Ernest Shackleton, born in Ireland in 1874, was one of the world’s greatest polar explorers, renowned for his doomed Trans-Antarctic Expedition from 1914-1917.
February 1 is the feast day of Ireland’s lesser-known patron saint, St. Brigid, who wove a unique Celtic cross from rushes and convinced a dying Gaelic chieftain to convert to Christianity.
The triskelion is Ireland’s oldest symbol, signifying the many cyclical triplicities in Celtic belief and life including life, death, and rebirth.
In a country as old and mystical as Ireland, there are bound to be some legends that hold on longer than others, from dire wolves to a friendly ghost in a neighborhood pub.
An Irish ship bringing supplies to the pilgrims likely inspired the first Thanksgiving celebrations after a long, hard winter when Plymouth colony was on the verge of starvation.
The combination of pagan and Christian ritual in Ireland explicitly that gave birth to today’s contemporary Halloween celebrations, including the Jack-O’-Lantern.
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