Jim Fitzpatrick Christmas Cards

Haroldstown Portal Dolmen is one of the most impressive of the numerous antiquites that grace the Midlands of Ireland

The oldest building in the entire world, Newgrange is a mystical monument raised 5,000 years ago in the Boyne Valley and it's massive solar clock still keeps accurate time to this very day - an amazing working demonstration of stone age science which is older than the pyramids of Egypt by centuries, older than Stonehenge by 1,000 years.

Cashel first came into prominence in the fourth or fifth century A.D.as the royal seat of the Eoghanacht dynasty. The buildings which crown St. Patrick's Rock today present an awe-inspiring mass of magnificent architecture.

Oisin, Poet, Warrior and son of Fionn MacCumhaill. The last of the Fianna, he takes his leave of Royal Tara, seat of the High kings of Éireann.

Nessa, Warrior-Princess of the Ulad, was famed as a fighter and a hunter. Nessa was the mother of Conchobar (Macnessa), king of Ulster and for a time ruled Ulster itself.

The great Columba, founder of Iona, passes the winter working on one of the great monastic manuscripts produced in the abbey scriptoriam. Columb (Colm-Chille), saint and missionary, left Ireland with twelve companions and settled on Iona (Oliean I), an island off the coast of south-west Scotland. There he founded his now famous monastery and began his ministry to the native Picts and to the scotti, the Irish tribal clans and septs of Scotland.

A Norse-Irish longship sets out from Dublin (Dyflyn) to go a-viking; to raid and plunder the enemy coastline, to trade and exchange goods and slaves.

Finnchoem was one of the most important women in the court of Conchobar Mac Nessa, King of Ulster.

Sadb, the deer goddess was a beautiful girl turned into a fawn by the dark druid.

Assigned to the 10th century, this early Irish poem is preserved in a 16th century manuscript (MS.,23N10) in the Royal Irish Academy.

The last Great Irish Elk probably passed into history about 10,000 years ago.

Sometimes a mortal may be sought by a faerie lover (leannan sidhe). If he refuses her, he is her master, if he succumbs, he is her slave.

Cruachan was Queen Maeve's fortress in Connaught and the seat of the kings and Queens of the province.

An inspirational, contemplative decorative work reflecting the influence of early Irish manscript art. Part of an ongoing series of works by the artist related to the religious beliefs of early Irish Celtic Christianity.

This poem, attributed to the legendary Finn, is preserved and referred to in a number of important manuscripts including the 6th century "Amra Cholium Chille" and the later "Lebar Na H'uidre" and "Yellow Book Of Lecan".

Inspired by the Viking terror this beautiful little poem from the 9th Century expresses eloquently the comfort of a winter storm which prevents a Viking raid from the sea.

Aoife, the wicked stepmother of the Children of Lir transforms them into swans and condemns the to roam the seas and rivers of Ireland forever.