believed to represent the ancient divisions of Ireland. A book called Beneath the Shadow of Uisneach, says that it was from here that the five ancient provinces of Ireland met, symbolising this as the centre of Ireland. The stone’s Irish name depicts this: Ail na Mireann (“Stone of the Divisions”). The division were first made by the Fir Bolg. It is on this hill that the first fire was lit for the ancient festival of Bealtaine. It was said that a fire lit at the summit here could be seen all over Ireland, and that all fires were lit from this one. This hill was also the gathering place of the kings of Ireland.
The Hill of Uisneach
The Hill of Uisneach - Ever wondered how Ireland got its name? Well the secret lies here on the Hill...
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Croagh Patrick Chapel
Reek Sunday - The Annual Croagh Patrick Pilgrimage
Reek Sunday - The Annual Croagh Patrick Pilgrimage is in July. Read more about it here, including my...
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The stone of the Divisions (AKA the Cat Stone) on the Hill of Uisneach in County Meath is is possibly the most signifcant ancient monument in the whole country. Firstly, legend say that this is the burial place of Queen Eriu, Queen of the Tuatha de Danann (A powerful, magical race that inhabited Ireland before the Celts). She was defeated and mortally wounded in a battle with the Celtic King, Amergen granted her a dying wish. He promised her that the island would bear her name forever – The Gaelic name Eriú was later changed by the Vikings into “Eriú’s Land”, or Ireland. This 30-ton stone looks more like a giant bolder that has been cracked into several pieces. The splits are believed to represent the ancient divisions of Ireland. A book called Beneath the Shadow of Uisneach, says that it was from here that the five ancient provinces of Ireland met, symbolising this as the centre of Ireland. The stone’s Irish name depicts this: Ail na Mireann (“Stone of the Divisions”). The division were first made by the Fir Bolg. It is on this hill that the first fire was lit for the ancient festival of Bealtaine. It was said that a fire lit at the summit here could be seen all over Ireland, and that all fires were lit from this one. This hill was also the gathering place of the kings of Ireland.
Mysterious Ireland - Leinster
Ireland's province of Leinster is packed with ancient history & mystery. In this article, written...
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Mt. Errigal in Dunlewey, County Donegal, Ireland.
Donegal, host to Tony Blair’s first pint of Guinness
A quest to find the pub where Tony Blair sipped his first pint of Guinness, took Ian Middleton on a fascinating...
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Rolling backwards up Gravity Hill on the Cooley Peninsula in County Louth, Ireland.
Carlingford - Gravity Hill - The Road where things go Backwards
Near Carlingford on the Cooley Peninsula there's a strange phenonomeon known as: Gravity Hill where things...
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