ON THE afternoon of March 11 1597, Dublin experienced one of the most devastating accidents in the history of the city. A huge quantity of gunpowder—being stored beside the River Liffey—suddenly exploded with enormous force. The blast killed 126 people, destroyed or severely damaged dozens of houses and the shockwave of the blast even damaged the tower and cracked the medieval bells of nearby Christchurch Cathedral.

IF IRELAND has an efficient—and hopefully— expanding modern railway system, it equally benefits from being home to a surprising number of high quality heritage railways and museums. Irish heritage railways are popular tourist attractions, with an impressive 93,000 passengers taking trips on them annually, getting in touch with the trains of yesteryear, which enthusiasts have lovingly kept alive for posterity.

THE city of Rome is a real kaleidoscope of colour. It really does has everything—food, fashion, art, faith and, of course, history. For those who have visited the Eternal City, there is never enough time, and, inevitably, plans are made for a return visit. To borrow a well-used phrase, Rome is ‘the gift that keeps on giving’ and no number of visits could exhaust its marvels.

AT THE outbreak of World War I in August 1914, the regularity of the Derry boat sailings began to dwindle, as U-boat activity in the North Atlantic made a dangerous journey much more hazardous. Ships like The Thistle were re-commissioned for war service and only returned to Derry quay after the conflict. This, however, was at a time when Ireland’s conflict with Britain for its national independence was just getting underway and in which the Derry boat would play an important

YOU may not be familiar with the name Kathleen Helen MacCarthy-Morrogh—otherwise known as Kay Summersby—but after reading this or going to see the movie Pressure, which is out this month, everyone will know her, and furthermore, be asking the same question I did: Who was this Cork girl who ended up becoming personal secretary to Dwight D Eisenhower, 34th President of the United States.

STANDING proudly on the north side of St Stephen’s Green, the Shelbourne Hotel is one of Dublin’s most famous landmarks. For more than two centuries, its elegant rooms and corridors have witnessed political upheaval, revolution, romance and social change.

FROM the mills of the 19th century to the playing fields of today’s Gaelic games, Dundee’s Irish story is one of resilience, cultural exchange, and enduring community spirit. Far from being a relic of the past, Irish influence in the city is not only remembered—it is being actively revived.

"I AM of Ireland… come dance with me in Ireland,” declared Erin’s greatest poet, WB Yeats. It is hard to overestimate the significance of Yeats to the development of modern Ireland. The Sligo poet was the artistic father of the Irish Literary Revival, and co-founder of the Abbey Theatre, which put Irish creativity at the centre stage of the emergent cultural Nationalism in the late 19th century.

SOME older readers will recall The Irish Weekly—sister paper of The Irish News—being sold in churches throughout Scotland. It was a Nationalist and Catholic publication, which, in 1892 incorporated The Ulster Examiner. The content was of Irish interest whether in news, prose, history or verse.

IN 2017, the Irish language television channel, TG4, broadcast a programme, Bus Ghlaschú, about the bus services between Donegal and Glasgow that acted as a vital link between the two places. It was so popular that it was also picked up by BBC Alba, the Scottish Gaelic channel and would have reminded many people of the long and difficult journey as well as the many happy reunions enabled by the bus.

IRELAND'S first railway was opened between Dublin and Kingstown—now Dún Laoghaire—in 1834, just nine years after the pioneering Stockton and Darlington opened for traffic. The Irish line made history as the world’s first commuter railway. Steam-powered, it was built to the standard British gauge of four feet eight-and-a-half inches between the rails and today’s modern, electric DART trains still use the route on their way to and from Greystones.

THE day after an uninspiring loss to Shamrock Rovers, my brother and I made our way by car to the cradle of the Hibernian Football Club—Ballingarry in County Limerick—to attend a service to commemorate the founder Canon Edward Joseph Hannan.

GROWING up in East Kilbride in the 1960s was a bit surreal. As the first new town in Scotland, it was a bit of a social experiment and, by extension, its residents were the guinea pigs.

JULY 2026 marks an incredibly special date for the organisers, volunteers and pilgrims, past and present of an incredibly special group of people—St Margaret of Scotland Youth Group (SMSYG)—as they celebrate their Golden Jubilee.

KEEPING on the theme of 18th century rogues, perched atop Montpelier Hill in the Dublin Mountains, the Hellfire Club is one of Ireland’s most famous historic ruins.

‘AN IRISHMAN'S heart is nothing but his imagination,’ observed George Bernard Shaw (GBS). In the history of literature, few writers have accumulated more honours than the extraordinary Dubliner.

THIS year’s Edinburgh Mary is Cara Molloy, originally from West Belfast, but now living and studying in Scotland’s capital city. Cara was recently crowned by the Edinburgh Emerald Irish Social Group at Gilmerton Miner’s Club.

THERE'S nothing to beat the company of friends, especially when they’ve been in your life forever and you know, and love, each other like sisters. Four of us took a trip back to Donegal together. We hadn’t been in Gweedore together since we were 17!

WITH World Cup fever fully underway around the world, fans of Irish football might be feeling a little left out. A summer of GAA action is providing some diversion, but with another competition coming round with no Irish involvement now might be the time to take a little wander down Memory Lane.

HOLY Cross Church in Crosshill was packed to the rafters for Charlie Devlin’s Requiem Mass, a sign of just how highly valued and deeply admired he was in a remarkable life.