So, What’s the Craic?

The Craic is back and ready to deliver more news of the Irish at home and away. The Craic is the weekly newsletter from Shift, our app to connect the Irish worldwide. Want Shift? Join 1000s of others by downloading it here. And if you’d like someone else to have The Craic each week, send ‘em this way.

A SUPER SAVE FROM MARK SHEEDY SENT JUNIOR HURLING VIRAL

News from Home

Going Viral. We’d say a fair few American sports fans were left scratching their heads when an U20s hurling clip was selected as ESPN’s Play of the Day, but Mark Sheedy’s penalty save for Clare was something to behold, with clips of it going viral across the net. We estimated the sliotar going at a speed of 186,000 miles-per-second (give or take a few miles), so how he saved it we’ll never know. We’ve added the penalty shootout video below. If you don’t want to watch the whole thing (you should), the iconic save comes in at about 7mins 40. Great stuff. What a global advert for hurling.

Nul Points. The big talking point this week at home is what’s NOT on the telly this weekend – Eurovision. Ireland, as you may know, is historically one of the most successful nations in the contest (though we’ve been crap in the modern era), but it chose to boycott this year, along with Spain, the Netherlands, and a couple of others. The stated reason for the boycott is the participation of Israel after its actions in the Gaza War. The national broadcaster, RTÉ, has chosen not to broadcast the competition on Saturday. Instead, it will be showing the classic Father Ted episode – and glorious Eurovision pastiche – A Song for Europe.

Goodbye, Old Friend. The Botanic “The Bot” Inn has been a stalwart of Belfast’s student nightlife for decades. The Craic can recall watching Robbie Keane’s iconic World Cup goal against Germany there, and we also remember when you could get a steak and a pint for a fiver. Alas, the pub will be demolished to make way for a new hotel and student accommodation. We know things change, but any time a historic Irish pub closes its doors, it’s worthy of regret.

The Craic Recommends. Wanna know Jessie Buckley’s favorite track? She recently picked The Gloaming’s Samhradh Samhradh as her top ”Desert Island Disc,” and, wow, the Oscar winner has classy taste. The Craic is a big fan of The Gloaming and the master musicians’ ability to fuse Irish-language poetry into their tracks. Beautiful, beautiful stuff. Check out their albums here.

The Irish Influence

In this golden age of Irish cinema, there’s a healthy contingent of les Irlandais at the Cannes Film Festival this week, including the superlative Ruth Negga, who’s been selected for grand jury duty. But one who’s caught our eye is Franco-Irish director Alexander Murphy, whose Tin Castle documentary will have its world premiere at the festival. Murphy is known for docs on marginalized and overlooked communities. Tin Castle follows an Irish Traveller family facing eviction. If you can’t make it to Cannes this weekend, then perhaps check out Murphy’s wonderful directorial debut, Goodbye Sisters, before Tin Castle becomes available to the rest of us non-Cannes-going plebs.

Cúpla Focal

Baghcat {BY-kot} – Boycott. Since we’re looking at the aul Eurovision boycott this week: The word “boycott” famously originates from Irish protests of English landowner Charles Boycott, so baghcat offers a nice linguistic loop, as it is, for all intents and purposes, the Irish translation of the name Boycott. So we have an Irish translation of an English word born out of Irish protests of the English, if you can get your head around that. 

Blast from the Past

Ireland has become a tolerant, open-minded country, aside from a few pockets of smelly bigots here and there, but it’s always worth remembering that such an outlook took time and a lot of bravery. The George is celebrating 40 years in business, and it’s become the flagship home of Dublin’s LGBTQ community. Originally seen as a safe space for the gay community, the pub opened its doors a full eight years before homosexuality was legalized in Ireland. Its history has been punctuated by reminders that there’s work to do – the pub was vandalized with swastikas and homophobic graffiti in 2017 – but this icon of Dublin’s nightlife also reminds us of how far we’ve come. 

And One Last Thing (or two)….

We are celebrating another milestone at Shift, passing 5,000 app users this week. While that’s a nice marker, it is evident that we are only just getting started. As we celebrate this wee milestone, let’s say some thanks to those making it happen — Jack and Kate for making this newsletter happen, the entire dev team at 3Advance for spinning up the app, constantly improving it and responding with all kinds fixes. Big love to Vivienne for boosting Shift’s social media presence. And congrats to Patrick, Paul and Darren for reaching the milestone and keeping the Good Ship Shift on a steady course! And I suppose we need to thank the most important people. YOU! The community that drives us. 💚

Finally, if you’re anywhere in the great state of New York, check out the famous East Durham Irish Festival next weekend. We’re partnering with the good folks in East Durham to celebrate the 49th festival, with incredible acts from Derek Warfield and the Young Wolftones to the marvelous Meadhbh Walsh, and everything in between… Just make sure to check-in with the Shift app to win free drinks and t-shirts!

So, What’s the Craic?

The Craic is back this week with more news and a wee bit of nonsense concerning the Irish at home and abroad. The Craic is the weekly newsletter from Shift, the app for the global Irish and culturally Irish. Not got Shift yet? Lad, it is right here. And if you want someone else to have The Craic each week, send ‘em this way.

IRISH DESIGNS WERE EVERYWHERE AT THE 2026 MET GALA

News from Home

Uimhir a Haon. You know, the more we think about it, the more astonishing the following sentence is: For the first time in history, an Irish-language album could become No.1 in the UK music charts this weekend. We refer, of course, to Kneecap’s new album, Fenian. The rap-as-Gaeilge trio is predicted to be confirmed as No.1 on Sunday when the weekly tallies are counted. It’s not certain yet, the album is up against former Spice Girl Mel C and, er, former member of the Jackson 5, Michael Jackson, but the three lads are in pole position. What a remarkable thing.

Early Sup. One of the biggest talking points at home this week was the rules around drinking at airports pre-flight. Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary wants drink limits, as well as an end to the rules that allow airport bars to be open 24 hours – who needs a drink at 5am, he says. Anyway, it’s caused a bit of introspection, with many calling for an end to the rowdy flight.

Inventor. We love to highlight clever Irish kids on this little newsletter, so it’s great to see young Cathal Sweeny (16), who recently won the top prize at the Student Enterprise National Finals. Cathal invented a glow-in-the-dark Sliotar (hurling ball), called Glo Ball. It’s designed to help hurlers who want to keep training on those dark winter nights.

The Craic Recommends….Soda Bread. Yeah, yeah, you’ve had soda bread. But have you had soda bread? The Irish take the real stuff very seriously, so much so that there is an official Society for the Preservation of Irish Soda Bread. Yep, really. You don’t need to get militant about it, but you can check out their blog here to get recipes and find out how to do your soda farl the right way.

The Irish Influence

The Met Gala. Bit weird, isn’t it? Like a self-indulgent celebrity safari. Yet we wouldn’t be doing our jobs if we didn’t cite the Irish influence at the event, and there was plenty of it. One eye-catcher was the Irish designer Jonathan Anderson, who was behind the designs for Sabrina Carpenter and Jisoo Kim’s gowns. Both stunned, if we are placed to judge such things (we aren’t), and managed to pull off interesting while not falling into that “look at me” trap that a lot of celebs do at the ball. And then, there was Madonna. Her sublime/ridiculous headgear – it’s a ghost ship (right?) – was provided by Galway man and, arguably, the world’s greatest hatter, Philip Treacy. When Madonna asks you to design a ship to wear on her head, you know you’ve made it. ⛴️

Cúpla Focal

An Mhaighdean Mhuire – {un VY-djin VWIR-eh} – The Virgin Mary/Madonna. Since she’s on our mind this week, we thought we’d go for a bit of the Irish for Madonna. Of course, that translation is not literal, as an Mhaighdean Mhuire translates as “The Virgin Mary”, and she’s very different from that Madonna, even if they do both Like a Prayer. As a wee aside, maighdean mhara means mermaid, literally maiden of the sea. And if someone is An Mhaighdean, that means they are a Virgo in the aul Zodiac.

Blast from the Past

May 8th, 1935, saw the birth of the most honorary-Irish Englishman since records began. Jack Charlton – World Cup winner, legendary football hardman, fisherman, and as North of England as they come, but very much an adopted son of Ireland. There’s not much we can say about Big Jack that isn’t already known, but aside from being a major figure in our childhood memories of those World Cups in 1990 and 1994, we’d say he is also one of those unique human beings who make people smile whenever he is recalled. It’s hard to believe it’s been almost six years since the great man passed away. He would have been 91 today. Happy Birthday, Big Jack. Hope you’re enjoying the fishing up in the Sky. ⚽️🎣

And One Last Thing….

Shift socials have been absolutely buzzing of late, with large numbers of new followers and record views on our content. One clip from Patrick has hit almost 350,000 views and counting! But, c’mere. Why not come and join us? Part of our mission to build a global Irish network on Shift is going to spill over onto socials – that’s the way it works – so if you want to see what we are up to, discuss any of the topics discussed here, or give Patrick a bit of (friendly) abuse under his videos (kind of annoying how good he is at them), then give us a wee follow on these platforms: Instagram, TikTok, Threads, Facebook.

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So, What’s the Craic?

The Craic is back with a little bit of the month of May in its pocket, bringing you news and views from the Irish from near and afar. The Craic is the weekly newsletter from Shift, the global digital hub for the Irish and Irish-ish and Irish-ish-ish everywhere. Want Shift? Everyone’s welcome, so get it here. And if you want other folks to have The Craic each week, well, just ask them to add their email in the wee box you’ll find here.

WE HAVE SUGGESTIONS FOR THE PROPOSED GIANT STATUE IN DUBLIN

News from Home

Giant Questions.  Size matters this week at home. First, construction is beginning on the tallest building on the island of Ireland, with the ground broken on the Parkgate Street building this week. It will be 30 stories tall once completed. Hardly, the Burj Khalifa, we know, but we are not really skyscraper folk over here. It will replace the Obel Tower, Belfast, as the tallest building on the island.

Secondly….Talking of big things, there’s a serious proposal to put a Giant – or at least, the projection of one – as a kind of tourist attraction in George’s Dock, Dublin. The idea has been proposed by businessman Paddy Dunning, suggesting it could “do stuff” with lights, maybe a bit like Sphere, Las Vegas. The cost? Approximately 29 million euros ($30m or thereabouts), coming from private investors. Paddy (reportedly) does have a plan to get that money back, though, charging tourists 25 euros a pop to see it. It had better do more than just stand there for that type of dough.

Homecoming. A new study suggests that up to one-third of the Irish living abroad want to come home, but many are put off by how expensive it is here. Once again, the issue boils down to the dreaded “H’ word, housing. There are calls for a task force to be set up to help those thinking of moving back, but, you know, they need somewhere to live when they get here. Housing has bamboozled a generation of governments, so it might take more than a task force to sort this out.

Civil Service. More evidence of a changing Ireland this week, when it was announced that civil ceremonies have now overtaken Catholic church services for the first time. It feels normal now, right? But for generations past, weddings were synonymous with church. Still, as long as the I-dos get over the line and the best man behaves himself during the speech, we say it’s each to their own when tying the knot. 💍

The Craic Recommends. Not everyone loves Kneecap, we get it. But the rappers-as-Gaeilge and provokers-in-chief of the British media are nevertheless capable of delivering some of the most powerful messaging on issues that rarely get aired in pop culture. That’s why this week we are recommending you watch this short 12-minute film. The film is based on the death of Aoife Ní Riain, mother of Kneecap member, Móglaí Bap (real name Naoise Ó Cairealláin). The short video is personal to Ó Cairealláin, obviously, but tells harrowing universal truths about dealing with suicide, loss and grief, but ultimately, how to start healing, too.

The Irish Influence

Just over seven years ago, LeBron James broke Michael Jordan’s record of being the all-time NBA top scorer. Why are we telling you this? Well, it’s probably the best way to provide an American context to frame what we are going to tell you about the next pair of fellas: TJ Reid is now the all-time top scorer in All-Ireland hurling history, amassing 41 goals and 657 points in a storied career. He’s had plenty of other success, too. Reid is a 7-time All-Star (not NBA-speak; the GAA has those too ⭐️) and 7 All-Ireland titles with Kilkenny. But a shout out, too, to the man he supplanted as King of the Points, Corkman Shane Horgan. Reid and Horgan went tit-for-tat down the years for the record before the latter retired from inter-county duty last September. So, we’ll have two Irish Influences to celebrate this week; two of the modern greats with hurl and sliotar.

Cúpla Focal

Cúige {Koo-i-geh} – Province. A little bit of trivia for ya today, as the word cúige means “fifth part” and is clearly related to the Irish word for five, cúig. Ah, but Ireland only has four provinces, right? It does – Ulster, Munster, Leinster and Connacht – but Meath, the Royal County, was once considered a fifth province 👑. So, to paraphrase the great Bob Ross, cúige is a “happy little linguistic accident”.

Blast from the Past

Two Important anniversaries will be taking place this week. On May 5th, 1981, Bobby Sands died in the Maze Prison on the 66th day of his hunger strike. In one of the great ironies of history, Sands was actually elected as a British MP while imprisoned in the early days of his hunger strike. Sands is obviously a polarizing figure in the island’s history, and the hunger strikes had the dual effect of galvanizing support for the IRA and heightening the violence of the Troubles while (arguably) raising empathy for the Republican cause abroad, especially in the US. 19 years and a day later, though, the IRA started the process of decommissioning its weapons. Decommissioning was really just a symbolic act, with the hard work done in the secret meetings that led to the Good Friday Agreement, but as with the symbolism associated with Sands’ death, it’s one of the key milestones in Northern Ireland’s history. 

And One Last Thing….

Patrick, our high-chieftain, currently resides in West Virginia, but, as you are well aware, he’s immensely proud of where he comes from. Ireland, yes, but specifically, Tallaght, a suburb of Dublin. So, he was all biz this week, telling us about fellow Tallwegian, Anna Haugh, getting one of the biggest gigs on cookery television, as presenter of the BBC’s MasterChef. But you know, while it was fun to hear Patrick reminisce about his misspent youth, it did occur to us that this was part of Shift’s raison d'être, connecting the dots, so to speak, as information about both of Anna’s restaurants is already available on the app. It's just a small thing, one of the many thousands and thousands of listings, but it reminded us of our mission to build the ultimate digital directory of Irish culture globally. 

So, What’s the Craic?

The Craic is back with a soupçon of summer in the air, bringing news of the Irish and sort-of-Irish to your email inbox. The Craic is the weekly newsletter from Shift, our digital home for the Irish worldwide. You can download Shift here. And if you want someone else to have The Craic each week, they can do so here.

THE SUN’S BACK IN BUSINESS (FOR NOW) ON THE ISLAND OF IRELAND

News from Home

Marathon Men. There are a few 26.2-mile-related stories we want to point out this week. The first is the beautiful image of Northern Irishman Aaron Beggs and Brazilian runner Robson de Oliveira helping a fallen runner, Ajay Haridasse, over the finish line in the Boston Marathon. The photo of the three went viral and surely speaks to the power of sport and camaraderie. The second is the inspiring tale of British man Jordan Adams, who has been diagnosed with early-onset dementia and will run 32 marathons in the 32 Irish counties in 32 days. Jordan intends to raise awareness of the condition, which has affected his family and, of course, raise a bit of dough. His donation page is here, if you are of a mind.

Spoof or Not? Here, help us out, will ya? There’s a viral story going around the internet that claims RTÉ commissioned a 2001 pilot for an Irish version of The Sopranos, called The O’Callaghans. The claim says that the pilot was scrapped after HBO threatened legal action. We tried to research the story, but found that the “sources” seemed to mostly be feedback loops from social media. Does anyone have contacts with RTÉ who can find out? Let us know on Shift or Shift socials. As for the image provided as “proof”, you can’t tell us that’s not Edie Falco on the right? Right?

For Sale. If you’ve dreamed of moving to Ireland, you’ve probably pictured your cozy Donegal cottage or swanky pad in Galway City, but what about owning a whole mountain? Yep, that’s what’s going up for auction, over 1500 acres and a view of Lake Guinness (like the drink), otherwise known as Lough Tay (like the drink 🫖). Anyway, it’ll cost you about 2 mil.

Muscling In. Ahhh, you didn’t think it was only the Steelers eyeing up the fledgling Irish (American) football fandom? The Green Bay Packers also have a finger in the pie, broadcasting their Day 3 Draft Pick (tomorrow, we believe) from Dublin, with the help of a show from Irish singer Gavin James. A new nation of Cheese-heads is born, eh?

The Craic Recommends – Irish Wedding Clobber. The summer brings wedding season, and if you have an invite or two, or maybe you're tying the knot yourself, you’ll be starting to think about what to wear. Why not outfit yourself in some designer Irish clothing for the big event? Helpfully, RTÉ has curated a list of ten Irish designers/retailers who specialize in wedding fashion. There’s some really unique Irish haute couture from local independent designers and fashion houses. Check them out here.

The Irish Influence

It's Aiden Gillen’s birthday today, and most media outlets will prefix it with “Game of Thrones’ actor,” which is fair enough, because he’s brilliant as the fabulously sneeeeaaaaky Peter “Littlefinger” Baelish. Others might say he’s even better as Tommy Carcetti in The Wire, but The Craic thinks his best work is found in the brilliant Love/Hate (iykyk), and waaay further back in the ground-breaking drama, Queer As Folk. Anyway, he doesn’t get the level of attention as the Cillians, Colins, and the Jessies and Saoirses, but he’s brilliant, isn’t he?

Cúpla Focal

Bealtaine {Byowl-tin-eh} – May. Ireland looks really gorgeous at the moment. The sun’s been shining for a week, so we are celebrating Bealtaine (The month of May, the start of the Celtic summer) six days early. It’s really class out there. Please, please let it last. 

Blast from the Past

With the “Michael” biopic out in theaters, and getting some heavy criticism, both for what it is in the movie – and particularly what has been left out – we thought we’d drop back to 1988 and the double header of the Bad Tour, which stopped off for two shows in Cork’s Páirc Uí Chaoimh. The story of how the gigs came about is well worth reading, covered here in the Cork-based Irish Examiner, but we had to laugh when doing our own research for the story: The Irish reporter here in the clip below; you can tell he wasn’t a fan of Jackson or the gigs, referring to the star as “Wacko Jacko” throughout. Jackson would return to Ireland for gigs in Dublin through the 1990s, but this 1988 double-header has gone down in legend as the definitive “you had to be there” moment that your uncle tells you about every time he’s had a few. 

And One Last Thing….

We Irish really do get around, don’t we? A fascinating piece of history made its way to our attention this week, via The Irish Times, covering the story of the UCD Soccer team that traveled to China in 1976, becoming the first Western football team to play in Mao’s China. Mao’s death would actually occur the same month as the Irish team’s visit (we presume it’s unrelated). Anyhow, the UCD Soccer team is back, fifty years later, to play in a new China. Here’s a question for you, though: Which of the two countries do you think has changed the most in that half-century? Most would say China, but our own transformation has been just as extraordinary.

So, What’s the Craic?

The Craic is back, all sunshine, lollipops, and rainbows, bringing you news and views of the Irish at home and abroad. The Craic is the weekly newsletter from Shift, our app that provides a digital home for the Irish and Irish-lite worldwide. Want Shift? Get it here, comrade. And if you want friends to get The Craic every week, they can sign up here.

RORY’S STORY CONTINUES WITH HIS 6TH MAJOR WIN

First, a Special Thanks.

This week, Shift Founder Patrick Blood made a shout out on TikTok and Instagram to download the app and add any Irish Pub we’ve not yet listed. As it stood, we already had 6,200 pubs from California to Canberra (via Castlebar of course) but sure who wouldn’t love a few more? We wanted to take a minute to highlight our top contributors for the week, so far...

🏆 Nicole P added five pubs & 46 musicians from Enya to Emma Horan!

🏅 Déaghán M added McCloskey’s Tavern & a bucketload of pubs.

🏅 Aishling W added For the Love of Ireland, & a whole bunch of bands.

Shout outs to all the others who submitted Irish pubs in the past two days: Abbie B, Chris K, Clair M, Clay W, Conor L, Dominic M, Fern B, Finbar C, Gerry H, James M, Josh R, Kieran G, Lightingman1 B, Marie K, Meredith C, Mike F, Niamh R, Orla O, Paul H, Philip M, Rob W, Robert M, Ronan G, Stephen Q, Terry M. 🙏 Thank you! You are what makes Shift what it is - the global Irish community.

News from Home

He Did It. You’ll all know by now that Rory McIlroy did, indeed, retain the Masters Green Jacket, so we won’t go over old ground. Yet, we did note that it set off a huge round of “we want to claim him” between Ireland and Britain. It’s getting political, too, with politicians calling for him to be knighted by King Charles. The thing is, Rory has always been staunchly apolitical, well aware that any statement could cause unintended offense. And you know what, fair play to him. Irish, Northern Irish, British, American (he lives in Florida) – whatever – we should just enjoy him while we have him.

We Want It. Remember when we said a few weeks ago that Croke Park should be reserved for special events? Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn is apparently in talks to secure the venue for Katie Taylor’s final fight in the summer. As a boxing promoter, Hearn is a professional bullshitter (not a criticism; it’s his job to hype), so we will reserve judgment until we see it in writing, but the prospect excites us even more than the Toblerone that’s currently eyeing us from across the room.

RIP, Legend. We were saddened to hear of the death of Moya Brennan, also known as Máire Philomena Ní Bhraonáin, member of Clannad and sister of Enya. She had a wonderful, storied career, and a voice every bit as beautiful as – but distinct from – her sister’s. She even secured EDM immortality when partnering with Chicane on the global smash hit, Saltwater. Ireland lost a legend this week.

The Craic Recommends. We were looking at the line-up for Electric Picnic (Ireland’s biggest pop music festival), and we saw a quare few excellent up-and-coming Irish acts on the roster. But one, in particular, caught our eye, the brilliant Florence Road. They were nominated for the BBC Sound of 2026 (a big deal for new artists), and we can’t get enough of their mixtape, Fall Back. Keep an eye on this quartet from Wicklow; we smell big things coming. Oh aye, did you know that you can also keep up with this sort of craic on Shift?

The Irish Influence

We’ve spent a lot of time over the last year or two talking about this golden age of Irish acting, but you know what, we’ve probably forgotten to mention the big ride that is Holywood’s (the Northern Irish one, like Rory) Jamie Dornan. He has just been cast in one of Hollywood’s (yep, that one) most sought-after roles, as Aragorn in the upcoming Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum. You know, there are maybe arguments that this movie should not be made at all, but we delved into the aul movie internet forums to get a gauge on the reaction about Jamie’s casting, and it has been overwhelmingly positive. He’s a class act, and we think if anyone can out-dreamboat Viggo Mortensen in the role, it’s Jamie. 50 shades of Gandalf the Grey, eh? 🧙🏻‍♂️ 

Cúpla Focal

I will, yeah – No. We’ve been inspired by a brilliant Irish Times article to switch up from Gaeilge to the aul Béarla (English) this week. The article on visitors and immigrants experiencing confusion about how we talk centered on the brilliant Irish slang phrase, “I will, yeah,” which basically means “there is not a chance I will do this thing.”

Blast from the Past

It’s Ireland’s birthday! Well, sort of. At the stroke of midnight on April 17th, 1949, Ireland officially became a republic. Of course, you’ll note that the 26 counties had already gained independence from Britain before that date, but Ireland remained part of the Commonwealth, which technically – very technically – meant that the King at the time (George VI) still had a formal role in Irish foreign policy. Though largely symbolic – life certainly didn’t change overnight – it did have other repercussions, not least the (perceived) hardening of positions on partition, meaning Northern Ireland’s position as part of the UK would be framed in British law. As an aside, we love these old Pathé videos. People just don’t talk like that anymore.

And One Last Thing….

Migration Reversal. It’s incredible to think of this term today, given our history of heading across the Atlantic. Yet the stats say it: More Americans are moving to Ireland than are going the other way. It’s a fascinating exchange, one that further strengthens ties between the two nations, even in an era when relationships between ‘friendly’ governments are frayed. It also put us in mind of another intriguing stat we heard this week: that nearly a quarter of a million people in Ireland work remotely for American firms, which presents challenges due to the time difference. So, if you are reading this, dear American CEOs with Irish employees, go easy on us on a Friday afternoon, as it is suppertime here; time for tea and bread and butter, not emails. And, yes, we include Shift boss, Patrick Blood, in that plea. He’s a tyrant. Just kidding. He’s mostly grand 😉.

So, What’s the Craic?

The Craic is back after eating FAR too many Easter Eggs, bringing you news of the Irish at home and on foreign shores. The Craic is the gobby half-brother of Shift, our digital home of the Irish and Irish-ish online. Not got Shift yet? Get it here, friend. Want someone else to have The Craic each week? This way here, please.

IT’S TIME FOR THE ALL-IRELAND CHAMPIONSHIPS

News from Home

GAA Go. This weekend sees the start of the All-Ireland Football Championship, featuring 31 counties (Kilkenny don’t enter cos football’s illegal in the hurling-mad county) plus Ireland’s overseas territories of County London and County New York. Nah, we are big fans of what the GAA is doing to promote the championships (hurling gets underway next weekend) at home and abroad. Oh, and wherever you’re following your county from, the GAA has this nifty digital calendar that won’t let you miss a moment. Check it out here.

No.2. A new study has put Dublin’s Temple Bar as the world’s second-biggest tourist trap, behind the undisputed leader, San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf. Fair enough, but sure look it, we are going to do something highly unfashionable: Stick up for Temple Bar. It’s not that bad – pricey, yes – but the extra few euros per round of drinks are in return for a guaranteed atmosphere and plenty of craic with other tourists. We love authentic Dublin “old-man” pubs as much as the next person, but we know where we’d be if we were young (and a bit better-looking).

Fuel Fury. We joked last week about fuel prices in Ireland, but farmers, taxi drivers, and haulers have not seen the funny side. Fuel protests are taking place across the island, blocking major roads. The M50 – possibly the country’s busiest motorway – has been described as Ireland’s biggest car park. The army has also been called in. Serious stuff; it’s all feeling a bit French.

Middle Ale. We genuinely checked the date when we read this story because it felt April-Foolsy: Lidl – you’re familiar with the famously cheap grocery store, yes? – has announced it’s opening its first pub in Northern Ireland. All a bit strange, yet it seems to be a workaround on NI’s absolutely awful & archaic (and alliterative) alcohol licensing laws. 

The Craic Recommends. One of Irish literature’s superpowers is the ability to find light and humor in the bleakest of subjects; it’s been a trait of everyone from Joyce to Doyle to McCourt to Tóibín. Thus, when we say you should read the new book from John McKenna, The Lock-Keeper’s Wife, and tell you that it’s about a woman, bereaved of her two children, who finds herself recently released from an institution and living remotely with an unloving husband, don’t be surprised when you discover something unaccountably hopeful and, at times, joyous. Buy it directly from the publisher, The Lilliput Press, here.

The Irish Influence

We were saddened to hear the news of the death of actor Michael Patrick. The trailblazing Northern Irish thespian, who sometimes went under the name Michael Campbell, lost his battle with motor neuron disease. Most of the media tagged him as “Game of Thrones actor” in their reporting (Michael had a small role in the HBO series), yet his real legacy was on the stage, particularly his work in Belfast’s Lyric Theatre. In 2024, while wheelchair-bound and in full knowledge that he was terminally ill, Michael created and starred in an adaptation of Shakespeare’s Richard III, turning in one of the most powerful performances you’ll ever see. It won the prestigious Judges’ Award at the 2025 Stage Awards.

Cúpla Focal

Agóidí Breosla {uh-GO-dee BROSS-luh} Fuel Protests – The current agóid (protest) is absolutely on everyone’s minds this week, or at least those trying to drive on the nation’s motorways. Hopefully, there is a resolution soon. 

Blast from the Past

We don’t want to jinx it, but as we slowly tap out this newsletter with two pointy fingers on our typewriter, Rory McIlroy shares the lead in The Masters. We hope he’s still in the mix as you read this. Actually, Rory got into a bit of bother because of his comments about not serving Irish food for the pre-tournament dinner (hosted by the champion). It all got a bit weird and pearl-clutching, with internet peeps going all Genghis Khan over colcannon and cabbage. It was a joke, folks. Anyway, all the pro-Rory and anti-Rory shenanigans reminded us of this wee video, with the 8yo Holywood (not that one) lad giving us a glimpse of the man who’d one day conquer the world of golf.

And One Last Thing….

This week, socials have inexplicably been plastered with indexes showing Ireland’s place in the world and the makeup of the island, naturally causing plenty of arguments. We loved Ireland’s ranking as the most educated country in Europe, not so much how we’ve fallen down the Good Country Index, but the most interesting bit by far was the digital release of the 1926 Irish Census, which showed that we were much more diverse and cosmopolitan than some would have you believe. It’s a fascinating snapshot of Ireland a century ago, and quite the riposte to those voices claiming today that Irish history is homogeneously white. It wasn’t, and we are all the richer for it.

So, What’s the Craic?

The Craic is back on this Good Friday, providing a little Easter Craic before we roll into the weekend like the good eggs we are. The Craic is the cheeky mouthpiece of Shift, our app for connecting the Irish around the world. Want Shift? It’s right here. Want friends to have The Craic each week. Sign up here, le do thoil.

WE’LL ALL BE WALKING TO WORK NEXT WEEK

News from Home

Fuel Me Once. The price at the pump is the talk of the country this week, and no, we are not talking about draught stout this time around. Petrol and diesel prices have soared due to you-know-what over in you-know-where, so all eyes are on the government to help out. It acted quickly with fuel tax cuts, much to the chagrin of our British friends, but the hope is that the government can pull a rabbit out of the hat in time for Easter. Some have called for all public transport to be free during the crisis, which gets our vote.  Of course, it’s not just running cars; it’s heating homes and growing food on Irish farms. Something drastic is needed.

Croker Row. Croke Park occupies a special place in the Irish psyche. Most agree that it is a hallowed venue that should mostly be reserved for Gaelic sports. If ‘foreign’ sports are to be played there, it must be something momentous, like the first-ever NFL game or Katie Taylor’s last fight (hint-hint), so there has been a bit of a row over the announcement of a ‘meaningless’ friendly between English Premier League clubs Manchester United and Leeds United in the summer. What do yis think? Are the naysayers stuck in the past? Or should Croker be a special case?

New 2. The lads are at it again. U2 has released a second EP in a matter of months, announcing the aptly titled six-track Easter Lilly this morning. The Craic put on its Deerstalker hat and has surmised that all of this means Bono and the boys will be announcing a massive world tour soon. Apropos of absolutely something, the U2 chat has reminded us of this 10/10 meme, espousing the theory that the Reservoir Dogs crew today-ish looks like Bono at different stages of his life. Spot on, with Tim Roth, in particular, giving the vibe that he still hasn’t found what he’s looking for.

The Craic Recommends – Irish chocolate. There’s been a lot of chat about the declining quality of chocolate in Easter Eggs this week, with soaring global cocoa prices meaning that Big Chocolate companies are using, among other ‘new’ ingredients, palm oil (yum) to pad out their products. Going local is best, and by local, we mean independent Irish choco-makers. RTÉ has compiled this great list of Irish chocolatiers for your perusal. Probably too late to order for the Big One on Sunday, but, g’wan and treat yourself for another occasion.

The Irish Influence

On Sunday, ceremonies in Dublin will mark the 110th anniversary of the Easter Rising, i.e., the rebellion against British occupation that would eventually lead to Ireland’s independence. The main architect of that rebellion was Patrick “Pádraig” Pearse. It was Pearse who read the famous Proclamation of the Republic outside Dublin’s General Post Office, and it was he who was effectively commander-in-chief of the Irish forces. He was sort-of-kind-of the first president of Ireland for a few days, though we wouldn’t be a proper country until a few years later. Pearse was executed, along with fourteen other leaders, by the British Government nine days after the Easter Rising. He was 36.

Cúpla Focal

It's Easter, which means a few days off work (yay!). But it also means we are going to quickfire some Easter-y words as Gaeilge. Ready, steady go: Aoine an Chéasta ⛪️ (Good Friday), Ubh Chásca 🐣 (Easter Egg), Seacláid 🍫 (Chocolate ), Domhnach Cásca 🛐 (Easter Sunday), Coinín na Cásca 🐰 (Easter Bunny). 

Blast from the Past

You know, they often talk about the Titanic sinking on her maiden voyage as it set off from Southampton on April 10th. However, the ship had to get to Southampton from Belfast, and we certainly didn’t pick her up and carry her there. The ship left Belfast on April 2nd – just a smidge over 114 years ago – and we are going to lawyer up and call that one her maiden voyage. Last night, the city marked that occasion with a spectacular drone show to let the ship set sail for a second time. It was something to behold, and fair play to the BBC, which put out a special broadcast to mark the exact time of departure yesterday evening. 

And One Last Thing….

It’s Good Friday here in Ireland (as if you didn’t know already), but it’s always interesting to watch the annual clash between modernity and Ireland’s Catholic traditions. For years, pubs were not allowed to open, which gave rise to some inventive speakeasys, until the law changed in 2018. Today, the dispute is over gambling. Should, for example, The Curragh be allowed to run horse races, as it did today? It’s an interesting debate on whether it should be a day without vice, and let us tell you, the divide is not always on religious grounds. Anyway, if you are celebrating Easter or not, or perhaps it’s Pesach in your home this week, we hope you have a grand aul time with friends and family in the coming days.

So, What’s the Craic?

The Craic returns a little downbeat but still ready to shoot the breeze by delivering news and views of the Irish to your inbox. The Craic is the weekly newsletter from Shift, our platform for connecting Irish people and lovers of Irish people globally. Want Shift? Get it here, friend. Want someone else to have The Craic each week? This way here, please.

WE DIDN’T WANNA GO ANYWAY. REALLY.
IMAGE CREDIT TO PADHRAIC DUFFY VIA FACEBOOK

News from Home

Prague’s Packed. Ireland’s World Cup dreams were cruelly shattered in Prague, as the Boys in Green let slip a 2-0 lead to eventually bow out on penalties to Czechia. Over in Bergamo, Northern Ireland were outclassed by Italy. There is a mix of anger and disappointment, but dare we say it, a tinge of optimism, too (we were really good for like 60 minutes). We’ve noted, though, that there are a few calls for a united island football team to give us a better chance of competing on the bigger stage, just like they do with the rugby. Time for a grown-up conversation about that?

And a Wee Bit More Football. First, a little shoutout to RTÉ, which has facilitated Irish-language commentary feeds – provided by  Garry Mac Donncha – for these games and is looking to expand this further. Secondly, we wanted to echo the sentiments of many Republic of Ireland fans living in Northern Ireland, who were geo-blocked from accessing free-to-air RTÉ during the game, meaning they had to access it on PPV via Amazon. Surely, something can be done, as this is a special case?

Out of this World. Imagine how proud your mam and dad would be if you discovered not one but two planets. That’s the case of Galway student Chloe Lawlor, who has followed up her sighting of WISPIT2b last August with the discovery of WISPIT2c this week. We’re sure they’ll come up with some snappier names eventually.

Right Direction. The crime figures for 2025 have been published, and nearly all metrics for major crimes point downwards, including a 25% drop in murders. There were 35 murders in the country in 2025. Kidnapping down 11%; robbery and burglary down 11% and 13% respectively. We aren’t perfect, and we can strive to do better, but it breaks our hearts to see Irish ‘patriots’ on socials constantly talk down one of the safest countries on earth.

The Craic Recommends. Father Ted is on our minds this week for two reasons. First, there was the sad passing of Ben Keaton, who gave us some of the show’s funniest moments as Father Austin Purcell. Second, we stumbled upon the wonderful Facebook group, Father Ted Feckposting. It’s where we discovered the hilarious meme at the top of this newsletter, and many more like it. You can join the group here.

The Irish Influence

While the dreams of a first World Cup since 2002 may have ended, it is clear Ireland has gained a new national hero over the qualifying campaign – Troy Parrott. His goals against Portugal and Hungary were the reasons we dared to dream in the first place, and it was no surprise when he was the man to step up to give us the lead against Czechia. Whatever happens with the rebuild and refocus for Euro 2028 and World Cup 2030, it’s going to be built around the AZ Alkmaar striker. And you know what? He was selected to face the glare of the media after the disappointment in Prague and said all the right things. He’s going to be our future captain. 

Cúpla Focal

Beidh lá eile ag an bPaorach – Power Will Have Another Day. This is basically the Irish equivalent of “live to fight another day,” which feels apt after last night. We just hope we aren’t still saying it in another 24 years. 

Blast from the Past

Ah right. Time for a breather from all the football. We saw a little social media poll recently asking about the Irish playwright we most identify with – George Bernard Shaw, Oscar Wilde, Samuel Beckett or Seán O’Casey. The majority went for the latter, which might sound surprising as O’Casey is arguably the least well-known of the venerable quartet. Yet, it also feels right. 100 years ago, the final play in O’Casey’s “Dublin Trilogy”, The Plough and the Stars, debuted at the Abbey Theatre. It, alongside The Shadow of a Gunman and Juno and the Peacock, is a play that represents Ireland – or at least a slice of Ireland in a certain place and time – like no other, perhaps apart from Brian Friel’s Translations. If you’re in the parish, know that the Plough and the Stars is playing at the Abbey Theatre until April 30th to mark the 100th anniversary of the masterpiece. 

And One Last Thing….

You can’t really be a capital city without having a waxworks museum, can you? It’s the rules, so to speak. Anyway, we’ll finish this week by reporting that a new wax model will be revealed at the National Wax Museum in Dublin next week – Taylor Swift. That’s not very Irish, we hear you say, but wait: Taylor does have Irish roots, and genealogists have traced her great-something grandparents back to 1830s Dublin. And because we all need a laugh after the disappointment last night, we’ll let one of our favs, Garron Noone, explain in the video below why Taylor should be welcomed into the fold.

So, What’s the Craic?

The Craic is back. We are Post-Paddy’s and Post-Oscars, getting ready for the weekend by delivering news and views of the Irish to your inbox. The Craic is the weekly newsletter from Shift, our app for connecting the global Irish and culturally Irish. Want Shift? Find it here. Want someone you know to have The Craic weekly? Ask them to input their wee email here.

WE'RE PROBABLY GETTING CARRIED AWAY NOW, BUT…

News from Home

She Did It. It was the least surprising award of the evening, but Jessie Buckley got the Oscar and Ireland cheered. Jessie is the first Irish woman to win the Best (leading) Actress award, and the second Irish woman, after the great, great, great Brenda Fricker, to win an acting Oscar. We said earlier in the year that she would become a household name, and, well, we were right.

More Oscars? Martin McDonagh – the Irish writer and director behind the likes of Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri and The Banshees of Inisherin – has dropped (as the kids say) the trailer for his sixth film, Wild Horse Nine. McDonagh’s films have 17 Oscar nominations thus far, and with a cast that includes John Malkovich, Steve Buscemi, Parker Posey, Tom Waits (oh yes!), and Sam Rockwell, we think we might be talking about the “O” word come awards season next year.

Rugger. Ah well, we didn’t win the Six Nations Championship, but we did get the Triple Crown (that’s the trophy you get for beating the English, Scottish and Welsh). It came down to the wire, though, with Ireland needing England to beat France in the final game. That put us all in the rare aul situation of cheering for England – even Gerry Adams was doing it – and, to be fair, the English lads tried their best, just coming up short in a thriller.

In Troy We Trust. But hey, the sport keeps coming: Thursday it’s the turn of the Irish football team to raise - and, probably, end up dashing - our hopes. We have the first World Cup Playoff game against Czechia, and if we win that one, we’ll be playing Denmark or North Macedonia next Tuesday. Win that, and, well, you’ll never hear the end of it because the Boys in Green will be going to the World Cup for the first time since 2002.

Paddy’s Fallout. Not much to report on about St Patrick’s Day shenanigans, aside from some funny business in the White House, but the BIG story back home was a float that passed through parades across several counties on the west coast. The float was themed on the Epstein Files, complete with women being chased around a bedroom by men in wigs. It was rightly condemned for making light of the obscenities, not to mention the float’s presence at family-oriented parades. We understand making political points, but what were these guys thinking?

The Craic Recommends. We’re massive Katie Boyle fans here at Craic Towers, so we were delighted to see the Irish comic make her debut under the lights on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon this week. In fact, Katie is the first Irish female comedian to appear on a Tonight Show stand-up slot. Katie’s show deals with the travails and funnies of Irish ‘expatism’ better than any comedian we’ve ever seen. The good news is that we’ve had a look at Katie’s upcoming tour dates, and she’s basically crisscrossing America over the coming weeks and months. Come get your tickets here.

The Irish Influence

Jessie Buckley obviously got the Oscar headlines over here, but there was another milestone for Irish film-making – Richard Baneham became Ireland’s first three-time Oscar winner, scooping his third statuette for Best Visual Effects for Avatar: Fire and Ash. Baneham’s filmography is incredible, having served as the main animator on movie series such as The Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Chronicles of Narnia. You can see in the video below he’s a real whizz, but is he truly the first Irish triple winner? Hmmm, Daniel Day-Lewis has three Best Actor wins, yet there is a little debate over who should really claim him. DDL is proud of his Irish heritage, lives here, and has dual Irish-British citizenship, but we also understand he was born and raised in England. So, to all our British friends, let’s just say we can share him. Fairs? Fairs.

Cúpla Focal

Cónocht an Earraigh – Vernal/Spring Equinox. It’s March 20th, so that means we should technically have 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of nighttime here in the aul Nordie Hemisphere. The Ancient Celts and Early Christians put a lot of stock in these turnings of the seasons, and there are even links to the feast of St Patrick. This article from Irish Central explains some of the interesting facts and theories behind it all.

Blast from the Past

Zombie by The Cranberries was released 32 years ago – in September 1994, to be exact. So, it’s not exactly an anniversary, but we wanted to highlight it because it was voted the No. 1 Irish song in history in that Today FM poll we told ya about last week. No quibbles about the result – Zombie is considered an angry masterpiece. The song very much belongs to the late Dolores O’Riordan, who penned it about the killing of two children in an IRA bombing in England a year earlier, while simultaneously leaving its meaning open to the interpretation of the listener. Its emotional depth, and its pain and anger tinged with resolve, can just as easily be applied to the horrors of today. That’s why Zombie is timeless. Oh, and just look at the view count for the official video on YouTube: 1.8 billion - billion with a “B” - and counting.

And One Last Thing….

First up, we hope you all had a wonderful Paddy’s Day/Week/Month so far! This week is extra special now for us too. It’s a Shift anniversary! 🎂 In a Lennon-meets-McCartney sliding doors moment, Blood (Patrick) met Murphy (Paul) two years ago this week, and the world would never be the same again. Ok, perhaps it was not that momentous, but the two lads meeting and striking up a friendship led to Shift, and two years later, we have thousands of people signed up to the app for the global Irish and Irish-ish. We are all, with the exception of the annoyingly youthful Vivienne, a little older, grayer, and (inexplicably) hairier, but you know, it’s been well worth it. Here are a few pics of what we got up to the last few weeks as the team continues to build out the app while having the absolute craic, with all you Irish and Irish-ish.

So, What’s the Craic?

The Craic is back in this Pre-Paddy’s edition of our weekly dose of Irish news and views. The Craic is the gobby younger sibling of Shift, the app for the global Irish and culturally Irish. We’ve got some more news below on the Shift team’s adventures this weekend, so check that out, and don’t forget, share the Shift with everyone you know. They’re going to need it this week. Lá Fhéile Pádraig sona dhaoibh!

HAPPY ST PATRICK’S DAY FROM ALL THE SHIFT FAM

News from Home

Lá Fhéile Pádraig. Ah well, here we all are now. The big day is approaching, so our country and yours are gearing up for parades, pageantry and pints-a-plenty. If you’ve a couple of sprogs 👶 in tow, your main concern will be keeping them entertained and the consumption of sweets to a minimum. If you're young and trendy, you’ll be thinking of what pubs and clubs to go to and how to get a shift at the end of the night. Anyway, wherever you are in the world, and regardless of whether you’re full-fat Irish or just a wee bit Irish, we’d just like to say, have a great one on Tuesday.

Big Spenders. Ahead of Micheál Martin’s traditional visit to the White House next week, you can expect the Taoiseach to wallop Donald Trump over the head (figuratively speaking) with the following information: Ireland is now the 5th-largest investor in the US. Irish companies now invest a total of $389 billion in the US, and we will be throwing in around $6 billion this year. So there you go, you owe us a pint, America.

The Best. We’ve been glued to the results of a Today FM poll that is asking listeners to vote on their top 100 Irish songs of all time. Numbers 100-11 have already been announced, and the top 10 is coming this evening around the time this newsletter goes out. But we’d love to hear from you – what is the greatest Irish song ever? Let us know on Shift socials.

The Craic Recommends. Oh wow, we are absolutely thrilled with this: A collection of global artists has got together to release a tribute album to the one and only Shane McGowan. The album, titled 20th Century Paddy (we’re considering that title as affectionate and not pejorative) and released in November, has contributions from Hozier and Jessie Buckley, among others, but the top-billing goes to Bruce Springsteen. The Boss has given us an early taste of the album with his gorgeous cover of A Rainy Night in Soho. Springsteen also penned a wonderful, tear-jerking essay on McGowan.

The Irish Influence

Across the world, St Patrick’s Day parades will be headed by their grand marshals. The choices are not always universally supported, of course, and here as well as in the States, we are sometimes left scratching our heads as to why some undeserving celebrity is fronting the celebrations. Yet, we can have no qualms with the choice for Clara, Co. Offaly, which has selected Paddy Claffey – Ireland’s oldest man – to lead the parade. "It's a great honour, a great honour, there will be an awful crowd there I suppose," said Paddy. "I hope I'm able for it all, only for my knees and my hips, I could be dancing now".  105 years young next month and still going strong – good luck, Paddy. 

Cúpla Focal

Seamróg {Sham-rouge} – Shamrock. It’s the most visible symbol of St Patrick’s Day – and perhaps Ireland in general – but the word Seamróg has an interesting etymological history. First, the English word shamrock comes from the Irish and not the other way around. Second, Seamróg is derived from the word seamair óg, which means little clover. 

Blast from the Past

We could have brought you back to St Patrick’s Days of the past this week, but, given that there might be a bit of Paddy’s overload, we thought instead we’d look back at March 10, 2015, the day that drugs were legal in Ireland. Yes, you read that correctly: a technical legislative error meant that for 24 hours, drugs like ecstasy, crystal meth and ketamine became legal. Did it lead to the biggest rave the world has ever seen? Nah, but it was quite funny, and it did leave the government scrambling to put through emergency legislation. Some scamps and scallywags still mark the date, though, “Happy Yokes (slang for ecstasy) Day,” messages still swirl around Irish social media on the anniversary.

And One Last Thing….

Shift v1.1.3 is now live in the App Store and Google Play

Yes, it’s that week of March, and yes, that means that there will be all sorts of PPEs (Pre-Paddy’s Events) around the US. Made-up acronyms aside, Team Shift will be popping up like gophers across various events before the big day. Darren’s going to be at the Chicago River dyeing next week, whereas Paul and Patrick will be attending an Irish business owners’ event in Tulsa on Friday, followed by an Irish festival in the city on Saturday. As for Vivienne, she’ll be in NYC spreading the good word of Shift before the main event. We will have a big Paddy’s Day special for The Craic next week, but if you see any of us floating about Chicago, Tulsa, or NYC, be sure to say hello! And don’t forget to update your app. There’s a brand-spanking new home screen, aptly named “Craic”. Head on over and make sure to check in to your St Patrick’s Day pub on Tuesday! Till then, please enjoy this Voices of Ireland Around the World. Don’t know about you, but it gave us the chills. ☘️❤️

WE’RE ON THE COUNTDOWN TO PADDY’S DAY

So, What’s the Craic?

The Craic is back, feeling solar-powered and ready to deliver news of the Irish at home and abroad into your inbox. The Craic is the weekly newsletter from Shift, the app for the global Irish. Want Shift? Get it here. And do us a wee favor, pass The Craic onto a friend by asking them to sign up here. Now, a word from our sponsors… US! 👍

Shift v1.1.0 is now live in the App Store and Google Play

News from Home

Mass Effect. A study of religious practices across Europe shows that the Irish are still up there with the most devout nations, with only around one third of us claiming the no religion that John Lennon once imagined. France and the UK are among the least religious, with a majority in those countries claiming the old atheism.

Cat Yourself On. If you don’t mill around the sewers of social media, you’ll not be aware of the Jessie Buckley ‘controversy’ swirling around at the mo. Ireland’s future Oscar winner (we’re calling it now) is being cancelled in some quarters. Why? Because in a throwaway comment in an interview, she joked that she hates cats and that the felines are “mean”. It’s all a bit preposterous, but we guess when such outrage greets a nothing-burger, it means you’ve made it.

Dreary Me. Nobody expects glorious sunshine across January and February this side of the Equator, yet the weather gods were really having a laugh recently: 60-something days of rain in a row were recorded for 2026 – a complete washout. Yet, the last few days (in some parts of the island) have been glorious. Whisper it, but it might be time to leave the Big Coat™️ at home till October.

The Craic Recommends. We haven’t read it yet – because it’s not out until March 26th – but we know that there’s a lot of buzz around the great Colm Tóibín’s new collection of short stories, The News from Dublin. It’s Tóibín’s first short story collection since 2010. As ever, we’d politely ask that if you are interested in pre-ordering, please do so from an independent Irish bookseller. Big Bezos and Amazon have enough cash.

The Irish Influence

With the good feeling back in Irish rugby thanks to that historic win over England, we thought we’d highlight the man who represents the heart of the Irish team, the captain Caelan Doris. The 27-year-old has quietly improved to become one of the world’s best rugby players, being nominated for the World Player of the Year in 2024. Doris is incredibly driven – you can see by his media interviews the demands he makes on his teammates – and he’s a handsome aul bugger, too. Ireland plays Wales this evening. Nothing short of a resounding victory will do for Doris.

Cúpla Focal

Tá an tEarrach linn {taw un tarr-ohk linn} – spring is in the air. You can take all the meteorological charts, groundhogs, and baby lambs you want, but The Craic has one firm measurement to measure when spring is back – when we see the first signs of life returning to Irish beer gardens 🍻🌱. Tá an tEarrach linn – literally, spring is with us – and we are very happy about it. 

Blast from the Past

One of the most satisfying parts of creating The Craic every week is that we can delve into lesser-known parts of Irish history, and one that fascinates us more than most is the “Showband era”. And thus, we present to you the fantastically-named Red Hurley (it’s as if AI came up with the name of an Irish person). Red was number one in the Irish charts fifty years ago this week with “Broken Promises”. While he has one of those Conway-Twitty-1970s-style heads on him that makes him look like he is mentally undressing every woman (and man) in the room, Red boasted a wonderful, Roy Orbison-esque voice. He would represent Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest later that year.

And One Last Thing….

Yes, it’s March, and yes, that means that there will be all sorts of PPEs (Pre-Paddy’s Events) around the US. Made-up acronyms aside, Team Shift will be popping up like gophers across various events before the big day. Darren’s going to be at the Chicago River dyeing next week, whereas Paul and Patrick will be attending an Irish business owners’ event in Tulsa on Friday, followed by an Irish festival in the city on Saturday. As for Vivienne, she’ll be in NYC spreading the good word of Shift before the main event. We will have a big Paddy’s Day special for The Craic next week, but if you see any of us floating about Chicago, Tulsa, or NYC, be sure to say hello!

So, What’s the Craic?

The Craic is back in an it’s-almost-March mood, bringing you news of the Irish at home and abroad. The Craic is the weekly, friendly mouthpiece of Shift, our app that connects Irish people and lovers of Irish culture globally. Want Shift? Find it here. Want someone else to have The Craic? Ask them to sign up here. 

SPONGEBOB IS COMING TO THE BIG SCREEN - AS GAEILGE

News from Home

Nomenclature. The Central Statistics Office (CSO to its friends) has released the top new baby names in Ireland in 2025. Rían was number one for boys, followed by Jack, Noah, Oisín and James. For girls, it was Lily in top spot, with Éabha, Fiadh, Grace and Sadie runners-up. Helpfully, the CSO has also reminded us of the top names for boys and girls in 1975. Can you guess? Answers at the bottom of the email. Hint: they crop up in the Bible.

Final Farewell. Not to blow our trumpet, but we did predict in a previous edition of The Craic that Katie Taylor would be drawn out of retirement for one more bout. She now says that her final-definitely-certainly-the-last-fight (you know what boxers are like), will be in Dublin, probably in the summer. There’s a bit of a campaign rumbling that it should be at Croke Park (and it should). Opponent, as yet, unknown, but the word is she wants a big name.

I Do. Sort of two stories in one here: First, if you’ve been dreaming of tying the knot over here, know that the 2026 Irish Wedding Venue Awards have been announced. While some setups there are painfully expensive, the awards also offer alternative, budget, and kooky options. There’s even a best dog-friendly venue category.  Check out the winners here. In semi-related news, the swishy-swanky Ashford Castle has received a double 5-star award (ten stars, then, right?) accolade from Forbes. It’s generally considered to be the island’s best hotel.

Turnaround. Wee Six Nations update now. So, we were, as a nation, pretty downbeat about Ireland after that punishment in Paris. Thus, expectations were low going into the game against England at Twickenham. Reader, we hammered them. The 42-21 victory in London was one for the ages, and means we are still in the hunt for the championship. Amazing what beating an English team does for national spirit.

The Craic Recommends – SpongeBob SquarePants as Gaeilge. An Irish-language version of The SpongeBob Movie is coming to theaters as part of Seachtain na Gaeilge, and it reminded us that the madcap cartoon series has long been a success for TG4 in promoting the Irish language. If you have kids interested in learning a cúpla focal, it’s a great way to keep them engaged. And if you don’t have access to TG4, note that a lot of the content is on YouTube.

The Irish Influence

You know, with all this talk of the golden age of Irish acting, we’ve been thinking about a legendary Irish thespian who doesn’t get talked about enough – Patrick Magee. The Armagh-born actor was a favorite of both Harold Pinter and Samuel Beckett, with the latter writing Krapp’s Last Tape specifically for Magee after hearing his signature gravelly voice on the radio. Magee did move into the movie business, too, notably working with Stanley Kubrick, including in Kubrick’s true masterwork, Barry Lyndon. Magee, who passed away in 1982 at age 60, was also an accomplished director and a stalwart of the new wave of horror in British cinema in the 1960s. “Unfairly forgotten” was one description of his legacy, and we can’t help but agree.

Cúpla Focal

A quare stretch in the evening – it stays brighter later. Not Irish this week, more of a Northern Irishism. It is at this time of year that you’ll hear someone remark, “There’s a quare aul stretch in the evening,” marveling that it’s no longer pitch dark at 5 pm as we head into spring. It varies by region, but we’d say that “grand stretch” is more frequently used in the South.

Blast from the Past

A quirky bit of Irish history here: In late February 2002, Guinness introduced a new delivery system for its pints – FastPour. The concept was rolled out in the hope that faster pints – FastPour would deliver settled pints in under 30 seconds, instead of the two minutes or so that we were accustomed to – would appeal to stout drinkers across the land. Alas, FastPour was a New-Coke-level disaster and was abandoned the next year. We just want to leave the last words on this to Grogan’s of Dublin barman, Sean Kearney, who explained (back in 2003 to The Guardian) that customers never complained about waiting for a pint, adding, “God knows they've complained about everything else but not that.” Good man, Sean 🤣.

And One Last Thing….

You know, we do love a pub, but Ireland has lots of lovely little tea rooms and coffee shops. And among the best in the world is Coffeewerk + Press in Galway. We know it’s the best because it’s made the global top 40 a couple of years running now, climbing 7 places from last year. It offers unique blends from across the globe, and it does a side trade in books and collectibles, like oatmeal socks. Ok, so it’s a wee bit hipsterish, but it’s class and a Galway institution. Oh, and a wee shout-out to the best coffee joint on the other side of the island: Unfiltered Coffee in Dublin placed 56th overall. 

*John and Mary were the top names for newborn Irish boys and girls in 1975.

So, What’s the Craic?

The Craic is back this Friday, bringing news of the Irish at home and abroad to your inbox. The Craic is the weekly newsletter from Shift, the app designed to connect the Irish and Irish-ish across the globe. Not got the Shift yet? You can find it here. Want more people to have The Craic? This way here, please.

ONLY 38 DAYS LEFT TO GO, LADS

News from Home

It’s Time. Taking its lead from Australia and Spain, the Irish Government is expected to eventually announce social media restrictions for kids. It is committed to working within the EU for this, and that means it will take time, but it looks likely the plan will involve banning U16s from the TikToks and Instagrams. We all agree with this, right?

New 2. Bono and the lads have released their first album – well, EP (that’s a mini-album, kids) – since 2017. Days of Ash is getting fairly good reviews, with some saying it’s U2’s best work this century. It is VERY political, though, taking aim at lots of the zeitgeist-y problems of the world.

Caps Off. The row over Dublin Airport’s passenger cap – limiting arrivals to 32 million per annum – looks to be almost at an end. The cap, which has been in place for 20 years and introduced due to fears of congestion on access roads, should be revoked once the accompanying bill passes.

G’wan, Ben. Yay! Ben Lynch has become the first-ever Irish athlete to qualify for a skiing final. Freestyler Ben said, “I skied better than I ever have today. I'm officially an Olympian and officially a finalist which is just mind-blowing.” Go for gold, lad.

The Craic Recommends. This week, the Craic recommends giving up sweets. Well, not really. It’s Lent, you see, and that throws back memories of childhood, where you’d be forced to give up chocolate and candies for 40-long days until you gorge on eggs at Easter – Paddy’s Day was always a cheat day, btw. Anyway, while the Church’s hold on the country has weakened, meaning fewer kids (and adults) are giving up stuff, many still do. And you know what, it can be rewarding, even if you aren’t religious. So maybe try it over the next 38 days – sweets, alcohol, social media; any vice, really. It’s like a second shot at that New Year’s Resolution that you’ve already broken.

The Irish Influence

Is there a better Irish writer alive today than Sally Rooney? The 35-year-old – it’s her birthday today 🎂 – is one of the voices of global millennial literature. We’ve seen her described as “preternaturally talented,” which is a fair description of a woman who was publishing award-winning novels at an age when the rest of us were still learning our left from our right. While Normal People and Intermezzo have many fans, her debut, Conversations with Friends, is Rooney’s contemporary masterpiece. Yes, you may have seen the TV series, which is great, too, but the novel, we suspect, will be remembered 100 years from now. Happy Birthday, Sally Rooney.

Cúpla Focal

An Carghas – {un kor-ees} – Lent. As mentioned, we are two days into the aul Lent period, beginning with Céadaoin an Luaithrigh (Ash Wednesday) and ending in a feast of chocolate/mass on Domhnach Cásca (Easter Sunday). Good luck to the abstainers! 

Blast from the Past

Say you’re out for a boozy night in Dublin and you’re looking the (literal) shift. Well, there’s only one place that can save you. Copper Face Jacks – just plain aul Coppers to the locals – opened its doors 30 years ago this week and quickly became a Dublin institution. Such is its standing in local legend, it even spawned a show – Copper Face Jacks the Musical. Ostensibly, it’s a nightclub, though it’s more of a complex with different bars and a few dancefloors. Famed for its late serving hours – sometimes skirting the law to deliver to the masses – it is the last port of call. We’d give anything to know how many marriages, babies, and, yeah, breakups came as a direct result of a night in Coppers. So, happy birthday to the club that sucks in late-night revelers like a Death-Star-like tractor beam. Dubs love to hate you, but you’re part of the fabric of the city.

And One Last Thing….

A few Shift updates and mentions to finish the week. We’ve got two upcoming partner events in the coming weeks that you should know about. First, a reminder that Solas Nua’s Capital Irish Film Festival gets underway next Thursday. We’re particularly excited about Saipan, Irish language film Báite, and the late night films, Celtic Utopia (Saturday), Girls & Boys (Friday), and the documentary about the legendary BP Fallon (Thursday). Find all the info and all the trailers on the Shift app, and make sure to check off all the films you’re into. Hopefully we’ll see you there!

Next Friday, the 27th is the annual Blind Date Show at the New York Irish Center, brought to you by the brilliant O’Donnell Rossa Ladies’ GAA Club. If you’re anywhere near Long Island, make sure to check it out. Look out for Patrick and Vivienne there too. There’ll be Shift giveaways aplenty and if you don’t get the Shift on the night, there’ll be plenty of opportunity to get together on the app later.

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So, What’s the Craic?

Maybe it’s because we feel everyone deserves the Shift, or maybe we’re just glad to see it finally stop raining, but here’s the craic: It’s ❤️ Valentine's Day (Week), so we're also giving away a FREE month of Shift Dating to everyone in the audience! So if there's someone you think really needs the Shift right now, let them know and send them to GetTheShift.app right away! ☘️

And while we’re at it, sure, let’s open up Shift Social now too! We just enabled messaging for all of you, your friends, and your family. You’re welcome! 😘 You can still support Shift and our mission by getting your account verified (pay what you like 🍺 ☕️ 💝), and we really appreciate every one of you who do.

THE CRAIC IS FEELING ROMANTIC THIS WEEKEND

News from Home

Old News. Can you guess where the first-ever Irish language newspaper was published? Nope, not Dublin, Dingle or Donegal – it was actually New York City. An Gaodhal was printed in the city from 1881 and 1898, and its content, which provides a wealth of insight into the global Irish at the time, is now being made available online thanks to a restoration project.

Pitt Slop. A curious social media trend occurred over this last week, which shows we Irish are just as prone as everyone else to aul garbage posting. Anyway, remember we reported that Brad Pitt was over here filming a movie? Well, Irish socials have been flooded with AI images of Brad in various pubs around the country, supping Guinness. How are we sure it’s AI? Well, apart from the usual giveaways, like six-fingered hands, Mr. Pitt has been teetotal since 2016.

Support Artists. Speaking of AI, it’s not news to say it’s a clear and present danger to the livelihoods of artists. The Craic will always hold the view that the term “AI art” is oxymoronic, as the latter is a solely human endeavor. Nevertheless, we are pleased to see that the government is supporting Irish artists by making the Basic Income for the Arts scheme permanent.  A big and hearty “yes” from us.

Farewell to The Clobberer. The original drummer of The Pogues, Andrew Ranken, has passed away at the age of 72. Nicknamed The Clobberer – a belting name for a drummer, that is – Ranken played on many of the band’s most iconic albums, including the masterpiece, Rum Sodomy & the Lash. Alas, Ranken is the 4th Pogues member to pass away in recent years; five if we include Kirsty McColl. Hope they’re giving it a lash at the big party up in the sky.

Shoutout. Some friends of Shift are generating some brilliant buzz with the short film, Come Back. The short, directed by Helen O’Reilly and starring the very brilliant Hannah Dargan, has won numerous awards already and is set for a Washington, D.C. screening this month. Check out the trailer here. 

The Craic Recommends. Hey! Wanna stick on a wee romantic movie with your husband/wife/significant other/pet tomorrow night? Well, we have been racking our brains thinking of an Irish recommendation, and we’ve come up with Once. It’s a beautiful wee film starring Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová that will have you reaching for the tissues. If you won’t take our word for it, Chicago Tribune critic Michael Phillips named it as his No.1 movie of 2007. So there ya go.

The Irish Influence

This week’s Irish Influence is, more or less, fictitious, but as it’s Valentine’s Weekend, we wanted to highlight the most famous lover in Irish folklore, Diarmuid Ua Duibhne, also known as Diarmuid of the Love Spot. He was a hero of the Fenian Cycle of Irish mythology, growing up into a warrior of skill and renown. And, yes, he seemed to have an eye for the ladies, too. Indeed, he was skilled enough in the aul love department to romance the intended bride of Fionn mac Cumhaill, as told in the fable The Pursuit of Diarmuid and Gráinne. It was a helluva love triangle. 

Cúpla Focal

Anam Cara – Soul Friend. With a hint of love in the air, we thought we’d highlight a term that evokes more than just carnal desires. Anam Cara is a popularized (by poet John O’Donohue) version of the older Celtic term, anamchara. The Celtic soul friend is a person said to be an essential part of your spiritual journey. We all have a few anam caras down the pub, right? 

Blast from the Past

On Valentine’s Day, 45 years ago, around 800 young people headed off for a night out at the Stardust nightclub in Artane (north Dublin). Many would have no doubt been heading out looking for a bit of love or a wee shift, yet an electrical fire swept through the club, killing 48 and injuring 100s more. It was one of the worst tragedies in modern Irish history. While the story is a morose one in our mostly cheery newsletter, we wanted to highlight it because – decades later – the survivors are still fighting for compensation. Thankfully, the government finally seems to be doing something about it.  

And One Last Thing….

Looking for a bit of love over Valentine’s Weekend? Well, take your Tinders, your Bumbles and your Grindrs and flush ‘em down the toilet (don’t do that) because we want to remind you about Shift Dating, where you can meet the soundest people on the planet. And, just because we love ‘ya, we wanted to let you know we are giving away a free month of Shift with all those dating features for gratis, zero, zilch. So, whether you’re looking for the shift on Shift 😘 or just want to meet some new Irish friends, check out those connection features with our free month on Shift.

So, What’s the Craic?

The Craic is back in your inbox, delivering news and views on the Irish. We’ve a sporty aul edition this week, with a bit of music thrown in too. The Craic is the weekly newsletter from Shift, the app to connect the global Irish. Haven’t got Shift yet? You’re missing out, so find out more here. Want friends and fam to get The Craic? They can input their digits here.

SENT HOME FROM PARIS WITH OUR TAILS BETWEEN OUR LEGS

News from Home

Humbled. Well done, France, we guess. Nah, it was expected that Ireland would not be firing on all cylinders as this year’s Six Nations rugby got underway, but it was really rammed home by a thrashing in Paris. We face the Italians next, before a crunch tie with an improving England on Feb 21st. Oh, and a little extra sports news with a Gaelic-Gallic flavor: Ireland will not be getting an NFL game next season (Boo!), with Paris chosen instead as host. We could be a little cheeky and say that hosting a game featuring the hapless Cleveland Browns and New Orleans Saints seems like cruel and unusual punishment for the French, but we won’t go there.

Hopes. A little shout-out to Ireland’s four Winter Olympians who are out in Milan ready to become, err, princes and princesses of the piste. You might snigger at us sending out such a small contingent, and we’ve never won a medal at the snowy games, but we reckon these guys are superhuman, because where do you even start practicing skiing or slalom in Ireland? So the best of luck to Cormac Comerford, Benjamin Lynch, Thomas Westgard and Anabelle Zurbay! You’re already winners in our eyes.

Hero. There’s an amazing little story that came out of Australia this week, telling us how a 13-year-old Irish boy swam for just under four hours ‼️ in rough waters in a bid to save his family, who had been swept out to sea while kayaking and paddle-boarding. Austin Appleby then ran a further 2km to reach a phone to sound the alarm. Thankfully, everyone in the family was rescued thanks to Austin’s big and brave swim.

Pitt Spot. Rumors of Brad Pitt sightings have been circulating on the aul socials over the last few days, and we can confirm they are true. The former Mr Jolie-Aniston is here filming a new movie. This lad’s excellent Twitter account has some fantastic snaps of Brad doing the business if you’re into that type of thing.

The Craic Recommends. An avid Swifty are you? Well, we know that Taylor is kind of famous for releasing billions of different versions of the same album, but would you like to listen to her songs in a new way – as Gaeilge? A host of Taylor’s songs have been translated into Irish by Róisín Seoighe, who takes to the mic alongside IMLÉ, ****an Irish language musical collective. It’s all in aid of an upcoming show to showcase the best of Swift in the Irish language. Sign us up.

The Irish Influence

On the anniversary of the great Gary Moore’s death, we wanted to take the opportunity to highlight one of the Northern Irish musicians following in his footsteps, not just in releasing great music but in gaining the respect of fellow artists. Sister Ghost is the alter ego of Shannon Delores O'Neill, an NI musician who’s been playing in bands since the age of 12. Sister Ghost, in her words, represents her move toward creative “autonomy,” allowing her to do things her own way. The result is a raw yet accomplished wave of feminist punk. “Like Joan Jett, Donita Sparks, and Joe Strummer rolled into one,” said one reviewer. That’s quite a tribute.

Cúpla Focal

Bíonn súil leis an bhfarraige  {Bee-un sool lesh on var-igga} – there’s hope with the sea. We were scrambling around trying to find an Irish phrase for finding a silver lining after that defeat in Paris, so we settled on the wonderfully abstract bíonn súil leis an bhfarraige, which literally means there is hope with the sea, but is probably best translated as hope springs eternal. 

Blast from the Past

99 years ago today, the legendary Sam Maguire passed away aged 49. His name is synonymous with Gaelic football, with the All-Ireland Football Championship trophy (we say, cup 🏆) named after him. A but like Vince Lombardi, then. Except that Maguire’s story is intertwined with our history; he is credited with recruiting Michael Collins to the Irish Republican Brotherhood, for instance, a fact that led to our independence. He will, however, be chiefly known as the eponym for the Sam Maguire Cup. We don’t have any videos of Mr. Maguire, but we can show you a little video from the Border Boys, singing “We Want the Sam Maguire”. And yes, they are ripping off Billy Joel, and, yes, it’s brilliantly awful. 

And One Last Thing….

Yo! We know that we are always blarting on about Shift socials and all that craic, but, you know, it’s nice to give yourself a wee pat on the back now and again. Anyway, we just wanted to give you an update on how well things are going: We are now on our 20th official Shift video; Content from Patrick and Paul has reached over 100K views across platforms; we have exceeded 2,500 followers on the old TikTok, too! Cap in hand moment, but all your wee likes and shares and views do help us, so if you see us on the old socials – or aren’t following us already – please engage, as it helps us immensely. 

@shift.irish

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So, What’s the Craic?

The Craic is back, cartwheeling into February like a mad ‘un, bringing you news and views from Ireland and the Irish around the world. The Craic is the big-gobby mouthpiece of Shift, the app for the Irish and Irish Lite worldwide. Want the Shift in your life? Find out more here. Want this slightly cheeky email in your friend’s inbox every week? Send ‘em this way to sign the dotted line.

ST BRIGID HAS DELIVERED A PUBLIC HOLIDAY

News from Home

Cheers, Brigid. February 1st marks the kind-of-sort-of-wee-bit start of spring in Ireland, punctuated by the Feast of St Brigid, whom we now regard as one of our top-tier Saints, alongside yer man, Patrick. Anyway, the Irish Government decided that St Brigid deserved to be honored even further, deeming her big day a public holiday from 2023 onwards. That means we are set to enjoy a long weekend, for which we are especially grateful for it after a long, cold January that has lasted approximately 85 days.

Angry Hibernians. Not so much news from home here, but The Ancient Order of Hibernians has lashed out at boardgame maker, Compass Games, for releasing a game that trivializes the Irish Famine. “The Great Hunger” game does seem to belittle a human catastrophe that led to an estimated one million deaths, as well as mass emigration from the island.

Indo-Gaeilge. Irish Twitter had its collective mind blown earlier in the week when Narendra Modi, i.e., the Prime Minister of India, sent out a tweet in perfect Irish. It was surreal, though it later emerged that he had sent the same message in over 20 other EU languages after the signing of a major trade deal between the Bloc and India. Still, he COULD have chosen English, but his choice to go as Gaeilge was very well received.

The Craic Recommends. The big game featuring men chasing an egg-shaped ‘ball’ (hmmm) around a field next week? No, not Super Bowl 60, but the start of the Six Nations Rugby Championship. It’s as much a herald of spring as St B in these parts, and you know, you won’t need to use a VPN or any dodgy mucking about with streaming sites to see it in the US, as NBC/Peacock is going to be broadcasting it again this year. If you like gridiron, tune in; you’ll love it. It kicks-off Thursday with a blockbuster – France vs. Ireland.

The Irish Influence

This week’s Irish Influence is – YOU. Well, maybe not every single one of you (we still think you’re class, though), but the Irish artists and musicians who make a living from their craft. As such, we wanted to use this space to let you know that you can make your very own artists’ profile and directory listing on Shift. You’ll be able to showcase your upcoming gigs, link to examples of your work, and get discovered by all the lovely Irish and Irish-interesters (isn’t a word; don’t care) who use our lovely app. If you’re an angel of the easel or a bandit on the bodhrán, or anything else in the cultural spectrum, from YouTube creator to mime artist, you can learn more about creating an artist’s profile on Shift here. 

Cúpla Focal

Earrach – (Ar-Rock) – Spring. It’s not really spring, is it? But the Ancient Celts went by what the land was doing - or threatening to do - birds returning, lambs a’ lambing, and little daffodils peeping their heads out of the grass, so they deemed that the 1st day in February was the first day of spring, and that’s good enough for us. Maybe not time to put the big coat back in the closet yet, though, right?

Blast from the Past

As St Brigid’s Day has also become a national celebration of Irish women, we wanted to take you back 30 years to the creation of a song that embodies the festival, Mná na hÉireann (Women of Ireland). The song itself comes from an 18th-century poem of the same name by Peadar Ó Doirnín, but in 1996 Kate Bush took her own spin on it, recording with the beloved and legendary Donal Lunny. The composition complementing Bush’s vocals is by Irish composer Sean O'Riada. We aren’t trying to nick Kate from the English (she is English), but she’s proud of her Irish roots (her mum hails from Waterford) and has never been shy about celebrating this side of her heritage.

And One Last Thing….

People Power does work. For months, a massive increase in the way the Northern Irish government calculates business rates (you might call it commercial property taxes) was hanging over the heads of businesses across the region, hitting struggling pubs and restaurants particularly. (Civil) protests erupted across NI, with people flocking to pressure the government to relent, forcing a dramatic U-turn this week. The battle is not over yet, as the new calculations are just being postponed for now, but it was brilliant to see people rally around their local pubs and eateries. We’ve said it numerous times here: The Irish pub is an endangered species, and it’s important we all do our part to keep them in rude health. 

🚨☘️Pssst. A bit of a sneaky one for readers of The Craic: Shift has been quietly dropped into the app stores in Ireland and the UK ahead of TradFest 2026. We aren’t making big trumpeting announcements just yet, but since you’re all sound as a pound, we thought we’d provide some early access before we do the official announcement. If you’re in Ireland or Britain, click right here to be among the first to get the Shift app. ☘️🚨

So, What’s the Craic?

The Craic is back this Friday with news and views from the wee island nestled snugly in Europe’s armpit. The Craic is the weekly newsletter from Shift, our app for connecting the Irish and culturally Irish globally. Want the Shift? Check it out here. Want someone else to have The Craic? Tell them to enter their digits here.

ELON MUSK MAY HAVE FINALLY MET HIS MATCH

News from Home

Ryan Affair. You might consider Elon Musk a formidable enemy in business, but he’s no match for Ireland’s savviest CEO. Musk and Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary have had a spat, seemingly over the former’s reluctance to install Starlink in his planes; if you’ve flown Ryanair, you’d understand why we are just happy the plane has wings, never mind Starlink. Anyway, the fallout has been spectacular, with name-calling and Musk even threatening to buy Ireland’s famously low-cost (and MASSIVELY successful) airline. O’Leary, though, has turned it all to his advantage, using the attention to launch an “Every Seat Musk Go Big Idiot Sale.” O’Leary is famously combative and unflappable, so we know who to back in this fight. He’ll relish this.

I’m Running Late, Lad. 🎵In Dublin’s fair city, where the….streets are chocablock with cars🎵. If you’ve driven through Dublin, you’ll know the traffic can be bad, but we didn’t realize it was bad on a global scale. A study suggests it’s the 3rd most congested city in the world, with the 6th slowest traffic. If you want to see some angry Dubs, take yourself off to the comments section on the Journal.ie article that reported this story. Makes Twitter look like kindergarten.

Oscars, Baby. No nom for His Mescalness, but, as expected, Jessie Buckley leads the Irish charge for this season’s Academy Awards. But our Jess is not the only Irish nominee, as John Kelly, Richard Baneham, Maggie O'Farrell, Element Pictures and Wild Atlantic Pictures have also received nods across a variety of categories. As we keep saying, a golden era of Irish cinema.

Legend. Galway man Daragh MacLoughlin has just won the World’s Toughest Row, a grueling solo race across the Atlantic, tagged as, well, the world’s toughest rowing challenge. After this win, MacLoughlin said, “I never rowed before. But I’ve just crossed an ocean.” We assume he meant, “I never rowed before…I started training for this,” rather than just learning on the job as he traversed the Seven Seas. Anyway, good man, Daragh.

The Craic Recommends. We’ve banged the bodhrán for plenty of Irish musical acts on these hallowed pages over the months, but one we have (shamefully) overlooked is Amble, a folk trio who started out a couple of years ago with the goal of playing cover versions in pubs to earn free pints 🤣. But they’ve grown out of that, and their album, Reverie, topped the Irish charts last year. Well worth a listen.

The Irish Influence

The Craic was milling about social media the other day, and we saw the following comment (from an American, no less), who said, “It’s interesting that Ireland, a country that now has a population the same size as that of South Carolina, roughly 5.4 million, produced the most important modern poet (Yeats), novelist (Joyce), and dramatists (Wilde/Shaw/Beckett) in English.” It caused a bit of a row over who was the most important (it was on Twitter, so quelle surprise), but we wanted to highlight WB Yeats as our Irish Influence, as next Wednesday marks the anniversary of the great man’s passing. And, as a wee Friday treat, here’s Big Liam reading one of his poems.

Cúpla Focal

Tús maith, leath na hoibre – A good start is half the work. Our in-house Gaeilgeoir, Vivienne, recommended this seanfhocal as fitting as we trundle toward the end of January. We hope it’s been a great start to the year for you. And if not, well, January is nearly over, so start again in Feb. 

Blast from the Past

She’s not who you’d usually associate with the Irish, but the universally loved (if you disagree, you’re a wrong’un) Dolly Parton has turned 80, and she always seems to have a soft spot for her legions of Irish fans. The time she rocked up to a bar in Kerry in 1990 and started serenading the locals has gone down in Irish folklore. Dolly was on her holidays and decided to treat the folks at Páidí Ó Sé’s pub to a few tunes, including Coat of Many Colors. Perfection.

And One Last Thing….

Irish airports recorded record passenger numbers across 2025, but we note there’s still some reluctance among tourists to head up North as part of their itinerary. It’s a shame. We were reminded of how gorgeous it is when reading this piece about the filming of the new Game of Thrones series, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, which was almost exclusively shot in Northern Ireland. It’s attached to the rest of the island, so there are geographical similarities, but there are many subtle differences, too. The locals are class, as well, so don’t be put off by talk of borders and political problems everyone wants to leave behind. Make it your business to sail right through Co Louth and come up to join the craic at the “Home of Thrones” the next time you’re over here. 

So, What’s the Craic?

Got notions? Well, we do. Shift had a few far more important updates to our app this week, but this might be our favorite. I mean favourite. If you haven’t noticed yet, there are now a particular set of emoji reactions. Can’t say they’re not Irish enough, but what takes the biscuit for you? Check out the latest app and let us know what you think. Cheers!

The Craic return this Friday with more news and bits and bobs concerning the Irish and Irish-ish at home and abroad. The Craic is the weekly newsletter from Shift, the app for the Global Irish and Irish at heart. Want Shift? Yep, have a look at our shiny, sparkling new website here. Want a friend to have The Craic? Free weekly email is this way.

PINTFLATION IS THE TOPIC DU JOUR AT HOME

News from Home

A Plain in the Arse. The main topic of conversation this week, outside of idle chat of being conscripted to fight in Greenland, was the price of a pint, coming after Guinness owners Diageo announced a price hike of 7c per pint. It’s not the few extra cents that made it a national discussion, but more so the consistent small rises over the years, adding up to put the capital ‘G’ in Grumble for many folks. Irish socials were littered with graphs and charts showing “pintflation,” and all kinds of lamentation for the halcyon days of, err, 2017. ”So we beat on, boats against the current, borne ceaselessly back into the past,” as Scotty Fitz would say.

Wanna Job? It sounds a bit like a Hallmark movie plot, but The Great Blasket Island – a beautiful little secluded island off the coast of Kerry – is looking for a pair of caretakers to look after the place over the spring and summer months. You’ll look after the island’s coffee shop and tourist cottages, and have plenty of time to yourself on the days when it’s too windy for boat crossings. Sounds idyllic.

You Shall Not Pass. A recall has been announced for about 13,000 new Irish passports, issued without the tiny chip yokes that let you pass the eGates. New passports will be issued immediately, but this could cause issues for those with imminent travel plans.

Incredible Discovery: Something lovely about this story: Last year, 7-year-old Ben O’Driscoll decided to go exploring in a field close to his home near Mallow, Co. Cork. Young Ben found a small “pearly” stone about the size of a Cadbury Crème Egg (the scientific way to measure things). As it turned out, it was cotterite, a rare type of quartz with only a few dozen known examples worldwide, with none discovered since 1875. Bualadh bos mór, Ben.

The Craic Recommends. Lisa McGee struck gold with Derry Girls, giving the globe a taste of Northern Irish humor. Now McGee is back with How to Get to Heaven from Belfast, streaming on big aul Netflix from February 12. The cast, including Roisin Gallagher, Sinead Keenan and Caoilfhionn Dunne, is top-tier, and there’s support from the likes of Ardal O’Hanlon (forever Dougal), Bronagh Gallagher (always love spotting her in Pulp Fiction) and returning Derry Girl, Saoirse Monica Jackson. Guaranteed hit in our book.

The Irish Influence

We are big fans of the Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition, marveling every year at the incredible talent of Ireland’s kids. For that reason, we wanted to highlight this year’s Overall Prize Winner, Aoibheann Daly, who took home the award after developing an AI-assisted tool – the GiloScope – to detect an aggressive form of brain cancer. Aoibheann is just 15, and we just can’t get our heads around achieving something like this as a teenager. She received a huge ovation when returning to her Co. Kerry school, and rightly so. We can’t think of anyone more deserving of the Irish Influence spot this or any other week: what a wee legend. ☘️💚🧑‍🔬

Cúpla Focal

Giorraíonn beirt bóthar – “Two people shorten a road”. This Irish saying is a well-known seanfhocal (the Irish word for a proverb) that literally means “old word.” The saying is both beautiful in terms of etymology and sentiment, reminding us that the road feels lighter when it’s shared with good company.

Blast from the Past

As pints are on our mind this week, we wanted to take you back to the turn of the millennium when the price of a pint was also in the news. At this point, Pat Hough, owner of Hough’s pub in Lorrha, Tipperary, was in and out of the news for having the “cheapest pint in Ireland” and steadfastly holding out against price rises. Back then, we used Punts instead of Euros, and Pat was still selling at £1.50. By early 2002, the Euro was adopted, causing inflation for a variety of reasons, and it was once again national news when Pat Hough finally raised those prices. There’s no video to accompany that story, but check out this little home video of a visit to Lorrha below. Skip ahead to Hough’s bar at 7 mins. And if you don’t think it looks like one of the most perfect little cozy shebeens on earth, we can’t be friends.

And One Last Thing….

Shift Towers has been inundated with articles about everything happening and the folks that are shaking in Ireland across 2026, so we thought we should share some of the guides and ideas with you as a kind of public-service-y way to sign off on this email. First, check out a guide of hidden gems to visit in each of the 32 counties here (great road trip material in that one). Second, a bumper guide to 130 (count ‘em!) music festivals and concerts taking place in 2026 is here. Next, you can impress your friends with your hipster insider knowledge by citing lesser-known musical acts with 2FM’s guide to up-and-coming Irish artists here. Finally, click here to find some of the Irish comedians tipped for stardom. Lovely stuff – see you next week!  

So, What’s the Craic?

The Craic is back with more news and views concerning the Irish and Irish-minded people around the world. The Craic is the weekly newsletter from Shift, the app for the global Irish.

Before jumping into the newsletter, we’ve got big, big news on Shift. First, we just launched a brand new website that explains everything about Shift, and what it offers the global Irish community, from Pubs to Irish Centers, and from Performing Artists to those just looking the shift 😘. We also just made added a lot more Irish everything to the directory, and we’ve got a brilliant new version of the app appearing on the App Store and Google Play later this weekend. Tell your friends to get hold if it at https://shift.irish.

IRELAND TOPS THE GLOOMY POLL: BUT IS IT RIGHT?

News from Home

Sure It’ll Be Grand. A major survey of adults worldwide has pegged Ireland as one of the most pessimistic countries looking ahead to 2026. The methodology examined outlooks on economic prosperity, peace, and hope. Yet, we’d disagree that this means we are a gloomy country. Indeed, it was reported last year that Ireland was one of the happiest countries, with the story even making its way into The Craic. Perhaps it’s more a case of being pragmatic, especially in areas like global peace (we may have been proven right about it already this year). We’d also love to know ‘when’ these questions are asked, surely not in the depths of winter when we are all miserable?. Come ask again in July. Solar-powered, we are.

Hero. Ireland’s oldest man has passed away this week. The larger-than-life Josef Veselsky died at 107. He led a remarkable life, fighting in the Czechoslovakian resistance and surviving the Holocaust before emigrating to Ireland in 1948. While here, he started a jewelry business and became a table tennis champion. He was also a student at Trinity College Dublin in his 90s, earning an honorary degree in 2016. Incredible.

Big Beef. The EU-Mercosur deal has just been agreed, causing farmers across Europe, including Irish farmers, to protest. The agreement is a massive trade deal between the EU and Mercosur countries (Brazil, Argentina, etc). It cuts tariffs (say, what?) by about 90% in both directions. But Irish cattle farmers have had a beef with the agreement, worried about those super-ranches flooding the market with cheap steaks, prompting our government, along with a few others like France (love a protest, the French lads do 🇫🇷🚜), to oppose. Majority calls in the aul EU, though. Never a good idea to upset people with ready access to stockpiles of manure.

The Craic Recommends. We are all excited here as The Late Late Show is having its first-ever “trad special” this evening, promising a spectacular showcase of Irish traditional music across the broadcast. It’ll go out on the regionally-restricted RTE Player soon after, but some sound lad will probably stick up the best bits on YouTube if you live outside the Parish and can’t get access. Apropos of nothing, last week, the Late Late Show featured a ‘trad version’ of the Kpop Demon Hunters (ask your kids) song Golden. This is amazing, and we just had to share:

The Irish Influence

It's Hollywood awards season, and as we predicted last week, Jessie Buckley is already hoovering up the gongs, getting a Critics’ Choice Award last week and a Golden Globe nomination this week. But we wanted to highlight Dublin-based Element Pictures, one of the production companies behind Bugonia, which has been nominated for three Golden Globes, including Best Motion Picture (Comedy or Musical). Element Pictures has been behind a huge number of hit movies and television shows, including Normal People and Oscar winner, The Favourite. It has become the backbone of the Irish film industry in what increasingly looks like a golden era.

Cúpla Focal

An Geamhradh – The Winter. It’s really hit home in the past week, with January delivering a dose of sneachta (snow) and freezing temperatures; just what you want when making your way back to work after the holidays.

Blast from the Past

Dermot Morgan is an absolute legend in Ireland, one of those unifying figures who always raise a smile. The man who will always be known as Father Ted sadly passed away in 1998, aged just 48. But while he is synonymous with that role, Morgan had a long, successful comedy career and a musical one, too. In fact, forty years ago this week, he had a number one hit with My Lovely Horse Thank You Very Much, Mr Eastwood. Let’s be honest, it’s terrible, really, really terrible, but the novelty song, which lampooned champion boxer Barry McGuigan, ruled the airwaves for a few weeks back in ‘86. Who said 80s music wasn’t cool?

And One Last Thing….

“On this day it is the tradition in Ireland for the women to get together and enjoy their own Christmas, while the men folk stay at home and handle all the chores.” – We took that little snippet from an Irish tourism website. It’s an explainer on “Nollaig na mBan,” aka Women’s Christmas, which is celebrated on January 6th. But does it really apply to Ireland in 2026? Having the temerity to suggest that women would be ‘allowed’ a day off would be greeted with a smack around the gub in The Craic’s household, as it would in many others. Still, for some, January 6th is a celebration of the past and a good excuse to have a night on the town. The event does have a rich and interesting history, worth reading up on if you want to learn how Ireland has changed and how, in some instances, we can celebrate the past without judging it.

So, What’s the Craic?

The Craic is back with some new-year-new-me shenanigans, delivering news and views on all things Irish to your inbox. The Craic is the weekly newsletter from Shift, the global home of the Irish and Culturally Irish. Want a friend to have The Craic too? Sign them up for free here. Want Shift? You can get our lovely app for your smartphone right here.

WE’RE READY FOR TWENTY-TWENTY SIX!

News from Home

A little change of pace this week, as we wanted to swerve the traditional news (nothing happens over Christmas anyway) and deliver a little themed newsletter on Ireland looking ahead to 2026, while also having a wee look back to boot.

Trad to the Bone. The big cultural event of the year is the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, which will have a historic home in Belfast in August, but we also wanted to highlight the pub-centric (you know we love our pubs at Shift) TradFest 2026, taking place in every wee nook and cranny Dublin has to offer from Jan 21-25. Unmissable stuff. Bloomsday will also have its annual outing when the sun is (hopefully) back in June. And if you’re unlucky in love, you have about nine months to get those flights booked for the Lisdoonvarna Match-Making Festival in September.

Sports Year. We’ll keep you up to date on the aul ups and downs of Irish sports over the course of the year, including our improbable quest to make it to the World Cup (we really want that campervan trip), but there’s plenty of other stuff to whet the appetite: The Six Nations gets underway in a few weeks; Ireland is sending a (small) team to the Winter Olympics in February; the All-Ireland Football and Hurling Championships start in April. And file this one under ‘hunch’: we also feel that Katie Taylor will be drawn out of her boxing hiatus to fight again.

Business and Politics. No big elections planned for the country this year, but it’s a huge year in Irish politics because Ireland will be taking over the Presidency for the EU Council in July. No, that does not mean we can tell Germany and France what to do, but it does mean that Ireland sets the tone of the agenda for the bloc of 450 million people. Big responsibility. As for the Irish economy, we are ticking along okay, but stuff like tariffs and the AI tech bubble loom large. As ever, the cost of living and affordable housing remain the biggest socio-economic issues at home. Plus ça change.

The Craic Recommends. As Ireland’s national broadcaster, Raidió Teilifís Éireann, AKA RTÉ, has come in for plenty of criticism down years, but the good points have always outweighed the bad. In 2026, RTÉ is celebrating its 100th birthday, and the broadcaster has started releasing all types of content that effectively chart a century of Irish media. You can check out some of the best bits here, and we will be sure to keep you posted on special events and programs throughout the year as this national treasure, warts and all, marks its centenary.

The Irish Influence

As the Irish invasion of Hollywood continues apace, we wanted to give our prediction of who will be the next megastar to rival the Mescals and the Ronans – Jessie Buckley. After stealing the show in Hamnet, Buckley is now favorite to win the Best Actress Oscar in March. While she’s no stranger to accolades (she’s been Oscar-nominated before), Hamnet, we feel, is going to put her into the stratosphere. Also, keep an eye out for Buckley in The Bride! in March, where she plays the title role and gets top billing ahead of Christian Bale, Jake Gyllenhaal and Penelope Cruz. She’ll soon be a household name – you can’t take that check to the bank and cash it. 

Cúpla Focal

Athbhliain faoi mhaise duit {ah-vleeyun fwee vah-sha ditch} – Happy New Year to you (singular). If you’re sending a belated New Year’s text or card and want to add a bit of pizazz, you can throw in the wish as Gaeilge.

Blast from the Past

The New Year period is always an intriguing one for those interested in all aspects of Irish History. The release of “State Papers,” i.e., the annual publishing of documents showing us former governments’ true thoughts on a whole host of subjects. This year’s release has all sorts of insights, from the suspicion of Saudi Arabia’s plans to build an oil refinery in Cork to what politicians really thought of British Royals. Yet, the most intriguing nugget comes from 1987, with the papers detailing how the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs thought the rising popularity of U2 would be key to promoting Ireland around the world. Irish diplomats hatched a plan to secure VIP tickets for notables for U2 gigs across the US. Only problem was that the diplomats got carried away with their guest lists, and U2 didn’t have enough tickets to go around. The government called the gaffe “embarrassing.” 

And One Last Thing….

So, here we all are now at the end of this first edition of The Craic for 2026. What a ride. Anyway, we wanted to take this opportunity to talk a little about our goals for Shift in the year ahead. Like, err, Napoleon driving through Austerlitz in 1805, our aim is for expansion, and in real terms that means we will be expanding across US cities and officially launching in Ireland and Europe soon. We will also be expanding the features and the remit of the app itself, of course. We will let you know here and on Shift socials when we get exact dates, but for now, let’s just say we are excited about the year ahead (Patrick can hardly contain himself). We’ve loads of goodies to share with you in the coming weeks and months, and we are so glad that you lads and lasses are coming on this journey with us. ❤️☘️