Contrary to popular belief, the Irish Coffee was invented in Ireland in the 1930’s and not in the USA as is popularly believed. Who could improve on a recipe like this?

This is a main course to be reckoned with, that’s both hearty and delicious!

Celebrity divas take note: U2 superstar Bono was spotted patiently waiting for 90 minutes for a table at a restaurant in New York

Americans are being urged to buy Irish instead of Scottish whisky and travel to Ireland rather than Britain in order to protest Scotland’s release of Lockerbie bomber Abdelbeset Ali Mohmed al Megrahi.

The lowdown on summer's best wine: bubbly champagne! What kind to buy, which foods to pair it with and a special Irish champagne recipe from Chef Michael Gilligan.

A pint of Guinness may be the drink that's dearest to the Irish heart, but there's no question what Irish drink comes at the dearest price — and its home is Ireland, too. For only $1,470 more than a glass of Guinness, you can quaff the drink that the Guinness Book itself says is the world's most-expensive: the Merchant Hotel's world-famous Mai Tai

Did you know that a raisin dropped in glass of fresh champagne will bounce up and down continuously from the bottom of the glass to the top? ’Tis true I tell thee, now watch everyone go and try it. This brings me to this week’s subject, Champagne.

A classic summer dessert recipe from your favorite Irish chef, Chef Michael Gilligan

You don’t need to cross the Atlantic to find great traditional Irish treats. In fact, the best place to look maybe the Pacific Coast! San Francisco, a heavily Irish populated area of California, has a wide selection of Irish bakeries, pubs and restaurants that bring a bit of Eire over here.

Falling rents have pushed Dublin out of the Top 20 Most Expensive Cities. A new survey ranks Ireland 25 out of 143 cities, down from number 16 last year.

Lady Gaga, a serious talent to be reckoned with, was in County Cork last week doing her thing at the Marquee in Cork City – and enjoying some Irish whiskey during her downtime!

Irish coffee was invented by Limerick chef Joseph Sheridan in 1942 to welcome Americans visiting Ireland. The travelers arrived in the west of Ireland on a cold winter night, so Sheridan added whiskey to their coffee to warm them up, telling the Americans they were being served Irish coffee.

The Irish Network is an Irish networking group for professionals in New York. Ninety per cent of its members are Irish rather than Irish American, and while they’re not necessarily fresh-off-the-boat, many of them are new to the States.

Winemaker Russ Irish, along with many anxious customers, are looking forward to the upcoming release of his vineyard’s new Pog Mo Thoin wine brand. As for what "Pog Mo Thoin" means...

Guinness, the Irish-born king of breweries, has revealed the details of the company's 250th anniversary celebration, which will peak on "Arthur’s Day" on September 24. That would be Arthur Guinness, of course, the man who confidently signed the 9,000-year lease on the St. James’s Gate brewery in 1759.

What makes the perfect Irish wedding cake? Check out this hot nuptial recipe

Edythe Preet on the many Irish wedding traditions that make tying the knot Celtic style such a momentous occasion.

Cathy Jo Smith, a.k.a. Katie of the Fairies, takes you through the rules and regulations of Irish Wakes - what to do and what NOT to do

A new guide helps Ireland weather the recession - and tells the Irish to cut back on the little luxuries.

PROSECCO POACHED PEARS Ingredients (Serves 4) 4 Bosc pears (in season from mid-September through April or May) 2 cups Prosecco wine 2 cups orange juice 5 cloves 2 medium cinnamon sticks Directions Peel and core the pears, leaving the stems intact. Trim the bottom of each so the pears will stand up in your pot Mix all the other ingredients together and pour over pears in your pot. Bring to a boil. Once boiling reduce heat to a simmer, partially cover and cook for 1 hour or until the pears are nice and tender Tip: Make these a day ahead and let them cool in the poaching

For sale: Beauty spot at Ring of Kerry. Asking price: One luxury car.

One of Ireland’s famous historic landmarks, the Beamish and Crawford Brewery, may be at risk

Chuck Feeney was once one of the word's richest men. Now he’s broke. And he couldn’t be happier. He wants to make sure his check to the undertaker bounces. He says any man, no matter how rich, can wear only one pair of shoes at a time. Welcome to the world of Chuck Feeney, once one of the world’s richest men, who is determined to die one of the poorest.

Leary, the actor/comic/ writer who stars in the hit show Rescue Me, has written a really hilarious book chronicling his thoughts on just about everything (it's due to be released by Viking next month). He says right off the bat that the book is "parody, satire and poking fun," but anyone flipping through its 240 pages will quickly note that there's plenty of truth behind his wicked sense of humor. ("Nicole Kidman's face doesn't move.

GUINNESS is to close its plants in Dundalk and Kilkenny but the company's flagship brewery at St. James's Gate in Dublin -- also initially feared scheduled for the axe -- will continue operating although with scaled-back production.Although 250 jobs are to go the company's parent, Diageo, said St James's Gate will remain the home of Guinness as it has been since 1759.

November 5th is the anniversary of Guy Fawkes' gunpowder plot. What's that? Well the story of Guy Fawkes goes back to the early 1600s. During this period there were religious problems between Protestants and Catholics in Britain (No really! Who would have thought that? Thank God we have moved on from that!) King James I was a Protestant and he passed severe laws against Catholics.

OKTOBERFEST The Oktoberfest is a two-week festival held each year in Munich, Bavaria, Germany, during late September and early October. It is one of the most famous events in the city and the world's largest fair, with some six million people attending every year. The event traditionally takes place during the 16 days up to and including the first Sunday in October.

I was wondering what the 2008 U.S. presidential candidates cooks for dinner, and after some great research (Google is your friend!) I found their families' secret recipes.

National Strawberry Sundae Day is July 7th. This is your opportunity to indulge yourself in this delicious dessert. Strawberries are one of America's favorite fruits.

Plumcake is still a traditional Christmas food (God knows why I hear you say). It was often prepared a year before making its appearance at the holiday table. Plumcake (and fruitcake) is like fine wine - it needs time to allow the full flavor to develop.

This cake has to be made at least 3 weeks prior to Christmas. Why, you ask? Well, all Christmas, cakes are made in advance, that's why. Many make them in November, keeping the cake upside down in an airtight container.

The Power family are of Norman origin, the name being originally le Poer, meaning poor. They were prominent among the early Norman settlers and had large estates in Wicklow and Waterford. The family is among the top 50 most common names in Ireland and is very much associated with Waterford county.

After 30 years of jamming in the background with a variety of Irish artists ranging from Sean Fleming and Blackthorn, Seamus Kelleher is stepping into the spotlight. Under his arm is a fantastic debut CD, 4 Cups of Coffee, which is both an artistic and personal triumph for the 53-year-old native of Salthill in Co. Galway.

This is my 20th year of not attending classes, yet each September brings a back to school funk nonetheless. I guess after a while the dread of school gets embedded in your genetic code! Enter Blackthorn, the Irish rock powerhouse from Philadelphia. For the last 15 years, the city of Wildwood, New Jersey has hosted the band and all of their friends for the Irish Weekend, the largest green beach party you'll ever attend.

This month is bittersweet for Blackthorn, the blockbuster Irish band from Philadelphia. It marked the 12th anniversary of Seamus Kelleher's involvement with the band, but the celebration was short-lived. Kelleher, the Salthill, Co.