Hello, I’m on today’s bonus episode of The Rest is History It’s called: Irish Kings, Medieval Magic, and the Norman Invasion of Ireland So if you’re a subscriber then I hope you enjoy 👍

This looks like it’s going to be a really fascinating talk.

My view today

Read a nice little blog on the Bonnacon today so thought I’d share. If you have never before heard of this mythical creature who attacked with its farts and poo then…enjoy blogs.getty.edu/iris/the-bon...

Anyway forget Paddy’s Day and get ready for Sheelah’s Day on 18th March. The campaign for another day off BEGINS Sheelah take a bow: St Patrick’s wife? Probably not – she was far more important than that www.irishtimes.com/culture/heri...

To Waterford Bypassing number 25 for now though…

It’s…actually sunny in Ireland today. Bran the dog welcomes this unfamiliar, glowing yellow ball in the sky as his new overlord on the beach.

Intrigued by this news! Films always change stuff for better storytelling, so if you want to know the REAL story of Grainne O’Malley, listen to our riotously funny episode of You’re Dead To Me with @medievalgill.bsky.social & Catherine Bohart www.thejournal.ie/oscar-nomina...

This is interesting! My new book on Gráinne with @yalebooks.bsky.social will be out in 2027. Looks like the film is leaning into the folklore rather than the history. Bet it won’t be anywhere NEAR as funny as the podcast episode we did on her on You’re Dead To Me. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p...

Hope everyone is having a pleasant St Dwynwen’s Day - aka Welsh Valentine’s Day. A saint who had no luck in love* and became the saint for lovers. *Her lover was turned into a block of ice for a bit You can read more here www.visitwales.com/info/history...

In 1518 the Archduke Ferdinand of Habsburg found himself and his fleet unexpectedly in Ireland, thanks to stormy weather. While there, one of his aides, a young man named Laurent Vital (age 16) wrote an account of their time there. It is extraordinary for many reasons >

In 1518 the Archduke Ferdinand of Habsburg found himself and his fleet unexpectedly in Ireland, thanks to stormy weather. While there, one of his aides, a young man named Laurent Vital (age 16) wrote an account of their time there. It is extraordinary for many reasons >

Thanks everyone for your very kind words about the book. I’ll try to do her justice.

Contract signed so I can tell! I will be writing a new biography of Gráinne O Malley aka Granuaile/the Pirate Queen for Yale @yalebooks.bsky.social @yalepress.bsky.social Looking forward to working on it with the fab @jogodfrey.bsky.social Gráinne image @ciaraioch.bsky.social

Contract signed so I can tell! I will be writing a new biography of Gráinne O Malley aka Granuaile/the Pirate Queen for Yale @yalebooks.bsky.social @yalepress.bsky.social Looking forward to working on it with the fab @jogodfrey.bsky.social Gráinne image @ciaraioch.bsky.social

It’s Nollaig na mBan or Women’s Christmas in Ireland. Traditionally it was a day off for women who had worked to make Christmas great for their families. Nowadays it’s also a time to remember + celebrate women. So here’s a funny podcast on Gráinne O Malley I was in. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p...

It’s Nollaig na mBan or Women’s Christmas in Ireland. Traditionally it was a day off for women who had worked to make Christmas great for their families. Nowadays it’s also a time to remember + celebrate women. So here’s a funny podcast on Gráinne O Malley I was in. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p...

A lovely day for a walk on the beach in Ireland I mean it, I love the beach like this.

Me, in a currently unusually cold Ireland: Irish people have always been obsessed with the weather Internet person: Prove it Me: *slides over the centuries of annals chat proof* Taken from Campbell & Ludlow, “Climate, disease and society in late-medieval Ireland” PRIA C (2020) pp. 159-252

Went to see #Nosferatu There’s a cat - so I spent about 80% of the film worrying that something would happen to him Cat was fine at film’s end. Seems he sat quietly at a window through all the sex n death at the end of the film Which is extremely cat. *cat not moving for a bloody vampire face*

Our local beach today. Happy New Year you people in my phone

Dog Santa has arrived. Happy Christmas to you all. The coat did not last btw…

In October, I had a very long chat with Alan Moore. On magick, sci-fi, the perils of ecological doomerism, the joy of occultist pranks, the psychogeography of Stoke Newington, the invention of the taser - and much more! As a Christmas treat here it is IN FULL. seamas.medium.com/its-a-rabbit...

If you've enjoyed my advent calendars, then why not buy me a hot chocolate over on Kofi! It would be very welcome and help me to carry on writing into the New Year and beyond! ko-fi.com/annelouiseav...

Sometimes working with manuscripts gets us really, really close to the people from the past allowing us to hear their voices. This is a story of a letter from a schoolgirl to her teacher, written probably sometime at the end of the 9th or the beginning of the 10th century. A thread 🧵 #medievalsky /1

My teenage son has just announced after a visit to his girlfriend’s house that they keep their toaster in a cupboard.

Dublin at Christmas

Only in Mexico…..

Astonishing stuff in this. Absolutely unhinged from Baker Former Tory minister Steve Baker: ‘Ireland has been treated badly by the UK. It’s f**king shaming’ www.irishtimes.com/life-style/p...

In 1575 Newry was described by Lord Deputy Sidney as “well planted with inhabitants and increased in beauty and buildings”. What happened? *runs*

Ever wondered why walking around museums is weirdly tiring? At normal speed our legs act like pendulums, swinging forward from the hip & saving us a huge amount of energy. In "museum shuffle" our muscles must do ALL the work of constant readjustment. So cake in the cafe is scientifically justified 🥳

You can block all maga accounts in one go with this. bsky.app/profile/did:...

Well I got a robot vacuum And I called it Brendan Because…it navigates Busy wee Brendan whizzing around mapping the house. When he disappears into another room I keep saying “are you off on an immram Brendan?” And laughing away to myself… It makes me laugh

This is Rocket. He was found on 12/4/2024 starving (5lbs) and the victim of a gunshot wound that fractured his left femur completely in half. He needs an open reduction with a pin and plate. Donations paid directly to the surgery center. www.animalsurgical.com

Tremendous crosier action here at #NotreDameCathedral

Outside and drinking in old Dublin town. In November Much heat can be obtained through vodka, I’ve found

I think I must be on a list as there’s been an avalanche of new follows. Hello to all! Have a pic of an Irishwoman looking FAB from 1500 Source here - bildsuche.digitale-sammlungen.de/index.html?c...

Bluesky, looking for a home for an adorable bonded brother and sister born in the same litter in Northern VA. Kitties are 16 MO and need a loving home. These are 2 super affectionate and adorable furballs. Help me amplify this message to find these little ones a home this holiday season.

The FACES of terror on the Irish hosts of a dinner tonight when their American guests asked all at the table to state what they are thankful for this year. For, you know, Thanksgiving. The sweaty, inchoate fear of sounding sincere filled the (Irish side of the) room.

Seared on my brain, this. Seared

In county Cork it was believed that a cure for toothache was for the sufferer to put their head to the ground where a pig had been SCRATCHING ITS BEHIND and make the sign of the cross with their mouth… #folklore

Irish folklore about horses Horses could once speak and had natures like people. Therefore a horse should be addressed as if you were speaking to a person

Irish folklore about horses Horses could once speak and had natures like people. Therefore a horse should be addressed as if you were speaking to a person

I am late to this but the Kneecap film is just so good. Funny and inventive.

A few years ago I made a series of mini drawings of interesting Irish women (available as a print here www.ciaraioch.com/artprints/p/...) - this thread is a little information on the women featured, partly because it's useful, but mostly because I'm trying to be sustainable by recycling content.

Very pleased to say it’s hat weather. Aiming to be as jaunty in my head gear (and general outlook today) as these de Burke men in the late 16thC Book of the Burkes For more info on the excellent, slightly trippy manuscript these images came from have a look here www.tcd.ie/library/exhi...

As a child my mother used to bring me in to see The Book of Kells on a regular basis. An early memory is being lifted up to see it. Also grew up in a house full of these.

The Fail is running a story about Paul Mescal not being excited about meeting King Charles (IMAGINE?!?!) and offered this, erm, unique view of a certain few years in Irish history “Political and military intervention” is it? Intervention doing a LOT of heavy lifting here

That Richard III voice makes me think of this

The dog is currently growling at a corner of the room. Normally I would not be bothered by this sort of thing at all but I’ve just spent the day reading about the long held belief in Ireland that dogs could see ghosts. I’m sure it’s fine