The Summer Solstice 🌞 is an ancient Celtic festival that holds a special place in Irish history and folklore.
Celebrated in Ireland for at least 5,000 years, the solstice is a symbol of enlightenment and the power of nature. 🍃
Today, June 20th, is the longest day of the year marking the peak of our summer and the light today is over nine hours longer than light on winter solstice in December.
The Irish word for solstice is “Grianstad”, literally meaning ‘sun-stop’.
Enjoy those extra hours of light! 🌞
#ancientireland #solstice #summersolstice #grianstad #celtic #celtictradition #paganritual #pagan #irishtradition #irishsolstice #longestdayoftheyear
'I feel very privileged and will take these memories with me and they will rest with me for a very long time! - Tommie Gorman. In the final episode in this series of Tracks and Trails, veteran journalist and political commentator Tommie Gorman visits Co.Tipperary to walk part of an ancient trail taken by St.Declan. It airs this Friday 📺 at 7:30pm on RTÉ One or if outside IRL you can visit @ irelandstracksandtrails YouTube channel. Tommie weaves his love of being outside on the trails with his deep knowledge of Irish history and politics. Packed with stories from our ancient past and our much more recent history, Tommie revels in every step of the journey. With new places to uncover and quiet spots to stop and reflect, he truly makes this trail his own. Tipperary Tourism Cahir Castle OPW - Office of Public Works Coillte St. Declan's Way The Swiss Cottage Munster Vales #tipperary #visittipperary #tracksandtrails #irelandstracksandtrails #irelandtravel
“Kilkenny has endless history, stories, nature and scenic countryside. I’ll definitely be back for more”. – Dr. Ruth Freeman gets a taste of all that Co.Kilkenny has to offer in the latest episode of Tracks & Trails. It airs this Friday at 7:30pm on RTE One and if you’re outside Ireland you can catch it on YouTube @ irelandstracksandtrails . Please tag and share with all those people you know want a little more Kilkenny in their lives. OPW - Office of Public Works Coillte RTÉ One Heritage Ireland Woodstock Gardens Science Foundation Ireland Visit Kilkenny Outdoor Kilkenny
“It was a good name when they called it The Kingdom because I think that’s what it is”. - Kieran Donaghy.
#kerry #thekingdomofkerry #tracksandtrails #irelandstracksandtrails #irishproduction
‘The magic of the Kingdom is very much alive anyway’.
Join former Wexford Camogie Player, and RTE analyst Ursula Jacob, as she discovers two coastal trails in County Kerry.
Get ready for dolphins, the homeplace of Daniel O’Connell and walks with Kieran Donaghy to name but a few highlights.
Friday, 26th April, 7:30pm on RTE One.
For viewers outside Ireland please keep an eye on our YouTube channel @ irelandstracksandtrails
#tracksandtrails #irelandstracksandtrails #kerry #thekingdom
@discoverkerry_ @starryboy @coilltenews @kerrycountycouncil @blennervillewindmill @traleebaywetlands
At the top of Mullaghcarn Mountain Diarmaid Ferriter meets Darach, The Guardian and remembers a poem by Harry Clifton inspired by the Ulster Mountains and the enormous relief of being high up above politics.
Friday 19th @7:30pm on RTE One, Tracks and Trails is in Ulster.
#tracksandtrails #irelandstracksandtrails #discoverni #embraceagiantspirit #sperrins
“I’ll definitely be back here because I think this landscape speaks an enduring story, and it goes on”. Irish historian and broadcaster, Professor Diarmaid Ferriter travels to Tyrone and Monaghan and embraces the opportunity to marry the history and geography of this beautiful place. Tracks & Trails, the Ulster episode, airs this Friday 19th at 7:30pm on RTE One. For viewers outside Ireland please keep an eye on @irelandstracksandtrails YouTube channel for more. Monaghan Tourism Videosonthenet OPW - Office of Public Works Heritage Ireland Coillte RTÉ One #tracksandtrails #irelandstracksandtrails #discoverni #embraceagiantspirit #irelandtravel #monaghan #moretomonaghan #tyrone #patrickkavanagh #diarmaidferriter
Offaly, I didn’t know very much about you, but you have charmed and enchanted me. - Sinéad Moriarty. Join Irish author Sinead Moriarty as she slows down and unwinds along 3 different trails in County Offaly. The 2nd episode of Tracks & Trails airs on Friday 12th April at 7:30pm on RTÉ One. If you are outside Ireland, see @irelandstracksandtrails on YouTube for more. #visitoffaly #tracksandtrails #irelandshiddenheartlands #offaly #irelandoutdoors Visit Offaly Heritage Ireland OPW - Office of Public Works Coillte Kinnitty Castle Hotel
“Waterford is a county that has surpassed my expectations and I will definitely be back” – Nicola Tallant.
Want to see what Nicola saw? The first episode of Tracks & Trails airs Friday, 5th April at 7:30pm (GMT) on RTE One.
If you are outside Ireland, please keep an eye on @irelandstracksandtrails YouTube channel for more.
#visitwaterford #tracksandtrails #irelandstracksandtrails #waterford #opw #heritageireland #coillte @rteone
Any “hatching hens” out there like @starryboy ?
Let us know with an 🦉 in the comments below if you’re a late owl like Kieran.
#kierandonaghy #kerryway #thekingdom @discoverkerry_ #irelandstracksandtrails #tracksandtrails @ursulajacob
More Kerry coming soon 👀
Ireland’s wonder of the ancient world has to be Newgrange. This extraordinary engineering feat, built before the Great Pyramids and Stonehenge, would have taken decades to complete. And once a year, a privileged few can witness the real magic that still takes place here when this enormous tomb marks the turning point of the solar year ✨
On Winter Solstice this year, 22nd December at approximately 3:27am, the passage and chamber of this 5000 year old monument will be illuminated by the sunrise on the shortest day. A shaft of sunlight shines through the small opening above the entrance and lights up the inside of the chamber and the ancient wall carvings for about 15 minutes.
Very few will ever get to witness this unique event as a lottery decides who gains access to the chamber each year, but we can all continue to wonder what this annual event meant to our ancestors and why they spent years, using only stone tools, to create such an incredible spectacle.
#ancientireland #wintersolstice #solstice #paganritual #shortestday
The gateway to the Garden of Ireland. Bray is Ireland's longest established seaside town and is less than 20km from Dublin. The impressive promenade was built in the Victorain Era and earned Bray the title 'The Brighton of Ireland’. The panoramic views of the Irish sea are breathtaking as you climb to the top of Bray Head and beyond to join one of the countrv's most popular cliff walks which links Bray to Greystones. Spectacular scenery at every turn from the Wicklow Mountains to the coastal wildlife. Do let us know if you go and tag Ireland’s Tracks and Trails #wicklow #gardenofireland #bray Ireland's Ancient East Bray, At The Heart of it Visit Wicklow #tracksandtrails #irelandtravel
Considered a hero in Irish mythology, Lugh (or Lú) is often referred to as the Celtic Sun God.
As today is the solstice and so the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere, we thought it was a good day to talk about Lugh who appears in early Irish literature as an immortal figure with supernatural powers in some texts, and as a hero and king of the distant past in others.
Lugh’s son is Cú Chulainn, who is believed to be an incarnation of Lugh, and is one of the greatest heroes of Irish-Celtic mythology.
#irishmythology #lugh #celticmythology #cuchulainn #irishstories #tracksandtrails #westmeath
Thank you to @hill_of_uisneach
Who knew we were surrounded by such a healthy, organic super food at every beach around the country? Have you tried seaweed? Find out about cutting, drying and pairing it in our short video from Sligo with @manchanmagan & Prannie Rhatigan #irishseaweed #superfood #irishcoast
Arguably Ireland’s greatest romantic legend ~ Diarmuid & Gráinne ~ ended on the great Benbulben.
The love story comes to a brutal end when Diarmuid is mortally wounded by a boar, and his scorned friend Fionn MacCool fails to save him.
#irishmythology #dermotandgráinne #irishlove #mythology #irishlegends #ancientireland
We have some solid advice for @joebiden ahead of his visit to Mayo! Make sure to watch until the end. #joebiden #bideninireland #bidenvisit #mayo
☘️ Lá Fhéile Pádraig sona daoibh go léir! ☘️
We learned of St. Patrick’s Bed when we visited @hill_of_uisneach and thought you might like to hear about it too. #stpatrick #stpatricksday #ancientireland #irishhistoryandheritage
Innisfallen Island in the heart of Killarney National Park was a place of solitude for the monks in the 7th century. The High King of Ireland 👑,Brian Boru, is said to have studied at the monastery here. The Monks were great scholars and wrote The Annals of Innisfallen; a historical manuscript written in Irish and Latin in pre-Christian Ireland. A fascinating glimpse in to our ancient history.
Thank you to @gapofdunloetraditionalboattour and @cathykellybooks for exploring this beautiful island with us.
#annalsofinisfallen #irishhistory #irishhistoryandheritage #killarney #munster #kerry @experience_kerry @innisfallenisland #irelandtravel #tracksandtrails #irelandstracksandtrails
Only heard in Ireland in bad weather! #outakes
#irishsayings #irishweather #tracksandtrails
