IrishCentral

Seamus Heaney, the Nobel Prize-winning Irish poet, passed away on this day, August 30, 2013. I only met Seamus Heaney a few times, but knew him well enough to recognize his extraordinary personal gifts, not just his poetry. He was as ordinary and down-to-earth in person as the son of a farmer from rural Derry could be. There was a razor-sharp mind, of course, but unlike most poets, no affectations or attempts to bewilder rather than explain.

A mum from the US has shared the reasons behind her decision to give her daughter a ‘hard-to-pronounce’ Irish name. It might come as a surprise to those of us who call Ireland home, as it is a very popular name over here.

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Helen McEntee TD and Minister of State for International Development and Diaspora Neale Richmond TD have announced €500,000 in emergency funding to support relief efforts following the devastating floods and landslides in Nepal. Severe flash flooding on 26 August caused significant loss of life, widespread destruction and displacement, with communities across affected areas facing an urgent need for assistance.

Maura Twomey, a 70-year-old native of Co Cork, became the oldest person to successfully cross California’s Catalina Channel when she completed the daunting challenge in 15:45:23, pending verification, on August 17. Twomey, now based in Boston, mounted the swim as a fundraiser for the Irish Kidney Association after her youngest brother Martin, who still lives in Co Cork, received a kidney transplant earlier this year.

Experts recommend that we eat two portions of fish a week and this family fish pie is a great way to get fish into your diet! This healthy family favorite Irish fish pie recipes come directly from Ireland's food board, Bord Bia. It's sure to be a favorite among your friends and family and a major plus is that it's super filling and chocked full of flavor.

Con Holleran will be an Irish dance star one day! At only 2 years old, Con Holleran is a seriously impressive Irish dancer. In 2019, Con's dad Brian Holleran has shared an absolutely adorable Facebook video of his son Irish dancing which went viral and has been viewed over a million times.

The Irish love to tell a good story, so it's little wonder that they've made some brilliant movies over the years. Here's our pick of the best! From the comic genius of the late David Kelly in "Waking Ned Devine" to the brilliant soundtrack in "The Commitments," we've put together our choice of the best Irish movies that you'll want to add to your Netflix, Amazon, or whatever list you're working through. Charming comedy set in a tiny, rural Irish town.

On August 29, 2000, a British court ruled that Irish Travellers were an ethnic group entitled to the same protections as other ethnic minorities in Britain in a landmark verdict. Judge Simon Goldstein, who presided over the case, ruled in favor of eight Travellers who claimed racial discrimination against five London pubs that refused to serve them because of their ethnic origin.

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has been met with criticism after he said in Belfast on Thursday that an Irish border poll is "off the table." When asked if he would be the British Prime Minister to "push the button" on a border poll, Burnham told the BBC: "Well, obviously I'm here ... to listen, and I will take a collaborative approach, but some issues will be off the table, and that [a referendum] is one issue that will be off the table.

A Labour politician and member of the Seanad has called Donald Trump’s upcoming visit to Ireland a "security nightmare" and defended people’s right to protest the controversial figure’s visit. Trump is set to be in Ireland from September 12 to 13, where he will attend some events in Dublin, but his main purpose is to attend the Irish Open at his own golf course in Doonbeg, County Clare.