Photo gallery / Top 10 Irish travel sites / Click here

From animal testicles to ghostly apparitions - there are some pretty strange Irish bars out, as this list shows.

The Central Statistics Office has published all the data it has collected from every census since 1926 online for public access, free of charge.

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Whether it's a pint of the black stuff, a strong cup of tea or a McDonald's Shamrock Shake, St Patrick's Day's a day for giving thanks. So raise your glass and give thanks with this witty Irish quips.

Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler loved Irish folk music and recently-released historical photographs reveal that famous Irish musician Sean Dempsey played for him in 1936.

St. Patrick’s Day - a world wide celebration of all things Irish. People from Dublin, to New York, Sydney to Beijing take the day off work (in Ireland it’s a complete holiday) and celebrate all the great thing about being Irish.

It’s the season where folks celebrate St. Patrick, the man best known for banishing snakes from the green fields of Ireland.

You'll love this collection of some of the most-famous words to ever come out of Ireland.

As one of the prime destinations on Ireland’s west coast, the Dingle Peninsula is rich in seacoast vistas, pristine beaches, rugged mountain passes, and deep green valleys as well as colorful little towns, fishing ports, and great pubs.

The term 'Black Irish' has commonly been in circulation among Irish emigrants and their descendants for centuries. As a subject of historical discussion the subject is almost never referred to in Ireland. There are a number of different claims as to the origin of the term, none of which are possible to prove or disprove.

A chance conversation over a pint of Guinness in the1970s led an Irishman on a literary odyssey to prove that the Burren, in County Clare inspired JRR Tolkien’s Middle Earth in “The Lord of the Rings”.

From the Cliffs of Moher to the Hill of Tara what better way to celebrate Irishness than with the beauty of Ireland

A stop inside a traditional Irish pub is a must whenever you visit Ireland. Despite the smoking ban, and a fairly hefty tax-rate on liquor sales, the Irish pub scene continues to thrive and features as largely as ever in modern Irish life.

Whether you are Irish or Irish-American you're probably immensely proud of your surname.

Irish women are a force to be reckoned with. We have evolved through the decades into an independent, intelligent and ambitious race. However, our rules of engagement can differ from norms here in the United States. So, best to school yourself in our ways, means, and desires before attempting to woo a lovely Irish girl.

When you walk into a bar in Ireland you could shout across at the barman and ask for a pint of plain, the good stuff, your best or Irish Mother’s milk.

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IrishCentral brings you the low down on the top 100 most common Irish surnames with a little explanation of where these names come from. 

Ireland, the country of saints and scholars, is known for its green lush countryside, ancient history and ‘craic’ (fun) at the local pub, but it’s also filled with romance from small boutique hotels in the middle of Ireland’s idyllic scenery to the spectacular great outdoors.

SEE PHOTOS - click here - Top places to see in Ireland

Scituate, a pleasant seaside town thirty miles from Boston is the most Irish town in the United States according to the U.S census.
 
All in all 16 communities within the South Shore neighborhoods of Boston  have the highest percentage of people of Irish descent in the United States.

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Click here for IrishCentral's St. Patrick's Day section

From the Pogues to Paul Brady, these Irish tunes are sure to get your friends and family's feet tapping.

A pint of plain, a glass of “Uisce Beatha” or just a place to rest your weary bones and soak up the atmosphere -- there's nothing quite like an old-fashioned Irish pub, and the older the better.

“It is my wish to photograph people of all nationalities, who have made the decision to move from Ireland for economic reasons[:] in and around the city, juxtaposed with landscapes that are significant to their pasts. If that sounds like you or if you know of somebody who is about to move, please bring my proposal to their attention.

Who could ever have doubted that Ireland's favorite dinner is the St. Patrick's Day favorite bacon and cabbage.

Click here for IrishCentral's St. Patrick's Day section
 
As well as attending the parade and taking part in community fun with your children, here are some ideas to celebrate St. Patrick's Day with your little ones.

Plan your outfits: Plan exactly what green outfits you're going to wear, and the crazier the better. Make hats, masks and entire outfits if need be. Go wild and have fun.

Make a green breakfast: No, we don't mean eating broccoli and kale for breakfast. How's about Lucky Charms, or porridge with fruit?  Over breakfast talk with your children about why we celebrate St. Patrick's Day and who St. Patrick was.

Read some Irish stories: There are no better tales for children than the old myths and legends of Finn MacCool or Tir na nOg. Another literary favorite are the children's stories from Oscar Wilde including "The Happy Prince" and "The Selfish Giant.”

Treasure hunt: This is a great idea, especially if the weather is good. Bring the kids to the park and send them on a treasure hunt to find the leprechaun's gold. Hide gold-foil covered chocolate coins in the park and send the kids on a scavenger hunt.

Stay at home and do crafts: There are loads of ideas for St. Patrick's Day themed crafts including making shamrock potato stamps or a shamrock made out of three moss-covered paper plates. If the stamps are a success set the kids to work on decorating St. Patrick's Day cards for the family.

Photo gallery / Myths about the Irish / Click here

Visit our special St. Patrick's Day section
 
The Irish sense of humor and wit is renowned around the world and here's our pick of the best, or maybe worst depending on how you look at it, of Irish jokes for this St. Patrick's Day. There is nothing the Irish like more than sitting around a cup of tea, or a pint, and telling stories or a good joke.

Whether you believe in superstitions or not almost everyone you know takes note when it’s Friday the 13th and is more careful crossing the road, pouring hot coffee or walking down the stairs.

For years I dreamed of finding an Irish rogue to ask for my hand in marriage and take me back to the homeland. We would settle down, somewhere in the west perhaps, build a mansion and our red-haired and freckled children would roam free in the Irish countryside. My life in the U.S. would become a distant memory as I lived out my plan of embracing my Irish heritage.

Aidan, Brayden, Colin, Riley; Kayla, Morgan, Megan, Kaitlyn - you've probably come across a newborn in the past decade with at least one of these names.

The Irish are notorious for sharp tongues.

Who more than anyone deserves a special gift? The Irish mammy, who puts up with so much from her children and always looks after their needs.

I was inspired to write to IrishCentral after Colleen’s Harte’s piece on “Ten things I now dislike about Irish men”.

As a deeply Catholic country Ireland has had many claims of apparitions over the centuries.

President John F Kennedy’s secret interviews with his wife claim he warned his assassination would safeguard his legacy around a year before his death.

Photo gallery - NYC's best Irish historical sites

Give yourself three points for every correct answer--and no googling! Answers at the end.

The ‘Dead Funny’ traces the funniest gravestone epitaphs in Ireland. The Irish have long been known for their love of the macabre and humor, even in death.

Over the past two years IrishCentral has witnessed history in the field of Irish genealogy.

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This St. Patrick's Day remember this list when some asks "Are you Irish?"