Nolwenn Leroy sings Mná na hÉireann on her new self titled CD. She has a voice like an angel and is very well known in France where she has had 6 very successful CDs. This is her first mostly English language album in which she wishes to bring her talents to the English speaking world. Having stayed in the U.S. in Ohio for 1 year as an exchange student, it is her dream to come back to America. She is the winner of the 2002 Star Academy TV show.

Nolwenn has a beautiful and captivating voice. The Official Video of ”Mná na hÉireann” is a tribute to Nolween’s talent and beauty.

The Spring Equinox is the mid-point of the waxing year. The spark of light that was born at the Winter Solstice has reached maturity. Today the light and dark are equal; from this day forward, the days grow longer than the nights. We have survived another Winter and are once more surrounded by the delights of Spring. It is a time for celebrating the greening of the Earth, and crops are typically sown at this time.

This is the time of full Dawn, and was the time of the festivals of the Grecian goddess, Eostre, and the Germanic Ostara, both goddesses of Dawn. Some believe that this is where we get the word “Easter”. Since the Spring Equinox is a time to celebrate fertility, and many cultures see eggs as a symbol of Life or the home of the soul, decorated eggs have been part of spring celebrations for centuries. The Vernal Equinox was celebrated long before the Celts, by the Megalithic people who lived in Britain before the Celts, the Romans and the Saxons. Ancient Greeks, Ancient Romans, Ancient Mayans all celebrated the equinox, as did Native Americans. Ancient Persians called it NawRaz, their New Year’s Day.

A cluster of megalithic cairns from ancient times are scattered through the hills at Loughcrew, about 55 miles northwest of Dublin, Ireland. Loughcrew Cairn T is a passage tomb which is designed so that the light from the rising sun on the spring and summer equinoxes penetrates a long corridor and illuminates a backstone, which is decorated with astronomical symbols.

This year’s vernal equinox occurs on Wednesday, at exactly 11:02 Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), or 7:02 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time, ushering in spring in the Northern Hemisphere and autumn for the Southern. The time of the equinox marks when the center of the sun shines down right on the equator.

After the equinox, the sun’s observed path through the sky will appear to creep north of the equator as the Earth orbits the sun. Thanks to our planet’s tilted axis, the Northern Hemisphere will be increasingly inclined toward the sun in the coming months, easing us into the warmer seasons.

Many of our members find friendships and meet new people on the Celtic Radio website, which is a close knit community of those that share the love for the music and culture we hold dear to our hearts. Late last week, we received a note from one of our long term members and it reads as follows:

“Hello,

I want to thank you for years of great music and friendships. I go into hospice on St. Patrick’s Day so I hope to set the laptop when I arrive and leave it on. Celtic Radio has been one site that I have told my friends about and I know some have joined. I am going to miss you!”

A simple note it is, and one that reminds us of the important things we have in Life to hold and cherish. We are honored that Celtic Radio can extend some joy and companionship to our members and listeners; and we vow that we will keep this website and music broadcast going to serve as an oasis for those seeking an escape to fields of green.

 Go n-éirí an bóthar leat
Go raibh an ghaoth go brách ag do chúl
Go lonraí an ghrian go te ar d’aghaidh
Go dtite an bháisteach go mín ar do pháirceanna
Agus go mbuailimid le chéile arís,
Go gcoinní Dia i mbos A láimhe thú.

That said, we’ve found it helps us when offering toasts to use the standard pattern that Colonial-era drinkers used. It’s a simple, two-part format in which you first propose the object of the toast and then either explain why it’s worth toasting or offer a wish on its behalf. This will then lead into the toast at which point you should finish by fully drinking your beverage which is hopefully some hearty Guinness!

And now for some time weathered St. Patrick’s Day and Irish Toasts to impress your family and friends during your St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. Cheers!

May your pockets be heavy and your heart be light, may good luck pursue you each morning and night.

May the roof above us never fall in, and may we friends gathered below never fall out.

A trout in the pot is better than a salmon in the sea.

As you slide down the banister of life, may the splinters never point in the wrong direction.

A friend’s eye is a good mirror.

May you live as long as you want, and never want as long as you live.

He who loses money, loses much; He who loses a friend, loses more; He who loses faith, loses all.

May the Lord keep you in His hand and never close His fist too tight.

May your neighbors respect you, trouble neglect you, the angels protect you, and heaven accept you.

May the sound of happy music, and the lilt of laughter, fill your heart with gladness, that stays forever after.

May the hinges of our friendship never grow rusty. And our ale never turn musty.

St. Patrick’s Day is an enchanted time — a day to begin transforming winter’s dreams into summer’s magic.

Saint Patrick was a gentleman, Who through strategy and stealth, Drove all the snakes from Ireland, Here’s a toasting to his health. But not too many toastings Lest you lose yourself and then Forget the good Saint Patrick And see all those snakes again.

A bird with one wing can’t fly. —said to encourage someone to take a second drink It is better to spend money like there’s no tomorrow than to spend tonight like there’s no money!

That the tap may be open when it rusts!

My friends are the best friends Loyal, willing and able. Now let’s get to drinking! All glasses off the table!

Here’s to a long life and a merry one. A quick death and an easy one. A pretty girl and an honest one. A cold pint– and another one!

Here’s to a temperance supper, With water in glasses tall, And coffee and tea to end with– And me not there at all!

When money’s tight and hard to get, and your horse is also ran, When all you have is a heap of debt, a pint of plain is your only man.

Here’s to being single… Drinking doubles… And seeing triple!

I drink to your health when I’m with you, I drink to your health when I’m alone, I drink to your health so often, I’m starting to worry about my own!

Here’s to women’s kisses, and to whiskey, amber clear; Not as sweet as a woman’s kiss, but a darn sight more sincere!

May you have warm words on a cold evening, a full moon on a dark night, and a smooth road all the way to your door.

There are good ships, and there are wood ships, The ships that sail the sea. But the best ships, are friendships, And may they always be.

Here’s to you and yours, And to mine and ours, And if mine and ours ever come Across you and yours, I hope you and yours will do As much for mine and ours, As mine and ours have done For you and yours!

To live above with the Saints we love, Ah, that is the purest glory. To live below with the Saints we know, Ah, that is another story!

May the lilt of Irish laughter lighten every load. May the mist of Irish magic shorten every road… And may all your friends remember all the favours you are owed!

Here’s to the land of the shamrock so green, Here’s to each lad and his darlin colleen, Here’s to the ones we love dearest and most. May God bless old Ireland, that’s this Irishman’s toast!

I have known many, and liked not a few, but loved only one and this toast is to you.

May you be in heaven a full half hour before the devil knows your dead. May you live as long as you want and never want as long as you live.

May your heart be light and happy, May your smile be big and wide, And may your pockets always have a coin or two inside!

Always remember to forget The troubles that passed away. But never forget to remember The blessings that come each day.

May you always have a clean shirt, a clear conscience, and enough coins in your pocket to buy a pint!

May the face of every good news and the back of every bad news be towards us.

May neighbours respect you, Trouble neglect you, The angels protect you, And heaven accept you.

May you have the hindsight to know where you’ve been, The foresight to know where you are going, And the insight to know when you have gone too far.

May the saddest day of your future be no worse than the happiest day of your past.

May those that love us, love us. And those that don’t love us, May God turn their hearts. And if he doesn’t turn their hearts, May he turn their ankles, So we’ll know them by their limping.

May misfortune follow you the rest of your life, and never catch up.

May you have food and raiment, a soft pillow for your head. May you be forty years in heaven before the devil knows you’re dead.

May your mornings bring joy and your evenings bring peace… May your troubles grow less as your blessings increase!

May you get all your wishes but one, so that you will always have something to strive for!

May the luck of the Irish Lead to happiest heights And the highway you travel Be lined with green lights. Wherever you go and whatever you do, May the luck of the Irish be there with you.

If you’re enough lucky to be Irish… You’re lucky enough!

May you have all the happiness and luck that life can hold— And at the end of all your rainbows may you find a pot of gold.

May your pockets be heavy— Your heart be light, And may good luck pursue you Each morning and night.

And now a little preview of what you can expect from these amazing girls!

Beam ahead nearly 50 years later and yes, the Carousel of Progress is still playing in Walt Disney World as the longest running stage show in the history of American Theater. The optimism and excitement about the future of technology was one of Walt Disney’s most enduring legacies and can be heard in the Carousel’s theme song – “The Best Time of your Life” – if you have ever been to this Walt Disney World attraction, then you are probably humming the song to yourself now.

So, what does this all have to do with the Roku? It is our firm belief that we are entering a new golden age of technology that the Father of Imagineering would have found so intriguing and exhilarating that he would have concluded, as he did in 1964, that it would change the world. He would have wrapped himself around the technology and stretched it to the boundaries of space. All of the promises of the last 15 years of technology development are coming to a crescendo that will result in a major shift in social, economical and political change as the choice of freedom ceases the day. The signs are everywhere. Blazing fast computer processors, wireless internet, tablets and touch screens will eventually be attached to every device we own making our lives easier with more time for Americans to engage in what Americans have always done – innovate!

The Roku represents what we believe is the future and promise of a new age of media and communications that will change the world. Once upon a time, watching a movie at home meant ordering a DVD online, waiting for it to arrive, then having it sit on your coffee table for weeks until you were in the mood to watch it. Then came along the Roku—the original streaming player. Now, millions of people use Roku to choose what they want to watch instantly. Whether you’re exploring over 700 channels of movies and shows, delving into what really interests you, or just stumbling across something new, Roku makes it happen easily, instantly and affordably. Movie night—or any night—will never be the same.

• Roku was designed to be amazingly easy to use. With the simple remote, you choose what you want to watch, and it starts instantly. That’s it.
• Roku does not charge a monthly fee. Simply access your existing subscriptions like Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon or watch free content with services like Crackle and Vudu. Enjoy all the free movies, shows, and music. Or browse the latest blockbusters on demand.
• Roku connects easily to your TV and wireless (Wi-Fi) network at home. You’ll be up and streaming in minutes.
• Access all of Celtic Radio channels using the Live365 Channel, right from your HD T.V.

We have put to the test the HD Roku for 30 days and did not encounter one problem. Connection with our wireless access point was as advertised; simply and trouble free. We really appreciated both the HDMI port and the alternative RCA plugs for our older T.V.’s. The Roku is small and portable and can easily be carried to another room in a jiffy or to a friend’s house for that matter. The Roku is the first T.V. streaming device that we consider easy to rent movies and very usable. We used Amazon and really liked the 48 hour rental time. Best of all we found the HD Roku for $48 at our local Walmart.

We highly recommend the HD Roku for its ability to be used on both a HD TV and older VGA (RCA Plugs) TV. If you enjoy listening to the Celtic Radio channels on Live365, then you will love the Live365 channel especially on your HD TV with full color albums, song info and more.

With the Roku and other new products coming on to the market, prepare for the Golden Age of new technology to become the Best Times of our Lives! 5 Stars from Celtic Radio!

The Tudors, showtimes original series (2007-2010), is now available on Amazon Prime for free and on Netflix. If you have not seen this series, we highly recommended it for it’s beautiful period customs, sets, music and acting. The only downside to this show (for some) are the mature scenes which could have been left out. These are quite common in the first episodes, but get less as the series progresses. It is still a great story on the Tudor Dynasty and mixes historical fact with a bit of fiction.

The Tudors present the rarely dramatized, tumultuous early years of King Henry VIII’s nearly 40-year, omnipotent reign (1509-1547) of England. In addition to his famous female consorts, a 20+ year marriage to Katherine of Aragon and the infamous dalliance with Anne Boleyn, the series delves into Henry’s most notable political relationship and the deconstruction of the Roman Catholic Church in England.

Four seasons are available with about 10-12 shows per season. Your image and understanding of King Henry will be forever changed after watching this series!

Read FT Magazine’s Full Article

“Nothing brings a book of 900-year-old  parchment to life as much as realizing that you can still see the hair follicles  of the unfortunate beasts who gave up their hides for it. The illuminated “Silos  Apocalypse” manuscript may date from 1091, grapple with the end of the world and  contain page after page of miniatures depicting devils, foxes, snakes and the  angel of the abyss. But it is the marks on that long-dead animal skin that make  its history really hit home.

The book is part of the British Library’s collection of medieval manuscripts.  One of the greatest in the world, it features 25,000 books dating from before  1600, as well as numerous medieval charters and papyri. Some are the sole copy  in existence, others are worth millions of pounds (how do you value something  that is literally written in gold?). The only way for scholars or the rest of us  to view them is via a pilgrimage up the Euston Road in London and into the  reading room or gallery.”

Please visit the British Library’s website to view their collection of digitized manuscript.