History Archive

It is believed that the Christmas tree has been around for at least one or two millennia as well as being a must-have adornment for many people who celebrate Christmas and exchange gifts with family and friends every year. Decorations specialist Deemer …

Ogham is named after Oghma, the Celtic God of elocution and beautiful speech. Ogham is an ancient linear script that was Ireland’s first written language. The Dingle peninsula contains the world’s greatest concentration of Ogham stone engravings, originating from the fourth century. …

Florida, “The Sunshine State” of the USA has always been famous for its beaches, hot weather and relaxing holidays. But on the morning of 1st October 1971 Florida added another feather to its cap, when Walt Disney World opened its doors for …

Most experts consider that the history of cheese first started in the Middle East, probably coinciding with the domestication of sheep and goats and the realisation that they could be milked. But legend has it that it was ‘found’ by an obscure …

The Island of Alcatraz was inhabited by the indigenous people who arrived there 10,000-20,000 years ago. The first known inhabitants of the island were the people of the Miwok and Ohlone tribes who lived around the coastal areas between Point Sur and …

In 1953, James Watson and Francis Crick reported that they had discovered the structure of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) – the molecule that genes are made of. This discovery would transform the life sciences – from biochemistry and agriculture to medicine and genetics. …

The Paper Towel is one of the most popular household inventions. Due to its multi-purpose functionality, from cleaning surfaces and spills, wiping windows and drying hands, this absorbent towel has become a family favourite and you’ll probably find one in almost every …

Unless you are agoraphobic or chained to your bed you cannot possibly have missed the fact that Starbucks Coffee houses are just about everywhere! For over 40 years Starbucks have been successfully building their brand all over the world and are probably …

Each year on February 14th, people across the world celebrate Valentine’s Day; a day meant for spoiling and appreciating your significant other. In some cases, it can be a simple gesture of love toward a friend or family member, so while it’s …

Boxing Day is celebrated on December 26th, taking place after Christmas Day. In Ireland, it is also known as Saint Stephen’s Day and in other European countries such as Hungary, Poland, Germany, the Netherlands, and Scandinavia, it is celebrated as the Second …

Since 1983, Nintendo has sold more than 4.4 billion video games and over 703 million hardware units. The company was founded on 23rd September 1889 in Kyoto, Japan by Fusajiro Yamauchi. They started out manufacturing playing cards and later printed them with …

There is a vast difference between Hollywood depictions of vampires compared to folklore legends. In films and novels, vampires are depicted as aristocratic, attractive and intelligent with a thirst for blood. They sleep in coffins and are well-dressed with long capes. They …

Does it seem like work when you’re on a treadmill? There may be a good reason why – as in how tread wheels evolved into treadmills. Ancient Greeks invented the crane to lift heavy loads in the late sixth century. Roman engineers …

The word “holocaust”, originally comes from the Greek adjective “holokaustos”, “holo” meaning whole and “kaustos” meaning completely burnt. In other words, it referred to an animal sacrifice, which was completely burnt, as a sacrifice to a god. In Hebrew, it refers to …