Ireland Virtual Tours

24/05/2023

A good place for a bite to eat in Ramelton, Co. Donegal

Open on gamble Square today Wednesday

24/05/2023

West Coast, Irish Castles and Ancient Ireland Virtual Tours Now. Give your team a break.
Why not get in touch about your team, company or family group Ireland Virtual Tour. We can custom virtual tours to your requirements. Company team virtual tours are a speciality along with family groups

www.irelandvirtualtours.com

22/05/2023

Have to share. Was nice and thanks to Patrick

22/05/2023

That's our president lined up to eat at Johnny's Ranch, he must have heard about the good food too

20/05/2023

20/05/2023

19/05/2023

Kinnitty Castle Hotel - a hidden gem at the foot of the Slieve Bloom Mountains 🏰🍀

18/05/2023

Our speciality virtual tours are great entertainment and fulfilling for your company teams
Why not get in touch about your team, company or family group Ireland Virtual Tour. We can custom virtual tours to your requirements. Company team virtual tours are a speciality along with family groups
www.irelandvirtualtours.com

18/05/2023

Overlooking South Dublin from Fernhill. Fernhill is a park in South Dublin easily accessible for everyone. A walk in the gardens and the park is a great way to spend an hour.
Why not get in touch about your team, company or family group Ireland Virtual Tour. We can custom virtual tours to your requirements. Company team virtual tours are a speciality along with family groups
www.irelandvirtualtours.com

16/05/2023

The gable end of a nice Irish cottage. This cottage is located near Dublin. Many more can be seen all over Ireland

Why not get in touch about your team, company or family group Ireland Virtual Tour. We can custom virtual tours to your requirements. Company team virtual tours are a speciality along with family groups
www.irelandvirtualtours.com

14/05/2023

Know your summer migrants

Might be of use to some 👌

14/05/2023

Westport

12/05/2023

12/05/2023

"Exploring the historic Blackrock Castle in Cork, Ireland - a perfect blend of old-world charm and modern-day beauty 🏰✨ "
📸 & caption 👉 👏☘️👏

12/05/2023

In Donegal and near Ramelton for the weekend, get yourself to Johnny's RANCH on the square for some great eating fare

Open on gamble Square today Friday

10/05/2023

I remember drawing silage through the village back in 1983. Different times

09/05/2023

A massive effort to sequence the DNA of Vikings across Europe was published in 2020. The study revealed family histories of Vikings who set forth—and died—far from home.

🧬 Learn more on : https://scim.ag/2n3

09/05/2023

A misty morning hike at Bray Head, Bray, Co. Wicknlow. Ireland. A beautiful place to hike between Bray and Greystones. You can walk the costal trail even without hiking boots. A worthwhile hike, have a tea/coffe/pint in Greystones and get the DART back to Bray. A nice break from Dublin City

08/05/2023

Dublin oldest chipper and some say the Best Dublin chipper. Coming to Dublin, you gotta visit

Many Dublin 8 residents will be very familiar with Dublin's oldest chipper Leo Burdock's, nestled just inside our Dublin 8 boundary at Werburgh Street. A solid choice for fish Friday of old or a stop off on the way home from town, or an evening besode in the Lord Edward. Its reputation has spread globally and always a recommendation for visitors and there is a long and varied list of high profile visitors on the walls. But what about the lesser known life story of Leo Burdock himself?

Patrick Leo Burdock (1900–66), fish and chip shop proprietor and republican, was born at 219 Iveagh Trust Buildings, Dublin, on 20 May 1900, to Patrick Joseph Burdock (1873–1948), the son of a general labourer, originally of Townsend Street, Dublin, and Margaret (Bella) Burdock (née Bracken) (1878–1954), a shop assistant and packer. Patrick Joseph had a variety of occupations in the early 1900s ranging from shop assistant to porter, to tailor, to labourer, eventually describing himself as a merchant by the 1930s when the family fish and chip shop was becoming more established. Leo was the second of eight children born to Patrick and Bella between 1898 and 1909, one of whom, a boy, died aged three months in 1904. It is not clear what school he attended, but since his younger brothers, William and James, are registered as attending the local St Bride's National School between 1915 and 1918, it is likely that he was also in attendance there. A close-knit family, Burdock's paternal grandmother, a Wicklow woman by the name of Mary, lived in the flat next door to the family until she died in 1903. By 1904 the Burdocks had moved the short distance to 95 Bride Street. The maternal grandmother, Ellen of Co. Tipperary, was also residing there.

In 1913 Bella, an astute businesswoman despite being semi-literate (and unable to write), opened a fish and chip shop in Inchicore in south west Dublin, and named it after her eldest son. Living on the edge of the district known as 'Little Italy' which stretched from Werburgh Street east towards Whitefriar Street, she might well have been inspired by the numerous Italian-run fish and chip shops close to her home. From an early age Burdock helped out with the business by collecting the fish and potatoes every morning from the city markets on his horse and cart. In 1916 the Burdocks opened a second shop close to their home in Werburgh Street, and over the next two decades they expanded the business to include a further five shops around the south inner city including the districts of Rialto, Dolphin's Barn, Marrowbone Lane and Cornmarket. The idea apparently was to leave one shop to each of their children, and while the sons managed the various businesses in the early years, the 1940s proved a difficult time due to shortages of food and other raw materials such as coal. By the late 1950s all but the Werburgh Street shop had closed.

From a political perspective, the period from 1916 to 1922 was a coming of age time for Burdock who, as a sixteen-year-old youth, had witnessed first-hand the Easter rebellion as it unfolded in Dublin. Moved by what he saw in the ensuing years, he joined the Dublin Brigade of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) in November 1920 to fight for Irish independence. He was a private in C. Company III Battalion, and as a 'very efficient volunteer … always ready for action' (Military Service Pensions Collection), Burdock carried out armed patrols of the C. Company district of the south inner city. In April and May 1921, he was involved in a number of ambushes on Black and Tan lorries at Redmond's Hill, Grafton Street, Harcourt Street and Dartmouth Road where he fired shots and lobbed bombs and hand grenades into the moving vehicles. After the war of independence Burdock continued fighting in the civil war on the anti-treaty side and in September 1922 was involved in two attacks on the intelligence department of the Free State Army at Oriel House, Westland Row. At the end of the war Burdock was arrested and imprisoned for a short spell in Mountjoy gaol.

After the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922 Burdock's involvement with the republican movement continued. When the IRA took the decision to support the transport workers in a major strike against the Dublin United Tramway Company in March 1935, the government ordered the arrests of over forty prominent IRA members including Burdock, who subsequently served six months in the Curragh military prison. The Burdock family supported his involvement in the republican movement and evidence from the national press suggests they had strong republican allegiances. Two of the Burdock brothers, James and Joseph, were arrested in 1934 and 1941 respectively, for possession of arms and ammunition. In the latter case a pram containing revolvers, rifles, hand grenades and ammunition was found during a police search of the fish and chip shop at Marrowbone Lane. Joseph, when questioned over the find, denied knowledge but claimed responsibility in order to keep his father's good name intact.

On his release from prison at the age of thirty-five, Burdock met Annie Doyle, a messenger's daughter from Griffith Terrace, South Earl Street, in the Liberties. Despite being the second eldest of his siblings, Burdock was among the last to wed and on 13 September 1937 he married Annie at the nearby St Catherine's church, Meath Street. After the wedding Burdock moved from Marrowbone Lane to set up home with Annie at Griffith Terrace and it was at this address that he remained for the rest of his life. In 1946 he applied for and was awarded a military service pension of £21, 11s. per annum for his IRA service. This helped maintain financial stability for his family after the closure of most of their shops in the aftermath of the war. It was a welcome addition to the Burdock household income since Annie had just given birth to their only child, a son named Brian. Despite challenges from rivals, particularly in the 1950s when many Italian-owned 'chippers' opened in Dublin, 'Leo Burdock's' on Werburgh Street continued to prosper.

In 1954 Burdock's mother Bella, then resident at 28 Southern Cross Avenue, Inchicore, died from cancer in Harold's Cross Hospice. Her son continued to work in the family shop until he died on 23 September 1966, also from cancer. He was survived by his wife Annie and son Brian, and after his funeral mass in St Catherine's, Meath Street, was buried with full military honours from the 'old IRA' in Mount Jerome cemetery. Annie died twelve years later on 25 November 1978, at which point the running of by-then famous Werburgh Street chipper was continued by Brian and his cousin Paddy Burdock. Towards the end of the twentieth century the company name was sold to a franchise and a number of Leo Burdock outlets opened up around the city, the first of which was in Rathmines in 1994.

Biographical text by Frank Cullen for the dictionary of Irish biography and shared under creative commons license attribution 4.0 International
https://www.dib.ie/biography/burdock-patrick-leo-a10134

08/05/2023

RIP Sean Keane. Very sad for Irish traditional music everywhere

Seán Keane RIP 1946-2023

The Irish Traditional Music Archive is devastated to learn of the passing of legendary fiddle player Seán Keane, one of the greatest ever exponents of Irish traditional music.

Seán earned world renown as a pivotal member of The Chieftains who he joined in 1968 after coming to prominence with Ceoltóirí Chualann and the Castle Céilí Band earlier in the decade.

His powerful fiddle playing married technical virtuosity with an incredibly insightful and sensitive understanding of what made Irish traditional music distinctively beautiful. He was a beacon for our traditional art.

His professional career spanned nearly 60 years and his output was extraordinarily prolific, with The Chieftains, with musical confidantes Matt Molloy, Liam O’Flynn and many others and, strikingly, as an exceptional soloist. His 1975 recording Gusty’s Frolics is an enduring classic of Irish art. It was recorded the day after The Chieftains had performed in the Albert Hall for the first time. His other two solo recordings Seán Keane and Jig It In Style are essential parts of the canon of Irish music.

The body of breathtakingly brilliant non-commercial recordings in existence in ITMA is equally incredible, franking a very productive and important period in the history of music in Ireland.

Seán attributed his inspiration to his parents, from Clare and Longford respectively, and his connection with what he described as the ‘old music’ honed creatively through the generations and passed on to himself and his brother James as children.

Born in 1946, Seán grew up in the south Dublin suburb of Drimnagh and though imbued with music from the cradle, his technical development was strengthened by formal tuition in the School of Music and attentive listening to the great gramophone-era recordings of the Sligo master fiddlers Michael Coleman, James Morrison and Paddy Killoran along with Dubliner Frank O’Higgins.

He displayed an insatiable desire to learn the very best of what traditional music had to offer, frequenting the old Church Street and Pipers Clubs in Dublin and traversing the country as a youngster with his lifelong friend Mick O’Connor, playing with and learning from legends like Willie Clancy, Séamus Ennis and sean-nós singer Seosamh Ó hÉanaí.

He absorbed the unique components of the regional fiddle styles – the music of Pádraic O’Keeffe in Sliabh Luachra, John Kelly, Bobby Casey, Patrick Kelly and Joe Ryan in West Clare and John Doherty in Donegal. He also had a great love for the great Scottish fiddle music of Scott Skinner which formed a rich part of Seán’s expansive repertoire.

He was also very taken by the distinctive and vocal qualities of the uilleann pipes which influenced his highly stylized and original fiddle ornamentation.

The result was the emergence of a master, whose artistic ambition was unfettered.

He loved every minute of his career with The Chieftains and was deeply grateful to Paddy Moloney for his enduring leadership. They formed a very special bond musically and personally. Equally Seán carried great respect for Seán Ó Riada and the experience of sharing a creative period with musicians like Sonny Brogan, John Kelly, Seán Potts and Michael Tubridy.

Naturally inquisitive and ambitious as a fiddle player, Seán always enjoyed working with different musicians and genres and excelled as a collaborator cherishing the opportunities afforded to him through The Chieftains.

However, he was single-minded in his respect for, and his interest in, source. He was utterly unpretentious, always returning to what inspired him – the great music passed down through our folk tradition. He never felt any contradiction that the ‘palette’ from which he drew as an artist was Irish traditional music.

Arriving back from an arduous Chieftains tour he could be practicing with Matt Molloy on a duet performance or recording within days. This rapport he shared with Molloy yielded Contentment is Wealth, one of the greatest recordings of Irish music.

He always made time to attend the annual Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy, local performances and sessions and understood the existential importance of the Irish music community.

ITMA were honoured to have worked with Seán in making a documentary film in 2022. “A Portrait of an Artist: Seán Keane”, was shown at Miltown Malbay last July.

Clare held a very special place in Seán’s heart. His soulmate Marie, who he lost tragically in March 2020, hailed from Ennistymon. A kindred spirit, Marie was the bedrock of Seán’s life supporting his artistic career and as he said himself, essentially rearing their three children Páraic, Deirdre and Darach in his absence with the band.

Family was everything to Seán extending to his adoration for his grandchildren, palpable whenever the family would gather at musical events.

To Páraic, Deirdre and Darach, extended family, friends and fellow musicians, ITMA extends its deepest sympathies.

Leaba is measc na laochra go raibh aige

07/05/2023

A beautiful sky today. A mixed bag in weather terms. no sign of summer yet, but fingers crossed that will change soon. You can see our virtual tour calendar and see our virtual tours on our site www.irelandvirtualtours.com

07/05/2023

Will be a good day for anyone interested in history

Lorrha & Dorrha Historical Society are delighted to confirm their 2023 Medieval Conference for Saturday, July 22, from 9.30am (registration) - 4.30pm at 'The Friar's Tavern', Lorrha, Co Tipperary, E45 V651.

07/05/2023

Open on Gamble square today Sunday

07/05/2023

The traffic is heavy in west Kerry this afternoon

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07/05/2023

If you are anywhere near Ramelton, take the few minutes to visit Johnny's RANCH to remedy those hunger pains. Great service, great food

OPEN 4pm Gamble square today Sunday

07/05/2023

Knockeen Dolmen is one of the finest dolmens in Ireland. The six uprights of this very impressive portal tomb stand, at the highest point, at 2.8 metres and form a sort of porch with the doorstone, which reaches almost to the same height. This huge megalith has two capstones which is common to this area. At present it is part of a boundary between two fields. The overall height of this dolmen is some 3 1/2 metres.

📍 Knockeen, Co. Waterford
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07/05/2023

A mossy wall in Ireland

07/05/2023

Inside an Irish Pub

07/05/2023

Good advice

Well, do you feel lucky? 🐂

07/05/2023

Congratulations to Veronica Craven who won Employee of the Month for March 🌟

Veronica has been a dedicated member of Kinnitty Castle Hotel’s team for the past 16 years and her hard work doesn’t go unnoticed!

Congratulations Veronica 🥳

06/05/2023

Nice walk partly in the morning mist on Bray Head. Beautiful

06/05/2023

There is so much to do and see in Bantry and West Cork this Summer 📍

The Maritime Hotel is the ultimate summer vacation spot with breathtaking views, luxurious accommodations, and unbeatable amenities.

Learn More: https://bit.ly/3njOC6X

06/05/2023

If you think fairies are a mere relic of Ireland’s mythological past, you are very much mistaken. Just two generations ago, Irish people shouted in warning before throwing water out the door, lest a fairy should be passing. Still today the Irish and fairies have a very special relationship.