Preparing for the Ireland Trip
Suggested Reading for the Trip
The first two books are essential reads as we will be referring a LOT to these people. The third one gives a good background on the history and importance of Ireland.
St. Patrick of Ireland:
A Biography
by Philip Freeman
The most authoritative modern biography of the patron saint of Ireland, focusing on the historical Patrick and his times.
Ireland’s patron saint has long been shrouded in legend, but the true story of St. Patrick is far more inspiring than the myths. In St. Patrick of Ireland, Philip Freeman brings the historic Patrick and his world vividly to life. Patrick speaks in his own voice in two remarkable letters he wrote about himself and his beliefs, new translations of which are included here and which are still astonishing for their passion and eloquence.
The Search for God and Guinness:
A Biography of the
Beer that Changed the World
by Stephen Mansfield
The Search for God and Guinness: A Biography of the Beer That Changed the World by Stephen Mansfield explores the history of the Guinness brand, focusing on the deep-seated faith, philanthropy, and social conscience of the Guinness family, particularly Arthur Guinness, who brewed a healthier alternative to poisonous liquors in 18th-century Ireland.The book details the company's evolution into a global brand, highlighting its innovative business practices, social reforms, and the underlying Christian principles that guided its generosity and impact on society for over 250 years.
How the Irish
Saved Civilization
(Hinges of History Book 1) by Thomas Cahill
In this entertaining and compelling narrative, Thomas Cahill tells the story of how Europe evolved from the classical age of Rome to the medieval era. Without Ireland, the transition could not have taken place.
Movies to Watch
Michael Collins
Michael Collins is a 1996 biographicalhistorical drama film about Michael Collins, a leading figure in the early-20th-century Irish struggle for independence against the United Kingdom. It is written and directed by Neil Jordan and stars Liam Neeson in the title role, along with Aidan Quinn, Stephen Rea, Alan Rickman, and Julia Roberts. The film was distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures.
The Quiet Man
The Quiet Man is a 1952 American romanticcomedy drama film directed and produced by John Ford, and starring John Wayne, Maureen O'Hara, Victor McLaglen, Barry Fitzgerald, Arthur Shields and Ward Bond. The screenplay by Frank S. Nugent was loosely based on a 1933 Saturday Evening Post short story of the same name by Irish author Maurice Walsh, later published as part of a collection titled The Green Rushes. The film features Winton Hoch's lush photography of the Irish countryside and a long, climactic, semi-comic fist fight.
The Quiet Man is one of the most acclaimed movies about Ireland. Sean Thornton, played by John Wayne, is an Irish-American boxer from Pittsburgh who returns to the village where he was born in Ireland. He falls for a beautiful red-haired woman whose brother vows to keep them apart.
Places That Inspired the Movie: Cong, a village on the border of County Mayo and County Galway.
Bloody Sunday (Caution: Graphic)
Bloody Sunday, or the Bogside Massacre, occurred on 30 January 1972 when British soldiers shot 26 unarmed civilians during a protest march in the Bogside area of Derry,Northern Ireland. Thirteen men were killed outright, while the death of another man four months later has been attributed to his gunshot injuries. Many of the victims were shot while fleeing from the soldiers and some were shot while trying to help the wounded. All of those shot were Catholics. The march had been organised by the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association (NICRA) to protest against internment without trial. The soldiers were from the 1st Battalion of the Parachute Regiment ("1 Para"), the same battalion implicated in the Ballymurphy massacre several months earlier.
Waking Ned Divine
Waking Ned (titled Waking Ned Devine in North America) is a 1998 comedy film written and directed by Kirk Jones and starring Ian Bannen, David Kelly, and Fionnula Flanagan. Kelly was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award for his role as Michael O'Sullivan. The story is set in Ireland but was filmed in the nearby Isle of Man.
In the Name of the Father (Warning: Graphic)
In the Name of the Father is a 1993 biographical crime drama film produced and directed by Jim Sheridan, and written by Sheridan and Terry George, based on the 1990 autobiography Proved Innocent by Gerry Conlon. A co-production between Ireland, the United Kingdom, and the United States, it tells the story of the Guildford Four, four people falsely convicted of the 1974 Guildford pub bombings that killed four off-duty British soldiers and a civilian.
Belfast
Belfast is a 2021 coming-of-age drama film written and directed by Kenneth Branagh. The film stars Caitríona Balfe, Judi Dench, Jamie Dornan, Ciarán Hinds, Colin Morgan and Jude Hill. The film, which Branagh has described as his "most personal", follows a young boy's childhood in Belfast, Northern Ireland, at the beginning of The Troubles in 1969.
This is one of our personal favorites!
YouTube Videos of Places We Will Visit
(Listed below basically in the order you will visit these places.)
The Hill of Slain, Northern Ireland — Here
The Hilll of Tara, Northern Ireland — Here
St. Patrick Center, Downpatrick — Here
Belfast — Here
Titanic Museum Belfast — Here
C. S. Lewis Square Belfast — Here
Black Taxi Tour Belfast — Here
Dunluce Castle — Here and Here
The Giant’s Causeway — Here'
Clonmacnoise Monastery — Here
Visiting the Village of Cong — Here
The Cliffs of Moher — Here
The Rock of Cashel — Here
Visiting Cobh — Here
Waterford — Here
Waterford Crystal Factory — Here
Glendalough — Here
SITES IN DUBLIN
St. Patrick’s Cathedral —Here
Kilmainham Jail — Here
Guinness Storehouse —Here
Dublin City Tour — Here
Book of Kells — Here
General YouTube Videos for Ireland
The Entire History of Ireland — Here (This is very good!)
Ireland Travel Tips for First-Timers — Here
(Please note that I don’t agree with some of her comments and film recommendations, but overall, this is helpful.)
The Story of St. Patrick — Here
The Story of Arthur Guinness — Here and Here
The Story of St. Columba (or Columcille) — Here
The Story of St. Brigid — Here
The Story of St. Kevin (Glendalough) — Here
The Story of Saint Kieran (Clonmacnoise) — Here
