Getting jiggy on the Net has never been easier. On the eve of St. Patrick’s Day, the Irish and the would-be Irish can celebrate cyber-style by visiting a leprechaun’s treasure of World Wide Web sites.
The sheer number of Irish sites on the Web is staggering. Although many other cultures are well represented by Web pages, the Irish seem to have a corner on the market. Plug the word “Ireland” into any search engine and stand amazed at the returns.
The trick is finding the gold at the end of the rainbow, and several sites are worth seeking out. Perhaps one of the most complete is Ireland’s Eye (www.irelandseye.com), a lavish site with changing feature articles, links for genealogists and a random Irish Proverb generator. Send St. Patrick’s day e-cards and check out the Irish proverb calendar for March. A message board allows sons and daughters of Ireland to stay in touch. Check out the Leprechaun Watch, where a Webcam is stationed by rocks known to be a haunt of the wee people.
Less whimsical is Island Ireland (www.islandireland.com), an information site about Ireland and its people. Detailed articles on architecture, literature, arts and music, folk culture and history feature Web links and pictures. The archeology tour is particularly interesting, addressing Ireland’s many standing stones and high crosses.
Second- and third-generation (heck, even 10th-generation) Irish folk can relate to Irish Abroad (www.irishabroad.com). This is like a giant newspaper for the Celtic crowd. There are articles on soccer games and Irish business, political updates, tips on cheap flights to Ireland – even book reviews of such titles as “Angela’s Ashes.” Links to recipes, genealogy, pub songs and, of course, St. Patrick’s Day events, make this a one-stop shop for wearers of the green.
PaddyNet (www.paddy.net). Step through the “doors” and check out the Irish chat room, where folks commune about everything from the value of a Guinness to the likelihood of fairies. The cyber-schmoozing must be popular, for PaddyNet denizens host real-life parties all over the world.
IrishNet (www.ceolas.org/IrishNet) is little more than a list of links, but what a list it is. A wide range of interests is covered, from Irish music to the history of the Blarney Stone. Pubs, import shops and governmental organizations all are listed. A similar site of links is Every Celtic Thing on the Web (www.og-man.net).
Local Ireland (www.localie.com), meanwhile, lets you search for news by county and by several categories (business, education, entertainment, history, sports, tourism, etc.). There’s a lot here, from a history of Irish rock music to rock climbing in Connemara. Best of all, perhaps, is the genealogy section, which provides a forum for sharing information about Irish family names.
For the spending of the green, SomethingIrish.com (www.somethingirish.com) is ready to accommodate. This new site, which began as a startup company dreamed up by a laid-off bank employee, offers Irish sweaters, hats, accessories, Guinness products, crystal and plenty of other goods. On-line ordering is possible via a secure server.
There are thousands of homespun Web pages, but one of the nicer amateur products is Owen Brennan’s Images of Ireland (http://members.tripod.com/imagesofireland/imagesof.htm). Ignore the annoying pop-up window and check out the photo gallery, links to poetry and songs, recipes, and the message board.
There’s a lot more to the Irish language than Erin Go Bragh. Irish of the Week (http://homepages.iol.ie/(tilde)sefton/page6.html) offers language lessons and many links to Irish-language sites.
The Eirepages (www.geocities.com/Athens/Delphi/8543/) also has extensive links to Irish language pages.
The history of the island nation is written in nautical maps. Ireland History in Maps (www.fortunecity.com/bally/kilkenny/2/iremaps.htm) has an extensive collection, dating back to the Roman era and Viking invasions.
Some of the greatest writers in the world were Irish (James Joyce being the most famous). Irish Writer’s Centre (www.iol.ie/(tilde)iwc/) offers a look at Irish writers of today. To sample the food of the Emerald Isle, A Taste of Ireland (www.tasteofireland.com) presents an extensive recipe book, plus a guide to some of the country’s best restaurants.
Don’t forget Irish step dancing, which has enjoyed a boom thanks to Chicago native Michael Flatley and “Riverdance.”
Speaking of Chicago, there’s the Irish American Heritage Center’s site (http://irishamhc.com), which includes an event calendar, museum information and Irish links.
Chicago Gaelic Park’s site (www.cgp-chicago.org) includes festival, concert, dancing and scholarship information.
Siamsa (www.geocities.com/Broadway/Alley/9643/claddaghmain.html) is a detailed step-dancing page that takes the art of the jig seriously.
ST. PATRICK WEB SITES:
We haven’t forgotten St. Patrick’s Day. Several places on the Web are devoted solely to the good saint and his devotion to the Irish flock. At the extensive St. Patrick’s Day (www.st-patricks-day.com), read about the legend of the saint and shamrock and search for parades.
Clover All Over (www.invision.net/clover/clover-inside.html) offers plenty of links to St. Paddy’s Day recipes, gifts and parades.
DreamLand’s St. Patrick’s Day (www.members.tripod.com/kasrip/StPatrick.htm) includes Irish blessings and a folk tale of two.
A Wee Bit O’ Fun (www.nando.net/toys/stpaddy/stpaddy.html) contains the legend of St. Patrick, a look at leprechauns and even the history of the Blarney Stone.
