Which Irish county makes the best brown bread? Clare, Kerry, Cork, Donegal — each has a strong case. Here’s what the debate is really about.

In 1593, Grace O’Malley sailed to Greenwich Palace to negotiate with Queen Elizabeth I — and won the release of her imprisoned family. The remarkable true story of Ireland’s pirate queen and her meeting with the Tudor monarch — plus get weekly Ireland stories free in our newsletter.

Look at a map of Ireland’s 32 counties and the outlines start to look like animals. Kerry resembles a terrier, Leitrim an eel, Donegal a duck. Here are the strongest candidates and why.

Photo: Love Ireland Why Ireland’s GDP jumped 26% in one year but Irish people saw no difference On the morning of July 12, 2016, Ireland’s …

Dylan, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons The Market With the Wrong Name: What Cork’s English Market Has Been Selling Since 1788 Pat O’Connell got …

Standing at the Cliffs of Moher in County Clare is an experience that stays with you long after you’ve returned home. Discover why Ireland’s most iconic coastline feels like it’s calling you back.

Dunguaire Castle in Kinvara, County Galway, stands on a tidal island on Galway Bay with over 1,500 years of history — from King Guaire’s legendary generosity to the Irish Literary Revival — plus get weekly Ireland stories free in our newsletter.

Photo: Maoileann via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) For decades, millions of Irish descendants knew only fragments — a county name, a family story, maybe …

Ireland has no native snakes — and never has. The legend of St. Patrick banishing serpents from Ireland is a medieval allegory, not a historical event. Here’s the real story behind one of Ireland’s most famous myths.

County Louth is Ireland’s smallest county but one of its most rewarding — from medieval Carlingford harbour to Drogheda’s ancient walls and the Cooley Mountains. Plus get weekly Ireland stories free in our newsletter.