New Irish Photo Giveaway

Some many of you liked the photos I shared last month on Facebook and Twitter, that I decided it was time for a giveaway! These are photos from a calendar I made in the past. They are photos I took in Ireland in 2010. See the giveaway below and enter (the more categories you enter the more chances you will have to win!) Please share with your friends! Oh, and the size is 12" x 9 1/4", despite what the giveaway seems to say. :)

A Voice From Ireland's Past

Ancestry.com offers immigrant interviews to listen to for free. I could spend all day listening! Here is one with a lady named Lillian Doran Cavanaugh from Ballymore, County Westmeath.

http://ancstry.me/1g4L7RG

 I found this amusing in some spots, such as when she was asked if she knew how her parents met. She says she doesn't know: "They don't talk that way over there."

This may have been Lillian Doran Cavanaugh's church in Ireland 

Lillian and her sister Peg departed Ireland at Queenstown for America where their uncles awaited them.

At about 27:09 on the recording Lillian talks about her arrival in America.

Gifts for St. Paddy's Day!

Happy St. Patrick's Day! To celebrate, I would much rather talk about the country and its people than drink in a bar that Americans call an Irish pub. If you feel the same way, or even if you don't--I don't mind--I've got some things to brighten your day.

Throughout the day I plan to share some of my favorite photographs from Ireland over on my Facebook page. You can find it here: www.facebook.com/cindyswriting (and don't forget to click the like the button while you're there.)

And here's something fun! My friend Corey over at the Irish Fireside is sharing a free ebook of sites to see in Ireland. If you're not already, you really should be following the Irish Fireside!

Download it at http://irishfireside.com/remarkable/

Reflections on St. Brigid

February 1st is coming, St. Brigid's Day.

As some of you know, my first novel is titled Brigid of Ireland and it was inspired by the late 5th century-early 6th century patron saint of Ireland Brigid. But why Brigid? How did I get interested in her?

And by the way, if you are looking for a copy, contact me.

Miracles

Have you ever seen one? Experienced one? I know life itself is a miracle and as Leif Enger illustrated so well in his novel Peace Like a River they are all around us all the time if we will only look. St. Brigid, like all venerated saints I suppose, is known for her miracles. She doesn't just perform them, though, they seem to happen around her whether she notices or not. Take the time she hung her cloak on what she thought was a hook but was really a sunbeam, and it stayed there. Or the way all the butter she gave away from her father's dairy was just miraculously restored. I see Brigid as not one who invokes these things, asking God to bring about a mighty act, but as one who expects no less because she knows miracles abound. All you have to do is expect to see them.

Her Special Cross

St. Brigid is believed to have woven this cross while explaining Jesus' sacrifice to a dying pagan. That fascinated me because this is not the typical cross we imagine Jesus actually hanging on. This is a special shape attributed only (in Ireland) to St. Brigid. This also enthralled me. Yes, it could have been a pagan symbol that was adapted to Christianity, but I imagine it being something more. Rather than a physical symbol of Good Friday, it's a storytelling device. She explained about Jesus as she wove it. Perhaps she turned it as she recounted each step of what led up to the crucifixion. Perhaps the number of reeds represented something in the story (I'm not good at math so I'm not going to try to establish a formula or anything.) Perhaps the four points of the cross helped her explain how our sins are forgiven "as far as the east is from the west."

Consecrated a Bishop

Yes, in the 6th century. The church has tried to explain that away as some kind of error. But women held positions of power in ancient Ireland so it's not far-fetched. But it is something women today look up to. I once gave a talk to a group of nuns in a retirement home. They were interested in the novel and all, but what they really wanted to know was did I think she was actually a bishop? They loved that! :)

St. Brigid's Consecration by Bishop Mel, mosaic in St. Patrick's Cathedral in Armagh. ©2010CindyThomson

She Was a Slave

We can tend to forget that slavery has been an institution from almost the beginning of time. Like St. Patrick, Brigid was a slave. Patrick had been stolen away from his family, but Brigid was born into it. Her mother was her father's slave. The fact that shortly after her birth Brigid was separated from her mother is the detail that launched the plot for my novel. But historically slavery was not the worst option for people. You needed to belong to a household to survive back then and you could do that by either being part of the royal family (and there were many, many regional kings at the time,) or being part of the family of gentry who owned property (which meant livestock, not land,) or you could be a slave in one of those households where you had shelter and food. With none of those things (which is the position Brigid found herself in after her father set her free) you had to figure out how to survive in the wilderness. There were some monasteries, but they were scarce at this time, and Brigid remember ended up being Ireland's first nun, so moving to a convent wasn't an option at this point in history. This part of the social structure was interesting to me.

She Has Been Nearly Forgotten

In America anyway, and for non Catholics. But even many Catholics don't know about this saint. As a novelist I love writing about historical figures people forgot about. Keeping legacies alive is what drives me. (Yes, I know there is debate about whether or not Brigid was an actual person. You can debate that among yourselves without me.)

St.Brigid in center. St.Patrick's Cathedral, Armagh. ©2010CindyThomson

So these are the major things that inspired my novel. Anything here new to you?

Happy St. Brigid's Day to you all!!

Ireland, Yeats, and My Writing Inspiration

Drumcliffe Church built in 1809. Photo ©Cindy Thomson, 2013

When people learn about my visits to Ireland, most ask if I was researching a new book or if going there influenced my writing somehow. I usually don't have a definitive answer. All my experiences  influence my stories in some way. But, yes, Ireland is inspirational, and so is Ireland's literary history.
Since my last trip included a stay in Sligo, W.B. Yeats, who spent much of his childhood there and is buried in Drumcliffe, and how the landscape influenced him (and his brother Jack who painted some of Sligo's scenery) provided inspiration (but what for exactly, I've yet to discover!)

Benbulben, County Sligo. Photo © Cindy Thomson, 2013

Graveyard at Drumcliffe. Photo ©Cindy Thomson, 2013.

Over a century before Yeats spent his summers in Sligo, St. Columcille chose the site for one of his monasteries. In the 6th century, Columcille founded Drumcliffe and it has remained a sacred site since. (Although for all I know it was sacred to the pagans before Christianity, as many sites were.) 

Drumcliffe sits in the shadow of the magnificent mountain called Benbulben or Benbulbin (above.) The church that sits there now is of the Church of Ireland, and Yeats's great grandfather was a rector there. Not too far from the church's front doors (below, do you see swans? Some of my friends didn't when they looked at this pic) lies Yeats's grave. He died in France, but it was his wish (as written in one of his poems) to be buried at the base of Benbulben.

Drumcliffe church doors. Photo ©Cindy Thomson, 2013

 

W.B. Yeats Grave, Drumcliffe. Photo ©Cindy Thomson, 2013. Yeats's wife is buried there too.

The churchyard is home to a 10th century high cross, and the ruin of a round tower, which dates at least to the 10th century, but perhaps even earlier.

Drumcliffe Round Tower. Photo ©Cindy Thomson, 2013.

Apparently some of the ancient monastery's tumbledown stones were used to build the new church. I'm fascinated by the fact that for centuries people have come here to worship, celebrate, bury and mourn their dead. Hearts were full or heavy here, over and over. You can almost feel it.

Author Karen Robbins on Her Ireland Trip

Cindy's note: Karen is a writer friend who just happens to have been born on St. Patrick's Day. I asked her to share with you some memories about her trip.

Thanks for inviting me today, Cindy! One of the reasons I love your books so much is the Ireland connection. In 2011, we spent a month exploring Ireland. We began in Dublin and circled the entire island country. It is truly a beautiful country with wonderful people—actually two countries, the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland which is still a part of the United Kingdom.

Karen Robbins's photo.

I cannot pick out a favorite spot. Each area was unique and had something different to experience although I do favor the countryside more than the larger cities. One of the most delightful things about each area that we visited though was the storytelling. Ah, the Irish can spin a tale!

On our second day to explore the Antrim coast of Northern Ireland, we found ourselves in the land of legendary giants. The Giant's Causeway, a spectacular work of nature or giants if you would believe folklore, was fascinating. The rock formation is made from an estimated 40,000 basalt columns which were formed from a volcanic eruption over 60 million years ago. 



The causeway was discovered in 1692 by the Bishop of Derry who immediately reported it to the tourist bureau in Dublin--just kidding--but it was reported to Dublin authorities who in turn contacted authorities in London and the theories and research began in an attempt to explain the phenomenon.

But who wants facts like lava flowing and filling in fissures and creating a layer of basalt and then sun and rain eroding them, more lava flowing, cooling slowly, more cracking, and on and on until you get all of these columns of mostly six-sided stones? Give me the legend. It's much more fun.

Karen Robbins's photo.

It is said that an Irish giant named Finn McCool lived along the coast and was insulted by a Scottish giant, Fingal, who lived across the channel. In anger, Finn lifted a huge chunk of earth and hurled it at Fingal. The earth fell into the sea. Fingal retaliated with a huge stone tossed in Finn's direction. He taunted Finn saying that Finn was lucky he wasn't a strong swimmer or he'd come over to the Irish shore and give Finn what for.

Finn was enraged and began throwing large clumps of earth into the channel to make a walkway for Fingal to come over and face him. It took him a week to complete the walkway but since he hadn't slept in a week, he was worried that he was too tired to face Fingal.

Now here's where it gets interesting. One account says he asked his wife what to do and she told him to disguise himself as a baby in a cot--which is what he did. When Fingal arrived, Finn's wife said her husband was out but showed Fingal her "baby" laying in the cradle. Fingal saw the size of the "baby" and wondered how big the father was. He high tailed it home tearing up the walkway as he went. The Giants Causeway is all that's left.

Now isn't that better than a lot of geological facts? Before we left, Bob and I were feeling a bit adventuresome. We climbed to the top of a group of rocks for a Kodak moment. After all, we were nearing the end of our Ireland trip and a turned ankle wouldn't be so disastrous.

KAREN ROBBINS is a freelance writer, author, and speaker. She and her husband are travel addicts and stop by home in the Cleveland area of Ohio on occasion to repack the suitcases. Her stories are often inspired by adventures in many different parts of the world.
Along the writing adventure, Karen has published Divide The Child, Murder Among The Orchids, In A Pickle, and Death Among The Deckchairs. She has also coauthored A Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts and A Scrapbook of Motherhood Firsts and has contributed to several Chicken Soup books. Travel articles, essays on grandparenting, and some of her short stories can be found in various magazines both online and in print.
While the world is fun to explore, Karen most likes to spend time with her eight grandchildren. They offer the greatest adventures of all.
Follow Karen’s travels at Writer’s Wanderings. Connect with her at her Facebook Author Page to learn when her next Casey Stengel Mystery book, Secrets Among The Shamrocks will be released.
 

An Irish Book Launch

Ballina photo by eric.delignieres

When I was in Ireland, I had the unique opportunity to attend Kate Kerrigan's book launch!

The event was held in the beautiful little town of Ballina (Bow-lynn-ah)--I pronounced it wrong continually until I heard Kate say it. The town is near her home and the place where her mother Moira lives.

Her book, the one just launched in Ireland, is the final in a series about an Irish immigrant who makes a home in Hollywood, and the party was at a beauty salon. Read her blog post about it here. (I actually appear in the background of one of the pictures she has up on her blog. I was on my way back from the bathroom when the costume award was being given. Yep, a photobomb by yours truly!)

I met Kate through my blog, www.novelpastimes.com, where I interviewed her. About a year and a half ago I had another unique opportunity. I learned she was going to Manhattan on book tour just the time I planned to be there to research my book. She invited me to a book blogger luncheon hosted by her publisher, Harper Collins, at the HC headquarters.

That's me in front of HC holding Kate's book.

The luncheon was an intimate gathering where we heard insides stories from the author, the best kinds!

Besides being a delightfully nice person, she is a wonderful writer and I've enjoyed her books. You should check them out!

My First Celtic Wisdom Pic

I pinned this on Facebook and Twitter, but in case you missed it, here it is again. I'll be posting these photos with Celtic sayings from time to time. The photographs are mine. The sayings will mostly come from my book, Celtic Wisdom, as this one did. Please feel free to share liberally. ;)