Celtic Queen Tour Guide

The British establishment tried hard to change and control us Irish but thankfully we Irish have found more freedom. Still a little section in the North to hopefully get back before too long by peaceful referendum.

✂️ In 1537 the Irish parliament passed a law about haircuts, and it was not a joke. Wearing your hair a certain way had become a political act.

The style was the glib. A thick heavy fringe of hair grown long over the forehead and eyes, worn by Gaelic Irish men, and it appears again and again in English accounts of Ireland with a distinct note of irritation attached. 🧵

The irritation had a reason. English observers complained that a man could push a glib forward or cut it off and be effectively unrecognisable, which made identifying somebody wanted for something extremely difficult. Whether that was truly the purpose or simply how it looked from outside is arguable, but the belief was firmly held and it was written down repeatedly.

So it went into legislation. The Act for the English Order, Habit and Language set out to make the population look and sound English, and it named the glib specifically, along with long hair worn at the back, the woollen mantle worn as an outer garment, and the Irish language itself. Hair, clothing and speech, treated together as one problem.

That is the piece worth sitting with. A government does not legislate against a hairstyle because it dislikes the hairstyle. It does it because everyone involved understands the hair is not really the subject. ☘️

Majestic Killarney

Brian Nolan is a font of knowledge on Galway. His walking tours are a great way to learn about the city in a fun way

Tourist Guides Always Get Asked… “How many days do I need in Ireland?” - Our honest answer? More than you think! You can definitely see highlights in 4–5 days, but to truly experience Ireland - to slow down, explore, and connect with the places and people - we recommend you stay a little longer. Trust us, you’ll want to! And the right tourist guide can help you make the most of every moment.

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Image: Courtesy Failte Ireland

Proud to do this for a living

Just for fun on Monday - as we start our new week! How about this fresh take on a dictionary definition for a 𝐓𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐓 𝐆𝐔𝐈𝐃𝐄? 🙂✨

Yes, we know there are various official definitions and also different uses of the term, depending on which country you are guiding in, but we thought this may make you smile. Enjoy a wonderful week!

🌐 www.wftga.org 🌍

Sunny morning but a bit windy here in Killarney this morning

Having fun with other guides and tourist providers at Ahascragh Distillery, East Galway

Love learning little facts that I didn't know, makes me love the Beatles even more

Paul McCartney wrote ‘Give Ireland back to the Irish’ day after Bloody Sunday, it spent 8 weeks in the charts despite being banned by the BBC.

John Lennon wrote ‘Sunday Bloody Sunday’ in solidarity with the people of Derry and donated all royalties to the Civil Rights Movement.