Danny Houlihan‘s Irish Experience

Happy Christmas to you all from Danny Houlihan's Irish Experience Ireland from the banks of Shannon River. In this special show I will travel back to a few episodes I recorded this year which was my first year podcasting. I hope you all will enjoy the places I visited and the history that is still in these special areas of North Kerry. In the podcast I will travel back to the times of the famous c...

I travel out once more on one of the arteries of the famous Wild Atlantic Way Route which is one of the Worlds longest coastal driving routes which stretches from Donegal in the North to Cork in the south punctuated with World famous views that will take your breath away. Inward I travel from my Baile Bhuinn An Abhainn Studio, In this episode I will again explore more of the hidden parts of our co...

Ballybunion Podcaster & Historian Danny Houlihan relates a story possibly one of the last related oral folklore tales of the Doon, Bromore Cliffs & Kilconly area which was related to him by a local historian & Folklorist now departed. The coastline of Doon, Bromore and Kilconly was not a place at night where one should wander its was according to the ancients the realm of the other world a place n...

In this episode Danny Houlihan opens a page in his local history forgotten and confined to an old faded book, a period of immense hardship that was put and executed military style on our local Iraghticonnor people of the area in 1846 and 1847 this was called Droch Shaol (The Bad Life). The Great Irish Holocaust of 1846 & 1847 commonly known as The Famine. This period heralded the extermination of...

In this episode Danny Houlihan travels out onto the landscape of North Kerry to a famous High Cross a part of North Kerrys Heritage in Killahan, once a site of an ancient Early Christian settlement. The cross can be seen on the side of the main road which draws visitors each year to this special iconic feature of our Irish Past. This is the first visit to the cross and more will follow during the...

Danny once again travels along the Wild Atlantic Way coastline, this time to another holy island of Carrig Ballylongford North Kerry. Danny has visited this special place on numerous occasions and has experienced the rich history and atmosphere that is Carrig. Consulting many historical sources such as the Latter Regista, Papal Madate for the year 1477 and the hand written records of the famous An...

Wild Atlantic Way Champion Danny Houlihan takes us on a Journey from the Castle in Ballybunion to the famous caves of the town which in 1834 was visited by famous writers and Geologists both William Ainsworth and writer Alfred Tennyson and later many more. Leaving the historic strand Danny follows in the steps of many famous people onto the walk where the views are extensive of the town and its Wi...

In this episode Danny travels inland from the Wild Atlantic Way nine miles to the famous market town of North Kerry Listowel Ireland. Listowel Castle is at the centre of its proud history combined with its famous writers the late John B Keane & Brian McMahon who have left a legacy of writing for all of us to enjoy and explore our rich diverse history. Listowel each year hosts its writers week whic...

On the 19th of March 1919 Marconi Radio Station YXQ transmitted the first East to West Voice Speech Transmission from a wireless station on Sandhill Road Ballybunion North Kerry Ireland to a receiving station at Louisbourg Cape Breton Nova Scotia Canada. Transmissions were successful with Marconi Engineer W T Dirchem’s voice heard at Cape Breton Nova Scotia Canada using pioneering Valve technology...

Join Danny on his St Patricks Irish Show,Danny is a Bagpiper historian sit back enjoy, its Ireland as he weaves a tapestry of  Danny's Houlihan's Ireland. Ps Bagpipes are on this podcast/Low Whistle If you would like to support my research which is ongoing and podcast episodes, why not Buy Me a Coffee this will be used to update my research and equipment, I will give everyone who contribute a shou...

In this episode Danny travels back to the days of the ship wrecks during the 1800s on the Shannon Estuary Ireland on The Wild Atlantic Way North Kerry Ireland. The Thetis still to this day is with us, all that remains is a few wooden ribs buried in the sands of Beale and the memory of that faithful night many moons ago and that of SS Premier which sank without trace in the Shannon Estuary, all int...

Buried deep within old boxes were many historical gems, some are now gone forgotten and indeed lost forever. I came across this old tale from my place here in Ballybunion many moons ago, indeed there is a reference to an event. In Ireland when a story was told it gathered speed and in those early days with no internet it made a bolt and was added to. This old tale was related to me many years ago...

In this episode Danny Houlihan highlights a special woman Mary O Malley Young, who left her mark on the people and the landscape of Ballybunion North Kerry Ireland in 1868, this mark will be there for years to come. Mary was a kind person to all including young orphan children and locals alike. Mary was a local woman from Kilconly who married a tea planter by the name of John Young. Marys life and...

In this episode Danny Houlihan takes a historical journey back on the old Lartique Mono Railway System which ran from Listowel to Ballybunion from 1888-1924. Our history is unique and highlights an area which was developing as a seaside resort from 1888 to 1924 through the times of the Mono Rail System its staff, landlords,parish priests and the development of a new Irish State all played a part i...

In this episode I will travel along the North Kerry Coastline on the Wild Atlantic Way to Ballylongford to its Castle Carrigafoyle, to explore a part of its rich history. Strategically located on the inland estuary Carrigafoyle Castle commanded the respect of all who arrived in the estuary within its banks. From Ri Na Fhile on Doon Promontory Ballybunion ruled an  O Connor chief, from this area th...

The Cashen Wooden bridge in North Kerry just on the outskirts of Ballyduff is no longer with us but over the years the large oak beams have been found. This priceless part of our river crossing history has been uncovered from time to time from the bed of the Cashen River. In ancient times the river was known as Casan Chiarraighe Luachaire the Pathway to the Ancient Kingdom of Ciar. In this episode...

In this episode Danny Houlihan takes a journey out along the North Kerry Coastline to Ballylongford and its famous Abbey/Friary known around the World as Lisslaghtin. The story unfolds its rich history and the many raids that Abbey and its friars suffered at the hands of advancing forces. Lisslaghtin is a must for all to visit when arriving in Ireland on the Wild Atlantic Way.

In this episode Danny takes a short look back at the Penal Times, and the effect it had on the Irish people in the area called Gleann Na dtalamh. The old Mass Houses that were knocked and the old customs that the people had area now gone and forgotten. The tradition of celebrating mass in glens and valleys and mass rocks during those harsh Penal Times is related.  This again is a brief look at one...

Thomas McCarthy the famous piper of Ballybunion was born in 1799 in Doon Ballybunion North Kerry Ireland. Toms music was legendary and the times he lived through and the people he met. The music of his pipes made him an International artist when he featured on postcards. He played for the Great houses in the area and for the local people and tourists on the famous Castle Green Ballybunion from 179...

Standing stones erected by our Irish ancestors dot the landscape of Ireland. Built way back in antiquity to mark a place of burial of a chieftain or special member of a clan. In this episode Danny Houlihan takes a look at the standing stone and its importance to ancient Ireland. In researching standing stones other items have been found, such as Cist graves, and items of settlement such as the old...

In this episode I will cross the Shannon Estuary to the Holy Island of Scattery or in its Irish name Inis Cathaigh, from the golden beaches of Ballybunion, Beale and Littor the sight of a round tower breaks the Irish skyline with the backdrop of County Clare, this is the holy Island of the Shannon Estuary called Scattery Island. During the periods 1846 and 1847 onwards our ancestors who left our g...

In this short episode Danny Houlihan relates the history of our out door cooking places of Bronze Age Ireland called Fulachta Fiadh, Fulachta refers to a cooking place and Fiadh a deer. All that remains of these priceless relics today are the heaps of burnt stone that lie buried on the landscape of Ireland. This is the first in the weekend episodes which deals with items of settlement that have be...

One forgotten castle on the North Kerry coastline is Leac or known locally as Lick Castle north of Ballybunion. Built on a rocky promontory fort of the Clan Connor during the 1300s. Sited in a scenic place called Faha on the Wild Atlantic Way. Danny Journeys back to Lick through the landscape that shapes Ireland, its culture and its people. In this episode Danny returns to Leac Castle which he vis...

North of Ballybunion North Kerry is a very special place called Kilconly, steeped in history myth and legend. In this episode Danny Houlihan Journeys back to the Early Christian Period and relates the story of a monk called Chonnla and a battle with a huge serpent coupled with the history surrounding the church. This podcast is another snapshot of the vast history of this special place. 

Ballybunion Castle County Kerry Ireland is famous as the International logo for Ballybunion. Danny Houlihan Historian relates its history a part of our past and a part of our heritage.