News from the 32: Antrim, Armagh, Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork, Derry, Donegal, Down, Dublin, Fermanagh, Galway, Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary, Tyrone, Waterford, Westmeath, Wexford, Wicklow

News from the 32: Antrim, Armagh, Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork, Derry, Donegal, Down, Dublin, Fermanagh, Galway, Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary, Tyrone, Waterford, Westmeath, Wexford, Wicklow

For the first time ever, the owners of the famous Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge in the North have decided to scoff at the wind and rain of a typical Irish winter and keep the daredevil tourist attraction open all year round.

“Ardnaglass On The Air,” the comedy farce by Jimmy Kerr and directed by critically acclaimed writer and actress Geraldine Hughes, will be presented as a fundraiser by the New York Irish Center.

Ireland has a long and bloody history, which means that naturally, haunted places can be found all over the country. We’ve done our research here at IrishCentral and come up with what we think are the 10 most haunted places in all of the Emerald Isle.

Not only is Liam Neeson one of the busiest A-list actors at work today, but junior high records show that he was one of the top athletes at his school.

News from the 32: Antrim, Armagh, Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork, Derry, Donegal, Down, Dublin, Fermanagh, Galway, Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary, Tyrone, Waterford, Westmeath, Wexford, Wicklow

The name Connolly is derived from several different roots. In Connaught and Monaghan it derives from the Gaelic O'Coingeallaigh. Both are anglicized to Connolly although the spelling form Connelly is often found in Galway.

These three names and others of a similar sound such as Donnellan and Donlon are sometimes confused, as spelling variations have occurred among emigrant families. They are, however, totally distinct, and indeed both the McDonnells and O'Donnells are made up of several distinct septs. The main branch of the O'Donnells, based in Donegal, is the most eminent of the Gaelic families, leading back to Niall of the Nine Hostages, but owing their name to one Domhnaill.

Ireland’s gorgeous landscape and mild year-round temperatures make it the perfect location for a hike or stroll. The quiet country roads of Ireland are perfect for casual walkers, while the mountains and forests provide great trails for extreme hikers.

When one thinks of Stone Age archaeological sites, Stonehenge, Altamira and Newgrange may come to mind. Most likely The Céide Fields will not. But they should.

News from the 32: Antrim, Armagh, Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork, Derry, Donegal, Down, Dublin, Fermanagh, Galway, Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary, Tyrone, Waterford, Westmeath, Wexford, Wicklow

Liam Neeson may be busy filming blockbuster Hollywood films, but that doesn’t mean he can’t take time out to get back in touch with his Irish roots.

News from the 32: Antrim, Armagh, Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork, Derry, Donegal, Down, Dublin, Fermanagh, Galway, Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary, Tyrone, Waterford, Westmeath, Wexford, Wicklow

Welcome to Ireland’s revitalized North and Northwest! Even the hip Lonely Planet Bluelist proclaims Northern Ireland as the hot new destination, and cites Belfast as one of the top cities on the rise.

Slideshow / The Top 10 Natural Wonders of Ireland / Click here Ireland - like the U.S. - has some seriously stunning natural

News from the 32: Antrim, Armagh, Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork, Derry, Donegal, Down, Dublin, Fermanagh, Galway, Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary, Tyrone, Waterford, Westmeath, Wexford, Wicklow

  Introduction Ireland is an island on the western fringe of Europe between latitude 51 1/2 and 55 1/2 degrees north, and longitude 5 1/2 to 10 1/2 degrees west. Its greatest length, from Malin Head in the north to Mizen Head in the south, is 486 km and its greatest width from east to west is approximately 275

With Gallery: Dan "The Da Vinci Code" Brown has just written a book about them, and now a court case in Belfast could unearth some of the most closely-guarded secrets about the one of the most-secret organizations in the world: the Freemasons. The ultimate fraternity, the Freemasons have been around since the end of the 16th century, and rumors abound that some of the most-famous men in the world, from presidents to politicians, count themselves as members.

News from the 32: Antrim, Armagh, Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork, Derry, Donegal, Down, Dublin, Fermanagh, Galway, Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary, Tyrone, Waterford, Westmeath, Wexford, Wicklow

The name Logan has complicated origins. The Logans of the Northern counties are generally of Scottish stock. Many of them came to Ireland during the Plantation of Ulster in the early 17th century.

News from the 32: Antrim, Armagh, Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork, Derry, Donegal, Down, Dublin, Fermanagh, Galway, Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary, Tyrone, Waterford, Westmeath, Wexford, Wicklow

News from the 32: Antrim, Armagh, Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork, Derry, Donegal, Down, Dublin, Fermanagh, Galway, Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary, Tyrone, Waterford, Westmeath, Wexford, Wicklow

Two new Irish films about the Troubles in Northern Ireland will be released on August 21, and both are receiving rave reviews, which goes to show that audiences are still very much interested in the topic.

A gaunt-looking Liam Neeson has bravely stepped back into the spotlight into New York. The Irish actor walked the red carpet for the first time since the tragic death of his beloved wife, Natasha Richardson, at the New York premiere of his latest film, “Five Minutes of Heaven.”

Irish and Irish-Americans alike tend to be immensely proud of their surnames. But which last names win in the battle of Irishness? Here are the top 10 most popular Irish last names.

Frank McCourt was born in Brooklyn on August 19, 1930, the eldest son of seven children. His father

Author and raconteur Frank McCourt, in his autobiography, “has examined his ferocious childhood, walked around it, relived it, and with skill and care and generosity of heart, transformed it into a triumphant work of art,” writes Pete Hamill.

The annual Orange marches have passed relatively peacefully in Northern Ireland this year, and it seems a good faith effort is underway to try and reorient the day from one of triumphalism to one of community outreach and a potential tourist attraction. Good luck with that.

Northern Ireland police fired water cannons and plastic bullets Monday to disperse youths throwing petrol bombs as the Protestant marching season got off to its most violent start in years.

Travelers have spoken, and several Irish sites have made the list of the Top 100 Greatest Places to Stand on the Planet. StoodThere.com has put forward 100 of “the World’s most wondrous, inspiring, or thought-provoking locations,” and has invited people to vote for the Greatest Place to Stand on Planet Earth 2009.

Filming is ready to begin on Steven Spielberg’s next movie, “Lincoln,” starring Ballymena-born actor Liam Neeson. In a role that’s set to be the Irish actor’s greatest to date, Neeson will play U.S. President Abraham Lincoln in the biopic opposite Sally Field, who will portray his wife, Mary Todd Lincoln.

Irish actor Conleth Hill, the star of Woody Allen’s new film “Whatever Works,” is probably the least flashy actor you could hope to meet. But behind his low-key style, Hill has enjoyed an acting career that already outshines almost every rival of his generation.

O'Hara is an anglicized phonetic rendering of the Irish translation O hEaghra, and is one of the few Irish families to have consistently kept the 'O' before the name. The clan, of a distinguished origin, is descended from Eaghra (pronounced Ara), chief of Luighne (modern Leyny) in County Sligo.

For decades now, Northern Ireland has hardly been known as a tourist hotspot, but now the new National Trust director for Northern Ireland, Hilary McGrady, plans to change all that. This week McGrady was in

James Nesbitt, star of “Bloody Sunday” and “Five minutes of Heaven” is considering a move to Hollywood, not so much to further his career, but to keep his career moving as the opportunities in Britain are dwindling due to the world economic crisis.

Marian Betancourt highlights the McAllister Towing Company, a family business that has been working the waters of New York since 1876.

The National Archives of Ireland digitized online 1911 Irish census has added five more counties to its collection. Joining Antrim, Down, Dublin and Kerry are Cork, Donegal, Galway, Offaly and Wexford.

Ever since the launch of IrishCentral.com, I have waited for the moment when I could help the global Irish community find their way back home. Now we are taking the first step in what will be a steady march by publishing family histories and historic photos from the most-searched Irish clan names.

County Antrim native Deirdre Madden has been shortlisted for the Orange Prize for Fiction, Britain’s prestigious annual book award for fiction written by a woman, ahead of Nobel prize winner

The dissident Republican group, the Real IRA has claimed responsibiity for the murder of British spy three years ago

Liam Neeson spent a couple of days in Toronto recently to tidy up filming commitments in the wake of the shocking death last month of his wife, Natasha Richardson, and now he seems to be solely focused on coping with the enormous emotional wounds that he and his two sons will be dealing with for the rest of their

I was always skeptical of the "Yanks" who came to visit my house in Ireland many years ago, all relatives from America on the ancestry trail. There were distant cousins from

Pack your umbrella as Celtic Thunder returns with their storm of talent. They play in Manhattan’s Beacon Theater on April 1 before going to roll the dice at Foxwoods in Connecticut on April 3. The show has been a staple of PBS telethons and sold out amphitheaters since its release last year. Ryan Kelly, a 28-year-old from Co. Tyrone, plays the bad guy in the show, which he says is “always fun.”

A former Sinn Fein councilor has been charged with the murder of a Northern Ireland police officer.

At one time or another, many of us have sketched our family tree, either for a school project or for our own pleasure. But, despite the help of my grandparents, I could only trace back to my great great-grandparents’ generation. The rest seemed lost to history or accessible only to professional genealogists. However, the Internet has opened up a whole new world to the amateur

A U.S businessman has been funding the Real IRA, the dissident republican organization responsible for killing two British soldiers last week, in an elaborate cigarette smuggling operation, federal prosecutors in

A U.S. businessman has been funding the Real IRA, the dissident republican organization responsible for killing two British soldiers last week, in an elaborate cigarette smuggling operation, federal prosecutors in Miami say. Roman Vidal, 57, who runs a freight company, was arraigned March 5 by a federal grand jury in Miami, on charges of smuggling, and of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud.

Now that Liam Neeson has done the Hollywood blockbuster thing with “Taken,” he can return to the kinds of movies that have made him such a respected actor. Neeson is currently out shopping “Five Minutes of Heaven,” a drama about the Troubles in Northern Ireland.

The first surfer on record in Ireland was Joe Roddy, an industrious 14-year-old in County Louth who hit the waves on a paddle board he made from a work book manual. Today there are 50,000 surfers in Ireland, which has become a popular destination for the world’s surfing community.