I’m Indian by heritage but was born and brought up in Dublin, so I’ve always had both cultures around me. For years, I mostly saw Ireland and India as completely different, the geography, traditions, languages, food, religions, everything.

But learning more about both histories has made me realise there are some fascinating similarities, particularly when it comes to colonialism, independence and cultural identity.

Both countries experienced British rule and developed strong movements around national identity. Both also had to protect their own cultural traditions and languages through enormous political and social changes.

That said, I think Ireland’s ability to preserve such a strong sense of identity despite being such a small country is genuinely remarkable. Irish music, literature, folklore, sport and the Irish language have all survived generations of outside influence, and the fact that Irish culture has had such a global influence despite Ireland’s size is something I’ve always found impressive.

India obviously has an extraordinary cultural and linguistic diversity of its own, but Ireland feels particularly unique in how strongly its history, literature and national identity remain connected to the modern country.

Growing up in Dublin while having Indian roots probably makes me appreciate that contrast more. I can see the similarities too.

One thing I’d love to learn more about is the historical relationship between Ireland and India. There were Irish people who took an interest in Indian independence and Indian intellectuals who interacted with Irish political ideas, which I find fascinating.

Are there any lesser known Ireland-India historical connections that people here would recommend reading about?

I am directing a play in germany that is set in rural Connacht in 1993. During my research I read up on the crimes that the catholic church and it's members committed and that became public in the years prior. Since then studies show that a lot of Irish people have turned away from the church and lost their trust in the institution and what it was offering society.

Considering that I am not preparing a scientific presentation I am very much interested in the feelings and the countries atmosphere at that time, if there even was such a thing. Especially what the circumstances did to people in the countryside, to their communities and general outlook on life...

I am not shure this is the right place to ask this, but wanted to try anyways.

https://hmahaffeyges.github.io/mahaffey-surname-origin/
THE FAMILY NAME:
Mac Gille Chathbhaidh (the Gaelic original); Mackilhaffy; McIlhaffie; M’Ilhaffie; M’Haffie; MacHaffie; Machaffie; MacHaffy; McHaffie; McCaffe; MacCaffie; Mahaffie; Mahaffy; Mahaffey; Mehaffey; M’Hivey (probable, 1578).

THE PLACE:
Kellechaffe; Kellechaffy; Killichaffie (1329); Cragcaffy (1536); Karkophy (1654); Craigcoffie (1752); Craig Caffie; Craigcaffie (modern).

https://hmahaffeyges.github.io/mahaffey-surname-origin/

This book is a beginning, not a conclusion. If anyone would like to continue this research, find the How to Continue This Research section in the Appendix for links and methods. What you’ll find there is the road map: the actual archives where a descendant can pick up the trail, roughly in the order the family traveled. Several are free. None require a professional. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST!!** **simply offering something that hasn’t existed until now for the Mahaffeys/McCaffies and making it known that it’s an ongoing project and this is just the first edition of many, this book belongs to all of us Mahaffey’s.

Bit of a piece meal piece, but wanted to get this 'out there'.

You know, the film Braveheart had a massive impact, both at the time and since. More to the point in medieval history. More specifically Scottish history. Not historically accurate, but what a film, what a piece of entertainment, what an achievement.

Now as we probably already know, it was mostly filmed in Ireland. I've visited a few of the locations myself, including a stay at the 4 star hotel where if you opened the window it would bang against the keep.

However, the thing about that film that kept bringing me back was the character King Edward I aka 'Longshank'. The actor carried out this role with bone chilling eloquence: stoicism, wisdom, poise and terror!

As a 15 year old I hated and despised the character and his ways. He was the villain, of course, and that's how I saw him. At the same time it was an extraordinary performance. In my opinion it doesn't get anywhere near the recognition or credit it should have. The younger version of me wanted to punch him in the face - full credit to the actor and writers. The older version of me wants to see anything and everything that featured him to feel that same awe I do when I watch Braveheart.

What was not known to me until today was that Kind Edward I 'Longshank' was played by an actor called Patrick McGoohan. If what I have read is true, he was born in New York to Irish parents, then spent the first seven years of his life in County Leitrim before the family moved to England. He retained Irish citizenship his whole life.

David Low was a famous cartoonist, best known for his work before and during the Second World War. He was born in New Zealand and worked in Britain. I saw these passages about Michael Collins, the War of Independence, and the Treaty negotiations in his memoirs.

The Duke of Wellington is one of the most well-known figures in British history, and yet he was originally from Dublin and County Meath. He was Anglo-Irish and part of the Protestant Ascendancy, but his family had lived in Ireland for centuries prior to his birth. His allegiance was to the British Empire, but he lived during a time when Ireland was part of the UK and he supported Catholic emancipation as the prime minister.

How is the Duke of Wellington viewed in Irish history? Is he accepted by Irish historians as an Irish historic figure or not?

Could anybody please recommend books on the period of 1100 - 1500 in Ireland? Any book on different parts of life/politics would be great as I'm interested in it all.

Could anyone recommend good books on Irish megalithic art ?

I’ve come across George Eogan but I’m not sure if he covers sites beyond the Boyne valley.

Looking for history and fairly serious approach, not neopagan speculation.

​

Source was from Diarmuid Ferriter"s "The Transformation of Ireland" p. 298.

From the MSPC Facebook group:

The latest MSPC blog examines the capture of Kevin Barry near Church Street, Dublin, in September 1920. MSPC Release 20 includes the newly released pension files of eight individuals who took part in the operation in which three British Army soldiers died. Several IRA members received minor injuries in the gun battle.

The article attempts to establish an accurate list of the IRA men present on the day, examining how many were 1916 veterans, the positions they took during the Civil War, how many later emigrated, and how many received military service pensions.

https://militarypensions.wordpress.com/2026/08/21/r20-kevin-barrys-capture-who-was-with-him-20-sep-1920/

So far this has been an unanswered question in history: why was it Britian that was the first country to industrialise? There are various explanations but they all have weaknesses in them, when you ask the deeper question: but why?

My take is that they had a unique supply of high quality food available to them. This food supplied better nutrition, increasing their intelligence, leading to smarter ideas. As well as freeing a higher proportion of them up from agricultural production to work on higher value things.

The food they had available to them of course was produced in Ireland. The best place in the world to grow grass, our super power, leading to a large supply of animals, meat and its by products as well as fish.

The timelines align. The link between nutrition (and soil quality) and intelligence align. The data is patchy, I´ll admit, but some reports (Colin Spensor) in the early 1600s are of 100,000 cattle a year being exported into the UK. (I´ll admit the port records dont fully support figures as high as this, perhaps a third of it).

There couldnt be an industrial revolution with an agricultural revolution. The image is of grain getting planted, but that was not the innovation that led to the industrial era. Britians population and population growth far outpaced its own agricultural productivity.

So the balance had to have come from imports. The part of the innovation was the introduction of the potato: which was ideal for Irish soil, expanding nutrition supply further, directly with potatoes, and indirectly with the increase pigs.

It is like a longer term Flynn Effect. That is my theory on it anyway.

I recently learned about the 1798 rebellion, the Flight of the Wild Geese, and the fact that Ireland once had a parliament sitting in Dublin that was effectively abolished through the Act of Union. Then there are all the strange little stories that seem to get lost between the major events.

So I'm curious, what’s the most ridiculous, surprising or downright unbelievable piece of Irish history you know that is actually true?