Our featured writer and expert on history and culture is Patricia Doherty Hinnebusch. Ms. Hinnebusch is a well-published poet, a professional writer/editor and an avid researcher. The articles included on this site are intended both to educate and entertain with topics related to literature, language, religion, symbolism and history.

Ireland and Everything Irish

The Irish Way of Talking
By Patricia Doherty Hinnebusch
There are those who allege that an Irishman wouldn’t know the truth if he were swimming in it. Because I am affronted by the compulsively logical and by all who spitefully make unprovable and outrageous allegations concerning the content of an Irishman’s speech, I propose to elucidate the character and describe the unique qualities of the linguistic facility of the Irish.

Celts and the Classics: How the Irish Saved Civilization
By Patricia Doherty Hinnebusch
The Celts were the yeast in the bread of the early middle ages. The codexes (books) they painstakingly printed on the hides of sheep saved the Latin and Roman classics for subsequent generations of scholars, headmasters, and small boys....

The Pipes Are Calling ("Danny Boy")
By Patricia Doherty Hinnebusch
To clear the air in countless ale-filled rooms, I suggest we gently expose a few oft-repeated misconceptions about this beloved ballad and the circumstances surrounding its composition.

The Name "Ireland"
By Patricia Doherty Hinnebusch
One of the earliest names for Ireland was Scotia, arguably after Scota, a Pharaoh’s daughter in the days of Moses.